On January 23, 2024, we hosted an interview with Andrei Zorin, Professor of Russian at the University of Oxford, renowned for his expertise in Russian literature and cultural history of the 18th-19th centuries. In addition to sharing his research, Prof Zorin reflected on his personal experiences within Dmitry Prigov's circle. At a time when Russian culture faces polarisation between amoral conformism and radical attacks on the "imperialist" canon, Zorin's nuanced and witty approach is especially important.