Soviet icons. A thematic questionnaire for collecting data on local traditions

Abstract

The article presents a questionnaire related to “Soviet icons”, that is, folezhny (foil) icons (in image cases) crafted in the Soviet years. The questionnaire is preceded by an introduction with a brief characterization of the social, material and technological aspects of the craft of the Soviet icon as a unique phenomenon of religious life in the Soviet decades. The authors give references to existing research on that issue. The published methodology provides a framework for conducting interviews on Soviet icons in any region. The questionnaire consists of four semantic blocks: 1) the name, morphology, types of foil icons; 2) the creators of foil icons; 3) foil icons in the Soviet years; 4) foil icons in the post-Soviet era. In addition, the questionnaire provides a basis for collecting information about modern moderators who deal in own, collect or dispose Soviet icons, and about the semiotic ideologies that determine their assessments and actions. The proposed sequence of questions reflects the desired course of the conversation and takes into account logical links between topics. The article is recommended as a practical guide for expedition work and research of local traditions of Soviet icons in different regions of Russia and in other post-Soviet countries where Orthodox traditions were maintained during the Soviet era.