Installation "Svoi-Chuzhoi" ("Friend/Foe") on the accession of Crimea to Russia was removed from exposition even before the official closing of the exhibition "Svoye prostranstvo", which will take place recently. Director of the National Gallery of the Komi Republic Olga Talyanina said that the object irritated visitors. She herself didn’t see the installation at the opening ceremony, as she was on vacation. Upon returning to work, she asked the curator to correct the "mistake".
The object itself is a stylized boundary post two meters high with the direction arrow, on one side of which there is the Russian tricolor with the word "Крым", and on the other — the yellow-blue flag of Ukraine with "Крим". In the description of the project the author pointed out that the installation "is a metaphorical description of the state of Russian society, formed as a result of annexation of Crimea". Visitors were invited to interact with the installation by going to one or another side of the sign. Thus, people could express their opinion and know the position of others, after watching their choice.
Photo: newspaper "Respublika"
In an interview to «7x7» Olga Talyanina explained how exactly the installation began to irritate visitors:
— There was a very negative reaction of visitors. We had many visitors on the doors open day, there was a negative response. I didn’t expect that it would be like that.
— What did it express in?
— In Ukraine, there is a war, Crimea was annexed to Russia, and you put such an installation, which implies a twofold... I didn’t communicate with the visitors, because I was on vacation. But when I arrived, I learned from the staff that there was a very bad reaction. So I asked the curator to speak with the author and remove it from exhibition so that people were not angry at the National Gallery, which traditionally promotes national culture and not some personal concoctions.
— And how many people said that the installation was annoying?
— There were about 200 people on the doors open day. And how did you know about this situation?
— The author wrote about this situation in a social network. It’s important for me to understand what is wrong with this installation?
— We had a delegation from Moscow, a delegation from the Norwegian-Russian cultural forum, and everyone expressed outrage. Even BNKomi wrote about it, but shortly. They spared us, because they know that we are a high-level institution. But it happened. I think it’s our small mistake.
— And how do you evaluate this installation?
— I don’t evaluate it. This work has no value. And we are working at the level. We are the National Gallery of the Komi Republic. We have important works in the collection, not only of our masters, but also of younger artists. I'm not talking about the value of our permanent exposition, which has a global significance. So I don’t evaluate.
As a member of the center of cultural initiatives "Yugor" Yevgeniya Gabova, who accompanied members of the Norwegian delegation during their visit to the National Gallery of Komi, told «7x7», foreigners were very interested in the installation, made a series of photographs. They asked a lot about the author's message, noted its timeliness, relevance. And some members of the delegation stressed the suitability of the installation — the National Gallery of Komi. There were no negative comments of foreigners.
The author of this work Andrei Stanislavsky said that, according to his observations, the people who came to the exhibition had no total negative reaction. And if someone had it then only because the exhibition visitors read the description of the project casually.
“I have a feeling that many people, including the director of the National Gallery, didn’t bother to read the text attached to the project. Of course, you could say that it’s just a sign, against which you ran your head, that it was just standing on the road. It’s a superficial glance. And you can read what I wrote in the description, I spoon-fed. It seems to me that those who put in the meanings, which was not in the work, didn’t read a detailed description of what I wanted to express. And I wanted to say a simple thing: any matter, on which the dialogue is terminated, is a wakeup call. It is not typical for a normal society. This can be anything you want: for example, vegetarians and meat eaters’ confrontation. It’s impossible that there is only one point of view. And now everyone is forced to take one of the two points of view. And there is no talk between these points of view. That's what I wanted to say. If even those who are connected to art were not attentive enough to read it, it tells of their level. And the level of some viewers. I myself watched the reaction of the audience and there were no total negative reaction. Some, on the contrary, have begun to reflect, to see that there were other points of view.
«7x7» publishes a complete description of the installation, which was available to all visitors.
"Where do we go, which way will we turn at this historic fork?
In a healthy society there is no absolute unity of judgment on any question. Despite the existence of the dominant ideas and trends, their influence is not absolute — it is constrained due to the presence of various parties and interests.
If the majority is imposed unanimity, it becomes manageable, and dissenters are under pressure and persecution. Herewith a polarized society loses an important harmonizing component of human coexistence — a dialogue. Being rigidly divided into two camps, it is forced to choose between two opposites, leaving itself no space to manoeuver.
When pluralism is replaced by simple division into "friend" and "foe", the decay of civilization begins, the clearest example of what was shown in Germany of the thirties, XX century.
A sign pointing in opposite directions with "Crimea" in Russian and Ukrainian languages is a metaphorical description of the state of Russian society, formed as a result of the annexation of Crimea.
A title of the installation touches on several topics: labeling, inter- and self-identification, perception of Crimea. "Friend or foe" is also the name of technical recognition systems of own and enemy’s troops.
The viewer is invited to experience polarization on himself: to have a meaningful interaction with the installation, going to one side or another. Thus, a viewer can express his opinion and know the position of others after watching their choice".
At the request of editors of «7x7» several people expressed their views on the situation in the National Gallery of Komi.
Andrei Retanov, photographer, artist, exhibitor of "Svoye prostranstvo":
“It seems to me that the director of the National Gallery reinsured. The idea itself is that the installation of Crimea is just an object. A political art object and nothing more. And so it should be taken. In my opinion, the author simply exploited the urgent social problems. People are dying there now, and we're making an art object — like asking whom do you support? For me, this post "Крым/ Крим" doesn’t play any role in making a choice on which side I am. It's just a post that I would like to get around, and no more. But I wouldn’t remove it, as it’s a self-expression in the context of the overall theme. And it’s totally fine and acceptable.
Larisa Ivanova, director of the theater "Fantastic Reality":
“Apparently, Ms. Talyanina considered that the National Gallery of Komi is not the place for provocations. It’s not interesting for me as well when I see 3% of art and 97% of politics. Although to remove the work in two days before the closing of the exhibition is not an option. Besides, it's PR for the artist, now even those who didn’t know will find out about him and his work, it's wonderful.
Angela Razmanova, artist:
“In my opinion, it is very provincially predictable, even cute in its own way. Olga Leonidovna perfectly propiarila (advertised) Andrei Stanislavsky. Thus, the act of modern art finished accurately. Harmless installation has gained importance and served as a topic of discussion. Exhibition got a history. If it were a project in MAMM or Erarta, such action would be just the scenic course. But "diesel-electic train rides once a year" here”.
Maxim Polyakov, «7x7»
Original: http://7x7-journal.ru/item/43832
