"Directs the museum should scientists rather than managers'

[Евгений]

Scientist-orientalist, Dr. Michael Piotrowski for nearly twenty years, is at the helm of one of the largest museums in the world. About that, why Russia can not be much Hermitage centers, as well as the existence of the movement against the raid museums Michael Piotrowski told the "New Izvestia.

- Mikhail Borisovich, early in the century with your submission appeared ideology of expansion of the Hermitage, his center was opened in Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Kazan, Vyborg. Why then everything came to a halt?

- We are still alive Soviet approach: if someone did something, then it must be done to all. When we opened the center in Kazan, we were asked why it was there? Kazan - the only place where this can be implemented. Hermitage Centre - piece goods, which made for a definite term, very expensive to host. Such a center requires significant management attention in the region - it can not be created for the sake of a check in the official record of the local culture. Then, you need the public's attention, which will go to exhibitions and lectures. So when I say: "Let's make the center there is something out there or something ', I reply:" First, let's make a show and see. " Then it turns out that there is no money even to the exhibition. Especially when it comes to insurance. Although last year we had ten exhibitions in Russia, and another eleven Russian exhibitions we have participated. In Vyborg had a great desire among local authorities, we trained there for a long time center. Now there is the second exhibition. In Vyborg obtain this scheme, both in Amsterdam and Kazan: there is great interest, guarantees that the center will be a long time. While in Russia we do not see other sites for new centers, the Hermitage. But there are options. The Museum of Novgorod the Great Halls of conventionally called the "Hermitage." Once a year and a half we do exhibitions in Kaliningrad. Opening of the center - it costly and partner must be reliable.

- It turns out that most local authorities are not very reliable partners?

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- So far it does not reach the money, they're reliable. Therefore, we all check. As a rule, an exhibition shows who can and who can not. Make the exhibition today is difficult. This is where the Soviets had: told to bring - brought. And now we ask two hundred issues of the host country - in the temperature climate, guarantees, shipping, insurance. As for shows we have, then, much has changed. They require a huge expenditure, and a large part is spent on insurance. Today, the market economy, and everything to insure. In Russia there are no guarantees of the state, which would replace insurance. Throughout the world there, and we have not. For example, we accept government guarantees of France, Britain, Italy and other countries. This makes it possible not to spend money on insurance companies. The exhibition Picasso insurance amounted to a million dollars, roughly the same del Prado. For these exhibitions were signed intergovernmental agreements, they are taken only once. On the other exhibitions to look for money in commercial insurance. When we propose to create in our system of government guarantees, the finance ministry replied: "The exhibition - a commercial enterprise. Hence, the insurance should be commercial. " And the exhibition is not a commercial venture - it does not bring revenue. MOF can understand - a lobby insurance companies. We suggested other schemes the Ministry of Culture. By the way, the system of safeguards should exist to show that travel to Russia, because they too need commercial insurance. Such problems arise every time. In Kazan they do not, guarantee gives the government of the republic. An exhibition from the Hermitage had to go to Saratov. According to the 94-th federal law, the insurance needed to hold a tender. In the local paper read: in the Saratov going exhibition from the Hermitage. The total amount of insurance so and so. Items made of gold so much. Things made of silver so much. Ground transportation. How do you like? We were horrified. As a result, had to strengthen security. Here's a 94-second law in action.

- They say that today museums are needed, rather, executives, managers, not scientists. How do you manage to combine the functions of both scientists and managers?

- No need to appoint managers to manage museums. The museum must work academics. But we must choose those who were able to organize work. For example, extensive experience in the gives part in archeological excavations. Those who organize such expedition, can not only find the money, but spend it wisely, and be accountable for them. The view that managers - a profession with which people can work anywhere - not quite true. We've already been there in earlier times. Then it was thought that someone who knows how to lead people (party official) will be able to manage anything - even though the plant, though the museum. There is a certain logic, but you need to understand the peculiarities of culture. In a culture can not do certain things, even if the books on management written that it is correct. The rules of management relate to the world economy, which is the criterion of profit. In a culture can not make any moves for the sake of profit, because the problem of other cultural institutions - to collect the cultural heritage and preserve it. Thank you for the compliment, but I do not know the recipe, as a scientist can run a museum. I have experience in archeological expeditions. Have to delve into all all know, some cases are referred to other people, but the solution always takes the director.

- If I understood correctly, then you can decide, even at the expense of financial gain?

- Certainly. So I do not like 94-second law. Not all that cheap to buy. Of course, serious injury, I do not accept. Although we have a concept of "lost profits". For example, ask: "Why you were taken to an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum and took with them compensation? You might get lucky this exhibition in such and such, for example, a Japanese village, where you could pay a million dollars compensation. " Have to explain that we share with the Metropolitan Museum - give them their exhibits to the exhibition and do not take any compensation, because they provide us with the exhibits and not charge us any compensation.

- It is true that the history of the disappearance of artifacts in the Hermitage, which several years ago the island was discussed in the media, had some double background?

- History of the dark. There is a big raider traffic on Hermitage and museums in general. At first we were offered some kind of cooperation joint venture: "We will sell tickets, booklets, to publish books, Tra-ta-ta". They wanted to dispose of exhibits and museum items. We immediately rejected such proposals, which were followed by clashes.

- What are they?

- First - talk to a raised voice. Then there are other ways to capture the museums - check. Linden, customized, of course. We had a check under the guise of a serious institution, she had to "identify" theft. In fact, no theft was not, and we proved it. Apparently, it came out like this: you do not want a "theft", get real. So at the Hermitage was a man who was stealing. But I do not believe that one man was able to learn from our museum more than two hundred different things. Of course, the custodians do not check every time, but still checked. And it would not be believed, to the keeper handed stolen in a pawnshop for a penny. Moreover, they kept the receipt. In this story, many questions. I think that soon we get to the real reasons, because we continue to monitor the investigation. On the other hand, after the event was a real explosion of information in the media, similar to hitting. I still think it was an order directed against Hermitage. Because we have a country left two unprivatized cultural institution - museum fund and property of the Academy of Sciences - everything else is the third time changing owners. Some have a strange idea of ​​the museum, they say, there are great treasures. And someone really wants to dispose of them. Many people like.

- I read that you each day begins with a crawl all the museum ...

- Workaround doing, but not all of the Hermitage - this takes several hours. Morning begins with a presentation of security about what happened over night.

- Sometimes I want to stay at the pictures?

- During a crawl - no. Often noticed cracks on them, or that the picture is not hanging.

- You have so many honors and responsibilities. Which of these comes closest?

- Giving an interview (laughs). But seriously, the honorary titles given to me for a job. I'm constantly working on, my specialty - Arabist, so writing, lecturing and have my job.

- As an Arabist watch the revolutions in the East?

- Naturally.

- As far as the consequences of these collisions are likely to affect Russia?

- For Russia, they gave a few lessons. First: do not hold rallies, where the museum. Second: we must give people an outlet in the form of rallies. The Egyptians rallies - part of the culture. That was when I was studying in Cairo at Nasser. In recent years, this outlet blocked, eventually burst ... As for Russia, unlike in former times no imperial interests, we are not there. I think, correctly, that Russia behaves with restraint with respect to these events.
http://www.newizv.ru/print/143905/