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Aliaksandr
Pushkin: A free artist will always have problems with authorities
(interview
with Aliaksandr Pushkin on Radio Liberty by Mikhas Skobla)
Nearly every action by Pushkin is ended in police
office. Similarly, on July,3 when the capital was celebrating several
state holidays at once and happy crowds of people were walking along the
streets, the artist was detained and brought to jail . However, the artist
was acquitted and released by the court the next day. Today, Aliaksandr
Pushkin is the guest of the program “Volnaja Studyja”. At beginning I
suggest returning to those July days.
(Mikhas Skobla): “Aliaksandr, why didn’t the policemen like your performance?”
(Aliaksandr Pushkin): “2 students from Belarusan students union asked
me to help with their exhibition “Naked students’ truth” on July, 1. I
helped them to organize the exposition as I was one of the jury members.
But when I was asked to conduct my own performance, I said I’d do it apart
from that students’ event, because the consequences could be serious.
The performance would be dedicated to the issue of collaborationism during
the World War II. And I saw indeed that the students were afraid.
I conducted my performance “Soldier of Fortune” in the evening on July,
3 near “Paparac-Kvietka” restaurant and the Red Church. I took an Alsatian
with me, by name Hans, put on the uniform of Belarusan national formations
during the war, took children’s toys, 3.7 meters of white tissue, as well
as white and black paint.
The performance started having the music from the album “Mutter” by the
German group “Rammstein” as a background. I drew the Belarusan 8-pointed
star, then the Alsatian appeared and started to look for something. At
last it found the portraits of Belarusan generals Usievalad Rodzka and
Mikhas Vitushka, whose fate was really unhappy. We have to be proud of
these people, but their activities have been hidden for 57 years already
because of colonial policy of Belarusan authorities, though their personal
folders still can be found in KGB archives. Rodzka and Vitushka were the
founders of Belarusan Party for Independence.
And so, Hans found their portraits...”.
(Skobla): “Was the dog symbolizing a fascist?”
(Pushkin): “I wouldn’t like to explain. Everyone has to understand it
him- or herself. Having taken the toys I went to the water-pool to bath
them, and having done this, I laid them near the portraits on the ground.
I was going to draw “To the glory of heroes!” on the tissue, which 2 girls
– Volya and Halya Kohanava were going to take up. The portraits of Rodzka
and Vitushka were going to be carried yet by 2 girls. We would walk down
the Skaryna Ave., which became a pedestrian zone for that day, to the
Victory Square. Because I believe that Rodzka and Vitushka contributed
to the liberation of Belarus really much.
But in 10 minutes already a policeman came to me and warned that my performance
is not conducted in the frames of the holiday events in the city. Soon
a police detail appeared and ordered me to hide all the things. I refused
and started to set Hans on them...”.
(Skobla): “This is serious. What was the policemen’s reaction?”
(Pushkin): “I hardly managed to raise the portraits of generals and shout:
“People! Remember the heroic deeds of Usievalad Rodzka and Mikhas Vitushka.
To the glory of heroes!” The portraits were knocked out of my hands, the
paint fell down and flowed on the pavement and the policemen’s boots.
I was struggling until they put me in the jeep. So, the performance couldn’t
be finished”.
(Skobla): “Why do you think the court acquitted you? Your actions could
be regarded as hooliganism”.
(Pushkin): “I have such a feeling that they all were confused. Because
people addressed Ivonka Survilla, the Head of BPR Council, and she sent
a note to OSCE, who in their turn sent a letter to Belarusan MFA.
Besides, people were picketing MFA with the demand: “Freedom to Pushkin!”.
So this time again I was saved by journalists (smiling). The fourth power...”.
(Skobla): “I know about your intention to make a traveling exhibition
of the works prohibited in Belarus and show it in Europe. Have you managed
to collect anything so far?”.
(Pushkin): “During the last years many cases of censorship in art have
occurred – in painting, theatre, music, cinema. For example, many works
from the exhibitions of “Pahonia” association were not allowed to be shown,
the films of Yury Hashchavatski were prohibited, as well as the songs
of Kasia Kamotskaya and Lyavon Volski. The operas of Soltan were conducted
with difficulties. A lot of monuments haven’t been erected.
I gathered all this and the exhibition was held last year in the gallery
“Zolata” in Minsk. It had a title “Prohibited by censorship”. I would
like to issue a catalogue of this exhibition – there are about 20 works
altogether.
We want to organized this exhibition in Moscow, Warsaw and Bialystok.
Center for human rights “Viasna” and its head Ales Bialiatski promised
to help me with it because this project was timed for Human rights Day”.
(Skobla): “Artist Todar Kopsha said in one of our programs that a creator,
refusing something, becomes dependent on the object of refusal. The same
with praising. Thus, for example, “The letter of Belarusan people to Stalin”
of 1930s has something in common with today’s parody on Lukashenka and
is dangerous for the author. Do you have such a feeling?”
(Pushkin): “The theme of a ruler and an artist is very temptable today.
It can be seen in performances of Malady Front, Zubr, Navinki newspaper.
And it could happen that you, raising this issue, can become someone miniscule,
and the person whom you ridicule – a hero. That is why it is better to
follow the steps of wise KGB Bolsheviks – not to notice, not to write,
not to paint.
But still the topic of a ruler and his or her responsibility is interesting
for artists. I have 2 works of the kind: fresco “Judgment Day” in the
church of Bobr, where among sinners there is a man, who resembles today’s
Belarusan president. The other is my performance “Wheelbarrow for the
President”.
I think that after September, 11 and events in Palestine people look differently
on the artist-kamikaze, who brought a wheelbarrow with manure to the residency
instead of a wheelbarrow with tolite. That performance seems humorous
and funny now: when you were pinned down to a heap of muck, you’ll remain
in the history forever.
The world can not justify terrorism and even heroic deeds when they are
violent, even when their aims are noble.
(Skobla): “You mowed down roses during one of your performances: usual
blossoming roses with usual mower. It looks like a murder – these were
live flowers. Michelangelo is said to have killed a model on a cross to
show Jesus’ suffering more exactly on the canvas. There’s much play with
death in today’s performances. Often the images of coffin, gibbet are
used. Is it possible to influence people’s souls only by such kind of
art?”
(Pushkin): “This is a very serious question. True, death could be seen
during the performance festivals – like in works of Zmitser Vishniou,
Yuras Barysievic, Liavon Volski, Viktar Piatrou, Ihar Kashkurevich. But
we must abandon this theme.
It’s enough to mow the roses who grew through the stairs – this was the
performance “Niamiha”. The life is blossoming around us. Heavy art, stagnation,
coffins and mowers are to remain in the past. It is time for sunny and
young art!”
(Skobla): “In your performances you are exploiting your body. In “Phoenix
of Belarus” you set yourself on fire, in “Yazafat Kuntsevich” you are
in a boat on ice-covered river of Dzvina in winter, and in “Past” you
spill 300 grams of your own blood on the tissue. I can imagine what our
listeners feel now... This is not even extreme – this is dangerous for
your life. Is an art image, created on the edge of life and death more
valuable?”
(Pushkin): “It should not be regarded as masochism. Like: someone whips
him- or herself, and Pushkin fights with cops, spills his own blood and
walks barefoot in Vitsebsk when it’s 8 C° outside. No. I’m an orthodox
traditionalist. And this is the basic reason why I do not grudge myself.
Because it is said in Bible: “I will wash with sufferings and will whiten
with sufferings”. People will believe me more when I will walk barefoot
on the snow and fall down myself, and not use a dummy or put something
soft on the ground.
Some pragmatic people advised me: why do you need your own blood? You
could buy some pig blood for sausages on the marked and make the same
performance. I couldn’t agree because the viewers would be deceived then.
And when it will be the blood of the author – then totally different conceptual
accent appears. Only the faith and some Oriental obstinacy make an artist-performer
of me”.
(Skobla): “Your life is really intensive. But it is becoming predictable.
Created – showed – arrested – court. Created – showed – arrested – imprisonment.
Aren’t you irritated that the authorities interfere your art all the time?”
(Pushkin): “Of course, no. I hope the time of stagnation will end soon
and society will accept artist with understanding. My stupid arrests,
courts and imprisonments will be ended as well. I do not like them, because
they lead to the restriction of freedom.
I couldn’t fly to the USA, where I was to do wall-painting of a Belarusan
church in Cleveland because of the imprisonment; I wasn’t allowed to go
to Poland to take part in an exhibition. I really want to exhibit my works
in the Art Museum, Palace of Arts so that the Head of Belarusan Union
of Artists couldn’t take them away...
But I know for sure: a person who brought a wheelbarrow of manure for
Lukashenka, will not be acceptable today. And a free artist will always
have problems with authorities.
Radio Liberty
July, 22 2002
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