Public Defence Doctoral Thesis: Natalia Drobot

Echoes of Soviet Identity: Visualising Soviet Heritage in Contemporary Art is a doctoral project in the arts by Natalia Drobot that investigates post-Soviet nostalgia—often referred to as Ostalgie—and its influence on the visual culture of former Soviet and socialist countries.

The research combines academic inquiry with an extensive body of original artworks, ranging from ceramics and sculpture to photography and installation. Through this artistic research, Drobot examines how contemporary artists – including herself – revisit Soviet symbols, everyday relics, and collective memory.

The project engages with themes such as the fate of Lenin monuments, the militarization of daily life, and the aesthetic traces of socialism in domestic objects. Drawing on the writings of Svetlana Boym and other theorists, the work distinguishes between reflective and restorative nostalgia, proposing a visual language to articulate the ongoing tensions between history and identity.

Jury:

• Prof. ir. arch. Stefan Devoldere (dean of the faculty Architecture and Arts, UHasselt)
• Prof. dr. David Huycke (promotor, Hasselt University, PXL University of Applied Sciences)
• dr. Joannes Késenne (co-promotor, PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts)
• Caroline Coolen (PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts)
• Ria Pacquée
• dr. Joes Segal (Utrecht University)
• dr. Agnès Rammant (Art Withour Bars)
• Maaike Leyn (CVO Gent)

Visit the expo between September 5th – 12th, Monday to Friday from 10h00 – 18h00, PXL MAD C-Blok De KOOI, Elfde-Liniestraat 25, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium.