Sidorova, G. P. Images of the Russian Capital in Popular Art as a Cultural Code

Abstract: By studying the images of the Russian capital in the Russian popular art of 1930 – 2010 (fiction pictures and TV serials) as cultural codes and reference codes that send consumers to the combination of historical, philosophical, psychological, scientific, literary, commonsense and other knowledge, we can discover unique cultural particularities as the key to understanding Russian culture as a special type of culture in general. Moreover, the given research allows to understand how the cultural code defines a set of images related to the combination of stereotypes. In her research the author has used the methods of historical classification, comparative (synchronic and diachronic), semiotic and hermeneutic content analysis of literary texts versus socio-cultural environment. Until now researchers haven’t attempted to analyze and interpret images of the Russian capital in popular cinematographic art as a cultural code. The study of artistic images allows to make the following conclusions. The dynamics of reference codes reflect the cultural dynamics in general as well as all transformations caused by the shift of Russia from the traditional culture to the post-industrial culture and society, from socialistic culture to the modern market culture, from socialistic values to the values of the consumer society. At the same time, since 1930 till the present time popular cinematographic art has been creating images related to the archetype of the Center of the World. While post-industrial culture and society are based on the principle of pluralism in all spheres which results in the declining role of former cultural capitals and increasing role of province, we don’t see the same phenomenon in the Russian culture.

Keywords: