Moscow Concept 1985

In the 1970s and 1980s, an alternative art scene emerged in Moscow which developed its activities beyond censorship and the state's cultural establishment: Most notably these activities took place in apartments, studios and in nature. A "domestic culture of the avant-garde" developed within this circle of friends and artists. It drew an imaginative and creative energy from this paradoxically intimate publicity. Texts, images and objects provided the occasion for a constant artistic exchange which in turn assumed the charac ter of a performative self-staging.The re-edition at hand makes the video pieces -which were recorded in 1985 - accessible again in a digital format and likewise en ables a new examination of these historical recordings. Poets and artists who have since achieved international renown are once more to be seen in the artistic milieu in which they began their work.

In addition to two DVDs subtitled in English and German this S PRESS mediabox contains three accompanying booklets with transcripts of the video tracks and brief biographies of the artists.

More than 30 vears after the first edition of these video pleces on tape the editors Günter Hirt and Sascha Wonders reflect not only on their significance for the aesthetics of Moscow conceptuallsm, but also upon the principles of their own documentary approach. It was their aim to archive these specific artistic situa tlons that otherwise would have been excluded from the official cultural memory.

A postcard with video stilla from each of the artistio pieces shown on the DVDs is added as a publisher's reminiscence of the original promocard published by 8 PRESS in 1987.