Evgeny Granilshchikov on the nature of Russian colonialism

Russian Art Focus met the artist and independent film-maker Evgeny Granilshchikov, winner of numerous national and international awards by the age of 35. He spoke about what he perceives as a lack of reflection on Soviet history in contemporary Russian society, and the amnesia afflicting younger generations around recent historical events.

Although best known today for his film work, Granilshchikov sees himself as a multimedia artist combining several different techniques and media in a project. As he shares his vision and ideas about video art, he also reflects on the events which took place in Belarus in Summer of 2020, as well as other political upheavals in Ukraine and Russia, and how they have become subject matter in his art. He asks questions about the nature of Russian colonialism today.

Granilschikov became interested in politics in 2008 and since then he has been following it closely. His projects address the collisions between political and private lives, family memories and unprocessed social traumas as well as the influence of war taking place somewhere close to home.