Lene Markusen's 'Sisters Alike' Explores Female Identity in Post-Soviet Russia Through Film and Book
In 2019, Lene Markusen, a Danish artist, released 'Sisters Alike. Female Identities in the Post-Utopian' via Spector Books. This 184-page work incorporates sketches, photographs, and film stills from her projects GRAD (2004) and Sankt—Female Identities in the Post-Utopian (2017). Markusen, who was an instructor at HFBK Hamburg until 2017, delves into themes of gender and historiography. The book highlights her creative process, including filming permits and audio recordings. Her introduction recounts her intrigue with St. Petersburg, which began during a visit in 1993. Markusen's films investigate women's connections after the Soviet Union, particularly focusing on Valya and Flarida in Sankt. The design by HIT features archival photos and sketches, while personal documents broaden her artistic narrative, critiquing millennial women's preoccupation with appearance compared to earlier feminists.
Key facts
- Lene Markusen published 'Sisters Alike. Female Identities in the Post-Utopian' in 2019
- The book is 184 pages and published by Spector Books in Leipzig
- It includes materials from her films GRAD (2004) and Sankt—Female Identities in the Post-Utopian (2017)
- Markusen taught time-based media at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) Hamburg until 2017
- Her first visit to St. Petersburg was in 1993 as a student of Russian language
- The book features a layout designed by graphic design studio HIT
- A photograph from 2015 shows Dasha on Kollontai ulitsa in St. Petersburg
- The book concludes with stills from her 2012 film 'Visiting Ukraine'
Entities
Artists
- Lene Markusen
- Alexandra Kollontai
Institutions
- Spector Books
- University of Fine Arts (HFBK) Hamburg
- ARTMargins Online
- graphic design studio HIT
Locations
- Leipzig
- Germany
- Berlin
- Denmark
- St. Petersburg
- Russia
- Hamburg
- Ukraine