Abstract: The article analyzes contemporary body horror cinema from 2014 to 2025 as a medium of gnostic knowledge. The subject of the study is the aesthetics of bodily otherness and transgression as mechanisms for the formation of female subjectivity. The research corpus comprises nine films organized into three thematic clusters: motherhood and bodily boundaries (The Babadook, Ich seh Ich seh, Prevenge), the doppelgänger and the dissolution of identity (Raw, Titane, The Substance), and simulation and nomos (Border, The Ugly Stepsister, Gretel & Hansel). The study examines how the visual and narrative strategies of contemporary body horror translate bodily transgression into an affect of recognition – the unveiling of the social order's falsity – how the shift from the "victim-body" to the "knowledge-bearing body" is accomplished, and what new modalities of female action emerge in the transition from the Final Girl of classic slasher cinema to the post-Final Girl of contemporary body horror. The study employs a triaxial methodology synthesizing gnostic hermeneutics as its central analytical framework with psychoanalytic theory (Lacan, Kristeva, Žižek) and feminist horror theory (Creed, Clover, Williams). The scientific novelty lies in the first systematic application of gnostic hermeneutics to the analysis of body horror. The study proposes a model of the "gnostic body" that describes the structural relations between body, knowledge, and subjectivity in contemporary genre cinema. Three states of female gnosis are identified – refusal, authorship, and bodily pleroma – alongside a fourth position: false gnosis, defined as recognition that fails to produce liberation. The concept of the post-Final Girl is introduced to describe a heroine whose agency is grounded not in overcoming an external threat but in integrating bodily otherness. The study demonstrates that body horror occupies a liminal position between postmodernist and metamodernist modes: it deconstructs nomos while simultaneously proposing alternative mythologemes – pleroma, Sophia, gnostic awakening – as a horizon rather than nostalgia. The findings situate body horror within the broader context of gnostic visual culture in the twenty-first century and extend Barbara Creed's concept of the monstrous-feminine as applied to contemporary genre cinema.

Keywords: body horror, gnostic hermeneutics, bodily transgression, female subjectivity, false gnosis, nomos, post-Final Girl, neo-mythologization, postmodernism, metamodernism

Abstract: The subject of the study is the digital practices of fan media creation and everyday "normalization" in online mixed martial arts communities, understood as a connection of (1) repeated speech formulas and local markers of belonging, (2) visual editing techniques and "packaging" of sports events into short clips, (3) evaluative categories through which participants negotiate impressions, distribute symbolic status, and reinforce the boundaries of "us/them." The focus is not on individual texts but on stable mechanisms of replication and appropriateness control: adjustments of formulations, mentorship, sanctioning of "incorrect" usage, and meta-communication about who has the right to speak "as their own." Additionally, the inter-platform circulation of these forms and their adaptation to various visibility modes, interfaces, and engagement metrics on Reddit, YouTube Shorts, and Telegram are analyzed. Methodology: qualitative comparative analysis of a corpus of publications (Reddit – 10 discussion threads; YouTube – 30 Shorts videos; Telegram – 10 posts from 5 channels; period 01.01.2023–14.01.2026) with a focus on repeated lexical formulas, visual techniques, and metalinguistic negotiations; the frameworks of participatory culture, produsage, and platform analytics of visibility modes were utilized. Novelty – inter-platform typology of markers and genres associated with differences in interfaces, metrics, and feed logic. Conclusion: the architecture of platforms sets discernible modes of normalization and replication of fan content that influence the boundaries and hierarchies within the community. The results indicate that local references function as shibboleths and reproduce the boundaries of "us/them" through adjustments, mentorship, and appropriateness checks; evaluative categories ensure collective calibration of impressions and symbolic ranking of participants and fighters. Micro-genres optimized for short formats (ultra-short highlights, micro-recaps, listicles) are consistently established on Shorts, which lowers the threshold for replication and standardizes the "packaging" of events. Curatorial practices and audience engagement (surveys, questions, "suggestions") dominate Telegram, transitioning subscribers into a co-editing mode of the agenda. The area of application of the results is in the studies of digital culture and media communication, as well as the analysis of strategies of sports media and communities. Conclusion: the architecture of platforms sets discernible modes of normalization and replication of user-generated content, influencing the boundaries and hierarchies within the community.

Keywords: digital fandom, culture of participation, sports fandom, fan media production, shibboleths, evaluative categories, memetics, platform affordances, platform organization of communication, digital platforms

Abstract: The subject of this study is the phenomenon of moral masochism as a psychological state manifested in the individual’s tendency toward self-punishment, self-sacrifice, and the experience of suffering as a form of internal moral regulation. The object of the research is the psychological and cultural mechanisms underlying the formation of moral masochism in different cultural traditions. The author examines the psychoanalytic interpretation of this phenomenon formulated in the works of Sigmund Freud and further developed by his followers. Particular attention is paid to the role of the Superego as an internal moral authority functioning as a strict inner judge that generates feelings of guilt and tendencies toward self-punishment. The study also analyzes the relationship between moral masochism, narcissism, and the dynamics of unconscious drives. The article presents a comparative cultural analysis of manifestations of moral masochism in European, Russian, and Japanese cultures. Historical and socio-cultural conditions that shape different forms of moral self-punishment are examined. Literary examples from the works of Flaubert, Kafka, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Kawabata, and Mishima are used to illustrate various cultural representations of this phenomenon. The methodological basis of the study is grounded in the psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud and his followers, as well as in methods of comparative cultural analysis and psychoanalytic interpretation of literary texts. The research employs an interdisciplinary approach combining psychological, cultural, and literary analysis. The novelty of this research lies in a comparative analysis of moral masochism within European, Russian, and Japanese cultural traditions based on psychoanalytic theory. The author’s contribution consists in identifying culturally specific mechanisms of moral masochism and correlating them with universal structures of psychic dynamics. The main conclusions of the study suggest that moral masochism should be understood not only as an individual psychological disposition but also as a culturally conditioned way of experiencing the internal conflict between desire and moral norms. It is shown that in the Russian cultural tradition moral masochism is associated with historically formed models of suffering and submission to authority, whereas in Japanese culture its manifestations are connected with collectivist values and the concept of emotional dependence known as amae. The results of the research expand the possibilities of psychoanalytic interpretation of cultural phenomena and contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between morality, suffering, and identity formation.

Keywords: moral masochism, the object of the Other’s desire, benign masochism, maternal negativity, negative pleasure, slave soul, Ajase complex, amae, tertiary identity, applied psychoanalysis

Abstract: The subject of the research is the interaction between improvisation and the strict polyphonic form of the fugue in the context of jazz and academic music of the 20th – early 21st centuries. The object of the study is jazz fugues as a phenomenon that emerged at the intersection of academic and jazz traditions. The author examines in detail such aspects of the topic as the historical continuity of jazz fugues from the baroque practice of improvisation, the structural mechanisms of incorporating improvisation into the polyphonic texture, as well as the typology of forms arising from this synthesis. Special attention is given to parallels between the baroque model of the figured bass fugue and jazz improvisation over a harmonic grid. The work analyzes specific compositional techniques: walking bass, comping, transforming interludes into improvisational solos, as well as the influence of jazz stylistic idioms on thematic material and development. The methodological foundation of the research is a comprehensive approach that combines methods of historical-theoretical, structural-functional, and stylistic analysis. The work is based on studies on the theory of the fugue (N. Simakova, A. Milka, V. Frayonov), the history of baroque improvisation (M. Serebrennikov), and the theory of jazz (O. Kovalenko, I. Presnyakov). The scientific novelty lies in the systematic analysis of the impact of improvisational elements on the structure of jazz fugue. For the first time, a typology of its structural principles is substantiated: res facta, oriented towards the Bach model, and standard-fugue – a form suggesting an unlimited number of improvisations. In the standard-fugue, the exposition serves the function of the theme of a jazz standard. A significant contribution of the author is the identification of the mechanisms for incorporating improvisation into counterpoint (walking bass and comping) and interludes (transforming them into written or unwritten improvisations). The main conclusions of the research are as follows: the jazz fugue is not a compromise between rigor and freedom, but rather a logical development of the European tradition of "instant composition," adapted to the rhythmic and harmonic language of jazz. The baroque model of the figured bass fugue reveals a deep kinship with jazz practice, allowing us to view the jazz fugue as an actualization of the historical principle of improvisational polyphonic thinking.

Keywords: improvisation, fugue, jazz fugue, jazzing-fugue, jazz, Oleg Gorchakov, John Lewis, baroque improvisation, jazz polyphony, Bill Evans

Abstract: The subject of the research is a body of media texts related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, i.e., twenty-three narratively and stylistically interconnected feature films produced in the United States between 2008 and 2019. The focus of the study is on the political narratives contained in this body of media texts, their diversity, relevance, means, and dynamics of representation. The interdisciplinary research examines a popular work of mass culture in the context of the political history of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the penetration of socio-political reality into the structure of the media text, the reflection of political processes, and the influence on the audience through the media text. It argues that this work of mass culture reflects pressing issues of American and global history/politics of recent decades, appeals to existing socio-political problems, represents various perspectives, and holds a significant degree of social criticism, among others. The methodology of the study is based on a comprehensive approach to analyzing the body of media texts, summarizing the methodology of research fields such as cultural studies, political history, and art studies. System analysis, comparative analysis, and factor analysis methods were employed in the work. The main findings indicate a systematic and thoughtful engagement of the MCU's storylines with the historical-political reality of the 20th-21st centuries, predominantly in its American aspect. Among the themes identified in the analyzed body of media texts are: the decline of the unipolar world and the crisis of American exceptionalism, international terrorism, issues of trust in government and the limits of personal freedom, distortion of history for the sake of current political agendas, social contradictions, and the devaluation of fundamental values. Obvious narrative parallels are drawn to the foreign policy course of the American administration of the 2000s and 2010s, along with commentary on certain theses by Western authors related to the research topic. Overall, it is demonstrated that works of mass culture can serve as a multi-layered media text, interacting differently with various categories of audiences. The novelty also lies in the holistic and comprehensive examination of the body of 23 films within a single logic.

Keywords: media franchise, US cinematography, US foreign policy, Marvel comics, mass culture, terrorism, unipolar world, Cold War, Marvel Cinematic Universe, superheroes

Abstract: The object of the research is a scientific dialogue between the master of Russian medieval studies A. Gurevich and a representative of the fourth generation of the Annales school J.- Cl. Schmitt for 32 years (1979–2011). This process took place in parallel with the interaction of the Russian historian and J.-Cl. Schmitt’s teacher J. Le Goff. Special attention is paid to such aspects as a brief Russian historiography of J.-Cl. Schmitt 's work, the use of similar historical sources (first of all, exempla), mutual citation, work on similar publishing projects (interdisciplinary glossaries, collections of articles, yearbooks), participation in discussions about historical concepts, reliance on the results of each other's scientific work, etc. The article mentions the mutual popularization of Gurevich's work in French science and Schmitt's in Russian science. In the process of preparing the text of this article, problem-chronological and comparative methods were used within the framework of the concept of A. Lovejoy’s intellectual history. The novelty of the article is determined by the lack of special historiographical research on this topic. The results of the publication can be used in teaching courses on medieval studies and historiography of the modern history of Europe. As a result of the research of the scientific dialogue between A. Gurevich and J.- Cl. Schmitt, its periodization was proposed based on the following stages: 1) the use of the same type of historical sources exempla (examples) in the study of the features of medieval culture (1980-1990s.); 2) writing articles and editing interdisciplinary glossaries on medieval subjects in French and Russian, as well as participating in discussions about the individual and personality in the European Middle Ages (1990s – 2000s); 3) publishing translations of J.-Cl. Schmitt's articles edited by A. Gurevich, as well as a change in the research focus towards art criticism (2000s - 2010s). The Schmitt’s article «A. Gurevich and the category of time» (2011) is represented as a separate milestone. In this publication he discussed the concept of time as one of the categories of medieval culture with A. Gurevich and other Annalistes.

Keywords: A. Gurevich, J.-Cl. Schmitt, J. Le Goff, Annales school, exempla, medieval studies, individual, St Guinefort, medieval culture, scientific dialogue

Abstract: The article analyzes the unpublished "Draft Decree on Artistic Communes" (1918), created by the Department of Fine Arts of the People's Commissariat for Education. By introducing this archival document into scholarly circulation for the first time, the author considers it a key testimony to the "left art" program during the Civil War period. The study focuses on the proposed model for organizing artists into communes, which combined ideas of "liberating creativity" with "serving the needs of the State." The project is analyzed in the context of the avant-garde's artistic policy and the general practice of war communism, revealing the radical horizons of transforming artistic life in post-revolutionary Russia. The context of the decree's creation and possible reasons for the abandonment of the "artistic communes" project is also examined. Furthermore, the article investigates the further development of the concept of "artistic communes" within the frameworks of "artistic labor" and "productive art." The article employs methods of concrete historical analysis, contextualization, and text hermeneutics, while also critiquing the source and conducting a comparative analysis of the text. The scientific novelty of the article lies in its introduction of a previously unexplored archival source, which is of great importance for understanding the processes of establishing the Soviet artistic system in 1918–1921. The source is subjected to detailed investigation and commentary in the article. Aspects of the historical context and external influences on the emergence of the studied "Draft Decree on Artistic Communes" are considered. The further development of the trends outlined by the project is also investigated. Its deep connection to the concepts of "artistic labor" and "productive art" is demonstrated. Thus, these later and better-studied concepts appear as a logical continuation of the project in this context. The article conducts a comprehensive analysis of relevant documents and materials, as well as the conceptual content of the studied main document.

Keywords: Russian avant-garde, Narkompros, production art, commune, collectivism, artistic communes, Department of Fine Arts, military communism, constructivism, futurism

Abstract: The article analyzes the bodily techniques of the characters as one of the structuring elements of Alexander Mindadze's screenwriting. Special attention is given to corporeality as a means of expressing the internal state of the character, transcending the verbal level. One of the key motifs is running: recurring in the scripts of different historical periods, it forms a dynamic score for the scene and functions as an expressive layer of dramaturgy. Running serves not only as a physical action but also as a symptom of the socio-cultural rupture experienced by the character, capturing a state of loss of stability and impossibility of rooting in reality. The research is based on the scripts "Fox Hunting" (1980), "Magnetic Storms" (2003), and "On Saturday" (2011), considering the bodily behavior of characters as an indicator of existential and social catastrophe, as well as a form of their response to historical pressure. The analysis relies on the anthropological works of Marcel Mauss on body techniques and Nikolai Khrenov's concept of cultural rupture. The phenomenon of running is interpreted at anatomical, psychological, and socio-cultural levels, revealing the mechanism of the transition of catastrophe from an external event to the identity structure of the character. It is identified that in Alexander Mindadze's cinematography, bodily movement attains the status of an independent expressive code, determining the way the character perceives reality and structuring the dramatic space. Repetitive motor patterns, primarily running, function as a form of unconscious response to traumatic historical experience, capturing a state of loss of support, disorientation, and impossibility of integration into a changing social environment. Corporeality in this context emerges as a mediator between individual experience and historical time, revealing the hidden mechanisms of existential crisis and internal dissonance. Moreover, movement creates a specific rhythmic organization of the scene, setting the pace of narration and influencing the viewer's perception of the unfolding events. Thus, movement in Mindadze's scripts not only reflects but also models a catastrophic perception of reality, becoming a key tool for representing the rupture between the subject and the world in Soviet and Russian cinema.

Keywords: screenplay, disaster, disaster film, Soviet cinema, post-Soviet cinema, new quiet, body techniques, Marcel Mauss, Vadim Abdrashitov, stagnation period

Abstract: This study examines the interpretation of fairytale imagery in product design. The empirical data comes from the capsule collections of the “Culture of the Home” Trading House, a collaboration with the Construction Alliance Holding Company. The study aimed to identify methods for working with folklore and ethnographic material, as well as visual prototypes — murals and fairytale illustrations. This was accomplished through an iconographic analysis of three capsules — “Firebird”, “Threads of Time”, and “The Secret of Buyan Island”. Through this analysis, we determined the rationale for incorporating fairytale themes and their connection to the Trading House's concept. The research methodology is based on an interdisciplinary approach at the intersection of art history, cultural studies, and cultural anthropology. Along with the iconographic method, we used comparative comparison to establish parallels between various cultural phenomena — fairy tales, murals, and designer capsule collections. The novelty of this study lies in its understanding of traditional values in their fairytale-like presentation through the forms of product design. The developed approach to understanding designer products can serve as a methodological basis for expanding existing capsule collections and as a foundation for the development of similar collections. The study's main findings relate to the interpretation of fairytale images in a new cultural space. In this case, fairytale images act as bearers of traditional values, and the fairytale itself serves as a marker of national culture. Through fairytale images, product design conveys traditional values into contemporary culture, implementing a mechanism for national self-identification — the recognition of “one's own” and “other”. Characteristically, the design inherits predominantly positive fairytale images focused on creation, love, overcoming difficulties, justice, and happiness. Moreover, the design utilizes various methods of transmission, both directly illustrating the text and symbolically reproducing it. However, in all cases, stylization is used alongside the creation of a systemic environment.

Keywords: object design, capsule collection, decorative and applied arts, folk tale, author's tale, traditional values, cultural heritage, iconographic analysis, interpretation, stylization

Abstract: The article examines how postcolonial discourse shapes the aesthetic strategies of "New Brutalism" – an artistic and architectural movement that emerged in the UK in the 1950s within the "Independent Group." The focus of the research is the interaction between the visual practices of the "new brutalists" and the socio-political transformations of post-war Britain, including the transition to a "welfare state" policy and the beginning of the decolonization of the British Empire. Attention is drawn to the creative method As Found, as well as the concepts of Jean Dubuffet (art brut) and Le Corbusier (beton brut), which are regarded as sources for rethinking modernist oppositions such as "intellectual/brutal," "civilization/barbarism," and "center/periphery." Analyzing the "Pavilion and Patio" at the "This is Tomorrow" exhibition (1956) illustrates how the aesthetics of "New Brutalism" hybridizes technological progress, primitive art, and the everyday life of London's inner periphery, forming an early visual model of a postcolonial perspective. The methodology of the research consists of an interdisciplinary analysis that combines postcolonial theory with visual studies, an iconological approach to interpreting the "This is Tomorrow" exhibition and the "Pavilion and Patio," as well as comparing the As Found method with the concepts of art brut and beton brut. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that the aesthetics of "New Brutalism" is systematically examined within the framework of postcolonial discourse for the first time, rather than merely in the context of pop art or modernist architecture. It is shown that the As Found method, based on photographs of Bethnal Green and the practice of "engaged observation," creates a unique space of inner periphery within the metropolis, where working-class neighborhoods and post-war ruins begin to function as a "tribal" landscape. Comparing As Found with Dubuffet's art brut and Le Corbusier's beton brut allows for the interpretation of the turn towards everyday life and marginal practices as an early visual articulation of postcolonial hybridity, blurring the oppositions of "civilization/barbarism," "center/periphery," and "technology/primitive." As a result, it is concluded that "New Brutalism" not only transforms modernist schemes of cultural appropriation but also anticipates postcolonial critique, asserting visual culture as a significant agent of decolonization in the metropolis.

Keywords: New brutalism, art brut, Independent group, postcolonialism, decolonisation, Reyner Banham, Dubuffet, pop-art, as found, Spivak