A series of articles from the nascent “Kommersant Daily” dating to late 1992/ early 1993 sought to assess the paper’s target audience, the wealthy class of so-called “New Russians.”

“Namedni” (Recently), Leonid Parfenov’s project dedicated to recent history, was one of the most successful shows of the 1990s. Eschewing big narrative arcs, the program highlighted the past as a collection of memory sites—in this case, exploring the origins of the “New Russian” in 1991.

A World of New Russians lacquered tray depicts several wealthy criminal businessmen, their bodyguards and their nude female companions enjoying luxury living in a private pool, near a private mansion, all depicted in the style of Russian folk art.

A page from the World of New Russians Dictionary featuring a mocking rendition of Leonard Da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man” (c. 1490).

Criminal boss Mikhail Kuchin’s gravestone portrait, erected following his 1994 slaying in Shirokorechenskoy Cemetery, featuring the iconic image of keys to his Mercedes. 

At a press conference held in the wake of the September 1999 apartment bombings, then-Prime Minister Putin declared that he would “whack terrorists in the crapper.” In so doing, he reinforced his image as a strong and somewhat thuggish leader, ultimately boosting his popularity ahead of the 2000 presidential election.