Moscow Conceptualism through Collective and Private Memory. The Archive as an Artistic Self-historicising Practice in Vadim Zakharov

"In an era characterised by the growing tension between local and global, multiple activities acted artist Vadim Zakharov offer important case study to investigate critically relationship artists art institutions at time of Global Art History. Artist, archivist, collector editor in frame Moscow Conceptualism, since end 1970s up today, embodies figure “artist as institution” attempt reach his artistic autonomy. This text introduces expansion archival attitude typical conceptualism, a Soviet unofficial movement developed marginal, underground, self-referential context capital USSR 1970s. Due its transnationality, Zakharov’s story gives opportunity trace parallels, comparisons differences what happened next, when he moved Germany 1989, after fall USSR, with appearance new labels “post-Soviet” “Russian contemporary art”. Within this socio-historical framework, joined more cosmopolitan scene, enlarging practices aim self-institutionalize self-historicize own circle Conceptualism international scene. Keywords: Zakharov, Russian Contemporary Art, History, Archival fever. "