"Parasitic Words", 2021
Performance, a performative object
Duration from 40 min

Cube.Moscow, 2021

Performance "Parasitic Words" addresses the topic of cultural assimilation, and specifically one of the widespread Russian-imperial myths about the "correct" Russian language, the standard of which is the “Petersburg's speech". With her performative gesture, the artist refuses to "speak correctly, like the Petersburgers," preferring the living Russian language "littered" with "parasitic words" to imperial sterility.

The performer wanders in space, picks up the root, examines, feels, listens, interacts, puts it back. In the process of this action, the performer repeats the phrase with different intonation and loudness: “Let's speak correctly, like Petersburgers”

At some point, the following action appears: takes the root, interacts with it and loudly pronounces one of the dialect words, for example, “latch”. And at this moment breaks the root, breaks off a part of it.

From the resulting parts, the performer begins to put something together, to put a certain word in the center of space.

Having folded the word, the performer spreads the plaster and cuts bandages.
A plaster bandage is applied to each letter of the word, consisting of fragments of roots, in places of fractures. In the process of applying plaster on fractures, the performer returns to the phrase “Let's speak correctly, like Petersburgers.”

Pronouncing dialect words and expressions during the performance, the artist creates the word "Russian" out of dry, broken tree roots.