Madina Tlostanova’s views on life and research are characterised by changeability. Everything is in a state of flux, in the process of becoming something else. She dislikes stagnation, boundaries and inflexibility.
“Sometimes I wonder why I’m in academia. There’s so much bureaucracy, and even little things can be cumbersome.”
Art as an eye opener
In recent years her research has increasingly come to focus on “art activism” or “artivism” – which, put simply, is art that addresses or critiques various social problems. An example is the Russian punk band Pussy Riot.
“The most important part of artivism is shaking the viewers out of their comfort zone. Making them aware of social problems and getting them to act, instead of floating along like dead fish.”
Madina Tlostanova interviewed artists from a number of post-Soviet countries, to see how they work with art and activism.
“In countries where the state doesn’t let its citizens express themselves freely, art can be a way to express resistance. Art can’t change society over one night, but it can influence how people view the world, and make them aware of various issues.”
Compared to academia, the art world moves quickly. And Madina Tlostanova argues that in the realm of art, there are thoughts and critical reflections regarding politics and social issues, that are not present in some parts of academia.
Searching beyond borders – in research and in life
At the fringe of the art world, Madina Tlostanova has found a space where she feels good – perhaps even belongs. But home and belonging aren’t easy concepts to pin down:
“I see myself as a world citizen. In the Soviet Union, and later in Russia, I belonged to an ethnic minority, and never fit in or felt at home. For me, belonging is about people, not places.”
Still, there are places that trigger something inside her, such as Kjettilberget, a hill in a park in central Linköping. When she has foreign visitors she takes them there, to see the view, and in one of her novels, it’s where the main characters meet.
“I suppose that part of my fascination with that hill comes from my youth, growing up in the Caucasus Mountains. It reminds me of the mountain of my childhood, Elbrus. I don’t actually like flat landscapes.”
Outside, the rain continues. Madina Tlostanova has moved to the sofa.
“I’m always on the move, always becoming. Not being linked to walls or states gives me freedom, and a broader view of the world, and this benefits me in my research. Establishing roots isn’t for me. I’m a bird, not a tree.”
Facts:
Lives: Linköping
Born: Moscow, grew up in Caucasus region.
Publications: Ten books, more than 250 scientific articles and two novels.
