Untitled - krinzinger projekte - Galerie Krinzinger

absolutely sincere and independent.I saw myself how Kulik was preparing forhis first dog’s performance and will neverforget how dramatic it is for a man toovercome himself, to turn from a prosperousbourgeois showman into thenaked, beaten, bleeding dog.To be active and not to be involvedhappened to be the most difficult thing forthe Russian culture of the 90ies. I thinkthat this position is very close to what isimplied in Malevich’s idea that the artistshould be lazy and that not the labor laysin the base of art but non-action.Summarizing the point, it’s possible to saythat in the 90ies the best Moscow artistshave been doing just that. They were idle,in the sense of Malevich, of course. Andquite paradoxically eventually their effortsrejoiced, which is exemplified by thishappy event.So now I think all is ready to expose themetaphor of paradise proposed as a titlefor this exhibition.At first, paradise is THE MEETING OFTIME AND PLACE WHERE SOULSREVEAL THEMSELVES TO THE SIGHT.And, from one hand, the Moscow artsituation maybe by chance, maybe onlyfor one instant, in the threshold of the newcentury revealed through certain art worksremarkable constellation of souls, which,from the other hand, this exhibition isfixing. In spite of all contradictions of itscuratorial text it reflects that Russian artwas not mould of actual themes andtopics but of soul and in this sense isreflecting the famous meta-projects ofmodernity: freedom and justice.Secondly, paradise is THE CONDITIONWHEN SOULS DON’T WORK AND AREHAPPY. As it was shown the possibility ofthis condition was proved by the newRussian art in the 90ies and in this senseit can be regarded as the successor of thetraditions of the great Russian avantgardeof the beginning of the century, thatbrought to light the idea of active nonaction.And finally paradise is the embodiment ofthe idea of JOY. And what can be morerejoicing than acknowledgement by thegreat western culture of the return of theRussian art (even at this exhibition): returnof one who was dead and is alive, waslost and found.I’d like to finish, reminding that there isparadise neither in Moscow, nor inRussia. Perhaps, now it’s something liketradition that the west is awaiting fromRussia some sign. Maybe this sign in thisnew Russian Art Exhibition Sequel’2003 isthe return of soul. I repeat again that soulis not the specific Russian oddness, butas once quite wittily observed Boris Grois,“Russia is the sub-consciousness of thewest”, and sub-consciousness is famousbecause it returns in quite grotesqueforms what we think about but are afraidto admit.9