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Interview with Vasily Shulzhenko "Vasya, who does not like Russian"

Creative artist Vasily Shulzhenko leaves no one indifferent. Its either love or hate, praise for the understanding of the Russian soul and accused of hatred for her the same. What he actually found out, our correspondent says.

- All these terrible drunken face, ugly body, obscene poses ... You really could not be suspected of love for the people!

- I have never lived among people who are portrayed, and not try to climb them in the soul. In my childhood was mama's boy, knew neither the army nor the zone. My characters for me - like savages for Cook. 've Seen enough of them in his childhood when he lived at the dacha near Kasimov. They frighten me, and fascinated. On the canvas is splashed all much later, with the beginning of perestroika.

- What "bad Russian people" are selling well in the West?

- Most of his paintings I really sell in America, but, you know, they just think they're just saturated with love for Russia! But here, even his friends say to me: "You do not love Russian, Vasya!" But I, as a Russian, I have every right to ask: "And for that we love?" Yes we are the worst people in the world - the evil, lazy, envious! For example, an American will say: "My neighbor, Sam, boy, he's so successful!" And our village drunkard will hate and despise the hard-working wealthy peasant. And the myth of the broad Russian soul? Widely it is only for the duration of alcohol.

- Or maybe Americans just love to see these Russian cattle?

- On the contrary, looking at my paintings, they begin to pity us: "What poor people!" As we wrote Wanderers suffering people, remember? Or as the poet Nekrasov, who after a sumptuous dinner and party poker liked to look at the peasants from the window of his mansion and bitter regret dolyushke female.

Pushkin and Tolstoy-monkey on the bar

- Speaking of women. Do not feel sorry for so disfigure us in the pictures?

- It's a pity, because I write you often. That men do not mind. Recently, the gallery owner in Chicago, tells me: "John, Joe, you have the pictures all too much drinking and smoking in America, this is not popular. Can not do without these cigarettes and bottles of vodka?" Do you think my men can be sober, without a cigarette in his mouth?

- A drink you love yourself?

- Love. It happens, and the work of the drink. The artist is a need for inspiration.

- What love is not inspiring? Are you married?

- No, never married, no children, and started what is now regrets. Although the women in his life was - not counted, and now there is.

- Why are your heroes in the sex scenes are not engaged? This would add color to them!

- I remember, was in Kasimov case - a young country boy directly in the field caught and raped a grandmother of seventy-five. That was thought to represent.

- for the sake of shocking?

- But what then shocking! Here artist Kulik, left a lot in public under the picture - is yes. Now since in painting one direction - to get to talk about himself in any way. Do not become famous through the centuries, and more grab at life.

- But Pushkin depicted as a monkey, or Tolstoy, hangs on the bar - is not that shocking?

- I was more surprised - well, who in America knows Pushkin? Nevertheless, it was purchased immediately. But Tolstoy, who is famous there, so still not sold ...

Anna Sheen