Oirad-Kalmyk activist nomto küükn has written a manifesto, a supremely important text in the context of the decolonial movement in russia. Written from the experience of living one's own otherness, it speaks honestly about the different stages of accepting one's identity, politicizes ethnicity, and offers not a closed, but multiple interpretations of what it might mean to be Oirad-Kalmyk. Entering into dialogue with texts by non-white feminists such as Audrey Lorde and Sarah Ahmed, from a position of Indigenous feminism, the manifesto of nomto küükn stretches connections across generations and contexts of feminist thought, continuing the work of politicizing emotion, difference, and identity. Doing so makes loving and accepting one's people an act of resistance to the colonial machines of erasure, oppression, and shame.
Read the full text on beda.media, and the fragments—in cards.
We prepared this text in collaboration with Oirad-Kalmyk activist movement Oirad Jisan.
Read the full text on beda.media, and the fragments—in cards.
We prepared this text in collaboration with Oirad-Kalmyk activist movement Oirad Jisan.
Artist disthene contemplates on symbolic and practical role of peat extraction in early soviet industrialisation. Starting with their own experience of growing up in an extractivist settlement which was literally built on peat, but without solid ground under their feet, the artist then leads us further through the routes of little-known work migrations of the 1920s–1930s.
The light and abundance of the socialist future promised by GOELRO began here: in the ice-cold swamp mud, without proper work uniforms and instruments, with endless exploitation of female bodies that were losing their health and strength with each day spent working, without their impact ever properly acknowledged. In order to overcome the total archival silence about women’s labour at the peat extraction facilities, disthene uses a method of artistic simulations, reworking official documents, measly numbers and oral stories into scenes of everyday work routine.
Read full text here.
The light and abundance of the socialist future promised by GOELRO began here: in the ice-cold swamp mud, without proper work uniforms and instruments, with endless exploitation of female bodies that were losing their health and strength with each day spent working, without their impact ever properly acknowledged. In order to overcome the total archival silence about women’s labour at the peat extraction facilities, disthene uses a method of artistic simulations, reworking official documents, measly numbers and oral stories into scenes of everyday work routine.
Read full text here.
After the publication of the text we received a critical commentary on the absence of information on Karakalpakstan, or Qaraqalpaqstan land, people, struggle and activism related to the Aral Sea desertification. As it is a fair and very much needed critique, we decided to make this note and address the issue.
Read the revised article on beda.media
Read the revised article on beda.media