The study examines discursive transformations in the representation of excluded artists' work within Russian Outsider Art exhibition and inclusive projects from the 2010s to the first half of the 2020s. Employing an integrative methodology that combines discourse analysis with semiotic approaches, the research analyzes curatorial concepts, exhibition designs, and institutional narratives across key projects implemented in museums, contemporary art centers, and independent venues. The findings trace a significant evolution in curatorial strategies – from the dominance of an art-historical discourse that legitimizes outsider artifacts by embedding them in the canonical artistic context toward more complex hybrid models that integrate principles of participation, contextuality, and social inclusion. The study reveals that inclusion is progressively becoming a structure-forming method rather than merely a thematic focus, foregrounding artist agency, subjective experience, and the problematic of “the third experience” – a dialogical space where different bodily and mental experiences meet. However, the research does not confirm a radical shift toward a socially-oriented paradigm; instead, it demonstrates the persistence of the art-historical discourse.
inclusion; exhibition; outsider art; disability art; disability studies; art historical discourse; inclusive discourse