Generation 

Oil on canvas

160x70sm 160x70sm

2023

The cyclical nature of military culture has led to a distorted perception of reality. In today’s existential framework, this could be interpreted through Foucault’s skepticism toward the philosophy of power, yet contemporary geopolitical interpretations of war extend beyond these boundaries. Turning a blind eye to the life of one’s neighbor—ignoring their goals, ideals, and principles—has already yielded tangible consequences.

The grand tradition of glorifying war, the idealization of the victor and the savior, and the romanticization of the fallen hero have upended the very structure of our world. My work presents a direct portrait of a generation that takes its first steps within this system—a portrait of nationhood and propaganda, of the erasure of identity and history, and the substitution of meaning itself. The romanticization of war has given rise to a cult of child-soldiers.

This inquiry began with an exploration of digital propaganda imagery, which unexpectedly entered my life. Enchanting photo sessions of children dressed in Soviet military uniforms, a deformed aesthetic bordering on inhumanity—these visual tropes have become a medium through which compassion is systematically erased. Neo-patriotism is deliberately amplified, presented as the sole, righteous path. My works parody the commercial templates of photo studios that offer to capture a child in military attire, as if elevating them—framing them within the construct of the “peacemaker.”

Even the most material side of things can become the most ephemeral medium.

The work uses stars from Soviet military shoots.