Images of the past in the festivals of cultural-historical reconstruction

Abstract

The object of this research is images of the past, actualized in the festival practices of cultural-historical reconstruction. The subject of this research is the mechanisms of formation and strategies of representation of images of the past in the festivals of cultural-historical reconstruction. It is noted that the author views festival as the representative of the more general phenomenon –  cultural-historical reconstruction, an integral interpretation of which allows embracing the variety of nonacademic practices aimed at studying and most accurate reconstruction of the material and spiritual culture of the past, preservation, actualization, representation and conveyance of cultural-historical values. In the context of commemorative practices of reconstruction, arrangement and representation of images of the past is conducted “intentionally, collectively and adapted for stage”. Relevance of the selected topic is defined by the fact that the reenactment movement becomes an increasingly meaningful actor in commemorative space of modern Russia, which significantly affects the formation of consensual images of the past. From theoretical and methodological perspective, the conducted analysis is based on the conceptual approaches presented in the Russian historical-culturological research on imagery. Internet resources, such as websites and forums of reenactors, social networks, and online media, served as the empirical foundation for this research. In the course of preparation and execution of cultural-historical reconstructions, the author employed quantitative and qualitative methods, including of thorough overt observation. As a result of the conducted analysis, the author determines specificity of the mechanisms for creating authentic images of the past and strategies for revealing collective representations on the past in the festivals of cultural-historical reconstruction, which have a positive impact upon ordinary consciousness.