M. Rezvan

MAE (Kunstkamera), RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia

E-mail: marrez@mail.ru

Russia and Its Oriental Other: Self‑Cognition Through Mutual Influence (Intermediate Results of One Research Project)

Abstract. The article aims at presenting the project Russian Orientalism (Science, Art, Collections), conducted by the team of researchers from the KunstkameraMuseum (St. Petersburg). We offer the reader an interpretation of orientalism, as having an inner unity of the way of perception and vision of the East, its co-creation, expressed in a wide variety of aspects: professional and scientific, artistic, everyday, etc. The resulting book shows that Russia's and “Orient” mutual history testifies to a continuous dialogue, through which we, realizing our dissimilarity, try to understand not only the Other, but also ourselves, through our reflection in it.

Keywords: Russian orientalism, Russia and the East, E. W. Said (1935—2003), postcolonial studies, museum collections

DOI: 10.31250/1238-5018-2020-26-2-85-87

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Received by the Editorial Board: 12.10.2020