Laughter in Moscow Conceptualism: Locating Prigov's Irony within the Conceptualist Milieu

The paper continues the author's efforts to research the tricky relationship of Moscow Conceptualism with the issues of irony and laughter. The role of language acquires a unique position and in a certain way structures the conceptualist universe of carnivalesque laughter. Using the notion of cognitive dissonance, the paper offers a parallel between Zen koanic practice and what Moscow Conceptualism has been performing for nearly four decades, providing a few characteristic examples. Another portion of the text is dedicated to what is termed “Soviet mythological ideology” and the way the conceptualist milieu has been dealing with it.The main part of the paper focuses on Dmitrii Prigov, who continues the tradition of Kharmsian grotesque absurdism, which could be traced back to Alfred Jarry and later to Henri Michaux and Raymond Queneau (the mock-serious Collège de Pataphysique and related material).These issues are further elucidated in an extensive interview with the poet conducted in 2003, the English translation of which is included in this publication.