ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Giorgio Caravale's 'Chi controlla il passato' Examines Power's Grip on History

publication · 2026-05-25

Giorgio Caravale's 2026 book 'Chi controlla il passato. La storia nelle mani del potere' (Laterza) explores how control of the past serves as a technique for governing the present. The documentary 'Mr. Nobody against Putin' (2025, David Borenstein, Pavel Ilyich Talankin), an Oscar winner, serves as a prologue. The book concretely illustrates its thesis through the Karabash school, transformed into a workshop of patriotic pedagogy. History teacher Abdulmanov, a member of Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, embodies the rewriting of history with calm fanaticism, rehabilitating dark Soviet pages and even praising figures like Beria.

Key facts

  • Giorgio Caravale is the author of 'Chi controlla il passato. La storia nelle mani del potere'
  • The book was published in 2026 by Laterza
  • The documentary 'Mr. Nobody against Putin' (2025) won an Oscar
  • David Borenstein and Pavel Ilyich Talankin directed the documentary
  • The Karabash school serves as a workshop of patriotic pedagogy
  • History teacher Abdulmanov is a member of United Russia party
  • Abdulmanov rehabilitates dark pages of Soviet history
  • Abdulmanov declares inspiration from Beria

Entities

Artists

  • Giorgio Caravale
  • David Borenstein
  • Pavel Ilyich Talankin
  • Abdulmanov

Institutions

  • Laterza
  • United Russia

Locations

  • Karabash
  • Russia

Sources