Terra sebv s acta mvsei sabesiensi s

Conceptual Art Exhibitions as a Dialogue between Art and Its Contemporaries 

 

207

P. S. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky and F. M. Dostoevsky; the painter depicts 

himself in the image of old general of 1812. Such pieces are not only 

historical, they are attractive: their content represents knowledge of the 

humanities spiritualised by a creative imagination. For the Russian 

philosopher V. V. Ilyin, it is “the semantic determination, the value-

conscious causality present in those cognitive examples that distinguish the 

search of the humanist.”

10

 Shubin is, undoubtedly, a painter and a humanist.  

An important cognitive process in the sphere of humanities is the use 

of dialogue that leads to understanding; it could be said that an exhibition 

always represents a dialogue between the painter and the viewer, and that 

the purpose of any art exhibition is to present universal human values to 

modern society. 

Conceptual exhibitions in Altai present a new dimension of regional 

art. Tradition is presently one of the most urgent problems of contemporary 

society, and is widely discussed in academic publications. The relevance of 

this problem is connected with the potential disappearance of original 

cultures closely connected with traditions. Traditions should not be 

understood as something outmoded and ancient. D. D. Blagoy describes 

how in works of the great Russian poet, A. S. Pushkin, interest and respect 

for the past (tradition) is combined with love for modernity, with the energy 

of creation; as he puts it, the poet valued “the taste of clever antiquity.”

11

 

The researcher underlines that “clever traditions, passed from ancestors to 

descendants, are a precondition for the progressive development of 

society.” Tradition, under certain conditions, can turn into formal 

traditionalism, losing its connection with modernity through which it can 

develop and “take on new life.”

12

 Blagoy illustrates this through the example 

of the development of Russian culture in the 18

th

 century, making reference 

to Pushkin’s words:  

“For a long time, Russia preserved its aloofness from Europe. Admitting 

Christianity from the Byzantine Empire, it participated in neither the 

political upheavals nor the mental activity of Roman world.... The great 

destination was determined for Russia.... Its vast plains assimilated 

Mongolian power and stopped their invasion on the extreme border of 

Europe.”

13

  

Peter I turned Russia towards European culture, whilst at the same 

time preserving the national characteristics of his empire. In developing a 

city plan for his northern capital, Peter I relied not only on construction 

                                                 

10

 Ilyin 1985, p. 45. 

11

 Blagoy 2005, p. 28-29. 

12

 Ibid., p. 30. 

13

 Ibid., p. 32. 

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T. M. Stepanskaya 

 

208

techniques from Amsterdam, he also drew upon Old Russian architectural 

traditions. Pushkin mentions this in his poem Medniy vsadnik, describing 

how “Peter’s rampant horse planted his hooves on the native land.”

14

 

Following Pushkin, Russians are exhorted to fulfil their duty to serve their 

nation, their traditions.  

Studying aspects of modernity such as traditions and the processes of 

globalisation remains a priority in academia, attracting the attention of 

historians, culturologists and fine art experts. N. A. Khrenov’s article, 

published in Traditsionnaya kultura,

15

 juxtaposes different views concerning 

the place of traditional culture in societal life and how it is influenced by 

globalisation processes. 

It is the destructive role of globalisation with regards to tradition 

which arouses the concern of academics. N. A. Khrenov notes that 

globalisation is, in fact, an ancient phenomenon. He refers to the 

philosopher V. Soloviev, who noted the differences in “ideal” and “real” 

acts of globalisation. Ideally, globalisation presupposes the integration 

(interpenetration) of nations and cultures, but in reality what we see is the 

unification (homogenisation) of cultures, resulting in destruction of the 

originality and uniqueness of local and national traditions. Interpenetration 

presupposes a dialogue between cultures. In practice, we see the dictates 

(monologue) of the market leading 

to mass culture; cultural values 

become goods and are assigned a 

market value. Researchers tend to 

agree that the processes of 

globalisation are driven by the 

West, mainly the USA. 

Traditions are formed over 

long time periods. Taking an 

intermediate position, Russia 

actively assimilates the values of 

Western culture but, at the same 

time, tends to preserve 

manifestations of traditional 

culture, for instance, folklore 

(songs, images, fairy tales, etc.). 

The thought has been expressed 

that statehood represents the mind 

                                                 

14

 Ibid., p. 35. 

15

 Khrenov 2005. 

Fig. 2. G. A. Belyshev. A fabric design based 

on ornamentations typical of nationals of the  

Altai Mountains, 1970 

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