The article examines symbolism of Soviet period in different forms of (post)modern popular culture. Accent is placed on ambivalence of attitude to Soviet retro, from retrotopia, idealization of the past, to its demythologization. Cases from consumer culture, contemporary cityscape, screen genres have been examined. On the basis of division of symbols into representative and discursive conclusion is made about retrotopic character of visual symbolism and the tendency to desacralization of Soviet symbolism in discursive genres. Relevance of Soviet retro for understanding processes in our country today and for self-identification is accented.
symbol; retrotopia; popular culture; (post)modernity; semantics; consumer culture; screen genres; demythologization; discursive symbols; visual symbols.