Liminality and Liminal Spaces in Contemporary Russian Visual Art: From Ritual Practices to Digital Reality

• Published in: Художественная культура no. 3; pp. 364 - 393
• Main Author: Podlipentseva, K.I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: State Institute for Art Studies 01.09.2025
• Subjects: 21st-century art; contemporary visual art; digital art; liminal spaces; liminality; rituality in contemporary art; spatial issues; urban environment in contemporary art
• ISSN: 2226-0072; 2226-0072
• DOI: 10.51678/2226-0072-2025-3-364-393

This study explores the phenomenon of liminality and liminal spaces in contemporary Russian visual art. Using an interdisciplinary approach and drawing on works on anthropology, philosophy, and psychology, we aim to define the common features of liminal spaces, their origin and roots, also addressing the question of whether liminal spaces can be created through artistic methods. We examine in detail the distinction between the terms ‘liminality’ and ‘liminal space’, proposing the following interpretation: liminality refers to a state of transition in the broadest sense, whereas a liminal space represents a specific aesthetic-psychological phenomenon and mode of perception, as well as certain visual patterns prevalent in mass culture and, notably, in contemporary art. Three subtypes of a liminal space are distinguished within contemporary Russian visual art: context-dependent places, ‘throughway’ spaces, and ‘portals’. Within the framework of our hypothesis, the first two subtypes in works of art are considered as an image of the liminal space, and the third one — as its direct creation. Thus, the topic of spatial relations between a work and the space of life is touched upon, as well as the question of the connections of modern art with ritualism as a method of influencing the surrounding reality. Without trying to give a definitive description of these relations, we, nevertheless, want to draw the attention of the scientific community to the extensive and fascinating chain of connections between art as an artistic act, art as a ritual, and art as a social action. The article also provides an analysis of selected works by contemporary artists, based on interviews, which allows us to introduce into academic discourse the names of artists whose work has not previously been the subject of scholarly research.