Art beat Irina Lebedeva

[Тютчев]

The art of winning Irina Lebedeva

How was the year of the new director of the Tretyakov Gallery

Dmitry Smolev

A year ago, Irina Lebedeva officially took office as Director General of the State Tretyakov Gallery. It is time for stocktaking exercise.

Over the past year in the museum there were serious personnel changes (in particular, have changed almost all the deputy directors). But the creation of efficient team to brightest breakthroughs have not yet led - for the reasons above all objective. For example, because of the crisis has stalled development in the Crimean Val, where the Tretyakov Gallery has been promised to build a new building. But managed to start the repair of the Corps, which re-opens in September. Due to technological difficulties postponed to next year's preview of the exhibition 'Holy Russia, recently touring the Louvre. But this year, the Tretyakov Gallery has implemented two exhibition project, considered a success - the exhibition "The Vision of the Dance" to the 100 th anniversary of Diaghilev entreprise and a solo exhibition of Alexander Deineka.

Good luck alternated with setbacks, but overall, this period can be regarded as a preparation for future strategic offensive. Irina Lebedeva makes it clear that the ambitious plans it is not alien. On his conception she told the correspondent of "Izvestia".

News: What are the qualities needed to manage the largest museum of national art?

Irina Lebedeva: It is clear that any person who comes to this position, has its own vision and a certain image, which I would like to meet. I myself worked with four directors of museums. Of these, for me, as a person, especially important Vasily Pushkarev, director of the Russian Museum, and the head of the Tretyakov Gallery Yuri Konstantinovich Korolev. They were real museum staff. Two others were mostly government officials. So by the time of my appointment, I had a good idea of the different models of museum management. This has allowed itself to articulate what I would like to adopt, and what does not. For me the important concept, in which the scale of ideas and cases combined with great attention to detail. In my opinion, in such a special museum, as the Tretyakov Gallery, otherwise can not work. On the one hand, life changes, and the museum must change with it. On the other hand, there is tradition. That is why I have such a setup: with respect to the past, live the present, look to the future.

and: How much of the year directorship failed to realize that you yourself had planned as a priority?

Lebedeva: To be honest, when entering into this position is no euphoria I experienced. In the Tretyakov worked for a quarter century, and I know the people and problems. It was clear that my ideas about how to solve problems in ways not coincide with how people are accustomed. The most difficult thing - to change something in their brains. In any organization, not only in the museum, there is inertia, stereotyped behaviors. When I told the team about optimizing activities, according to new requirements, including the legislature, the diversity of forms of display of artistic material, faced with the fact that not everyone even knew what it was about. It was obvious that the first year will be the most difficult and at the same time - a basic, fundamental.

During this time there were structural and personnel change in leadership. It is not my bad attitude toward the former zamam to our "upper echelon". We need to work on the result. Explain all around that much do not know how or do not want to, but they are good people - this is nonsense ... Because of the long-standing acquaintance was difficult to decide on some permutation. But without addressing this issue is impossible to move forward. I think about a year will be spent on structural changes in the lower level. I do not advocate drastic and rapid change, but consistent, methodical work in this direction will be indispensable. So, speaking of the original plans: some of them simply had not yet realized. They are not canceled.

Of course, had to delve into the enormous amount of aspects that I, as the art critic, had previously been unfamiliar. It was necessary to examine the legal, regulatory, to understand the issues of construction, financing. Do not neglecting any of the leadership of the scientific work, nor of the image issues, which seem to me very important. I believe that this work we are not well maintained. Absurdities and punctures, which sometimes happened, a museum of this level should not be permitted. Subject professionalism, quality of action is generally very sharp.

We have no right to strategic mistakes and miscalculations, as we represent the domestic art for a thousand years. We are in the spotlight and always on the mind

and: These structural and personnel changes, and in general you have in mind "restructuring" of the museum of consciousness to which a result should lead?

Lebedev: Goals lot. Most importantly - be consistent with the mission, do not be afraid of loud words, which is incumbent upon us. A museum can be more successful, the other - at least, it happens in every one. But we have no right to strategic mistakes and miscalculations, as we represent the domestic art for thousands of years. We are at the center of attention and always in mind. I would really like to see all the reorganization and transformation, which take place and still occur, were primarily aimed at maintaining "face" of the museum. Technical and auxiliary services should feel their involvement in the mission, which I mentioned. Few think of good ideas, it is necessary that they can fully translated ... Unfortunately, a major obstacle remains the level of wages. We can not attract those professionals, who would cost involved. Limited and fellowship opportunities of our employees, and this is very important for expanding horizons.

and: Do you have a mental model, an ideal model of a museum of the world, to which you are targeting?

Lebedev: No, we can not focus on anyone. A very significant difference in the legislation, and in the way of museum life. Some Western museums, having very little own staff, attracted to their projects a lot of third-party individuals and organizations. In others, even if the staff is great, all the duties are strictly regulated. If you are the keeper - be kind, responsible for safety of exhibits, research papers and let other people write. Ideas Generator does not own their implementation - and so on. What's happening in our museums, not anywhere else. Perhaps with a Western point of view it is irrational, but our people in this regard are synthetic. Everyone is all. And in these circumstances it is appropriate, because otherwise we do not do anything we can. Without regard to the framework of job descriptions, the Russian museum workers are ready, if necessary, to throw at the embrasure. It will swim many shortcomings. And with that reality, we will deal a long time.

23/06/1910 14:43

http://www.izvestia.ru/culture/article3143221/