Revolving Red Monuments is a interactive augmented reality sculpture co-created by Meredith Drum with contributions from Bulgarian artists Albena Baeva, Eva Davidova, Slava Savova, Dessislava Terzieva, Martin Atanasov, Rositsa Getsova, Elena Kaludova, and Daniela Kostova. Artist Nikita Shokhov served as Creative Technologist and aesthetic advisor.

Exploring the history and future of Bulgaria’s Soviet monuments, the work combines 3D virtual sculptures and poems about war. Poets included: Zhivka Baltadzhieva, Ilya Kaminsky, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, and Wisława Szymborska.

In making this work, Drum is exploring the meaning of these monuments for the future of the countries of the former Soviet Bloc, the former U.S.S.R., and Russia. How do pro-authoritarian, pro-Russian, right-wing figures across Europe and the U.S. view Soviet monuments now, especially those who revere Putin, a former KGB officer? In the 20th Century, Soviet imagery was used by leftist activists in the U.S. to symbolize workers’ rights and social programs that benefit the poor. Putin’s autocratic behavior, oppressive policies (particularly toward LGBTQ+ communities), violent punishment of his critics, and invasion of Ukraine have rendered soviet symbols unusable for the American left. Considering these divergent perspectives, might Soviet monuments be altered to reflect the many contradictions and shifts in our political and social zeitgeist? 

Drum posits that Augmented reality projects, like Revolving Red Monuments, allow artists and other participants to reframe Soviet monuments with mutable, flexible, and playful media.

Revolving Red Monuments was made between 2022 and 2024 and supported by a CEC ArtsLink Art Prospect Residency in Bulgaria in 2022 as well as by Maria Vassileva, Structura Gallery, ICA-Sofia, and the College of Architecture, Arts and Design at Virginia Tech.