"Hitler also painted": how the Dordor Gallery was closed for the exhibition on Putin's birthday

The Dordor Gallery worked for more than a year and a half, we made more than a hundred exhibitions, very different, including not related to politics. We were engaged in non -profit exhibitions, the latter - we gave the site [the public "VKontakte"] "Akhuhu" for the exhibition "Autumn Pahan" . My paintings were also presented at this exhibition.

On the day of the exhibition [October 7], when we completed the installation [exhibition], one person from the council [Presnensky district] came to us at first - how to just look. Then firefighters from the Ministry of Emergencies came, to check the building for fire safety. Twenty to thirty minutes later, a bunch of people from the council, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs came. One of them said that he was with the council, that from the FSB he was constantly confused.

The gallery is registered with us as an individual entrepreneur, and there is also a bar, it is as an LLC. We have permits, we are registered in the EGAIS system, there is a cash desk. The only thing we did not have was the consumer’s corner, where the book of reviews and suggestions hangs. I do not argue, a book of reviews and suggestions is needed, we did not have time to make it, but for its absence they give only a small fine.

We were told that this is a problem, everyone was kicked out of the premises, turned off the electricity and demanded to take off the paintings - about a hundred work. All this happened two hours before the [opening] of the exhibition. I ask: "Why take pictures?"

I was told that due to fire safety equipment, and that the paintings could deteriorate. I say: “Well, okay, these are our problems. So, the problem is not with the bar, but still with the paintings? " As a result, they admitted - the problem is in the exhibition.

On the street, we began to unfold people who came to the exhibition. A bus with riot police arrived. I had to open the door again [employees of the council and police], they scoured with flashlights there, because electricity was previously chopped off - they pulled out wires from the meter on the street. In the light of flashlights, they photographed all the works and pieces of paper with signatures - who is the author and what is the name of the picture.

I have an audio recording, I can hear poorly, but if you listen, everything is clear. On it, the same employee either the Council or the FSB says that all [participants in the exhibition] have mental disorders, that punitive medicine in the USSR was very good. He compared all the artists [whose works were presented at the exhibition] with Hitler, because Hitler also painted. He said that everyone should be treated or planted.

The work was photographed, we go out. It seems to be over, but not: ten minutes later they brought a welding machine, and began to brew the door. I tried to stop the [welder], but they shook me. All this time did not show any papers.

The next day we waited for us to be launched [to the gallery], negotiated with the manager of the territory [where Dordor was located]. As a result, we were written by neighbors [on the rented premises] that they would open us. We run there, we managed. There was a man with the council and a worker who unraveled the door. There were people from Akhuhu with us, they managed to pick up the paintings, a person from the council did not show any documents, acts. They gave us about twenty minutes. We managed to take some kind of personal belongings. There we also had workshops, where we worked as artists.

“Akhuhu” took pictures to the “Paper Factory”. 25 minutes after it was announced where the exhibition will be held, a bunch of police officers came to the “piece of paper” and explained that there would be no exhibition.

On October 9 [in Dordor] there was a fire check, the prosecutor’s office was gathering, but did not come. Firefighters, of course, revealed a bunch of violations that concern not us, but the owner of the room. For example, the windows are laid with bricks, but this was done before us, about five years ago. Violations are presented to the owner, but if we want to stay there, we must correct them. It is beneficial to the owner to leave: we are problem tenants, and he will give this room to some warehouse.

Reduce the windows, agree on the designs, replace the doors, comply with all the requirements of firefighters - all together will come about more than ten million, we do not have that kind of money. The administration also promised that if we open again, they would call a sanitary and epidemiological station in the bar, which would find anything. Also in the council we were promised to turn off the light, electricity and water: that is, we will not be able to work for us.

Ilya Fedorov, the founder of Dordor , will lose [from closing] almost two million. Six months ago, he and I decided to open a bar, and personally I lose 500-600 thousand. Now we hope to achieve the opportunity to at least calmly export things - we have paid a month of rent - we have many things there, a bunch of paintings, colors, equipment.