Interviews with the authors of the film "Desert forbidden art"

[Евгений]

Last weekend in New York's Cinema Village theater last year showed the film "Desert of the forbidden art of" telling about the collection of Igor V. Savitsky (1915-1984), the first director of the Museum of Arts Uzbek city of Nukus. Website ARTINFO.com, took advantage of this opportunity to interview the creators of tape - Chavdar Georgiev and Amanda Pope (Amanda Pope). ARTinvestment.RU offers translation of this interesting material.

ARTINFO: Chavdar, you grew up in the USSR. Did you know about the museum in Nukus?

Chavdar Georgiev: I not only have not heard of such a collection, but even the existence of the Nukus had no idea. It was a closed city, where produce chemical and biological weapons. About him very little people know about. In Russia, the city of Nukus and Savitsky collection known except that the leading art historians and those who, so to speak professionally connected with the activities of the city.

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Amanda Pope: In Washington, for example, building the CIA, too, is not publicized. And then the city where developing chemical weapons. Of course, the Soviet authorities did not want him to someone he knew.

C. G.: And while in Nukus is the second largest collection of Russian avant-garde art - more than 40,000 paintings and drawings.

ARTINFO: Tell us about the collection in detail. As Igor Savitsky generally managed to collect so much art in times of censorship?

C. G.: He was crafty, as told to Amanda. A very charming man, absolutely devoted to his hobby. He literally lived in the museum. He's got hung on a hanger one suit, made specifically for the visits of the authorities. When it had come, he put on this costume. He did everything in the museum itself. And when the local office of the Communist Party gave him an apartment, he immediately gave her two conservators from Moscow, who had nowhere to live.

AP: Do Savitsky had no money, but he moved in artistic circles, and walked from one widow to another. His collection of 1920-30's going for almost two decades - since the second half of 1960 until his death in 1984. So, he went to look at the pictures, asked the widows to deploy them - they saw that he really loves art, that he is a true connoisseur. And they wanted their husbands' work on display at the museum. What we are really touched when we were working on the film - so this is how deep into the Russian people who laid the love for art. They are not interested in the auction value of work - it is important that the picture came to the museum to see its people.

ARTINFO: What are the outstanding works boasts a collection of Savitzky?

C. G.: There is absolutely stunning works of artists from Moscow and St. Petersburg, but the real gems - a product of the so-called "Oriental Avant-garde" artists, who came from Moscow, from Petersburg, even from Siberia - to build a new society in Central Asia. And Central Asia was for them as Tahiti for Gauguin: luxurious colors, Islam, Sufism, the Silk Road ... In their work the influence of Islam united with European modernism and the Russian avant-garde. And so came this startling new movement in art that have not seen anywhere except in Uzbekistan.

AP: The artists are portrayed camels in the desert - but the camels in the cubist style. Interesting, unique style. We hope that the Uzbek government can be persuaded to really "recognize" this collection and make some efforts to promote it - now she can say is hidden from everyone - and that Nukus works will be exhibited, so that you can show them in other museums. This can be easily arranged, if the government is ready to cooperate.

ARTINFO: As far as I know, the director of the museum (Marinika Babanazarova. - AI.) Already approached some Western art dealers with offers to sell works from the collection. Was not she tempted to put some items in the market to the money to take care of the rest of the meeting?

AP: As tempted - I do not think, but the proposals were of course. Another thing is that the Art Museum in Nukus - the state, and she can simply order to sell a particular exhibit.

C. G.: If tomorrow comes a daughter of the president and say, "Oh, what a beautiful decoration!", Then what can you do?

ARTINFO: Do you have favorite pieces in the collection Savitsky?

AP: Yes. "The Purple Road" Ural Tansykbaev.

Charles G.: I have two favorite paintings. The first - a "bull" of the painter Eugene Lysenko, also known as "Fascism is coming." The image of a bull with a rifle barrels instead of the eyes had seen him in a dream. Work can be seen only in the Nukus Museum. The artist called it "fascism comes, as it is being - is written in the expressionist, avant-garde style - looks truly frightening. This work was prophetic: after a while broke Stalin's repressions. A second favorite painting, titled "Teahouse" was performed by Alexander Volkov, a Russian artist, born in Uzbekistan. It is curious that we have not seen it on the wall of the museum and in storage. That's an incredible painting of Uzbeks over tea. True, they drink tea in the background of a portrait of Lenin - the work was created in Soviet times, and without Lenin, of course, was not enough. As we now have in America without Obama. A picture of Lenin, now in Uzbekistan is not in favor, so the work is mired in the store and visitors to admire it can not. It can only be seen in the film.

AP: That's the thing at an early Picasso. Absolutely amazing picture. And the fact that she is now in the store just because of a portrait of Lenin on the wall ...

ARTINFO: Art is still very much depends on the policy.

AP: Yes, they are still "tied". Life Savitsky, the collecting of his activities - everywhere policy played a central role. And now the same situation.

P. S. Nukus museum has experienced an extremely unfriendly to the artistic vanguard of the Soviet era, but now his fate is unclear. Recently, the Director Marinika Babanazarova not even released from the country to film in the Washington National Gallery.
Interview: Kate Daymlin (Kate Deimling), ARTINFO.com

Translation Yulia Maximova,

1.Igor Savitsky
2.EVGENY LYSENKO
Bull (Fascism comes).
3.ALEKSANDR WOLVES
Teahouse.

[Евгений]

Сообщение от Eugene

A second favorite painting, titled " Teahouse " was performed by Alexander Volkov , a Russian artist , born in Uzbekistan . It is curious that we have not seen it on the wall of the museum and in storage . That's an incredible painting of Uzbeks over tea . True , they drink tea in the background of a portrait of Lenin - the work was created in Soviet times, and without Lenin , of course , was not enough .

In Uzbekistan since the late 90 -ies of the ban ( in law ) to all the Russian ... Russian history books referred to only by the colonialists ...
Destroyed hundreds of thousands of books in Russian from libraries , institutions , museums ( including textbooks , school libraries , etc. ), monuments to Russian poets , writers , Russian soldiers , etc. In the former Museum of Lenin were virtually wiped out dozens of good pictures ( konets19 mid- 20 century ), and thousands of rare books , documents , etc. ( including the work of Volkova ).... here is a " friendly " Russia, the state ..
As the Nukus museum stay alive ? is a miracle for which we have to thank the German embassy , the Americans ...

[fabosch]

Сообщение от Eugene

ARTINFO: Chavdar , you grew up in the USSR . Did you know about the museum in Nukus ?
Chavdar Georgiev : I not only have not heard of such a collection , but even the existence of the Nukus had no idea . It was a closed city , where produce chemical and biological weapons. About him very little people know about. In Russia, the city of Nukus and Savitsky collection known except that the leading art historians and those who , so to speak professionally connected with the activities of the city .

This is certainly an exaggeration . Nukus Museum has long been known to very many , not only professionals but also amateurs of art. In the late 1960 's was his exhibition in Moscow and then in other cities of the Union . I 'm not talking about the magnificent album " Avant-garde , stopped on the run " so far is the only source of information about some of the artists .
Certainly a feat Savitsky deserves greater prominence . As far as I know soon one of Moscow's art galleries buduet exhibition dedicated Savitsky

[fabosch]

Сообщение от Eugene

in Uzbekistan since the late 90- ies there is a prohibition ( in law ) to all the Russian ... Russian history books referred to only by the colonialists ...
Destroyed hundreds of thousands of books in Russian from libraries , institutions , museums ( including textbooks , school libraries , etc. ), monuments to Russian poets , writers , Russian soldiers , etc. In the former Museum of Lenin were virtually wiped out dozens of good pictures ( konets19 mid- 20 century ), and thousands of rare books , documents , etc. ( including the work of Volkova ).... here is a " friendly " Russia, the state ..

Eugene, this is the case , when not even know how everything
this regard .
On the one hand - an absolutely totalitarian regime.
On the other - both recall the fate of the Baghdad Museum exhibits (and others too , that Egypt , and recall the fate of Grozny museum ...), so you think - my God , let it be there ( Karimov ) of the rules as he wants , but there were no such troubles , As in Iraq .

[Евгений]

fabosch, you're right, has a beautiful collection of this museum (saw this collection and more than once) ..
just wish it all in Uzbekistan.

[fabosch]

Сообщение от Eugene

In the wild , barbaric form ..

Recently had a chance to edit a book about the author of the Kazakh political realities of contemporary Central Asian region. Since its basic idea is very simple - do not touch unless you want to make it even worse .
In general , we know very little about the current developments in the region . How , by the way , little was known in Soviet times . In the words of a classic , we're just lazy and do not curious

[Евгений]

Сообщение от fabosch

a book of Kazakh author

Kazakhstan in Central Asia, it is just another planet ..

[Кирилл Сызранский]

Recently, the Director Marinika Babanazarova not even let out of the country to film in the Washington National Gallery.

But, in fairness, we should remember this:

Museum for the past 10 years has become truly a hotbed not only of culture but also the active life of the Republic. As noted by our visitors, Nukus Museum of Art - it's not a dead museum. Many prominent politicians paid attention to the efforts of the museum to preserve and promote the diversity of cultures represented in the collection of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Savitskiy. This - the former U.S. vice president Al Gore, President Jacques Chirac of France, Charles Prince of Wales, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and many others.

Represent the culture of Uzbekistan at a conference on "Culture and Diplomacy" in November 2000 at the White House honored the director of the Nukus Museum. The experience of the Nukus Museum Conservation multicultural society in transition in the globalization era is interesting for the whole world.

here.

[Евгений]

Cyril Syzransky, in the mid-90's , Americans , and especially the Germans have done to the museum very much .. (especially in terms of materalnom ) .
But the realities of the day segodnishnego :

Recently, the Director Marinika Babanazarova not even let out of the country to film in the Washington National Gallery .

and it is just savage ..

[Кирилл Сызранский]

Сообщение от Eugene ; 1556291 "

and it is just savage ..

It is only now we are "advanced " , and if you remember , then we have a " wildness "as" an exit visa , abolished only in the 93- th year .
Incidentally , in subject , so to speak :

In fascist Italy, this type of visa required for citizens wishing to leave it, from 1922 to 1943 .
In Nazi Germany, this rule operated from 1933 to 1945 .