Page 33 - Studio International - December 1974
P. 33
THE MECHANISM OF CONTROL:
UNOFFICIAL ART IN THE USSR
I.GOLOMSHTOCK
(Right) Drawing by Boris Sveshnikov
(Below) Boris Sveshnikov
Two consecutive art events which took place in to the cultural development of the USSR. This
the Soviet Union in September this year might was the first exhibition organized in the Soviet
have seemed unexceptional. An outdoor Union without government authorisation,
painting exhibition, organized without without a jury and without the participation of
government sanction by thirteen unofficial any sort of 'creative' or social organization in
artists was swept out of existence with the aid its preparation for almost half a century, and
of bulldozers and fire engines on September 16 for the first time in half a century the state was
in Moscow, visitors were beaten (among them forced to shut its eyes while it was being set up
foreign correspondents) and five of the and while it functioned — four hours in front of
participants were arrested. On the part of the a gathering of nearly ten thousand visitors. For
artists it was an act of desperation, the only the first time, during this historical segment of
possible way to declare their existence, time, the gigantic bureaucratic mechanism of
something constantly denied them by official control and suppression of culture, which
ideology. On the part of the regime it was the worked harmoniously with bulldozers in the
usual reaction to displays of creative freedom, first stage, gave in to the second, releasing from
though the use of bulldozers (to destroy its iron embraces a handful of free artists. Only
pictures) was new in the history of totalitarian by understanding the mechanism of this
states. Two weeks later (29 September), a machine, which has shaped itself throughout
similar exhibition was held in one of the Moscow the existence of the Soviet state, can one grasp
parks. This time, with the participation of 65 the true meaning of this happening.
artists, including the five now released from jail. Forty two years ago, the well-known
Again, this could be understood as a usual resolution of the Central Committee of the
concession on the part of the regime, according Communist Party 'On the re-organization of
to its policy of relaxation of tension when literary-artistic organizations' put an end to the
under pressure from public opinion in the West. last remains of creative freedom in the country.
This is how these events looked from Numerous artistic groups which based their
the political point of view, and how, approximately, activity on individual aesthetic programmes
they were presented in the Western press. were replaced by one Union of Soviet Artists,
However, both these events (we can consider thus laying a decisive foundation for a brutal
them as one, for the second was the logical mechanism of suppression. The Union, which
sequel to the first) are of exceptional significance still exists today, had four basic functions in
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