Russia's 'Alas Parade'
Members of the Russian performance-art group {rodina} (motherland) displayed signs with downbeat phrases in a St. Petersburg suburb. They were marking November, "the most joyless and depressing month" of autumn, but they also said the "depressive" performance reflected the "mood of the people" in Russia. https://vk.com/rodina_group?w=wall-65922260_683 Photographs by Vadim Lurie.
!["Born, Put Up With It, Died." The {rodina} performance-art group has existed since 2013.](https://gdb.rferl.org/ffb9cff2-eeab-4032-92f4-22f42d715cbb_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
"Born, Put Up With It, Died." The {rodina} performance-art group has existed since 2013.
!["Our Future Is Alcoholism." The group says it focuses on "performative social art and field and experimental research into patriotism, languages, and power institutions."](https://gdb.rferl.org/843bd8f5-7903-4462-89f0-4141189c6b15_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
"Our Future Is Alcoholism." The group says it focuses on "performative social art and field and experimental research into patriotism, languages, and power institutions."
!["Let's Put Up With It." The event's organizers say the "Alas-Parade" reflects the current apathy of Russian people. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/fa2c1e1e-7e43-457f-9d85-f585c6daa7bf_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
"Let's Put Up With It." The event's organizers say the "Alas-Parade" reflects the current apathy of Russian people.
!["Everyone is dead, but some are deader." One member of the {rodina} performance-art group told the publication Sol (Salt) that the group tries to draw parallels with Soviet-era May Day holiday slogans, such as "Peace, Labor, May!" ](https://gdb.rferl.org/a8de2c23-44ed-4676-aa24-968286201ea1_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
"Everyone is dead, but some are deader." One member of the {rodina} performance-art group told the publication Sol (Salt) that the group tries to draw parallels with Soviet-era May Day holiday slogans, such as "Peace, Labor, May!"
!["Spit." In Russian the word is commonly used in an idiomatic phrase meaning "I Don't Give a Damn."](https://gdb.rferl.org/76bdc58b-b88d-4756-81d4-d5938cd0a889_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
"Spit." In Russian the word is commonly used in an idiomatic phrase meaning "I Don't Give a Damn."
!["Our future." The artists held their signs in cemeteries, at railway stations, in parks filled with fallen leaves, and next to trash bins.](https://gdb.rferl.org/90195dc0-3974-4cb0-9745-8b2898e3f201_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
"Our future." The artists held their signs in cemeteries, at railway stations, in parks filled with fallen leaves, and next to trash bins.
!["Death Is the only hope; ALAS; War, unemployment, November; Let's put up with it; Pain, emptiness, patriotism, nothing." For the group, this performance is a way to take the language used by the Russian authorities out of its usual context and into the real world. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/6f032b2d-a883-4f46-a1c2-fa9a3e149c42_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
"Death Is the only hope; ALAS; War, unemployment, November; Let's put up with it; Pain, emptiness, patriotism, nothing." For the group, this performance is a way to take the language used by the Russian authorities out of its usual context and into the real world.
!["Everything Will Be Bad And It Will Never End." {Rodina} frequently holds performances devoted to current issues on a regular basis.](https://gdb.rferl.org/1dca1298-ee08-45e3-80e5-62d58c79f229_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
"Everything Will Be Bad And It Will Never End." {Rodina} frequently holds performances devoted to current issues on a regular basis.
!["Alas." The group tries to take a creative approach to issues in Russia such as of law enforcement, education, and relations between individuals and organizations.](https://gdb.rferl.org/da278413-f442-4aee-95dc-cc330e3ae8ee_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
"Alas." The group tries to take a creative approach to issues in Russia such as of law enforcement, education, and relations between individuals and organizations.
!["No." ](https://gdb.rferl.org/b03681e7-c21b-4db5-90ca-63de0833b876_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
"No."