Whatever day, then troubles

Last Friday in the Bogorodskoye gallery, which is part of the association of the “Exhibition Halls of Moscow”, an exhibition was opened “ - be happy! “I am happy ...” Igor an airplane , photographer, graduate of the School Rodchenko, who was famous in Russia and abroad. However, the vernisage all ended.

The photographer’s problems began two days before the opening: in the first photo show, where the plane turned, they refused to print his work, considering them dubious from the point of view of the current Russian legislation, although more accurately, due to a very vague interpretation and chaotic law enforcement, which entailed these new norms. “We print only a permitted theme” - so they summarized the refusal. In another place, the photographs were printed, but this was preceded by an emergency meeting of employees of the salon who decided whether it was worth taking risks or not.

I confused those to whom the photographer addressed, first of all, nudity, although nothing naturalistic, what would say, for example, about pornography, in it. Igor is quite conditional - with defocuses and the choice of a rather cautious shooting point - showed a htonic story about the Russian province; It is clear that it is not bravura at all and, to put it mildly, does not reflect the traditional values ​​and other glee from success, although there is nothing more constant for Russian reality than that in these pictures: wild drunkenness, brutal sex (it is handed over by smeared spots, which clearly corresponds to the nature of what is happening), unmotivated violence, etc. In my opinion, all this is such a common story - there are quite a lot of this kind of projects, not all of them are artistic, but the photographer could and more deeply dig this story - that it would be possible to comment on all this restrained. But we are talking about something else.

Due to the delay caused by such unexpected complications with the seal, the installation of the exhibition really began on the night before the opening. The plane was given the keys to the exhibition hall, and he with his friend glued and hung his work. It was decided to carry out the vernissage in the 18+ format and mainly for friends and colleagues, since the author himself decided-and publicly stated this -to remove or somehow cover up those pictures that embarrassed the employees of the photosalons, and then, as expected, the exhibition was supposed to work in normal mode. It should be added that the Bogorodskoye Gallery, as well as the Izmailovo neighboring with it, in its concept should promote contemporary art among children and youth, and therefore the aircraft proposed a clear compromise, given the difficulties of the present time and its interests.

After the opening, the photographer received messages from the employees of the “exhibition halls” - both relevant and recently resigned - that there are shots incompatible with the state institution at the exhibition, and therefore the exhibition is immediately closing. I specifically do not want to dwell on the conflict, which immediately flared up between the aircraft and the former curators of the Bogorodskoye and Izmailovo galleries Alina Glazun and Alexander Zhuravlev - they initially agreed with the photographer about the exhibition, but, having quit from the Zay on June 1, did not, in fact, to further relations. As the curators of the exhibition, they were recorded in the Facebook event until the very last moment (until Sunday), from all other sources they also tried to remove their names, also demanded that the journalists do not mention them - but, for example, there is still their last name on the website of the prefecture , as well as information about the non -existent exhibition. The prefecture remembers everything. In principle, their participation in curatorial is really not, since they turned off the project quite early, although, as the Glazun wrote, she dealt with a number of organizational issues that go beyond the limits of direct duties: “I ordered the installers, met them in the morning, went after paint to Leroy, dragged it into a taxi, by the way, I took a taxi for my own for my own. Account " , etc. Why did they go to the conflict with the plane is unclear, since they were not the censor of his exhibition, but the collective machine “ZA”, to which they no longer belonged.

But this conflict is just an external abscess. There are more interesting topics that can be found in connection with this story. We often forget how important the issue of work is. Artists and photographers do not do everything with their own hands: printing photos or banners, creating installations from many elements-all this often requires the involvement of external organizations and specialists who can simply refuse cooperation, or can, by sad tradition, and “inform where it should be” or in some other way to create difficulties for the authors. It can be both employees of photo laboratories and those who mount the exhibition - it doesn’t matter whether they work in a state organization or private office. As a result, very soon the Russian art scene-especially those who only begin to start-will be in a situation when everything will have to be done with their own hands or the maximum with the support of friends-recognizables. It is quite possible that artists and photographers will begin to unite not only in the case of any censorship or financial conflict (which is already happening), but also about the work of work: they will create some kind of their analogues of photographs and workshops with more complex technical tasks, where everything that can be done now, let’s say, is evident. It’s hard for me to imagine how it might have looked and what difficulties would have to face here-but there is something in it. And, perhaps, this process would have positive consequences.

Another important point is the issue of compromise and its design. It is clear that artists and photographers often do not want to go in a similar way, although almost everyone has to. A well -known strategy, when artists go to overheating of the situation with the institution in order to cause a reaction and thereby measure moods in the artistic environment and in society, still works. But it is not clear how long it will be possible to follow her, given that there is gradually becoming fewer places where the critical artists and photographers are called. As a result, if, nevertheless, they are ready to balance on the verge, then all up to the smallest detail need to be stipulated and documented. As this story also shows, despite the abundant document management in museums and exhibition halls, the artists themselves, and the institutions very often do not record on paper issues with rights, means allocated for production, fees and other things, which usually leads to conflicts. In Russia, even with the necessary documents, it is difficult to solve the problems that have arisen, and without all these agreements and checks you find yourself in some kind of space.

Finally, the last observation: the conflict flared up after the opening of the exhibition. I understand perfectly that everything was mounted at the last moment, but, in principle, until seven in the evening, when the vernisage began, there were several hours when the employees of the “exhibition halls” could discuss something with the photographer, and he could fix something. I remind you that by that time he himself decided to remove part of the pictures after the opening of it and was generally configured for negotiations. But this did not happen. Although there are examples of other organizations where contemporary art is shown and which belong to the state that managed to both agree with artists and show many things without their subsequent censorship - yes, with all these age -related restrictions, partitions and curtains, but still. However, in the case of Igor, we are faced with such an worldview: “In any incomprehensible situation, close the exhibition” or something in that spirit. Here we are not even talking about censorship - it is only a consequence, but about fear, which at the same time adjacent to gouging. That is, where people are initially carefully and responsibly engaged in exhibition projects (and such people are still left), this kind of scandals and conflicts is easier to avoid than where everyone likes everything to the vernissage, and then they “get a call” or their eyes “open”.

I hope this story will teach someone something. Well, so - it's all sad.

PS

Today, June 9, we received an official commentary of the Moscow Exhibition Halls association for this article. We give it completely.

On June 5, in the Gallery "Bogorodskoye" associations "Exhibition Halls of Moscow", the opening of the exhibition of Igor an airplane " - be happy! “I'm happy ...”, in the evening of the same day the exhibition was closed.

The specialization of this gallery - projects focused on working with children and youth through contemporary art. This circumstance is the key when choosing exhibitions and the formation of a lecture plan, excursions and other events taking place in the hall.

The artist has the right to freedom of expression and freedom of creativity. Employees of the halls responsible for exposition and exhibition work, in turn, should be responsible for the choice of artists and works exhibited in state cultural institutions. The lack of mutual understanding in this matter leads to serious consequences and does not contribute to the promotion of contemporary art.

In the work on this project, unfortunately, colleagues showed unprofessionalism, having lost control of the process of preparing the exhibition, and, as a result, could not convey to the author the context of the exhibition hall. The result was the closing of the exhibition.

“It is unfortunate that our employees did not find the strength to talk with the artist on their own and eliminate the growing conflict, which once again speaks of professional immaturity and inability to be responsible for their actions” - Elizabeth Fokin, director of the Moscow Exhibition Halls association.

Press service of the Association "Exhibition Halls of Moscow"
Shchetkina Alexander