UTOPIA

Abstract

This dissertation, "Utopia," explores the enduring influence of Soviet-era visual culture on post-Soviet identity, using my personal experience growing up in Omsk, Siberia, as a lens. My artistic practice reinterprets Soviet imagery, from brutalist architecture to television broadcasts and "Raw Capitalism" advertising, revealing a shared visual code that shaped my generation. Through installations like "Utopia 4" and "Dialogue," I examine the manufactured utopia of Soviet media, contrasting it with the lived reality of post-Soviet Russia. Works such as "Smile" utilize AI to generate images based on Soviet-era visuals, highlighting the homogenizing tendencies of both propaganda and contemporary technology. By juxtaposing personal memories with cultural artifacts, I aim to create a dialogue between past ideologies and present technological advancements, reflecting on how the pursuit of idealized systems can erase individuality. This work seeks to understand and reinterpret the visual codes that shaped my upbringing, offering a critical reflection on the interplay between memory, AI, and identity.