Dialogue (2026)
Created & edited by Varvara Tokareva
Visual source: Gosteleradiofond (1977–1978)
Audio source: Freesound.org
© 2026 Varvara Tokareva
Dialogue utilizes archival footage from the Soviet televised song contest Pesnya Goda (1970s–1990s) to examine the mechanisms of state-sponsored mass culture. By cropping and reframing these official broadcasts, the work highlights the rigid gender tropes, formulaic repetition, and underlying absurdity embedded within late-Soviet entertainment. Rather than offering explicit political commentary, the project operates from the vantage point of an observer navigating post-Soviet memory and inherited cultural codes. It contrasts the idealized, utopian world projected on television with the lived realities and personal narratives of the era. Ultimately, Dialogue exposes how state media transformed public entertainment into a tool for ideological conformity rather than authentic connection.
The project originated across two-channel, silent, and single-channel iterations, presented at physical spaces like the UMD Art Gallery and The Compound as well as on online platforms such as YouTube and CIFRA.
Visual source: Gosteleradiofond (1977–1978)
Audio source: Freesound.org
© 2026 Varvara Tokareva
Dialogue utilizes archival footage from the Soviet televised song contest Pesnya Goda (1970s–1990s) to examine the mechanisms of state-sponsored mass culture. By cropping and reframing these official broadcasts, the work highlights the rigid gender tropes, formulaic repetition, and underlying absurdity embedded within late-Soviet entertainment. Rather than offering explicit political commentary, the project operates from the vantage point of an observer navigating post-Soviet memory and inherited cultural codes. It contrasts the idealized, utopian world projected on television with the lived realities and personal narratives of the era. Ultimately, Dialogue exposes how state media transformed public entertainment into a tool for ideological conformity rather than authentic connection.
The project originated across two-channel, silent, and single-channel iterations, presented at physical spaces like the UMD Art Gallery and The Compound as well as on online platforms such as YouTube and CIFRA.