Echoes of Revolution in Protest Art: Historical Narratives and Youth Mobilization in Russia (2008–2012)

Abstract This paper examines the mobilizing potential of revolutionary history among Russian youth during the presidency of Dmitriĭ Medvedev (2008–2012), a period marked by increased political dissent and the emergence of mass street protests. Using and further developing Klas-Göran Karlsson’s theoretical framework on the functional uses of history, this study analyzes how two prominent protest art collectives, Voĭna and Pussy Riot, used narratives of Russian and foreign revolutionary history in their artworks. Through an analysis of audience reception via comments on social media platforms, this study assesses the extent to which these historical narratives resonated with Russian youth (the majority of Internet users at the time), who, unlike older generations, lack Soviet-era familiarity with revolutionary history. The findings suggest that while these historical references were comprehended by the audience, their mobilizing power was limited by a dominant “anti-revolutionary consensus” and fragmented historical knowledge.