Solitude as Stage: Marta Becket’s Amargosa Opera House and the Autonomy of Art in Death Valley

by Kirill Oleshkevich

This article examines the work of American choreographer and painter Marta Becket (1924 – 2017), founder of the unique Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley, California. It explores the phenomenon of autonomous art created outside institutional and spectator-based frameworks. Becket’s theatre is interpreted as a model of inner mythology, in which the performance space becomes a tool of self-identification, a ritual of overcoming solitude, and a form of psychical self-therapy. The analysis draws on Gaston Bachelard’s concept of the poetics of space, theories of ritual performativity (Victor Turner, Richard Schechner), and the tradition of American individualism. The article argues that the Amargosa Opera House represents not only an artistic but also an existential phenomenon - a theatre in which art becomes a means of personal survival under conditions of radical isolation.

Nonverbal theatre: the specifics of expressive means and communication with the audience

by Bazheev Evgeny

This work explores the phenomenon of nonverbal theatre as an independent and significant direction within contemporary performing arts. It analyzes its nature, which is based on rejecting the verbal component (the spoken word) as the dominant mode of expression. Special attention is given to the expressive means that replace text: physicality, gesture, facial expression, dance, pantomime, visual imagery, sound, and rhythm. The article aims to systematize the key aspects of the language of nonverbal theatre and identify its unique potential for creating universal artistic statements.

From Invisible Barrier to Interactive Interface: The Fourth Wall in Theatre and Cinema

by Polina Piskovatskaya

The article focuses on the transformation of the technique of breaking the fourth wall in contemporary theatre and cinema. Traditionally associated with Bertolt Brecht’s use of direct address to create critical distance, this device has taken on new functions in modern practice. Drawing on Hans-Thies Lehmann’s concept of postdramatic theatre, the study analyzes how breaking the fourth wall has shifted from a tool of distanciation to a means of interactive engagement. Three current forms are explored: direct address in film, immersive theatre that dissolves the boundary between stage and audience, and interactive cinema that allows viewers to influence the narrative. The analysis demonstrates that today this device is used not to distance the spectator but to establish a closer, more personalized connection. The article concludes that the fourth wall has evolved from a separating barrier into an interface of interaction.

Producing Ethics: Balancing Commercial Success, Creative Freedom, and Social Responsibility

by Dina Zaynullina

This article examines the ethical implications of contemporary media production, concentrating on the intricate balance between commercial viability, artistic freedom, and social responsibility. In an era defined by hyper-competition, digital transformation, and heightened audience awareness, the role of the producer has evolved into a mediator navigating a "triangle of contradictions." Drawing on case studies from film and television—including Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Les Misérables, and Squid Game—the study analyzes dominant production models: market-driven, auteur-centric, socially missioned, and integrative. The paper argues for an integrated approach where producers act not merely as financiers or facilitators but as cultural stewards capable of aligning economic logic with ethical practice and artistic integrity. Emphasizing tools such as transparent budgeting, script consulting, and inclusive representation, the article advocates for producing as a core competence of ethical governance in 21st-century media systems.

The Aesthetics of Marginality in Contemporary Urban Cultures

by Yaroslava Orlova

The paper considers the phenomenon of the “aesthetics of marginality” as an emerging cultural code within the contemporary urban environment. Focusing on visual practices, urban folklore, street art, and musical subcultures arising in industrial zones and informal communities, the study defines the concept of marginal art and evaluates its influence on current creative trends, including debates over whether such practices constitute legitimate art or remain primarily amateur expression. Particular attention is given to Western perceptions of Russian urban culture and the growing romanticization of bleak post-Soviet cityscapes, often described as “panel-house romanticism.” The rapid development of marginal aesthetics is contextualized within broader processes of global change and accelerated globalization, which challenge the preservation of individuality. Employing an interdisciplinary framework drawn from visual anthropology, urban studies, and the sociology of art, the article analyzes the aesthetic systems generated in urban peripheries and informal creative environments.

The Phenomenon of the Soundtrack in Alexei Balabanov’s Cinema: Rock Music as a Tool for Mythologizing Russian Space

by Olga Iogolevich

This article examines the role of rock music soundtracks in the cinema of Alexei Balabanov as a central element of his artistic system and a key mechanism for mythologizing Russian space. Drawing on structural-semantic and contextual analysis, the study explores how domestic rock music functions not merely as background accompaniment but as an active agent in constructing geographic, social, and existential meanings within Balabanov’s films. The analysis focuses on Brother, Brother 2, War, Cargo 200, and The Stoker, demonstrating how musical compositions create “emotional poles” of the country, articulate the internal monologue of protagonists, and participate in the deconstruction of cinematic reality through irony and dissonance. Attention is paid to the concept of musical cartography, whereby urban and regional spaces acquire distinct identities through sound, from the intellectual alienation of Saint Petersburg to the existential despair of conflict zones. The article also incorporates audience survey data to contextualize the reception of rock soundtracks and their perceived function as a “voice of the era.” The study concludes that rock music in Balabanov’s cinema operates as a mythopoetic tool that not only reflects the crisis of Russian society at the turn of the twenty-first century but also actively shapes a durable cultural mythology of post-Soviet space.

Postmodern Deformation of Fairy‐Tale Archetypes and Heroes in Husky’s Songs

by Nika Galieva

This article analyzes the postmodern deformation of fairy-tale motifs and archetypes in the songs of Russian rapper Husky. It explores how folklore elements and traditional heroic images from fairy tales are transformed within a contemporary context, leading to new types of heroes who are often disoriented and hopeless. Four of Husky’s songs are examined in detail: Сказки (Fairy Tales), Колобок (Kolobok), Быть Орком (Being an Orc), and Партизан (The Partisan). Each of these songs vividly demonstrates elements of postmodern deconstruction of folklore. Key aspects of the changes in Husky’s protagonists are discussed: from the absence of magical assistance and experiences of anti-initiation to an ambivalent chaos in which moral categories of “good” and “evil” lose their clarity. The goal is to show how Husky, by employing elements of traditional folklore structure, subverts classical canons of heroism to create characters that reflect post-Soviet realities. The study also addresses the psychological isolation and despair inherent in these modern heroes, which becomes a crucial element in understanding the postmodern approach to folklore motifs. This work thereby highlights how contemporary song lyrics can serve not only as a cultural phenomenon but also as an important tool for understanding shifts in moral perception in today’s reality.

«Cloud Dancer» as Color of the Year 2026: Cultural Symbolism, Visual Practice, and the Soft Power of White

by Pestova Stefania

Pantone’s selection of Cloud Dancer (Pantone 11-4201) - an airy off-white- as its Color of the Year 2026 offers a rich case study in the cultural and aesthetic significance of color. This article examines Cloud Dancer as a multifaceted symbol in contemporary visual culture, design, and art. We situate this soft white hue within historical and theoretical contexts of whiteness from modernist ideals of purity and neutrality to critiques of “chromophobia” to explore how white can signify both clarity and emptiness, renewal and ideology. Pantone’s Color of the Year program is analyzed as a barometer of zeitgeist, reflecting societal yearnings for calm and “a fresh start” in chaotic times, even as it shapes consumer and design trends across fashion, beauty, interiors, and media. Through case studies of recent design projects and artworks, including Russian artists’ engagements with white as meditative space, the article illustrates Cloud Dancer’s influence and resonance. Far from a “blank” choice, Cloud Dancer is argued to carry a “whisper of calm and peace in a noisy world,” embodying an interdisciplinary aesthetic of minimalism, materiality, and hopeful simplicity that has captured the contemporary imagination. The conclusion reflects on the power and ambiguity of white in today’s visual culture and on what Pantone’s Cloud Dancer reveals about our current cultural moment.

Perspectives on Perceiving Contemporary Art: Why It Provokes, Shocks, and Makes Us Think

by Kovaleva Oksana

This article explores the complex reasons behind the powerful and often polarized responses to contemporary art. We examine the paradox of why works that sometimes lack traditional beauty or obvious technical virtuosity can elicit such intense emotions and heated debates. We argue that this is not accidental, but the result of a fundamental shift in art’s function - from striving for the beautiful to aiming to critique, provoke, and ask uncomfortable questions. The article analyzes this phenomenon through several key lenses: psychological, socio-philosophical, manipulative, and neurobiological. We ultimately conclude that the power of contemporary art arises from an act of co-creation between artist and viewer. The artist provides a conceptual challenge, and the viewer, drawing on personal experience, completes the work by infusing it with meaning and emotion. Thus, controversies and strong feelings are not a defect but evidence of the vitality of contemporary art as an active participant in dialogue with its era.

Harmony (Wa) in Japanese Society: Tradition, Practice, and Contemporary Challenges

by Rogaleva Ekaterina

This article explores the foundational role of harmony as a core value in Japanese society, tracing its historical origins and examining its manifestations in social structure, cultural practices, and daily life. Harmony in Japan emerges from a unique synthesis of Shinto, Buddhism, and Confucianism values, first codified by Prince Shotoku in the 6th century and enduring as a guiding principle of social organization. The paper examines how harmony is maintained through strict social hierarchies, collective obligations, and ritualized etiquette, which minimize conflict and promote group cohesion. Everyday customs - from workplace dynamics and family roles to seasonal festivals, cuisine, and aesthetics - are shown to reinforce a life in tune with nature and community. The analysis also addresses modern challenges to harmony, particularly the post-World War II influx of Western individualism and competitive ethos, which many Japanese observers argue have eroded the traditional “spirit of wa”. Even so, a renewed nostalgia and hope for revitalizing harmony-based values are rising in Japan. The article concludes that harmony remains vital for Japan’s social fabric and suggests that re-embracing this classical virtue could guide Japan through its current cultural value crisis.