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Dr. Sergey Zagraevsky

 

Art or “jingoistic patriotism”?

(notes on Ilya Glazunov’s Christmas show in Manezh)

 

 

Published in Russian: Ñåðãåé Çàãðàåâñêèé. èñêóññòâî èëè «êâàñíîé ïàòðèîòèçì»? (Çàìåòêè î íîâîãîäíåé âûñòàâêå Èëüè Ãëàçóíîâà â Ìàíåæå). «Àðò-ãàçåòà», ¹ 2 (33), 10–16 ÿíâ. 2000 ã.

 

Attention!

The following text was translated from the Russian original by the computer program

and has not yet been edited.

So it can be used only for general introduction.

RUSSIAN VERSION

 

 

Ilya Glazunov is more than an artist. Or less - as you like. In any case has to say about it as a global phenomenon in the scale and the late and early capitalist Russia.

Let's start with the Soviet era. Paradoxically, while the artists were, in a sense, is simpler. Found the courage to stand up in opposition to the regime - all the popularity ensured. And if this still was able to "negotiate" with the government, made a couple of curtseys like paint the portrait of Brezhnev, " all ready "promotion" at all levels. And Glazunov - example.

However, the Russian idea - not a toy, and patriotism. You can be a patriot, to love Russia, but not necessarily scream about it at all angles and to depict on canvas mournfully humble velikomuchenicheskie faces. And if the artist did eventually get on that track, he should know that to play with the national ideas - all the same, that the powder keg. Sooner or later there comes a time when no ideas are subject to creativity, and Vice versa.

And His Majesty Art Oh how not like anything to obey, even if it's a national idea or Christianity! And here the work stops, starts, or politics, or ideology, or anything else, the arts are relevant only insofar as it is written in oil on canvas. In this trap, even in the seventies and got Ilya Glazunov. And his magnificent exhibition in the Central exhibition hall Manege on New year 2000 is only a sign that nothing in twenty years, our government does not understand (although not in the construction of interchanges, and art).

When Glazunov "for both" given the state hall Manege, which rent for a month worth several hundred thousand (!) dollars, is truly sorry for the country. Do you, gentlemen powers that be think that the painting by Ilya Sergeyevich so important that for the sake of the state budget could be short of millions of rubles?

And for what? The vast majority of Russian people have already developed immunity against jingoistic patriotism. And not in vain. Look: the West without quite complete, but must be the same: at the international competitions "their" athletes in the performance of the national anthem cry! Are the bulls calamity, and cheeks tears roll. For some reason I have this "our" not yet observed, despite all Glazunov speech and exhibitions.

Is it time to realize that patriotism is a feeling immeasurably more profound than fondly contemplation on the faces of the saints? And there is nothing that undermines people's sense of psychological unity with the national idea of the country as outright speculation patriotism. We must do things that really improve the lives of people!

"Comrade government", do you learned nothing from the collapse of Soviet power? Only just started to go from cheap slogans to business - and here again! Yes damn half-starved old woman with very little pension for all Riding together! And let us calculate how much benefit to children and the elderly would be possible to pay for the huge money that ordinary businessmen would pay for providing an Arena for the most gold, Christmas, Christmas time? And how many roads could be repaired?

If Ilya Glazunov considers himself a great painter (this is his personal right), then let them earn selling works and rents for their money even though the Kremlin Palace of Congresses. How do! For the state account he not only exhibited at the Manege, but also creates its own personal Museum in Volkhonka street, just opposite Pushkin.

Not only will the next generation look at the Glazunov painting with the same contempt as we look at the tacky "pseudo" architectural style of the early twentieth century? And not because he Glazunov or working on his art could not this painting "correctly apply. For example, the current exhibition at the Manege organized exclusively literacy: worked as a guide, beautifully made hanging, and even sold t-shirts with the inscriptions "I love Glazunov. Case in the works.

You look at the work of Ilya Glazunov early sixties and understand: it was bad! And then something happened, as we have already said: the displacement of creativity gigantomania-speculative and political themes. The artist began working on the idea and openly propagate their "Patriotic" faces a tragic thoughtful eyes. And when a huge canvas on the viewer look hundreds of such persons is truly terrifying, as if pressing on you all the Imperial power of the USSR-Russia, together with all its problems.

When all that song in the works of Glazunov constructed's student-standard, or simply illiterate - in many, especially in large scenes missing semantic dominant, they are "smeared". And in the Nude is nothing new - standard academism. In short, nothing but the undoubted professionalism in a careful tracing of individuals and, of course, unimaginable scale, from which both smell the style of the Stalin years.

Want to set up an experiment? Do not be lazy, look at the exhibition Glazunov a portrait of 1986, the Christmas tree and mentally remove him from the bust of the ancient Greek thinker, designed to symbolize the genius of the author. What a strong and truly tragic character of the artist will appear before us! And from the tracks immediately leave illiterate symmetry. A pririsovalsya speculative bust - and all climbed cheap. This whole Ilya.

Speculators Russian national idea lived, live and will live, and eventually the entire civilized world sees us as something dense and hopelessly behind. What are the first thoughts of Europeans with the word "Russia"? Mafia, dolls and the arena. Short - "MMM".

When our people stop cheating? 

Moscow, 2000.

 

© Sergey Zagraevsky

 

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