INSPECTION “MEDICAL HERMENEUTICS”
The group Inspection 'Medical Hermeneutics', the most interesting and productive conceptual-artistic group in contemporary Russian art, was founded in 1987 by Pavel Pepperstein.
Group members: 1987–1991 — S. Anufriev, Yu. Leiderman, P. Pepperstein. Since April 1991, Leiderman has worked separately and was replaced by V. Fyodorov.
In the ideology of 'Medical Hermeneutics', there is no fundamental difference between group and individual activity, although this is the official group position and somewhat removed from reality.
While the early texts and exhibitions of the group (1987–1991) truly gave a sense of collective creativity (even when a text was written by someone individually), after Leiderman's departure the dominant role of Pepperstein became increasingly manifest.
Ultimately, from 1998 onwards, one can speak of Pepperstein's personal career, as he took responsibility for the group's activities — whether past or present.
Exhibitions and auctions
For a detailed list of solo and group exhibitions from 1988–2001, see the original group description (Kunsthaus Zug, State Russian Museum, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, Venice Biennale, Stedelijk Museum, and others).
Critic
The ideology of 'Medical Hermeneutics' is a mixture of seemingly incompatible descriptive languages — from contemporary Western philosophy and theological doctrines of Daoism and the Russian Orthodox Church to psychiatry and pharmacology — creating a unique narrative style where schizoid tendencies are emphasized and become a method in themselves. This allows the group to encompass everything and simultaneously achieve productive results in seemingly quasi-scientific texts.
The imitation of madness is mixed with irony as much as the patience and sense of humor of the readers or viewers will allow. The artistic and theoretical texts of 'Medical Hermeneutics', as well as their installations and graphics, are undoubtedly the brightest product of the generation that followed the 'older' conceptualists.
