Translated material
Interview with the artist Anatoly Belkin
In the KGallery gallery, an exhibition of St. Petersburg artist Anatoly Belkin “ in its place ” opened. He is also known as the co -founder and former editor -in -chief of the magazine "Dog.ru". Belkin’s works are stored in the collections of the Hermitage and foreign museums.
Anatoly Pavlovich told “paper” whether Petersburg painting has his own special style, how artists lived in Leningrad of the 80s and why art is discussed little in the city.
-Recently, the film “Summer” was released about rock musicians of the 80s. If it were a film about artists, then who would play there and what would happen on the screen?
- Artists and musicians then lived about the same life - cheerful. We knew that we would never burst anywhere, we would not see either Prague, or Paris, nor London. And when you know that an infinity is ahead in the same place, then you try to live a fun every day. They drank, of course. I must say that if we stayed alive, drinking what was then sold in stores, apparently we will live forever.
Many artists worked as watchmen. For example, there was a parking at the Petrovsky stadium, where it was necessary to guard the boats. Poets, philologists worked there, everything was written by poems. I often visited there. We always had fun and did what we wanted.
I was saved by the magazine "Bonfire", where artists at that time paid a lot of money: 35 rubles for the illustration. But there were moments when we handed over the bottles. Once, the translator [Samuel], Beckett Valera, and I collected bottles for all friends. They outlined the route, because there was a wild number, I was instructed to steal a cart in a bakery. I coped brilliantly with this, and we bypassed a lot of significant people with this cart, as it turned out now. They handed over all the dishes and arranged a grandiose holiday.
- What places were popular at that time?
- The dream was - “Metropol”, but this was usually practiced by writers and poets: Valera Popov, Dovlatov. Metropol was famous for its cutlets, it was necessary to take a broth with a cake, a cutlet and 100 grams of vodka. It was impeccable.
There was still a restaurant "Roof" at the European Hotel. But this, of course, was inaccessible. And also the union of architects, where the older generation of artists went. In Leningrad of that time there were many brilliant aristocratic drunkards.
- In 2004, you had an exhibition "Gold of Swamps" in the Hermitage. Was it easily accepted in the museum, given that this is contemporary art?
- They took it very well. The Hermitage is well aware that without the latest art, the museum remains covered with dust. Art does not interfere with each other at all: the old helps the new, the new one - the old one. This is the only way to live a museum.
Of course, they were dissatisfied. They are still now. How many, for example, there were about the Fabra of conversations.
- Do you like exhibitions that are held recently in the Hermitage?
- And what about in St. Petersburg, in your opinion, things are with private galleries?
- Galleries are very important, these are blood streams through which art circulates. The best is settled in the museum, but without galleries it is impossible to imagine the life of contemporary artists. In St. Petersburg, of course, they are not enough.
- Is it possible to say that Petersburg is provincial in this regard?
- I would not say. Petersburg cannot be provincial, it can be quieter than, say, New York, but nevertheless in this city a special rhythm.
- Which?
- More calm. We are somehow getting rope under the flow of water. It is fast, but still it is water.
-Is there any special Petersburg style in art?
- It is often said that as if we, unlike Moscow, are covered with a gray fleur, but we are wildly spiritual. Honestly, belonging to the St. Petersburg School of Painting, I do not think that it actually exists.
- You were the editor -in -chief and one of the creators of the magazine "Doga.ru". Tell us how it all started in 1999?
-One evening, we sat with Nika Belotserkovskaya (publisher of the magazine-approx. “Papers”) , I say: “Nika, how so? We live in a multimillion -dollar European city, and we do not have a single thick magazine. ” And we decided to make a magazine. Having agreed that there will be not a single word about crime, economics and politics. This rule is still withstanding, so the “dog” is alive.
This magazine was conceived as an publication about private life. The idea was to tell about interesting people who are full in our city.
- Why do they write so little about art in St. Petersburg?
- Maybe they write a lot, but there are very few high -quality texts. In general, few people who consider not one artist, but understand the context of what is happening.
There is an interest in art, but it must be fed with something, there should be publishers who are engaged in art. There should be a lot around art. There must be a discussion, a clash of worldviews, views, styles, schools. And this, unfortunately, is almost not happening.
- I love madly. I think that the Kabakov exhibition is one of the most serious ones that I have seen lately. And not only in Russia.
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