BUSH FROM SHISHKIN'S PAINTING

POWER AND PEOPLE

An exhibition of an artist working in the genre of political parody has been closed in St. Petersburg. The heroes of his works were just some of the leaders of the G8 countries. Probably, such “politically incorrectness” was considered inappropriate. The exhibition took place in...

An exhibition of an artist working in the genre of political parody has been closed in St. Petersburg. The heroes of his works were just some of the leaders of the G8 countries. Probably, such “politically incorrectness” was considered inappropriate. The exhibition was held within the walls of the St. Petersburg Union of Artists. As a result, no matter how something happened, just in case, the entire union was temporarily closed ...

Artist Andrey Budaev has been working in his chosen genre of political parody for 15 years. On well-known paintings, he superimposes images of the creators of modern history. In December last year, Budaev showed the Petersburgers the exhibition Post-Soviet Democracy: 15 Years of Parody. On his works, everyone could see Putin inviting Mikhail Khodorkovsky to be executed; Anatoly Chubais, executed in the electric chair. This time, on the occasion of the G-8 summit, Budaev decided to show a cycle of paintings “The Orgy of Power”, dedicated to foreign and Russian politicians. The exhibition solemnly opened in the exhibition hall of the St. Petersburg Union of Artists on Bolshaya Morskaya and almost immediately ... closed, and together with the entire exhibition center. For four days, that is, the entire duration of the G8 meetings in the Konstantinovsky Palace, an announcement hung on the doors that the exhibition hall was closed “in connection with the summit of the heads of state of the G8 members.” According to the press secretary of the Union of Artists Svetlana Nezabudkina, this was a complete surprise for creative people. No one warned the leadership of the union about this in advance. It is impossible to explain this fact by any motives other than political ones. They said that George W. Bush was going to live very close by, in the Astoria Hotel.

Bush turned out to be the main character of the exhibition. The American President is presented in the most unimaginable ways. For example, as a forester, hosting in a classic Russian forest, from the famous painting by Shishkin. Not without Vladimir Putin. In addition to the incendiary dance in an American prison, there is another portrait of him. In a magician's red jacket, he happily takes out and shows Europe a rabbit with the head of Lukashenko's father... Guests from abroad, especially foreign journalists, would obviously be interested in the canvases. That's the hosts of the summit and decided out of harm's way to close for a while ideologically unsustainable gallery. And with it, the entire St. Petersburg Union of Artists.

Now, after the doors of the exhibition center have opened, people are lining up to take a look at the unusual paintings.