Wooden Matter, Bodily Memories and Stalinist Dystopias: An Ecocritical Interpretation of Homo Lignum by Igor' Makarevich

The present paper provides an original analysis of the project Homo Lignum, by the Russian artist Igor’ Makarevich, through the lens of ecocriticism. Homo Lignum is a multimedia project that integrates various art forms, including sculpture, photography, painting, and literature. Makarevich developed this project between 1996 and 2015, continuously adding new materials and curating several exhibitions, both in Russia and abroad. Homo Lignum revolves around the fictional character of Nikolai Borisov, whose deep-seated obsession with trees and wood—significantly linked to the repressive context of Stalinism—unfolds through the pages of his diary. Manuscripts of his writings are displayed in exhibitions as part of the installations, alongside various wooden objects. Drawing on material ecocriticism—as theorized by Serenella Iovino and Serpil Oppermann—and Stacy Alaimo’s concept of transcorporeality, this study emphasizes the socio-political significance of wooden matter and bodies in Soviet Russia. Firstly, it highlights the narrative potential of both human and non-human matter, which absorbs and reflects the dystopian effects of repressive historical forces. Secondly, it examines the agency of trees and the agentic nature of wood, emphasizing their active role in shaping human narratives and, thus, offering anti-hierarchical perspectives on non-human subjects