Punk Orientalism: these artists are confronting the legacy of Soviet imperialism

A new exhibition breaking down myths, assumptions and stereotypes in the Caucasus and Central Asia is set to open in Canada.

The MacKenzie Art Gallery’s Punk Orientalism will shine a light on modern artists challenging old ideas on the region’s identity. Blending the spirit of non-conformism with local customs and traditions, the artists reject Western depictions of their people and nations as subdued junior partners, happy to serve Moscow as the heart of the former Soviet Union.

“Punk Orientalism presents artists who work addresses issues of colonialism and Soviet imperialism, revealing new avenues into history and geopolitics that are timely and relevant to understanding the current social and political climate,” said Sara Raza, the exhibition’s curator. “Bringing together an array of critical voices that slice through oversimplified narratives of history and place, these artists also speak to the wider influence of the former Soviet Union in Iran and parts of the Arab world, to shape a different understanding of the East.”

Punk Orientalism will run from 10 November 2018 to 17 February 2019 in Regina, Canada. For more information, click here.