Mia Kirilova | University of Groningen (original) (raw)
Papers by Mia Kirilova
The Fabergé Eggs carry international fame as a symbol of tragedy, wealth and power. The first Fab... more The Fabergé Eggs carry international fame as a symbol of tragedy, wealth and power. The first Fabergé Egg created for the House of Romanov or the Russian royal family was in 1885 when Emperor Alexander III commissioned an Easter Egg as a present for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna. That gave the beginning to a series of 50 Imperial Easter Eggs, which ended with the forced abdication of Nicholas II in 1917.
Each Egg was uniquely crafted for each Easter season, following the artistic trends of the day or a notable event. In most cases, the Tsar would leave the decision to be made by the workmasters, with the sole requirement of each egg to have a surprise inside. The eggs are probably the best known and preserved artefact from the Romanov era, and are still a figure in contemporary mainstream stage.
In this paper, the Imperial Coronation Egg will be taken as an example of the master craftsmanship of the Fabergé House. To begin with, I will explore the symbolism laying behind the egg as an object over different cultures. Furthermore, I will examine the materials and techniques used to create the egg, and connect them to the symbolism within Imperial Russia and Eastern Orthodoxy Church. Lastly, I will connect the previous examinations with the current owner of the Imperial Coronation Egg and 8 others, Viktor Vekselberg, and how the ownership and hunt for the most precious Easter eggs is a paradigm of power and wealth
The tradition of the Met Gala in relation to the Metropolitan Museum is a long one. It has histor... more The tradition of the Met Gala in relation to the Metropolitan Museum is a long one. It has historically functioned as a fundraiser for the costume institute, while also being a commercial campaign and celebratory opening for the annual costume exhibition. The event has always been popular with the public because of the themed aspect and the resulting extravagant outfits. The costume institute is currently being run by Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief at Vogue. Due to the pandemic, the event was cancelled this year and a challenge hashtag, #metgalachallenge, was put up in its stead. The challenge was to recreate a look from the Met Gala at home, and as these outfits are often very intricate this resulted in either hilariously failed reconstructions or marvellously successful covers of the garments. Hashtag campaigns have become more common for Musea and in this case, it has taken over from the gala in its entirety. Thus the event took place online in the reporting of previous looks and challenges, rounding up lists of best outfits. We find that the effort is focused on recreating parts of the collection rather than activating the collection, and this backwards interest is characteristic of corporate trends within fashion.
This paper reviews the phenomenon of 21st century’s Internet culture, the meme. The meme has made... more This paper reviews the phenomenon of 21st century’s Internet culture, the meme. The meme has made its entrance on many social platforms, as well as it has been referred numerous times throughout different medias, becoming an epitome of “millennial culture.” Although entertaining, the term “meme” lays its origins in evolution biology and genetics, and later on makes its entrance on the scene of popular culture. In the first section, I will present the specific background of the term, giving an example to distinguish it from the meaning of the word nowadays. My next section will present a short comparison between a meme and a work of the American concept artist, Barbara Kruger. That comparison will compare and contrast both works, wrapping them the context of social activism theory in their current socio-economic concept. In the last section I will present the meme as part of Henry Jenkin’s theory of participatory culture, and how the meme falls to be a near perfect example of it. Lastly I will conclude the observations in both sections and present you with a table of referred works.
The Fabergé Eggs carry international fame as a symbol of tragedy, wealth and power. The first Fab... more The Fabergé Eggs carry international fame as a symbol of tragedy, wealth and power. The first Fabergé Egg created for the House of Romanov or the Russian royal family was in 1885 when Emperor Alexander III commissioned an Easter Egg as a present for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna. That gave the beginning to a series of 50 Imperial Easter Eggs, which ended with the forced abdication of Nicholas II in 1917.
Each Egg was uniquely crafted for each Easter season, following the artistic trends of the day or a notable event. In most cases, the Tsar would leave the decision to be made by the workmasters, with the sole requirement of each egg to have a surprise inside. The eggs are probably the best known and preserved artefact from the Romanov era, and are still a figure in contemporary mainstream stage.
In this paper, the Imperial Coronation Egg will be taken as an example of the master craftsmanship of the Fabergé House. To begin with, I will explore the symbolism laying behind the egg as an object over different cultures. Furthermore, I will examine the materials and techniques used to create the egg, and connect them to the symbolism within Imperial Russia and Eastern Orthodoxy Church. Lastly, I will connect the previous examinations with the current owner of the Imperial Coronation Egg and 8 others, Viktor Vekselberg, and how the ownership and hunt for the most precious Easter eggs is a paradigm of power and wealth
The tradition of the Met Gala in relation to the Metropolitan Museum is a long one. It has histor... more The tradition of the Met Gala in relation to the Metropolitan Museum is a long one. It has historically functioned as a fundraiser for the costume institute, while also being a commercial campaign and celebratory opening for the annual costume exhibition. The event has always been popular with the public because of the themed aspect and the resulting extravagant outfits. The costume institute is currently being run by Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief at Vogue. Due to the pandemic, the event was cancelled this year and a challenge hashtag, #metgalachallenge, was put up in its stead. The challenge was to recreate a look from the Met Gala at home, and as these outfits are often very intricate this resulted in either hilariously failed reconstructions or marvellously successful covers of the garments. Hashtag campaigns have become more common for Musea and in this case, it has taken over from the gala in its entirety. Thus the event took place online in the reporting of previous looks and challenges, rounding up lists of best outfits. We find that the effort is focused on recreating parts of the collection rather than activating the collection, and this backwards interest is characteristic of corporate trends within fashion.
This paper reviews the phenomenon of 21st century’s Internet culture, the meme. The meme has made... more This paper reviews the phenomenon of 21st century’s Internet culture, the meme. The meme has made its entrance on many social platforms, as well as it has been referred numerous times throughout different medias, becoming an epitome of “millennial culture.” Although entertaining, the term “meme” lays its origins in evolution biology and genetics, and later on makes its entrance on the scene of popular culture. In the first section, I will present the specific background of the term, giving an example to distinguish it from the meaning of the word nowadays. My next section will present a short comparison between a meme and a work of the American concept artist, Barbara Kruger. That comparison will compare and contrast both works, wrapping them the context of social activism theory in their current socio-economic concept. In the last section I will present the meme as part of Henry Jenkin’s theory of participatory culture, and how the meme falls to be a near perfect example of it. Lastly I will conclude the observations in both sections and present you with a table of referred works.