Ivan Foletti: This is not Russia! Pearls of the South Caucasus, Orientalism and Imperialism

The art of the South Caucasus - especially of today's Armenia and Georgia - is still a Cinderella in art historical research. Interest in this territory is also narrowly defined among the general public. It focuses only on its natural beauty and associated tourism, or on the consumer perception of Tbilisi as a capital of seemingly exotic alcohol parties. This situation did not arise by chance. It is a long-constructed view of the region that was shaped during the years of the so-called "Great Game", i.e. the rivalry between Russia and Great Britain over Central Asia. However, the imperialism of the Soviet Union and, to some extent, of Putin's Russia later also impacted the situation. The Western sense of superiority that comes from the long tradition of Orientalism also plays a role in this optic.

The aim of the lecture is to reflect on the contemporary view of the Caucasus and, above all, to uncover the mechanisms that have caused it. For, at least in pre-modern times, it was the unadulterated cultural hegemon of the Eurasian space.

You can also watch the lecture online live on our YouTube channel.