Slavs and Tatars and the layered work series across Eurasia
Published on 07/04/2026 at 21:52 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Slavs and Tatars have built their reputation on meticulously researched, often humorous explorations of language, ritual and power across Eurasia. Their long-running work cycles move between installation, sculpture, performance and publishing, and have entered major museum collections over the past decade.
The landmark series and cycles
One of Slavs and Tatars's central bodies of work is the cycle around the book Friendship of Nations: Polish Shi'ite, which combines banners, posters and sculptural displays to examine unexpected solidarities between Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Another key series revolves around Lektor, a sculptural installation that stages reading and listening as collective acts, often using modified furniture, sound pieces and instructional graphics. The group repeatedly reconfigures this work when shown in different institutional contexts.
Retrospective thinking on Saturday
In the expansive project Miracle Fruit, Slavs and Tatars weave together devotional imagery, agricultural references and language puzzles, echoing their broader interest in how belief systems travel and mutate across borders.
The long-term series around alphabets and transliteration, often manifested in exhibitions such as The Alphabet Party, highlights how scripts embody political histories, from Cyrillic reforms to Arabic script debates.
Further reporting on Slavs and Tatars
For additional news, background and context on Slavs and Tatars's exhibitions, installations and publications, the AD HOC NEWS archive offers more articles and updates.
How the collective works
Slavs and Tatars work as a research-based collective that treats exhibitions as chapters in an ongoing publishing and installation practice. They often begin with linguistic or historical material, then translate it into spatial environments, lecture-performances and artist books.
Where the artist stands now
The collective continues to develop new work groups and iterations of existing cycles, with no officially announced exhibition date falling within the next 30-day window.
Key facts on Slavs and Tatars
- Artist: Slavs and Tatars
- Medium / Genre: Installation, sculpture, publishing and performance
- Place(s) of practice: Studio practice with a strong focus on Eurasian contexts
- Active since: mid-2000s, with international visibility from the early 2010s
- Key work groups: Friendship of Nations: Polish Shi'ite, Lektor, Miracle Fruit, The Alphabet Party
- Current/last exhibition: A series of institutional and gallery presentations built around their major cycles, integrating installations and public programs
- Major collections: Works by Slavs and Tatars are held in leading contemporary art collections, particularly in Europe and the Middle East
- Next date: currently no announced date in the 30-day window
Frequently asked questions about Slavs and Tatars
What defines the work series of Slavs and Tatars?
Their work series typically unfold across installations, printed matter and lecture-performances, using language, ritual and historical research to connect regions from Eastern Europe to the Middle East.
How do exhibitions by Slavs and Tatars usually look?
Exhibitions often mix sculptural elements, banners, sound pieces and reading areas, treating the space as both a display and a site for public engagement.
Which themes recur in their long-term projects?
Recurring themes include transliteration, script politics, devotional imagery, agricultural metaphors and the ways ideology travels through language and everyday objects.
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