Pavel Pepperstein: From Mordor With Love

This fully illustrated catalogue accompanied the exhibition “From Mordor with Love” held at Regina Gallery in London in 2010. The book is one of the first dedicated catalogues to be published in English by this highly acclaimed and celebrated Russian artist, hailed as the leader of a new generation which emerged in Russian art during the 1990s, following in the wake of contemporary pioneers such as Ilya Kabakov, Ivan Chuikov and Eric Bulatov. In this book, Pepperstein illustrates his thesis that Russia has stereotypically been seen from the outside as a place where, like Mordor — the famous land of monsters and dark magic in JR Tolkien’s book 'The Lord of the Rings — the population are to be feared and the country steeped in mysterious legend. Pepperstein plays on these ideas — comparing Russia and Mordor — to explore issues of his own national identity, the symbolism of flags post-Perestroika, and the legacy of Suprematist imagery in today’s complex, shifting political climate. The book includes a conversation between the artist and gallerist Mike Ovcharenko, as well as lyrics and a limited-edition CD featuring the rap song that was specially written by Pepperstein for the exhibition.