Wild field. In perpetual motion Automatic translate

The State Historical Museum will open the exhibition “Wild Field. In perpetual motion”, dedicated to the interaction of Russia with the nomadic world of the Great Steppe.

“Wild Field” is an area of ​​the Black Sea and Azov steppes on either side of the Dnieper, but the curators of the exhibition did not limit themselves to specific geographical boundaries. Using this term as a metaphor, they propose to study the features of warlike and peaceful interaction between sedentary and nomadic populations on the territory of the steppes throughout Northern Eurasia, and to reveal the multifaceted image of the nomadic world of the Great Steppe.

“When you hear the word “nomad,” everyone imagines a formidable horseman armed with a bow and arrow. This image exists in the imagination of modern man in the halo of stories about the former power and cruel conquests of nomadic peoples, as well as about the great empires that they created in the vast steppe expanses of Northern Eurasia. The Scythians, Sarmatians, Alans, Huns, Khazars, Pechenegs, Cumans, and Mongols for thousands of years struck fear into the population of neighboring states by conquering, plundering, or completely destroying their cities and settlements. However, all this is a thing of the past. The exhibition reveals nomadism not as an obsolete phenomenon of the past and not only as the embodiment of the destructive force of the steppe, but as a source of special energy and dynamics inherent in man and so necessary for him in the present and future,” says Alexey Levykin, General Director of the Historical Museum.

The piercing fragility of the once strong and warlike nomadic world of the Great Steppe was reflected in his works by the famous Buryat sculptor Dashi Namdakov, who created an original work specifically for an exhibition project at the Historical Museum.

Another stereotype associated with popular ideas about nomads is caused by the belief in their cultural poverty, uncivilization and technological backwardness. But many years of archaeological excavations, ethnographic research, and analytical work by historians and art historians have shown that this is not so. For example, such familiar objects as a saddle, stirrups, trousers and boots were invented by the conquerors of the steppes. For many centuries, warlike nomads contributed to the development of military affairs, diplomacy and trade among the sedentary inhabitants of the Old World, gradually introducing themselves into all spheres of life of medieval states.

There is a lot of evidence that the nomadic peoples themselves integrated the achievements of the world around them into their culture. They adopted all the innovations of sedentary civilizations, loved beautiful clothes, utensils and luxurious weapons. Many leaders of steppe cultures, khans and beks received high positions at court in large states, and their daughters became wives of princes and kings; simple warriors as mercenaries replenished the numerous armies of Hungary, Byzantium, Rus’, and later Russia. A polyphonic cultural dialogue mutually enriched the settled and nomadic populations of Eurasia. Russia was also constantly in contact with nomads. This is its uniqueness: there is no other country in Europe that has interacted with the nomadic world throughout its history. Although European travelers, diplomats, and merchants were well aware that Muscovy was a sedentary Orthodox and agricultural state, their deliberate references to nomads became part of a stereotypical image of Russia’s Asian identity. Who really were the nomads in the context of the history of our country: the embodiment of destructive power, enemies, rivals, trade and political partners, “friends” or “strangers”?

In search of answers to these questions, the exhibition’s authors invite viewers to travel back in time, rediscovering the distant world of nomadic peoples. For the first time, the exhibition at the Historical Museum will bring together unique archaeological monuments, works of jewelry, weapons, armor, clothing, household items of the nomadic tribes that inhabited the territories of Northern Eurasia from the 3rd millennium BC, engravings, drawings, photographs, paintings and sculptures of the 18th century. - ​beginning of the 21st century. from various museum and private collections in our country.

The exhibition is attended by the largest museum collections in Russia - the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Pushkin Museum. A. S. Pushkin, Kunstkamera, State Museum of Oriental Art, Azov Historical, Archaeological and Paleontological Museum-Reserve, Rostov Regional Museum of Local History.

A special section of the exhibition will allow visitors to travel through time and space together with the LOOKY social network. The path through time will begin with the help of artificial intelligence. Thanks to the LOOKY neural network, each visitor will be able to create their own unique portrait in the image of a digital nomad by uploading their selfies to the special “Neuro Avatars” section and selecting the #Nomad avatar.

VR will help you continue immersing yourself in the historical past of our ancestors. All you have to do is put on special glasses, and the space of a nomadic yurt will open up before you. Here visitors will listen to the epic around the fire, play virtual instruments of nomadic peoples and get acquainted with their beliefs. The final point of the exhibition will be the opportunity to receive your personal digital totem, and with it its power, and parting words from the ancient spirits.

“The modern global world is as mobile as the steppe expanses of Eurasia. Many people, like the nomads of past eras, strive for freedom of movement, for a world without borders. The Internet has expanded the Great Steppe, becoming an endless space for knowledge and self-expression. We wander from page to page and from trend to trend. Bows and arrows have become mobile gadgets that can be used to reach the heart of the audience. Armies of thousands became armies of subscribers. Conquests - likes and comments. Yes, a person cannot cross thousands of kilometers in one moment and go back in time hundreds of years ago. But we have modern data transmission technologies, neural networks, virtual reality. Especially for the State Historical Museum, the LOOKY social network team created the “Digital Nomad” exhibition! Here you will find a digital journey to the Great Steppe. You will create your unique neuro-avatar of a nomad using artificial intelligence and immerse yourself in the VR space of a nomadic yurt. And in the finale, you will receive a digital totem - a prediction of fate from powerful steppe spirits,” says LOOKY creative director Artyom Konovalov.

A publication has been prepared for the exhibition, the authors of which were the best specialists from leading museums in Russia.

Exhibition sponsor: “Territory of Culture of ROSATOM”.