Yesterday, 12 April, the press service of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation issued a statement in connection with the awarding of the art group "War" award "Innovation". Ministry of Culture has commented on this document.

Statement of the Public Chamber

12.04.2011

Award of the VI All-Russian competition in the field of contemporary visual art "Innovation" work of art group "War" has caused a wide resonance in the society and the media.

We do not consider it necessary to discuss the decision of an independent jury.

However, one of the founders of the competition is the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, and the financing costs of staging the event takes place from the state budget, the there are taxpayers.

Given this circumstance, the award of this work is, in effect, slap in the face of common sense and those citizens who believe the image on the Foundry Bridge in St. Petersburg banal bullying.

If and Russian Ministry of Culture initially evaluated the project of art-group "War" as hooliganism rather than as a work of art, then it should have to declare this at the stage of nominations to the contest.

expression of ministry positions as the authority responsible for public policy in the field of culture, could also be a way out of the office of the founders of the "innovations". But this did not happen.

We regard such a position of the Ministry of Culture of Russia and personally to the Minister as an inappropriate and unprofessional for a public authority.

Press Service of the Public Chamber of Russia

press service of the Ministry of Culture of Russia in connection with the application of the Public Chamber of Russia

Russian Ministry of Culture since the extension project of art-group "War" on the prize "Innovation" opposed the project, estimating it as a provocative, tough, repulsive to the artistic and moral point of view that the Minister has repeatedly emphasized in their comments. No representatives of the Ministry was not included in the advisory council and the jury. Budgetary funds for the award itself did not stand out.

It should be noted that the Ministry of Culture is not a censorship body, prohibits the professional judges to express their point of view. We would not want to repeat the sad experience of power relations and contemporary art, which was marked by the reign of Nikita Khrushchev. Cancel awarding the annual prize for contemporary art, despite the fact that in the other categories were represented by famous artists such as Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, would cause more damage to emerging civil society.

If art band "War" has broken the law by implementing the project, then these issues must address the police, not the Ministry of Culture.

Press Service of the Ministry of Culture

Sources : oprf.ru , mkrf.ru