How did a circle of late-Soviet artists and writers virtually unknown until perestroika turn into Russia's most influential contemporary art movement? This lecture addresses the reception history and canonisation of a group of painters, poets, and performance artists known as the Moscow conceptualists in the international and Russian art world post-1989.

Today, Moscow conceptualism does not just figure prominently in art histories and museum collections but also continues to inspire new generations of Russian artists. The lecture retraces the reasons for the immense popularity of the group with a special focus on Russia and Germany. Particular attention will be paid to the role that the reception of Moscow conceptualism has played in debates on how to redefine Russian-German relations during the 1990s.