Laughter at the Edge: Irony and Humor in Times of Crisis

This three-day programme centres on the potential of irony, estrangement and truth-telling as expressive tools in moments of collapse, emergency and uncertainty. Through the screening of three pivotal video works by Chto Delat, accompanied by theoretical frameworks and reflective discussions, the programme explores artistic and pedagogical strategies for navigating a fractured world increasingly hostile to facts. The sessions delve into the function of Socratic irony, the collective’s evolving aesthetic and the role of laughter as resilience. The themes addressed highlight key tensions of the contemporary condition – between truth and survival, critique and form, subject and system.

Chto Delat (“What is to be done?”) is an artistic, educational and research collective founded in St. Petersburg in 2003–2004. For over two decades, the group has merged art, activism and philosophy to produce groundbreaking work across film, installation, performance and public discourse. Their practice focuses on exploring the complexities of the post-socialist condition and developing counter-hegemonic modes of knowledge and expression.