The Asian breakthrough
Arrived from Berlin in Alma-Ata, I feel how a small, light-blue sparkling ball of happiness rolls in me, though, apparently, it’s all behind - and exhibition, and new acquaintances and engraving cities of Europe, and galleries, and museums, in which we had time to visit...
And as never you understand that what we need to see a more whole picture of the modern world, and thus, to understand the opportunities to travel, to move, to develop...
The given exhibition shown almost in heart of Europe, in completely different context, shows clearer native situation and aggravates corners, hitherto seemed not such sharp even more.
Approximation
From a window of the liner Berlin seemed unending.
Tiny, accurate houses with reddish tiles of roofs escaped tower of cathedrals storing in high spirit of Gothic, and also anew built up after the war, supermodern, as if polished, skyscrapers, winding light-blue tape of the river Spree, geometrical lines of greenish lawns and running on numerous lines, the variegated automobiles, caused in soul an anticipation and pleasure of novelty.
The nurses
Margarita Dalhaus, under whose management harmoniously worked all this system, they have given a nickname "small motor". Red, joyful, cheerful, and sometimes tortured, in tears and fury, she was soul and heart of this exhibition.
In first day Margi has informed us that the nurse is intended to each group of the artists. The nurse was such touching name of the girl and young men that were the interpreters, assistants, guides and, eventually, friends.
There
were imperturbable and kind Mareika, romantic and magnanimous Vlad, artist
and musician, gold-haired Jenny, laughing Alexander, attentive Sana, touching
Manya, and very advanced girl Oksana.
They helped us to communicate with the organizers and spectators of this exhibition, to be guided in city, drove us at excursion in museums and galleries, at times getting all group in the most alternative places of Berlin. And also gave valuable advice, met and saw off us even after official end of the work at the exhibition.
Michael Toss and Sabina Fogel
n
first day we have got acquainted with very affable, open and charming
man, with name Michael Toss, who in the House of World Cultures
heads department of visual arts. From conversations with him we have found
out that he, in recent time, has visited in Mexico, and in autumn, after
our exhibition prepares the next exhibition of modern art of Mexico.
The Mexican artists, as against us, select as theme of the works a certain irony in relation to the advanced art. It is a sight of the younger and radically adjusted people, complete sneers, fervour, nihilism and irony.
Michael has told that up to us in the House with huge success has passed the Chinese exhibition of modern art. They handed to each participant for memory the catalogue of the first Chinese exhibition.
His
attention, which he gave to each participant, was very expensive, and
it is important for us. You see from this dialogue was born the understanding
of that context, in which we had to work. He also aspired to understand
us, too, bombarding us with questions.
Sabina was at installation of the exposition by the end of day, as her basic job is in the newspaper "Berliner Zeitung". Her tenacious sight noticed any fine malfunctions; she cleaned all the superfluous on the move, she made the remarks, cut, added, cut and re-arrange the exposition.
The master-class
At
the House of World Cultures there is a special children’s program, which
is aimed at work with children. Just for them some projects were selected,
on the basis of which, together with children, the artists should for
three days think up and to carry out with them the new projects.
We, as was found out later, managed very complex, in the uncontrollability, class. It’s the boon that we were rescued by tambourine of Ablikim, under which German teenagers on the move (by analogy with "Sayakhat! Green bazaar!")improvised recitatives and mantras. Most popular at them were phrases: Leave there! - Shirk a dog! - It’s cautious! The doors are closed!
For the second day we have set off on station Aleksandrplatz, where children removed and fixed fading elements of the railway station and German reality, as against the ours, may be less extreme, but super-dynamical and practical.
All of them seized on the move and as any difficult children, they were very active and talented. They named Ablikim Jackie Chan.
Sajachat, Grune Bazaar!
On the offer to act at the opening of the exhibition with shouts "Sajachat, Grune Bazaar!", after some confusion, have responded two boys - large very well-fad Walter in glasses and absolutely small, but nimble Ruddi.
To the exhibition they came in support of the teachers. And the large success at them was two projects - the work of Gaukhar "Shymlyk", to slits in curtain, to which they have nestled, concealing breath. And, certainly, the video "Love Ride" of maestro Rustam Khalfin has made indelible impression on them!
Therefore, under influence of what was seen, they with redoubled zeal, warmed and reddened, in of the right hour, cried: "Sajachat! Grune Bazaar! Ñàÿõàò, ãðþíýáàçàð! Sajachat! Grune Bazaar!.."
The Exhibition
You understand what is such professionalism, when on your eyes, firstly seemed raw, the exposition begins to work and strengthens the sounding each project, only by that how the site of it and, how one work as if follows from another, as though minting curator’s idea of a reconstruction of an integral image of a body of "Central Asia", and how it is thought over.
The visitor, lowered on the central ladder, is met by a map of the Central-Asian region, on all wall, which curators Sabina Fogel and Valeria Ibraeva have named "No Ìad’ s Land" with surnames all of its participants: Askhat Akhmedyarov / Vyatcheslav Akhunov / Shaarbek Amankulove / Said Atabekov / Shurat Babazhanov / Smail Bayaliev / Ibel Daribekov / Ira Deker / Maratbek Dzhamaliev / Galnara Kasmalieva / Rustam Khalfin / Ulan Dzhaparov / Shailobek Dzheksenbaev / Gaukhar Kiekbaeva / Alexander Malgadzharov / Sergei Maslov / Galim Madanov, Zauresh Madanova / Roman Makalev / Lizzy Mayer / Erbolsyn Meldibekov / Almagul Menlibaeva / Moldakul Narymbetov / Taras Popov / Vladimir Tulkin / Khakim Turdyev / Georgii Tryakin-Bukharov / Alexander Ugai / Viktor Vorobiev + Elena Vorobieva / ZITABL (Zitta Sultanbaeva, Ablikim Akmullaev/
Two key and rod moments of the exposition were a red yurta-rocket of S. Maslov on one side, and spiraling object of Moldakul with a drum on another side.
On all hall of the House of World Cultures there were a white cube-boxes (in which the various projects were settled down, reminding Khruschev’s cells from the project by Galim and Zauresh Madanov "Mamyr dreams ". The last ones were pleasantly combined and worked on contrast: silver-grey scale of concrete blocks by Galim and rough-wild, wood archaic of "Traktor"’s object.
Between two lines of snow-white boxes, along their length parallel, were stretched sandy barchans by Vyatcheslav Akhunov and hydrochloric ones by Khakim Turdyev.
SOS!
The various moods of the projects drew images of former republics from any directions. And only occasionally something native seemed idyllic - excepting the projects by Almagul Menlibaeva (her "room" used the special popularity, and there spectator could, at last to relax, drink tea from hands of the "eternal bride", to have a rest, sitting down on little divan, - and of Sergei Maslov (his yurta-rocket completely serious, but well hidden by irony, was telling by means of the computer in it space version of an origin of the Kazakh people), and of ethnic-shamanian object by "Kyzyl Traktor" (its image was drawn in doom, severe and dramatic light).
Often,
the projects spoke, shouted, appealed that our Asia’s in danger... About
a heritage of the past, about new national totalitarism ruling in our
republics, about poverty and ruin, threat of war, new colonization, general
degradation, about ecological accident, and much other that spoke the
projects of Georgii Tryakin-Bukharov, Erbolsyn Meldibekov (“Pol Pot”),
Said Atabekov (“Supersoldier”), Gulnar Kasmalieva and Murtabek Dzhumaliev
("Paradise"), "Sand of Oblivion" by Vyatcheslav Akhunov
(Uzbekistan), installation with salt dedicated to Aral, by Khakim Turdyev,
project of ZITABL ("Asian route").
The videofilms of Shai-Ziya and V. Tulkin and Ò. Popov were devoted to a problem of children deprived of childhood.
Ms. Asia
On opening of the exhibition it was possible to see three performances. One of them was officially declared and attracted general attention. The Lashing of "Kyzyl Traktors" dressed in dervish’s costumes becoming already their firm mark and shown by them on different platforms, and in the different countries, used the large success, it is obvious much explaining to Germans in our past...
About a situation of today spoke ours performance "Ms. Asia", which was, as though non-authorized, though was declared beforehand.
"ZITABL" mutely walked among crowd. I, in stylish Kazakh dress, was in an image of "Ms. Asia ", and Ablikim, equipped by a military uniform, represented of the American mercenary.
In wheel-chair, in which Ms. Asia sat, were built the American flag. Pushed by mercenary, Ms. Asia distributed the leaflets to German public with verses, in which appeared the essence of the walking.
Miss Asia: She is Me! Your falling star! As like you, I am ill, powerless I am.
Miss Asia, where are you going? Are you rolling into the abyss of non-existence?
Instead of horse you have saddled...
Wheelchair for powerless!
No power? No soul? No desire? No fire? Is your will paralyzed?
Have you forgot of dignity and pride?
Well, Miss Asia?
Where are you driving
Followed by guide-fighter from US?
Headlong, stealthily
Selling yourself!
Third performance was carried out by Almagul. She was again in wedding dress of the "eternal bride", and she met the visitors in the room. Thus, she, by means of some archetype (symbols of "eternal feminity" and "white colour"...) declared a way of personal self-perfection.
Impressions
What was pleasant to me out that we had time to see in vanity and haste fast flying days? First of all, it’s how Said only has finished the work.
Appeared in his project “Cradle” with the automatic device instead of the handle, silhouette of which was projected on the screen with struggling riders, was caused a very powerful and disturbing image.
Internal condition of Moldakul and Smail was very much pleasant. I was amazed how, not knowing language, they skillfully communicated with the people, by means of a kind smile, sure gestures, charm. What means the communication with roots that give them this internal force, harmony and beauty!
We liked a very sensation of ease and affability outgoing from the casual passers - townspeople, who spoke you: Hallo! Bitte schon! Danke schon! Tschus! (Bye-bye!)
New friends
The
exhibition has presented acquaintances to the new people. The part from
them is the Russian artists living in Berlin already more 10 years. Among
them - Igor Zeidel and Sergei Vorontsov. The famous exhibition of more
than 10 years prescription "ÈÑKUNSTÂÎ" - Moscow-Berlin-Moscow
has lead them by their way to Berlin.
Left from Moscow conceptualism, they were entered in local art meeting, and everyone is engaged in the own business.
Visiting in workshop of Sergei Vorontsov, we have seen his known objects, a guitar filled with concrete, various wooden "obelisks" executed in spirit of socialist art with familiar plots and citations from the known Soviet posters and textbooks with witty altered phrases, inscriptions and comments, reminding Shai-Ziya’s.
Sergei, besides this, plays in group "Unter Wasser", earlier, in Moscow he had group "Srednerusskaya Vozvyshennost" where he ironically feigned image of rock-hero. Here, probably, whence there was a plan of Moscow artist Alexander Shulgin!
Igor Zeidel has shirked us on Berlin, he has told about its back yards, corners, opened, to tell, his soul. Easy and artistic, with humour, he told what love and do not love Germans. So they do not bear when they remind of everything connected to fascism. In general, this thing has developed in them a big complex of fault, and from here such valid attitude to others. And who knows, would there it be our exhibition in Berlin in the House of World Cultures (which acquaints the European spectator with the unEuropean cultures) if the course of a history went just by such image. So long live freedom, peace and friendship between the people!
P/S. It is very pity that at the exhibition there were not all our artists actively working in a direction called Contemporary Art.
And I would like to thank all curators working on the exhibition “Communications. Experiences of interaction” that passed in Atakent in the autumn of 2000 – Rustam Khalfin, Natalia Melekhina, Dilyara Sharipova, Margarita Solovieva, Yulia Sorokina, Vadim Dergatchev, and certainly Valeria Ibraeva, who has found for us irreplaceable Sabina Fogel... and also present team of SCCA – Valera Kartun, Zauresh Sydykhanova, Roman Arefiev, Almat and Ainura.
Zitta Sultanbaeva