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VISUAL SEMIOTICS OF THE ARMENIAN REVOLUTION: THINGS AND SYMBOLS // ΠΡΑΞΗMΑ. Journal of Visual Semiotics. 2019. Issue 3 (21). P. 156-181

The purpose of the article is to reveal the formation of symbolic meanings/ signs/codes in the visual representations of political transformations on the material of the Velvet revolution visual images in Armenia in 2018. Revolution, like any change in the socio-political paradigm inevitably leads to a metonymy, a substitution of the old, hackneyed images, sociocodes for a new ones. The revolution of 2018 in Armenia, if not by novelty, then by the number of newly formed signs/codes, is highly comparable with the classical revolutions of the past. During the revolution, the leaders and ordinary members have shown amazing creativity in the design and memoization of new visual images playing up the hidden symbolic signs, beards, clothes, accessories, etc. The revolution is carried out by extraordinary individuals who are able, among other things, to rise above everyday clichés and stereotypes. Therefore, in an era of revolutionary change, the role of nonverbal social impact is increasing dramatically. Not possessing the power of the State’s propaganda machines, resources and power, revolutionaries are forced to use a variety of techniques, showing flexibility, resourcefulness and revolutionary pressure. However, the role of nonverbal social interaction becomes crucial in conditions of rapidly changing realities of postmodern network society. The driving force behind any revolution is the youth, with whom it is necessary to speak in its language, avoiding instructive tone and tiring narrative with streamlined formulations and lack of meaning. Much more effective and intelligible clear and scathing slogans in the spirit of assertive and expressive “ROST Windows”. In Armenia, the slogan was: “take a step...” – a slogan of multiple use, “charged”, each time depending on the changing political situation, like a gun, new goals and objectives. The material world of the revolution turned out to be just as “speaking” and convincing. During the revolutionary events of 2018, ideologies acquired physicality, which made them look very convincing, at least more convincing than the speculative moral teaching categories produced by the Dashnak-Republican’s propaganda machine. Revolution events in Armenia developed with rapid speed, so that sometimes it was impossible to keep track of the kaleidoscope of events and especially to comprehend them. And then the images and signs have joined in the struggle that have an impact on the subcortex, “especially imprinted” in it like the commercials or banners. At the same time, the main principle of building visual images of The Armenian revolution was a short format, always more effective than unreasonably prolonged moralizing resonance. Unconvincing advertising is anti-advertising, unconvincing propaganda is anti-propaganda.

Keywords: Armenian velvet revolution, visual semiotics, visual images, structural hierarchy, semiotics of beard, semiotics of clothes, network community

THE BRITISH FRENCH AS A MIRROR OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION, OR HOW SOVIET LEADERS FROM LENIN TO GORBACHEV DRESSED // ΠΡΑΞΗMΑ. Journal of Visual Semiotics. 2020. Issue 4 (26). P. 112-136

The article shows the evolution of the costume of the leaders of Russia and the Soviet state, from the February Revolution to Perestroika, and the connection between the image of the head of state and the era that it embodies. The image of the leader of the state of the victorious revolution was the image of the “silovik” (power man), dressed in the military style and leading an ascetic lifestyle. Typical objects of the image of a power leader are a french, high boots (leggings), a military-style cap, a khaki or gray raglan cloak, a leather jacket, a smoking pipe, and a chevron mustache. After the victory in the Great Patriotic War, the government abandoned the ascetic image in favor of a pathetic, ceremonial one. In the army, officer ranks, shoulder straps, and stripes were restored, and generals, marshals, and even the Generalissimo reappeared. A special architectural style, informally called the Soviet (Stalinist) Empire, was developed for the construction of important state institutions. Imperial pomp and heaviness, until the Twentieth Congress of the CPSU, became a characteristic feature of the post-war era. In the era of the Thaw, the de-Stalinization and desacralization of power began. The leader of the country, Nikita Khrushchev, abandoned the military style and began to dress exclusively in civilian clothes, reminiscent of everyday home clothes or rural clothes in the Slavic ethnic style. A characteristic part of his outfit was the soulful Ukrainian embroidered shirt, implicitly indicating his Slavic orientation and adherence to a democratic style of government. The desacralization of power, the democratization of society, the weakening of censorship, the broader-than-ever possibility of self-expression undermined the foundations of the power of the bureaucratic apparatus. This inevitably had to lead to a confrontation between officials and Khrushchev, which resulted in the overthrow of the latter. The subsequent era of stagnation is characterized by internal stability, unprecedented corruption, low productivity, general deficit, and dependence on resource exports. Stagnation affected the economy, science, culture, and sociopolitical life of the country. A characteristic feature of this era was the privileges for the party nomenclature and state officials, which distinguished them from the general population. At this time, the official-bureaucratic dress code, with a predominance of black and dark colors, finally prevailed. This style remains unchanged today.

Keywords: image of country’s leader, power dressing, French jacket and high boots (leggings), embroidery, ethnic style of people’s ruler, black and white dress code of bureaucrat