Exhibition
Coloring Dostoevsky
November 9 - December 9, 2019
Dostoevsky’s world is usually imagined in subdued, sombre grayish-brown tones, but in fact his works are full of color—Dostoevsky’s Saint Petersburg isn’t always dreary, and his characters wear clothes that are often bright and colorful, in line with fashion and the times.
Paying serious attention to costume, Dostoevsky gave detailed descriptions of his characters’ clothing, often singling out a particular detail (Raskolnikov’s hat, Sonya’s kerchief, Myshkin’s raincoat). Dostoevsky himself was very picky about his wardrobe and went to the best tailors. He loved expensive clothes and kept up with the latest trends in fashion. Sometimes he imbued his literary characters with his own tastes (Raskolnikov wore out a coat from Sharmer, Dostoevsky’s tailor; Myshkin wore a jacket similar to one of Dostoevsky’s; etc.).
Recreating the colors worn by Dostoevsky and his characters as described in the cited passages, visitors will get a better idea of Dostoevsky’s habits and his characters’ tastes. The exhibition’s playfulness frees us to look at the writer’s works a bit differently, and the opportunity for participation slightly shifts the angle from which we view his texts.
The exhibition’s first visitors will be the well-known literary scholars attending the annual international conference Dostoevsky and World Culture.
Artists: Nika Velegzhaninova, Igor Knyazev
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