| Youth art of Germany in Moscow The number of German exhibitions opening in Moscow is approaching a threshold that can be considered dangerous for the ardent art lover and the gloomy German genius. Residents of the capital can share the joy and sadness (being in time everywhere is a problem) that the residents of Germany (especially Frankfurt) experienced last year, when a similar stream of Russian art fell upon them. But the main dish of the rich feast, the Moscow-Berlin exhibition, is still ahead.
The youth exhibition “Schizorama” has opened at the State Center for Contemporary Art - brilliant proof of how terribly far we are from Europe. Not because the day after the opening there was not a soul at the very interesting exhibition. And not because the problems that plague the German capital are incomprehensible to us. Despite some inconsistencies in contexts and the lack of translation, almost all the exhibits presented at the exhibition can be understood with some desire. Youth subcultures, national communities, symbols of imperialism - intrusive advertising and the notorious McDonald's, reality shows and other hundred flowers of globalization are blooming in full bloom in Moscow. Our capital also has plenty of artists who have “come in large numbers” from different countries (the geography is only narrower) - it is precisely these, born in Cape Town, Madrid, Moscow, who mainly represent Berlin at Schizorama. The point is different - all these rich social problems, “the relationship between the private and the public” are of less and less interest to our artists. Delicate and persistent research into the environment, its sore points, and insoluble problems in Moscow is unfashionable and sometimes dangerous (at the very least, accusations of speculativeness, but you can also run into a serious scandal that turns into a lawsuit).
In Berlin, they firmly believe in the postulate that we have rejected, that it is impossible to live in society and be free from it. It is also unpleasant and uninteresting. Social engagement, which our artists, collectors, and museums avoid like the plague, is a normal language of interpersonal communication for Berliners - new and old, native and newcomers. A little cold, but reasonable and polite. “Schizorama”, despite the acuteness of the themes and the title that sounds harsh to the Russian ear, the exhibition is gentle, pinkish-blue, all statements are built on halftones, without sharp conclusions, harsh statements and liters of cranberry juice poured in vain. Happy childhood of a girl in a hijab (video by Sharom Entekhabi Happy meal), chewing a hamburger at McDonald's to pleasant Islamic music and not yet knowing how firmly she was caught between two cultures; photographs of the same McDonald's in different countries of the world by Sean Snyder; “Wonderful Cities” by Michaela Schweiger; an attempt to take an inside look at the problems of immigrants (Turkish girls filmed their lives in Berlin for Marisa Maza’s project); street people - graffiti skateboarders by Robin Rohde; media worlds of Anatoly Zhuravlev; an amusing parody of the crazy revelations of Bjorn Melhus's talk show - all this is Berlin "inner", unknown to us. Very similar to Moscow, as well as to dozens of other capitals of the world, but only humane and humane. Berlin of free and different people. Without devastation in our heads.
“Prussian Blue” in the House of Photography is cut approximately according to the same patterns. Diverse viewpoints, social issues, quality work. This is not surprising - curator Catherine Becker created both of these exhibitions. Only “Schizorama” is in company with Antje Weitzel, and “Azure” is with Alexander Tolnay. All participants in the exhibition are fellows of a special program for archiving Berlin history. Established in order to monitor “his social, architectural, mental” transformations. Almost like our "Silver Camera". Only, unlike ours, Berlin photographers are not ashamed of their city and are happy to photograph all sorts of clubs on the outskirts and Alexanderplatz, which has gone crazy from the transformations. Alas, like ours, they prefer beauty to meaning. And that’s why the “portrait of Berlin” seems too beautiful. Most of the work just begs to be hung on the office wall - the issues that are clearly described in the press release are so lost in them. But they nicely shaded their own classics - the exhibition “On Bodies and Other Things” continues at the House of Photography. Faina BALAKHOVSKAYA |
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