How did the idea of "Russian happiness" come about, and why has Russia so often become the focus of attention for artists and philosophers around the world? This lecture series offers to trace how this image has changed from the 19th century to the present day. The program combines texts and artistic practices in which Russia is understood as a cultural space at the intersection of different traditions. The focus is on the works of Pyotr Chaadayev, Nikolai Karamzin, Fyodor Tyutchev, Ivan Turgenev, Fyodor Dostoevsky, as well as later texts by Venedikt Erofeev, Sergey Dovlatov, and Olga Sedakova. Through them, the theme of the internal and external gaze on the country is revealed. Lecture 1. "The Russian Path to Happiness" (April 3) The conversation will begin with the formation of the image of "Russian happiness" - a phenomenon that combines Eastern and Western motifs. The lecturer will refer to folk traditions, artistic projects at the turn of the century, Art Nouveau architecture, and cultural initiatives of the early 20th century, as well as cinema and visual arts. Photo: mmoma.ru Lecture 2. "In Search of Global Happiness. Walter Benjamin and Leon Feuchtwanger" (April 10) At the center are two external perspectives on Russia. One captures everyday life and changes, while the other perceives the country as a large-scale project. Comparing these approaches helps to understand how different images of the country were formed in world culture. Photo: mmoma.ru Lecture 3. "Inner Happiness of the 1960s" (April 17) This conversation is dedicated to the era when the search for meaning shifted to private spaces. Apartments, studios, and informal communities become points of attraction where new artistic practices and ideas are formed. Photo: mmoma.ru Lecture 4. "Journey to the USSR / Russia. Deconstruction of the Genre" (April 24) The final meeting addresses the rethinking of the travel genre. In the conditions of postmodernism, the usual notions of "own" and "foreign" blur, and the very concept of travel becomes a subject of philosophical analysis. Photo: mmoma.ru Where to go in Moscow, KUDAGO will advise.