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Shemyakinskie reading

The famous artist is looking for art under your feet

Dmitry Smolev

At the close of the festival of military bands "Spassky Tower" winners will be handed to a statuette made by Mikhail Shemyakin. However, the current visit of the artist in Moscow, no less associated with another event - the presentation of his album-two volumes in the International Book Fair. On this edition, and not only of him with Mikhail Shemyakin talked correspondent of Izvestia.

News: seems out of this album for you is essential. And what is it different from your previous books?

Mikhail Shemyakin: The book was made a long time, about five years. She has a rather complicated composition. Once upon a time, a quarter of a century ago, America was leaving my two-volume edition, but the current version is very different from American. It covers a wide range of my creativity. The album is linked to specific topics, which are clearly divided: graphics, book graphics, still life, operas, ballets, monumental sculpture and so on. In essence turned a fundamental guide to creativity Mikhail Shemyakin. Anyone who thinks I'm worthy of an artist, you will find here many interesting things for themselves, including works that were not known to the Russian audience.

For example, these included a series of "Sidewalks of Paris", which will serve as the basis for a future exhibition at the Russian Museum. This photographica - method although not entirely new (it was used more by Henry Moore and Max Ernst), but in my interpretation of the unexpected and original. At night I take pictures that garbage that we tread down, and then draw the print pastel, gouache or colored pencils. It turns out that the sidewalks we tread quite amazing worlds. I take dead leaves, spider webs, walls with peeling plaster, streaks of dog urine - yes anything. I stare at it through the camera lens is about twelve years.

Or at least mention the series entitled "What they told me the drop. For years I have sketched a drop in the sink (where the camera is not involved). The result was about fifty thousand strange way - flying cats, insects, the characters of some harmsovskogo wing. Based on some drawings I'm doing now, a series of plates at the Lomonosov Porcelain Factory ... In short, this book will people know that not only depicts Shemyakin carnivals St. Petersburg, not only draws the rats, but also deals with many other things.

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and: You mentioned a future exhibition at the Russian Museum. She already has a clear outline?

Shemyakin: The exposition will be associated just with the world, which we do not notice. It will include works from the series "Sidewalks of Paris" and the drawings with drops. Has already agreed to participate Slava Polunin: he would arrange a performance. Now looking for a choreographer to make a one-act ballet of the same name - "Sidewalks of Paris. He wants to take part and Anton Adosinsky with his band "The Tree". Makes a film on the theme of the exhibition. Should get more interesting program. For the viewer will create a new aesthetic moment. Rather than perceive the artist as the servant of the sacred cult of art, will be faced with a pleasant, almost everyday recognizability of subjects. Such observations are common in everyone, but I have they acquired professional. For the artist is the most difficult - to understand where the field of art borders with the region of pure fantasy, in which the art is not always present. It is necessary to avoid material obeys you, and that he obeyed your artistic vision. It was on this occasion I was producing their current research.

 and: Photographica now your main hobby?

Shemyakin: There are others. I continue to study ballet. Recently in Lithuania with great success was premiered my new version of "Coppelia." Even finishing the book "Two Fates of Volodya Vysotsky, where there will be 42 of my illustrations. Work on it has been very difficult. This monumental work, which I try to show how hateful Volodya was to a certain part of the so-called Soviet intelligentsia, and why the powers that be feared. To book selected those songs that poetry, which is demonstrated. And I'm trying to decipher the idea in fine fashion.

and: What about the work in the field of monumental art? And how true the rumor that you had a quarrel with Moscow and Petersburg authorities, because of what to expect of your new sites in the two Russian capitals do not have to?

Shemyakin: Does anyone now huge orders in Moscow and St. Petersburg? It seems that there is no such monumental and such orders ... And in Russia, I continue to work. Most recently, in Vladikavkaz opened my memorial associated with the tragedy in Beslan. In Samara, set multi-figure statue Volodya Vysotsky, who several years ago ordered the then Governor Konstantin Titov. By the way, he was a once a young Komsomol activist who gave Wysocki first and his last concert at the stadium. Volodya sang in front of six thousand listeners - and until his death remembered about this amazing concert ... So - about a quarrel with Moscow or Petrograd authorities: no conflict was not. Although, I must admit, I have a strained relationship with Ms. Matvienko. What is happening today with the St. Petersburg (I mean the demolition of historic buildings and replacing them remake), I consider unacceptable. Together with my rage and Alexander Sokurov, and Granin, and Alex Herman - so we declared "defenders of the dead city" ...

and: It was once talk of a monument Hoffmann in Kaliningrad, Koenigsberg, I mean ...

Shemyakin: I'm afraid that question again rests against the officials. I once said Georgy Boos, that was a call from Vladimir Putin, who was interested that there is a monument. It is possible, officials put the matter simply shelved, but up report that a complex, moving slowly ... The situation is very sad. Here in fact there is also a political background: if the Russians have erected a magnificent monument of Hoffmann, as the place where he was born, is only a little, and, sorry, bedraggled stone with commemorative plaque, it should be a little ashamed of it, right? I think Putin understood this, and therefore decided to support the project. Frankly, I proceeded with the utmost vigor. Now I have a hard plaster model sorokafigurnogo monument, but to find the money to install it in the "impoverished" during the crisis the country is impossible.

and: P Hoffmann your situation is difficult, and in another area - animation. Somehow your work on the animated film entitled "Gofmaniada?

Shemyakin: with the animation is almost the same. I think that here at all state commits a crime. Soyuzmultfilm has trained more than one generation. These guys who work for a pittance, if at all without money, we ought to be on hand. We have more than six years working on the film. There would have been allocated money, the work would have ended a half years. Several times I specifically came to Moscow to monitor and assist, and found that six months, the entire crew received no wages. We wrote letters - no answer.

and: You have repeatedly said that the permanent residence in Russia is not going to. But nevertheless moved closer to us - from the States have moved to France. Established in the new place?

Shemyakin: Actually, this way: I moved to France to be closer to Russia. In French I am a little work, I was basically the guys come from the Russian regions. I'm trying to host a center of education. A very well with me to work where there is a workshop. While in France full of sculptures and painting workshop, I myself not built. This is just my dream.

11:14 06.09.10

http://www.izvestia.ru/person/article3145765/