The Canary Archives by Chto Delat: Testimony of the Russian ‘Des-Astre’

In March 2022, shortly after Russia had attacked Ukraine, the Chto Delat (What is to be done?) collective produced an artwork entitled Canary Archives in response to the shock of the military escalation. (1) While work on the project – comprising a four-channel video installation and a newspaper issue – had commenced earlier, the invasion was the catalyst for its statement. The filming and written elements were revised substantially as a consequence of the outbreak of war. Today, more than one year later, the relevance of the work has become more clear, and analysis of Canary Archives permits us to address some critical queries that art faces in times of social tragedy. Which artistic languages are legitimate? Are they able to embrace a traumatic experience? Can artists speak out against the war from within the aggressor country, and if so how? Featuring a series of new components in comparison to previous Chto Delat’s works, the piece can be perceived as a breaking point with the past, and as a crucial testimony that can contribute to understanding how memories of the present will be constructed, represented, and archived.