Controlled Cultural Revolution

[Евгений]

Interesting article on the site OPENSPACE.RU (EA)
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 In late January, CHA director Vasily Bychkov was invited to join the Public Chamber and immediately elected head of the Commission to preserve and develop national culture. According to Marat Gelman, who is also a member of the Public Chamber, where he chairs a working group to develop a concept of a new cultural policy, the choice highlighted Bychkova, was needed because of human activity. Bychkov, organize an effective campaign to protect the CHA, obviously, deserved this reputation. And just at that moment, when the defense seemed to have been ineffective, or so one might think. Moreover, it passed to the Public Chamber of the President's list, and not the quota of other members of the House.

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The Commission Bychkova the meeting, while closed. Over the year, is expected to develop the concept of a new cultural policy, and later in the year to monitor its implementation (in the Public Chamber of the two-year election cycle). According to Gelman, the main problem of culture in the country - centralization, and the concept should be aimed primarily at the development of regional cultural centers. Bychkov fits into this story.

Seems Bychkov got a big game: it is almost on the establishment of an alternative of the Ministry of Culture. The site of the House Gelman criticizes Ministry of Culture, accusing him of losing connection with the culture and the absence of clear policies. In the Ministry of Culture and other designated target: spike business with local authorities, which does not allow the art to develop. Expected to liaise with local communities, link them to the center, between themselves and teach effectively deal with local authorities.

The main function of the Public Chamber, created in 2006 on the initiative of the Kremlin - the formation of a loyal civil society sector. And to engage in it more disloyal to the people, offered support in the fight against bureaucrats and the revival of local cultural life.

But in any case, the situation with the demolition of CHA will be a litmus test of the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. After all, if the Public Chamber is unable to protect officials from Moscow's most famous exhibition hall countries, it is unlikely that it could help someone and in the regions.


Vasily Bychkov answered questions OPENSPACE.RU


- Why is the head of the Commission appointed you?

- The logic is clear: choose the manager of culture, not an artist. Why me? Primarily this is connected with my participation in the protection of CHA and protests against the construction of Ohta-center. And I immodestly suggest that a not insignificant role played by the exhibition, which I spent in the CHA: Book Festival, Biennale of Architecture and Youth Festival of the new culture (in January 2010. - OS). Emphasizing that the last event fits well with the formula proposed by the president of innovation and modernization.

- Manager of Culture, who struggles with illegal construction, but at the same time, checked with the state rate, has been elected to the Public Chamber. Now you are a statesman?

- No, I am not a statesman.

 - Nevertheless, the Public Chamber you passed on the presidential list, and money on your latest project, the Festival of the new culture, identified close to the Presidential Administration of the Institute for Public Planning, headed by Valery Fadeev, the president of the pro-Kremlin Mediasoyuz. By the way, why Fadeev supported the festival?

- When I was a year ago, told him about the idea of the festival, it seemed important that this project is research capacity. In recent years, has grown a whole layer of new, primarily youth, culture, related to the newly accessible multimedia and communications technologies. About him little is known. The festival gives the information. On the one hand, we see who can create this environment: preparing for the year of the festival through the organizational headquarters has been more than a hundred people. On the other hand, the festival for three days was attended by around nine thousand people, which makes it impossible to analyze the environment. I specifically included in the work of the agency Instant Grass, specializing in youth marketing and social research. As a result of the Festival is preparing an analytical report for the Institute of Public Planning.

- And what is is this Wednesday, which is formed around a new culture?

- While I simply describe the person who creates that environment. He was thirty small. Not a punk and a hippie, and ambitious man. In contrast to the cultural figures of the past generation it is not tied to the arts and genres. This is a universal cultural manager, well versed in technology and communication technology, working cheaply and efficiently.

- I understand that this was a description of the ideal members of the Association of Independent Producers - a public organization, you want to create on the basis of the team that has developed around the festival.

- In fact, under the Association of Independent Producers do not necessarily mean the creation of social organization, it can be an informal association. But if I go through two years of the House, after I must remain a network Commissioners culture.

- And why the network is needed?

- A good place to work with the provinces. This is one of the main issues of survival vast territory - to find buckles that would have kept the body of the country. Commissioners must find a team of people who are usually tied to local cultural institutions: museums, theaters, monuments. If they are people who attract this cultural and humanitarian life. We must give them the link, the motivation for the activation of activity and included in the overall network.

- And how all this will be implemented in practice?

- Will be running the system fan festivals. Very small, cheap and short. On the verge of self-sufficiency. Oprobuem at book festivals: we will bring in the regions of publishers, writers, bloggers, musicians, who will represent their books. Now the problem with the proliferation of publishers in the province, so they are interested in to support us. Such festivals give grounds for local communities, will include a common network.

- Bookselling - it's business. And where will set the money for other festivals?

- In fact anywhere there is some, albeit microscopic resources. So, as we Fadeyev gave money to the festival - a model. You can find the money from the city, near the business. And in general, due to the fact that low-budget projects, a lot depends on the enthusiasm. We did not reinvent the wheel. In France during Chirac with such small interventions in the province could significantly increase the entropy of cultural life.

- But a network can not be an end in itself. In cultural policy, except the form must be content.

- Certainly, the Commission's standing and strategic objectives. But we would like to avoid a situation where the fast will be concocted a document entitled "the concept of cultural policy. Much more important to start a productive discussion and understanding of what we have going on with the culture. One of my friends, wise haired man who once confessed: "I do not understand what's happening." At that moment, I was surprised a bit, but I also must admit that I do not understand what was happening. And I think that this diagnosis of the situation.

- The overall contour of the proposed concept of a culture of reform is sufficient, that immediately raises the question how this will fit with the protection of cultural heritage?

- This layer should not separate from the network created by producers and regional festivals. Technologically, this should occur in the form of stimulating the creation of institutions of public examination as to the involvement of the wider population, and using new techniques. During the protection CHA I saw that book case studies are often expensive and expeditiously. Efficient creation of internet sites and community dedicated to the desired topic. We propose to create a template network, where in addition to collecting the views would be put up the necessary legal information: how to write a letter to the president, as - the prefect, questionnaires, tables to collect signatures, etc. This "boilerplate" site could be used for any campaign to protect any building from the illegal demolition or for another important issue for society.

- What are the problems, except the protection of historic buildings from the arbitrariness of local authorities, you seem to be most acute?

- I will mention three. Conflicts between the church and museums because of the property, that Moscow's law limits the financial sustainability of museums; cancellation singing lessons and drawing in secondary schools. Last general horror. I think that people who paint and sing, kinder, than those who do not.

- And what is your position on the transfer of property to churches of the museum?

- This is a very delicate issue. There is nothing wrong if the church will be passed some dilapidated buildings. While this does not mean that the church ought to be given all that it claims. But the provincial museums often have no money for the maintenance of monuments, and the church there. In such cases, look for options for co-financing. The world is made - for example, Cologne Cathedral, which designed the complex interactions of the church and museum, but it all works like clockwork, in spite of the enormous attendance.

- Your appointment will affect the fate of the CHA?

- I do not see a direct connection.

- So it still demolish?

- In the next few years do not demolish. All the talk about the demolition of CHA is based on taken up by the press statement that was allegedly signed an executive order on the demolition of CHA. In fact, such an instrument was not - Prime Minister signed a decree on the transfer of the city territory, on which the CHA. In any case, talk of demolition or reconstruction can not proceed until a new building for the Tretyakov Gallery and not transported there all funds.

- Then why Mosarhitektura states that "Mosproekt-2" has a plan to build something instead of CHA?

- Yes, I know it. Mikhail Posokhin (architect "Mosproekt-2». - OS) announced that he has his own version of the CHA in the event that will be declared an architectural competition for the building. I know this project, it has long been made, and none of the architectural competition announced. We continue to advocate the building: in the near future will hold a press conference, which will express their concerns about a number of facilities in Moscow, including the Park of Arts, in which the CHA.

- You often criticized for the fact that the CHA, which idea was conceived almost as a temple of pure art, is often used as a platform for commercial exhibitions. Many irritate stalls - small pavilions on the lower floors, where selling something clearly decay.

- I must admit that this criticism is partly valid. But only partially. Of the last 260 exhibitions that took place in the Central House of Artists, only 30 commercial. All others either completely non-profit projects, or subsidized. But we must understand that we have to earn. Contents CHA worth 159 million rubles a year; stalls - a substantial part of income, and all that in them is sold, is related to art, they mostly sell antiques.

- And there is the exhibition for which you ashamed?

- Yes. I am ashamed of what we have in the House passes an exhibition of the artist's fur. But it makes money, which we can hold other exhibitions, which have not ashamed.
- And what is the relationship between commercial exhibits, and your company "Expo-Park", which as it exists separately from CHA LLC, headed by you?

- None. "Expo Park" - is a private organization, which makes the exhibition. It has invented, excuse my immodesty, I have a program that is the basis of the exhibition plan CHA. This is the most nepozornye and reliable projects: Arch-Moscow "," Art-Moscow ", antique shops, non-fiction,« Design and Advertising "and others.