FJM Arte Conceptual Ruso PDF

Todos nuestros catlogos de arte
All our art catalogues

desde/since 1973
La ilustracin total
Arte conceptual de Mosc (1960-1990)
2008
El uso de esta base de datos de catlogos de exposiciones de la Fundacin

Juan March comporta la aceptacin de los derechos de los autores de los textos
y de los titulares de copyrights. Los usuarios pueden descargar e imprimir gratuitamente los textos de los catlogos incluidos en esta base de datos exclusivamente para su uso en la investigacin acadmica y la enseanza y citando su
procedencia y a sus autores.
Use of the Fundacin Juan March database of digitized exhibition catalogues
signifies the users recognition of the rights of individual authors and/or other
copyright holders. Users may download and/or print a free copy of any essay
solely for academic research and teaching purposes, accompanied by the proper
citation of sources and authors.
www.march.es
LA ILUSTRACION TOTAL
ARTE CONCEPTUAL
DE MOSC 1960-1990
TOTAL ENLIGHTENMENT
CONCEPTUAL ART
IN MOSCOW 1960-1990
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
ILUSTRACIN TOTAL
LA ILUSTRACiN
ARTE CONCEPTUAL
DE MOSC 1960-1990
ENLIGHTENMENT
TOTAL ENLlGHTENMENT
CONCEPTUAL ART
IN MOSCOW 1960-1990
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
LA ILUSTRACION TOTAL
ARTE CONCEPTUAL
DE MOSC 1960-1990
TOTAL ENLIGHTENMENT
CONCEPTUAL ART
IN MOSCOW 1960-1990
,
'
FUNDACiN
FUNDACIN JUAN MARCH, MADRID
SCHIRN KUNSTHALLE FRANKFURT
HATJE CANTZ
Fundacin Juan March
4 1 5
4/5
NDICE/CONTENTS
NDICE/CONTENTS
Manuel Fontn del Junco y/and Max Hollein
Presentacin
13 Foreword
7
Bors Groys
Boris
1s
lB El arte conceptual del comunismo
28
Communist Conceptual Art

Ekaterina Bobrnskaia
El Conceptualismo moscovita. Esttica e historia

so Moscow Conceptualism: Its
lts Aesthetics and History
50
36
Martina Weinhart
62
70
Comprensible incomprensibilidad.
El Conceptualismo de Mosc y el espectador pccidental
lncompreheAsibility:
Comprehensible Incomprehel'lsibility:
Moscow Conceptualism and the Western Viewer
Dorothea Zwirner
76
86
Alianzas "omniliterarias".
La ltima generacin del Conceptualismo de Mosc
Alliterational Alliances:
The Younger Generation of Moscow Conceptualists
Manuel Fontn del Junco
Manuel
"El hombre que vol al espacio desde su contexto".

Sobre la exposicin del arte postutpico
104 "The Man Who Flew into Space out of His Context":
On
Post- Utopian Art
01'1 the Exhibition of Post-Utopian
94
113
CATLOGO/CATALOGUE
Fundacin Juan March
NDICE 1/ CONTENTS
NDICE
307
Y TEXTOS HISTRICOS
DOCUMENTOS YTEXTOS
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS ANO TEXTS
30B
308
El Conceptualismo romntico moscovita

Moscow Romantic Conceptualism
Bors Groys
316
Andrei Monastyrski
322
332
Prlogo al primer tomo de Viajes a las afueras de la ciudad

ume of Trips Out of Town
Preface to the First Vol
Volume
Andrei Monastyrski
340
350
"Campo de la comedia y lnea de cuadros".

Comentarios al esquema
"The Field of Comedy and the Line of Pictures":
Commentary on the Diagram
Ili Kabakov
358
368
Sobre el vaco
On the Subject of "The Void"
Kaba kov
Ili Kaba
378
386
iAprobada! (en una purga del Partido)

Tested! (At a Party Purge)
396
Cronologa
Chronology
400
artistas/ Artists' Biographies

Biografas de los artistas/Artists'
392
Fundacin Juan March
1 77
66 /
Fundacin Juan March
PRESENTACiN
PRESENTACIN
"ramos slo los que ramos", se oye y se lee una y otra vez a los artistas y miembros de la escena artstica del Mosc de los aos setenta y ochenta, y cuando Rudolf
Zwirner organiz, en 1993, la Feria Internacional de Arte de Europa del Este, aquella
todava fu una iniciativa de pioneros y un intento de presentar y dar a conocer aqul
arte. El Conceptualismo de Mosc se consideraba un arte marcadamente minoritario no slo en Rusia, sino tambin en Occidente. Pero, con la nueva construccin
de Europa, tanto el contexto cultural como la situacin poltica se transformaron
d.ifcilmente imaginable dos dcadas antes. El capicompletamente, y a una escala difcilmente
talismo entr con ferza en los pases socialistas. Con l, tambin entr en Rusia
-especialmente- el mercado del arte, con sus galeras, coleccionistas, museos
privados y otras posibilidades de que los artistas contemporneos pudieran exponer
sus obras. En las bienales internacionales se topaba uno, con toda naturalidad, con
los artistas rusos de las generaciones ms jvenes y de la ltima generacin. Desde
la Perestroika de los aos ochenta, el Conceptualismo de Mosc se viene valorando
Rusa- como el movimiento artstico ruso ms importante
-tambin en la propia Rusiamitad- del siglo XX. Aquel punto ciego se ha llenado de imgenes, y
de la segunda mitad-del
los conceptualistas de Mosc alcanzan rcords en las subastas.
A la vista de un proceso con ese dinamismo, resulta absolutamente necesaria,
precisamente en el momento actual, una perspectiva sistemtica sobre el arte conceptual del otro lado del teln de acero. La Ilustracin
/lustracin total. Arte conceptual de
Mosc, 1960-1990 se plantea reconstruir el contexto de la gnesis de ese arte; un
contexto que se diferencia enormemente del contexto institucional de Occidente o
pre-
de la escena artstica de otras ciudades europeas de su tiempo. La exposicin pre-'
ae los ms diversos
senta, en Frncfort
FrnCfort y en Madrid, una amplia muestra de obras de
tarngneros -pintura, dibujo, escultura, fotografa, video e instalaciones, pero tambin libros de artista procedentes de las peculiares ediciones de Samizdats- y
documenta la escena artstica no-oficial del Mosc de aquellas dcadas. El objetivo
declarado de la muestra es hacer una contribucin fundamental al anlisis histrico de una de las estrategias artsticas ms pregnantes del siglo XX, a travs de
una mirada amplia sobre las posiciones centrales de la primera y la segunda generacin de conceptualistas de Mosc y atendiendo a la diversidad de sus prcticas
artsticas; y, al mismo tiempo, por medio de una cartografa del Este, completar
la contextualizacin internacional de una corriente artstica de alcance mundial.
La concepcin conjunta de La /lustracin
Ilustracin total por parte de la Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt y de la Fundacin Juan March de Madrid hunde sus races en los
programas de exposiciones de ambas instituciones. La muestra viene a constituirse
en la ltima de una serie de exposiciones de la Schirn Kunsthalle dedicadas a la
Fundacin Juan March
8 /199
8
secuencia "Vanguardia rusa-Realismo Socialista-arte postsovitico" que comenz en 1992 con Die Grosse Utopie. Die russische Avantgarde 1915-1932. Este tema
fue proseguido en 2003 con Traumfabrik Kommunismus. Die visuelle Kultur der
Stalinzeit, la primera y exitosa colaboracin de Bors Groys con la Schirn.
La Fundacin Juan March, por su parte, presenta de un modo sistemtico, por
primera vez en Espaa, al crculo de los conceptualistas de Mosc, despus de que en
1985 organizara Vanguardia rusa, 1910-1930. Museo y coleccin Ludwig, la primera exposicin en nuestro pas dedicada a la vanguardia rusa, adems de las monogrficas dedicadas a Malvich, Rdchenko y Popova en los aos 1993, 2001 yY 2004.
La Ilustracin total. Arte conceptual de Mosc, 1960-1990 se apoya, sobre
todo, en el excepcional trabajo de Bors Groys durante las ms de tres dcadas
dedicadas a la reflexin sobre la lgica de la vanguardia rusa y del arte y la cultura
en las pocas sovitica, postsovitica y, por ltimo, en su "condicin postcomunista". En los aos setenta, Bors Groys vivi en Leningrado (hoy San Petersburgo)
y en Mosc. All form parte de los crculos artsticos e intelectuales no oficiales, y
yen
estuvo estrechamente unido a los artistas presentados en esta e~posicin. Por fortuna, el entero proyecto expositivo se ha alimentado de las investigaciones que
Groys comenz en los aos setenta en la Unin Sovitica y que ha proseguido en
Alemania desde 1981. Por ello, queremos manifestarle nuestro ms profundo agradecimiento.
yY junto a Bors Groys, queremos dejar constancia
co.nstancia de nuestra gratitud a todos
aquellos sin cuya dedicacin esta exposicin no hubiera sido posible.
En primer lugar, a Martina Weinhart, conservadora de la Schirn Kunsthalle,
quien, junto a Bors Groys, ha impulsado este proyecto desde el principio con entusiasmo y energa, y cuyos conocimientos y experiencia han sido decisivos para el
xito del mismo. La ha asistido Sylvia Metz, con su siempre fiable y entregada colaboracin. Junto a ellas, queremos manifestar nuestro agradecimiento a Deborah L. Roldn, coordinadora de la exposicin por parte de la Fundacin Juan March,
por su continua y responsable dedicacin a este proyecto conjunto.
qu
Qu sera de una exposicin sin los artistas? Queremos expresar nuestra ms
sincera gratitud a todos los artistas implicados en sta, por sus obras, por la variada informacin que nos han facilitado y por su apoyo en nuestro empeo.
Un proyecto tan complejo como La Ilustracin total ha necesitado, como es
evidente, la generosa disponibilidad de numerosos prestadores: de todos los museos, instituciones, coleccionistas privados y galeras de todo el mundo por las que,
entretanto, se ha diseminado el arte del conceptualismo de Mosc. Queremos que
quede constancia expresa de nuestra gratitud al Contemporary Art Museum ART4.
lnternationale Kunst de
RU de Mosc, la Kunsthalle Bremen, el Ludwig Forum fr Internationale
Aquisgrn (Coleccin Ludwig), el Ludwig Museum de Budapest, el Ludwig Museum de
Fundacin Juan March
MANUEL FONTN DEL JUNCO Y MAX HOLLEIN 1/ PRESENTACIN
Coblenza (Coleccin Peter e Irene Ludwig) y el Museum Ludwig de Colonia (Coleccin

Ludwig); la Galeria Tretyakov de Mosc y la Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of
Unon del Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum,
Nonconformist Art from the Soviet Union
gor
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Por su parte, luri Albert (Colonia), gor
Makrevich y Elena Elguina (Mosc), Bors Mijilov (Berln), Andrei Monastyrski
(Mosc) y Vadim Zajrov (Colonia/Mosc), as como el Former Komar & Melamid Art
Studio Archive de Nueva York, pusieron a nuestra disposicin obras de sus estudios. Junto a numerosos prestadores privados que han preferido permanecer en
el anonimato, estamos tambin muy agradecidos a la Coleccin Antonio Piccoli de
Mosc, la Coleccin Neil K. Rector de Ohio, a la de Dorothea Zwirner de Berln, y a la
Coleccin Ronald Feldman Fine Arts de Nueva York. Por otra parte, agradecemos
cordialmente su ayuda al E. K. Art Bureau de Mosc, a la Charim Galerie de Viena,
la Coleccin MANI/Heritage Preservation Russian Avantgarde Foundation de Mosc
y la Coleccin MANI de Mosc, la Coleccin Regina Gallery de Mosc, as como la
Galerie Krings-Ernst, de Colonia.
Por sus contribuciones a este catlogo, tan ricas como originales al arrojar luz
sobre los distintos aspectos del cosmos del Conceptualismo de Mosc, queremos
dar las gracias, junto a a Bors Groys, a Ekaterina Bobrnskaia, Martina Weinhart y
lIi Kabakov y Andrei Monastyrski por sus valiosos
Dorothea Zwirner, as como a lli
textos, verdaderas fuentes para nuestro tema.
Por su convincente diseo del catlogo, vaya nuestro agradecimiento a Marc
Kappeler y Markus Reichenbach de la Agencia Moir de Zrich. Nuestra gratitud a
la Editorial Hatje Cantz, especialmente a Annette Kulenkampff y Uta Hasekamp, a
Melanie Newton y Donna
Don na Stonecipher por sus minuciosas correcciones, y a Stefanie
Langner por la produccin. A Steven Lindberg y Jeremy Gaines les damos las gracias
por la precisa traduccin de los textos alemanes al ingls; a Will Firth, Cynthia
Martn,
Martin, David Shaw y Richard Watts, por la traduccin del ruso al ingls, as como a
Annelore Nitschke, Sascha Wonders 1
/ Gnter Hirt, Klaus Roth y Birgit Veith por la
traduccin del ruso al alemn. Nuestro cordial agradecimiento tambin a Sabine
Haensgen, por su asesoramiento en tantas cuestiones lingsticas.
Por parte de la Schirn Kunsthalle, queremos dar las gracias a nuestros patrocinadores. Sin la generosa ayuda de nuestros socios del mundo de la empresa y de
nuestros mecenas, la exposicin no habra sido posible al nivel alcanzado. En este
punto merece un especial agradecimiento WINGAS GmbH, que acompaa esta exposicin en Frncfort como principal patrocinador. Queremos agradecerlo especialmente a Rainer Seele, portavoz de la Gerencia, y a Michael Sasse, director de Prensa
y Publicidad, y no en ltimo lugar a todos los colaboradores de WINGAS GmbH, que
han seguido con gran inters el proyecto desde su nacimiento. Tambin merece
nuestra gratitud la Hessische Kulturstiftung por su indispensable apoyo. Tambin
Fundacin Juan March
10 1
/ 11
,'
queremos destacar especialmente a Claudia Scholtz, su directora, y al Dr. Rolf-E.

Breuer, presidente de su junta directiva. Gracias, adems, a hr2 Kultur, nuestro
comun icacin. Querramos dar las gracias
socio colaborador entre los medios de comunicacin.
tambin a John Feldman, que tanto se ha implicado personalmente para conseguir
que este ambicioso proyecto pudiera tener lugar en la Schirn Kunsthalle. Igualmenlgualmente, vaya nuestra gratitud, como en todas las exposiciones que organizamos, al
Ayuntamiento de Frncfort y, en su representacin, a los colaboradores de la Alcaldesa Petra Roth, as como al Concejal de Cultura, Felix Semmelroth, que hacen
caidesa
posible el trabajo de la Schirn.
Gracias tambin al Estudio de arquitectura Khn Malvezzi, a Wilfried Khn y a
Steffen Ostreich y Nina Beitzen por su precisin en la realizacin del concepto curatorial, al igual que a Very por el diseo grfico de la exposicin, as como a Thomas
Grabinger y Heike Stumpf por el desarrollo de la campaa publicitaria en Frncfort.
Queremos dar las gracias por su trabajo, siempre profesional y entregado, a
todo el equipo de la Schirn: a Ronald Kammer por la direccin tcnica, as como a
Andre!S Gundermann y su
Schi:ifer, Stefan Zimmermann, Andre!s
Christian Teltz, Stefan Schafer,
equipo de montaje; a las registros Karin Grning y Kaja Speith; a las restauradoras
Stefanie Gundermann y Stephanie Wagner; a Esther Schlicht por su direccin; a
lnka Dr6gemller
Dri:igemller por la coordinacin del transporte de la exposicin, as como a
Inka
Nadja Eger por el marketing; a Julia Lange, Elisabeth Haring y Simone
Simane Kramer por el
patrocinio y por la atencin a nuestros socios; a Dorothea Apovnik, Michaela Hille
Pi:ilert por el trabajo de prensa; a Irmi
lrmi Rauber, Fabian Hoffmann y Katja
y Gesa P61ert
Schi:iwel por el desarrollo del concepto pedaggico; a Hanna Alsen y Eva Stachnik
Sch6wel
-Kiaus Burgold,
por su apoyo en muchas cuestiones; as como a la Administracin -Klaus
de
la
recepcin
de vilngrid Mller
Katja Weber y Selina Lehmann-; a Josef Harig e Ingrid
sitantes y a todo el resto de colaboradores que han participado en este proyecto.
Por parte de la Fundacin Juan March, nuestro agradecimiento se dirige tambin, muy especialmente, a todos aquellos que han participado en la preparacin
de la muestra en Madrid. En primer lugar, a todo el equipo del Departamento de
Exposiciones de la Fundacin Juan March: Aida Capa, Jacqueline de la Fuente, Daniela Heinze, Deborah L. Roldn, Mara Toledo y Mara Zozaya, as como a Jos Enrique
Moreno y a Jordi Sanguino. Desiderio Navarro y Rafael Caete han volcado toda su
experiencia en la traduccin de la mayora de los textos rusos al espaol, y Alejandro Martn Navarro ha traducido con exactitud los textos originales alemanes.
Por el cuidadoso trabajo de correccin de los textos y sus traducciones, vaya nuestra gratitud tambin a Ins d'Ors.
Queremos agradecer a Banca March y a la Corporacin Alba su generoso apoyo
a la exposicin en Madrid y a la edicin hispano-inglesa del catlogo. Tambin queAlvaro Durn, comisario de No vaco. Artistas
remos dar las gracias por su nimo a lvaro
Fundacin Juan March
MANUEL FONTN DEL JUNCO Y MAX HOLLEIN 1/ PRESENTACIN
rusos contemporneos, una exposicin pionera celebrada en Espaa en 1991, yY en

la que estuvieron presentes numerosos artistas de nuestra exposicin.
Gracias tambin al Estudio Aurora Herrera, que ha proyectado la arquitectura
de la exposicin en Madrid, y a Jos Enrique Moreno, que ha coordinado con el equiNiveiArte el montaje, as como a Lourdes Rico y su equipo de restauradoras,
po de NivelArte
Celia Martnez y Victoria de las Heras; tambin a Beln Lugo; y a Isabel Durn y a
nuestros guas Mara Jos Eymar, Inmaculada Aroca, David Lanau y Delphine Chevreux, por la preparacin del material didctico complementario a la exposicin y
el argumento para las visitas guiadas; a Guillermo Nagore y al Servicio de Informtica de la Fundacin Juan March, que han aplicado el diseo grfico a la exposicin
en Madrid. A todos ellos, junto a los miembros del resto de departamentos de la
Fundacin Juan March implicados en el proyecto -Cultura, Prensa y Administracin- nuestro ms sincero agradecimiento.
Finalmente, queremos dejar, de nuevo, constancia expresa de nuestra gratitud
a todas las personas mencionadas, por la entrega y dedicacin con las que han hecho posible este complejo proyecto.
Director de Exposiciones
Fundacin Juan March
Max Hollein
Director
Schirn Kunsthalle
Fundacin Juan March
12 1/ 13
13
12
Fundacin Juan March
FOREWORD
"We were among our own" -one hears and reads this repeatedly in connection
with the artists and the "art scene" in Moscow in the seventies and eighties, and
Internationale Messe osteuropaischer
osteuropiiischer Kunst
when Rudolf Zwirner organized the lnternationale
(International Fair of Eastern European Art) in Hamburg in 1993, it was still a pio(lnternational
neering event and an effort to make eastern European art accessible. Moscow Conceptual Art was considered a distinct example of insider art not only in Russia, but
in the West as well. With the restructuring of Europe, both the cultural context
and the political situation are completely new-to an extent that would probably
have been scarcely imaginable just two decades ago. Capitalism has taken socialist countries by storm. With it, the art market has moved into Russia as well-or
particular-a long with galleries, collectors, private museums, and other
better: in particular-along
exhibition opportunities for contemporary artists. The participation of Russian artists of recent generations in global biennials is almost taken for granted. Since the
perestroika of the eighties, Conceptual Art in Moscow has commonly come to be
seen, even in Russia itself, as the most important Russian art movement of the
seen,
second half of the twentieth century. The blind spot is filling up with images. Moscow Conceptual artists are setting records at auctions.
Within this dynamic process, a systematic survey of Conceptual Art on the
other side of the iron curtain has become an absolute desideratum, especially right
now. Total Enlightenment: Conceptual Art in Moscow 1960-1990 set itself the task
of reconstructing the context in which the movement originated: a context that
is distinctly different from the institutional context of the West and the artist's
scenes of other European cities. The exhibition in Frankfurt and in Madrid offers a
broad range of works in various media-paintings, drawings, photographs, videos,
installations, and unique samizdat artist's books-thus documenting the unofficial
art scene during these decades. The express goal of the exhibition is to provide a
broad overview of key positions of the older and younger generations of Moscow
Conceptual artists in all their artistic diversity. In doing so, it is our intent to make
a fundamental contribution to the historical analysis of one of the most influential
strategies of twentieth-century art and to complete the international context of
a worldwide art movement by filling in the cartography of the East.
The joint conception and organization of Total Enlightenment by the Schirn
Kunsthalle Frankfurt and the Fundacin Juan March in Madrid has its roots in the
exhibition progra.ms
lt is the most recent of a series of shows
progra_ms of both institutions. It
at the Schirn Kunsthalle on the subject of the Russian avant-garde, Socialist RealUtopa: The Russian
ism, and post-Soviet art, which began in 1992 with The Great Utopia:
and Soviet Avant-Garde, 1915-1932. It
lt continued in 2003 with Dream Factory
Fundacin Juan March
14 I1 15
15
14
Communism: The
The Visual
Visual Culture
Culture 01
of the
the Stalin
Communism:
Stalin Era,
Era, which
which was
was the
the first
first successful
successful
cooperation
between
Boris
Groys and
and the
cooperation between Boris Groys
the Schirn
Schirn Kunsthalle
Kunsthalle Frankfurt.
Frankfurt.
The Fundacin
Fundacin Juan
Juan March
March offered
offered Spain's
The
Spain's first
first systematic
systematic presentation
presentation of
of the
the
circle of
of the
the Moscow
Moscow Conceptual
Conceptual artists,
artists, having
circle
having presented
presentad the
the first
first Spanish
Spanish exhiexhibition on
on the
the Russian
Russian avant-garde
avant-garde in
in 1985,
1985, Vanguardia
bition
Vanguardia rusa,
rusa, 1910-1930:
1910-1930: Museo
Museo yy
Coleccin Ludwig,
Ludwig, as
as well
well as
as solo
solo exhibitions
exhibitions on
Coleccin
on Malevich,
Malevich, Rodchenko,
Rodchenko, and
and Popova
Popova
in 1993,
1993,2001,
and 2004,
2004, respectively.
respectively.
in
2001, and
Total Enlightenment:
Enlightenment: Conceptual
Conceptual Art
Art in
Total
in Moscow
Moscow 1960-1990
1960-1990 is
is based
based chiefly
chiefly on
on
the outstanding
outstanding research
research conducted
conducted by
by Boris
the
Boris Groys,
Groys, who
who for
for more
more than
than three
three dedecades has
has been
been reflecting
reflecting on
on the
the logic
logic of
cades
of the
the Russian
Russian avant-garde
avant-garde and
and on
on art
art and
and
culture
in
the
Soviet,
post-Soviet,
and now
culture in the Soviet, post-Soviet, and
now postcommunist
postcommunist eras. During the sevseventies, Boris Groys lived in Leningrad (now Sto
St. Petersburg) and Moscow,
Moscow, where he
was part of the unofficial artistic and intellectual circle and hence closely connected to the artists represented
representad in the exhibition. Our entire project has happily benefited from the research that Groys began in the Soviet Union in the seventies and
continuad in Germany since 1981. We are therefore de_eply
has continued
de_eply grateful to him.
In addition to Boris
Boris Groys, we would like to thank all those without whose hard
work and commitment this exhibition would not have been possible: first and foremost, Martina Weinhart, curator at the Schirn, who from the outset worked with
Boris Groys with enthusiasm and energy to advance this project, and whose knowledge and experience were crucial to its success. She was assisted by Sylvia Metz,
an ever-reliable and dedicated collaborator. On behalf of the Fundacin Juan March,
we are also grateful to Deborah L. Roldn, the foundation's exhibition coordinator,
for her persevering and responsible commitment to this project.
What would an exhibition be without artists? For their works, their support,
and the great deal of information they provided for this project, we would like to
express our warmest thanks to all the participating artists.
A project as complexas
complex as Total Enlightenment naturally requires numerous lenders as well: museums, institutions, private lenders, and galleries from throughout
the world, among which works of art by the Moscow Conceptual artists have dispersad.
persed. Our express thanks goes out to the Contemporary Art Museum ART4.RU in
Moscow; the Kunsthalle Bremen; the Ludwig Forum fr lnternationale
Internationale Kunst in
Aachen (Ludw.
ig Collection); the Ludwig Muzeum in Budapest; the Ludwig Museum
(Ludw'ig
Museum
in Koblenz (Peter and Irene Ludwig Collection), and the Museum Ludwig in Cologne ,
(Ludwig Collection); the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, and the Norton and
Nancy
Nancy Dodge
Dodge Collection
Collection of
of Nonconformist
Nonconformist Art
Art from
from the
the Soviet
Soviet Un
Union,
Jane Voorhees
Voorhees
ion, Jane
.. Zimmerli
Art
Museum
at
Rutgers,
the
Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers, the State
State University
University of
of New
New Jersey;
Jersey; Yuri
Yuri Albert
Albert
in
in Cologne;
Cologne; lgor
Igor Makarevich
Makarevich and
and Elena
Elena Elagina
Elagina in
in Moscow;
Moscow; Boris
Boris Mikhailov
Mikhailov in
in Berlin;
Berlin;
Andrei
Andrei Monastyrski
Monastyrski in
in Moscow;
Moscow; and
and Vadim
Vadim Zakharov
Zakharov in
in Cologne
Cologne and
and Moscow;
Moscow; as
as well
well
Fundacin Juan March
MANUEL FONTN
FONTN DEL
DEL JUNCO
JUNCO ANO
ANO MAX
MAX HOLLEIN
HOLLEIN 1/ FOREWORD
FOREWORD
MANUEL
as the
the Former
Former Komar
Komar &
& Melamid
Melamid Art
Art Studio
Studio Archive,
Archive, New
New York,
York, which
which made
made works
works
as
their studio
studio available
available for
for the
the exhibition.
exhibition. In
In addition
addition to
to many
many private
private lenders
lenders who
who
from their
from
prefer to
to rema
remain
anonymous, we
we also
also thank
thank the
the Collection
Collection Antonio Piccoli in
in MosMosin anonymous,
prefer
Berln; and a private
cow; the Collection Neil K. Rector in Ohio; Dorothea Zwirner in Berlin;
collection courtesy of Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, New York. In addition, we are very
grateful to the E. K. Art Bureau in Moscow; the Charim Galerie in Vienna; the MANI
Collection/Heritage Preservation Russian Avant-garde Foundation in Moscow; the
MANI Collection in Moscow; the Regina Collection in Moscow; and Galerie KringsErnst in Cologne.
For their informed and original contributions to the catalogue, which shed light
Iight
on various aspects of the cosmos of Moscow Conceptualism, we thank Boris Groys,
lIya KabaEkaterina Bobrinskaya, Martina Weinhart, and Dorothea Zwirner, but also llya
kov and Andrei Monastyrski for their valuable source texts.
due to Marc
For their convincing design of the catalogue, our gratitude is also dueto
Kappeler and Markus Reichenbach of the Moir agency in Zurich. In that context,
we also wish to thank Hatje Cantz, in particular Annette Kulenkampff, but also Uta
Hasekamp, Melanie Newton, Donna Stonecipher, and Rebecca van "Dyck for their meticulous editing, and Stefanie Langner for production. We thank Steven Lindberg
and Jeremy Gaines for their precise translations of the German texts into English;
Will Firth, Cynthia Martin, David Shaw, Richard Watts for the translations from
K6rner, Annelore Nitschke, Klaus Roth, and
Russian into English; and Christiane Korner,
Birgit Veith for translations from Russian into German. We are especially gratefui
ful to Sabine Haensgen for her indispensable advice on the many questions that
came
carne up.
On behalf of the Schirn, we wish to express our appreciation to our sponsors.
Without the generous support of our partners in the business world and other backform. For that, WINGAS
ers, the exhibition would not have been possible in this formo
GmbH, the main sponsor of this exhibition, deserves special thanks. We wish to
explicitly thank Rainer Seele, Chairman of the Board, for his commitment, as well
as Michael Sasse, head of press and publicity, and last but not least, all the employees of WINGAS GmbH, who have followed the project with great interest from
the outset. We also wish to extend our warm thanks to the Hessische Kulturstiftung
for its indispensable support, in particular Dr. Rolf-E. Breuer, the Chairman of the
Board. I1also thank hr2 Kultur, our media partner.
I1commend also John Feldman, whose personal effort ensured that this ambitious project could become reality at the Schirn Kunsthalle. As with every exhibition,
my thanks also go out to the City of Frankfurt and, as representatives for all its
cultural affairs, Felix Semmeldecision makers, Mayor Petra Roth and its head of cultural
roth, for making the
Schirn
Kunsthalle's
work
possible
in the first place.
work
the
Fundacin Juan March
16 1/ 17
The architectural office of Khn Malvezzi-specifically, Wilfried Khn with StefOstreich and Nina Beitzen-are sincerely thanked for their precision in realfen tistreich
ic designers Very for the exhibition
graphic
izing the curatorial ideas, as well as graph
graphics, and Thomas Grabinger and Heike Stumpf for developing the advertising
arto
campaign and its graphic art.
The entire Schirn team is to be credited for its consistently professional and
committed work: Ronald Kammer for technical direction as well as Christian Teltz,
Stefan Schafer, Stefan Zimmermann, Andreas Gundermann, and the installation
team; the registrars Karin Grning and Kaja Speith; the conservators Stefanie
Inka
Gundermann and Stephanie Wagner; Esther Schlicht as head of exhibitions; lnka
Dri:igemller for coordinating the exhibition tour and, with Nadja Eger, for the marketing; Julia Lange, Elisabeth Haring, and Simone Kramer for sponsoring and working with our partners; Dorothea Apovnik, Michaela Hille, and Gesa Pi:ilert for press
Irmi Rauber, Fabian Hoffmann, and Katja Schi:iwel for developing the educawork; lrmi
tion program; Hanna Alsen and Eva Stachnik for assistance with many matters;
Selina Lehmann of th~ administration; Josef
and Klaus Burgold, Katja Weber, and Salina
Ingrid Mller for receiving visitors; and to all the other employees who
Harig and lngrid
participated in making this project become reality.
On behalf of the Fundacin Juan March, we are particularly grateful to all those
who participated at the exhibition venue in Madrid: first, to the entire team of
the Fundacin Juan March: Aida Capa, Jacqueline de la Fuente, Daniela Heinze,
Deborah L. Roldn, Mara Toledo and Mara Zozaya, as well as to Jos Enrique
Moreno and Jordi Sanguino. Desiderio Navarro and Rafael Caete applied their
expertise to the translation of the majority of the Russian texts into Spanish, and
Alejandro Martn Navarro produced careful translations of the German texts into
Spanish. For her attentive management and editing of the texts as well as their
translations, we also thank Ins d'Ors.
Our gratitude goes out to the Banca March and the Corporacin Alba for their
generous support of the Madrid venue as well as for the Spanish-English edition
of the catalogue. We also wish to express our thanks to lvaro Durn for his assistance: he curated the 1991 exhibition No vaco: Artistas rusos contemporneos,
representad, helping prein which numerous of artists in our exhibition were also represented,
pare the way in Spain.
designad the exhibition archh
The architectural office Estudio Aurora Herrera designed
tecture for Madrid; Jos Enrique Moreno with the Nivel Arte team coordinated and
tea m of conservators, Celia
handled the exhibition installation. Lourdes
Lo urdes Rico and her team
Martnez and Victoria de las Heras are also to be thanked, as are Isabel Durn and
our exhibition heads Mara Jos Aymar, Inmaculada Aroca, David Lanau, and Delphine
program. Guillermo Nagore
Chevreux for preparing and implementing the educational programo
Fundacin Juan March
AND MAX HOLLEIN 1/ FOREWORD

MANUEL FONTN DEL JUNCO ANO
and the media department of the Fundacin Juan March were responsible for the
AII of them, and all of the emdesign and graphic art for the exhibition in Madrid. All
ployees of departments of the Fundacin Juan March who also participated in this
project-culture, publicity, and administration-deserve our sincere thanks.
Iike to extend our gratitude
gratitud e to all those named here, who showed
We would like
this complex project.
their commitment to and gave their utmost for this.complex
Director of Exhibitions
Fundacin Juan March
Max Hollein
Director
Schirn Kunsthalle
Fundacin Juan March
18 1
/ 19
EL ARTE
CONCEPTUAL DEL
COMUNISMO
Bors Groys
Esta exposicin tiene como objetivo presentar al pblico occidental una corriente
y a la que el pblico
artstica conocida en Rusia como "Conceptualismo de Mosc" ya
ruso interesado en el arte considera hoy, con razn, como la corriente artstica
rusa ms importante de la segunda mitad del siglo XX. Por supuesto, muchos de
los artistas cuyos trabajos se presentan en la exposicin (como lIi
lli Kabakov, rik
105
Bultov, Vitali Komar y Aleksandr Melamid) son, hasta cierto punto, bastante cono-
Fundacin Juan March
BORtS GROYS
GROYS 1I EL
EL ARTE
ARTE CONCEPTUAL
CONCEPTUAL OEL
DEL COMUNISMO
COMUNISMO
BORS
cidos en
en Occidente.
Occidente. Y
Yen
los ltimos
ltimos tiempos
tiempos tambin
tambin se
se han
han podido
podido ver
ver los
los trabajos
trabajos
en los
cidos
se
Pero
Albert.
luri
o
Pppershtein
de
Andrei
Monastyrski,
Vadim
Zajrov,
Pvel
Pppershtein
o
luri
Albert.
Pero
se tratraPvel
de Andrei Monastyrski, Vadim Zajrov,
ta siempre,
siempre, bien
bien de
de exposiciones
exposiciones individuales,
individuales, bien
bien de
de participacin
participacin en
en exposiciones
exposiciones
ta
ms amplias; desde muestras que ofrecen una visin general sobre el arte ruso
actual hasta exposiciones mundiales de arte, como la Documenta de Kassel o la BieYsi
si bien las contribuciones de los artistas son muy interesantes,
nal de Venecia. Y
sigue faltando en ellas, sin embargo, algo importante: la posibilidad de incardinarlas
en la historia del arte, de comprender su contexto cultural y social, y de definir su
relacin mutua y con el resto del arte ruso de la ltima dcada. Y es que el Conceptualismo moscovita es una corriente artstica cerrada, definible cqn cierta exactitud, y con clara conciencia de su divergencia con respecto al resto del arte ruso;
una corriente que dispone de su propia esttica -fcilmente identificable para el
espectador ruso- e incluso de una organizacin interna cuasi institucional. Esta
solidaridad de grupo propia de los conceptualistas rusos -aunque ciertamente ha
menguado con el tiempo- ha fascinado tanto como irritado a muchos dentro del
mundo artstico moscovita. Pero, en todo caso, el Conceptualismo moscovita constituye, para la cultura rusa, un concepto slido bien conocido por todos los que
tienen algo que ver con el arte.
Por supuesto, en Occidente la situacin es bien distinta. La explicacin de todo
ello hay que buscarla sobre todo en la forma en que, tras la 11 Guerra Mundial, llegaron a Occidente las noticias sobre los ltimos desarrollos en el arte ruso. El Conceptualismo moscovita es una tendencia artstica que se desarroll dentro de la esy 80. Este
cena artstica independiente, no oficial,.
oficial, .del Mosc de los aos 60, 70 Y
movimiento surgi en las grandes ciudades de la Unin Sovitica casi inmediatamente despus de la muerte de Stalin, en el ao 1953. Y si bien fue tolerado por la
autoridad competente, lo cierto es que casi siempre se le dej al margen de las
exposicionesoficiales, as como de los grandes medios de comunicacin controlados por el Estado. Por eso, ni el pblico sovitico ni el ms amplio pblico occidental
tenan acceso a informacin alguna sobre este movimiento. Ni siquiera los pocos
coleccionistas occidentales que ya entonces se interesaban por el arte ruso no-oficial podan tener una visin de conjunto sobre este movimiento. La eleccin de las
obras se llevaba a cabo, la mayora de las veces, de un modo casual, y vena determinada principalmente por las amistades personales y las preferencias individuales
del coleccionista en cuestin. Ms all, las condiciones de adquisicin y exportacin
arriesgadas. Y la situacin
de obras de arte no oficiales eran, a menudo, bastante arriesgadas.
apenas mejor con el final de la Unin Sovitica. Los comisarios y coleccionistas
occidentales que llegaron a Rusia en los aos 90 se encontraron con una gran canpo~
tidad de obras de arte que les resultaban
resultaban desconocidas y que estaban firmadas po~
nombres igualmente desconocidos.
Fundacin Juan March
20 1/ 21
As pues, eran de nuevo la casualidad y la intuicin personal las que indicaban el

camino, surgiendo, de este modo, numerosas exposiciones en las que se pretenda
algo as como una panormica del arte ruso que estaba entonces de actualidad.
Pero, desde la perspectiva de la historia del arte, se mezclaban posiciones artsticas muy distintas e incluso a menudo irreconciliables.
Pavera o al Art Pop, el
En contraposicin, por ejemplo, al Surrealismo, al Arte Povera
no,f ue presentado primero al gran pblico como una
Conceptualismo moscovita nO,fue
corriente artstica determinada, definida por una esttica comn y una ideologa
se habra escindido en posiciones artsticas
de grupo coherente, que ms tarde se'habra
separadas. Occidente conoci el arte del Conceptualismo moscovita siguiendo ms
bien el camino inverso: comenz en los aos 90, en un tiempo en que la dinmica de
grupo de los comienzos empezaba a enfriarse y la ideologa comn se desintegraba. De este modo, la recepcin de los trabajos de los artistas individuales se
ematizada con suficiente claridad el contexto hisprodujo sin que hubiera sido ttematizado
trico en que surgieron. Posteriormente, la Guerra Fra despert el deseo de recuperacin de lo desconocido no slo en el Este; tambin en Occidente haban
sido desatendidas muchas tendencias culturales que se desarrollaban al otro lado
del Teln de Acero. Nuestra exposicin se propone la tarea de compensar ese
dficit y documentar, del modo ms completo posible, la historia e ideologa del
Conceptualismo moscovita. De ah que, para empezar, el nombre del grupo merezca un anlisis especial. El calificativo "moscovita" no parece, a primera vista,
gr upo de artistas moscovitas.
problemtico, tratndose efectivamente de un grupo
Mayores dificultades presenta el trmino "Conceptualismo". Evidentemente, remite al Art Conceptual occidental, o, ms exactamente, angloamericano, de los
aos 60. Esto podra hacer pensar que se trat, al fin y al cabo, de un mero intento
de importar el Arte Conceptual occidental a Mosc. La praxis artstica del grupo
Art & Language y la de Joseph Kosuth eran, desde luego, bien conocidas por los
conceptualistas moscovitas gracias a los peridicos y catlogos occidentales que
llegaban a la capital rusa. Sin embargo, esa praxis sufri en Mosc una transformarad ical. Por eso, el calificativo "moscovita" remite ms a un programa que a
cin radical.
la mera indicacin de un lugar.
El carcter de la transformacin sufrida por el arte conceptual en Rusia se
deriva de las condiciones especficas en q'ue funcionaba todo el arte en la Unin
Sovitica. El arte conceptual en general se podra caracterizar brevemente como el
resultado de la identificacin entre imagen y texto. La imagen es suplantada por un
comentario lingstico, por un proyecto descrito textualmente, por una toma de
ah _ que, en lo que sigue, se puede constatar una desmaterializapostura crtica. De ah.
cin -y con ello tambin una "descomercializacin"
"descomercializacin"- del arte. En el Occidente capitalista, la obra de arte es, ante todo, una mercanca. El arte viene definido princi-
Fundacin Juan March
BORS GROYS 1I EL ARTE CONCEPTUAL DEL COMUNISMO

BORs
palmente por el mercado del arte. Pero toda mercanca es, antes que nada, un
objeto material. Por eso, al principio fue grande la tentacin de interpretar la subtitulacin de la obra de arte por la palabra como una va para transitar desde el
mercado de arte "materialista" a la libertad de lo inmaterial y, con ello, de lo que no
se puede comprar ni "intercambiar". Entretanto, ha quedado suficientemente claro que el texto tambin es una forma de imagen, porque la lengua tiene su propia
materialidad, y que el arte conceptual no puede conducir la obra de arte a la inmaterialidad ni a la libertad del comercio. Ms bien ha ocurrido que el Arte Conceptual ha podido interpretarse como un paso decisivo hacia la objetivacin del lenguaje y, con ello, hacia su comercializacin. Pero, en todo caso, la relacin entre arte
y mercado de arte -y mercado en general- era y seguir siendo un tema capital
para la teora y la praxis conceptualista occidental.
Por entonces no haba mercado en la Unin Sovitica y, por tanto, tampoco
mercado de arte. El valor de una obra no estaba determinado por las reglas de la
economa de mercado, sino por las de la economa simblica que organizaba la vida
entera en la Unin Sovitica. Eran las reglas del reconocimiento social y de la relevancia poltica -tal y como estaban fijadas en determinados textos, fueran stos
posicionamientos oficiales o panfletos no oficiales- las que determinaban el valor
de cada obra de arte. De ese modo, el destino de una obra lo decida en ltima instancia el comentario terico, filosfico, ideolgico o histrico-artstico, pero nunca
O mejor dicho: el texto ideolgico circulaba en la economa simblica de
su precio. Omejor
la Unin Sovitica como el dinero en la economa de mercado occidental. Se podra
decir que la cultura sovitica ha sido siempre conceptual, y que lo ha sido en su
totalidad. Cuando el espectador sovitico normal miraba un cuadro, automticamente, y sin haber odo nada de Art & Language, reemplazaba esa imagen por su
Y tomaba en consideracin ese
posible comentario ideolgico, poltico y filosfico. Vtomaba
comentario slo para juzgar el cuadro en cuestin en tanto que sovitico, medio
sovitico, no sovitico, antisovitico, etc. De ah se deduce que la utilizacin explcita del texto de acompaamiento filosfico, ideolgico, cientfico o literario en
la obra de arte, tal y como ha hecho el Conceptualismo moscovita, serva ante
todo para poner al descubierto el procedimiento que defina la entera cultura
sovitica. El Conceptualismo moscovita se entenda a s mismo como una investigacin de la economa simblica sovitica, y no como una alternativa a la economa
de mercado al modo occidental. En cierto sentido, el arte conceptual moscovita se
muestra ciertamente emparentado con el arte conceptual occidental. El Arte Conceptual angloamericano de los aos 60 y 70 se ocupaba principalmente de la precomo punto de
gunta "qu es arte?". De ah que a menudo haya sido interpretado como'
Y, de hecho, el mercado no necesita definicioarranque de la crtica institucional. V,
nes de arte formuladas discursivamente; sin embargo, la burocracia que admi-
Fundacin Juan March
23
22 1I 23
nistra los museos, las galeras y otras instituciones artsticas s que las necesita,
para fundamentar y legitimar sus decisiones. As, podra decirse que el Arte Conceptual, en la medida en que se alejaba del mercado y se planteaba la pregunta
"qu es arte?", se aventuraba en el mbito discursivo, que en principio estaba
"lqu
reservado slo a las instituciones administradas burocrticamente. Esto es v.lido
especialmente en el caso del arte conceptual continental europeo, como por ejemplo el de Marcel Broodthaers
8roodthaers o Hans Haacke 1 Sin embargo, la crtica institucional
que tiene su origen en el arte conceptual se interesa relativamente poco por la
cultura de masas y deja que sean el Arte Pop y los artistas insertos en esa tradicin
quienes desciendan a los bajos de la cultura de masas. En este sentido se puede
decir que, en Occidente, el Arte Pop y el Arte Conceptual se han repartido los mbitos de decadencia de la cultura occidental. El Arte Pop se ocupa de la "baja" cultura
de masas comercial, que es tenida como "baja" precisamente porque se extiende
ms all de toda legitimacin artstica discursiva e institucional, es decir, ms all
"qu es arte?". El arte conceptual se ocupa, por el contrario, del
de la pregunta "lqu
arte
institucionalizado,
y tematiza los criterios instihlcionales devalode valo"elevado"
racin y reconocimiento, de inclusin y exclusin.
Ahora bien, la Unin Sovitica fue, como es sabido, una institucin administrada
burocrticamente. No exista en ella la diferencia entre una cultura de masas comercializada y una alta cultura institucional. La cultura sovitica era uniforme y
estaba marcada exclusivamente por lo institucional. La cultura de masas vulgar
estaba administrada de un modo tan centralista, burocrtico e institucional como
la alta cultura, y en el fond.o
fondo era valorada, reconocida y difundida segn idnticos
criterios de correccin ideolgica. Por eso, el discurso oficial acerca de lo que era
arte jugaba un papel absolutamente determinante en todos los mbitos de la
cultura sovitica. El procedimiento capital del Conceptualismo moscovita consista
en utilizar, variar y analizar ese discurso oficial de un modo particular, irnico y
profano. En este sentido, el Conceptualismo moscovita practicaba una Ilustracin;
en concreto, una "Ilustracin total". Como apuntara con razn Hegel en su Fenomenologa del Espritu, la Ilustracin -esto es, el libre uso de la propia razn- slo
puede triunfar en una sociedad que ha reconocido siempre a la razn como su propio fundamento. Es, por ejemplo, el caso de la razn divina en la Francia anterior
a la lIustracin
llustracin 2 La Iglesia Catlica reconoci siempre a la razn -entendida en
tanto Razn- como omnipotente. V,
Y, de esa manera, a la Ilustracin le result fcil
poner en prctica una forma de privatizacin de la razn e ironizar acerca del
monopolio de la Iglesia como una consecuencia de la sinrazn y el prejuicio. Pues
bien, el sistema sovitico tambin descansaba en la razn, esto es, en el marxismo
Ilustraen tanto encarnacin de la razn histrica, y ello en relacin directa con la ilustrarepreintentar
de
hora
cin clsica. Por eso, tambin la oposicin lo tena fcil a la
Fundacin Juan March
BOR1s GROYS
GROYS 1/ EL
EL ARTE
ARTE CONCEPTUAL
CONCEPTUAL DEL
DEL COMUNISMO
COMUNISMO
BORS
sentar el
el monopolio
monopolio del
del Partido
Partido como
como consecuencia
consecuencia de
de una
una ofuscacin
ofuscacin ideolgica
ideolgica..
sentar
obra
de
Ms an:
an: el
el Estado
Estado sovitico
sovitico representaba
representaba en
en s
s mismo
mismo una
una forma
forma de obra de
de arte,
arte,
Ms
configurada segn
segn el
el gusto
gusto de
de la
la cpula
cpula del
del Partido
Partido yy resultado
resultado de
de una
una planificacin
planificacin
configurada
centralizada de todos los aspectos de la vida sovitica. En este sentido, el arte resultaba especialmente adecuado para servir como medio de una Ilustracin como
esa. De ese modo, el Conceptualismo moscovita pudo extender su procedimiento
analtico yy crtico a todo el sistema sovitico yy pudo tener la pretensin de refleIlustracin de
jar la totalidad de la cultura sovitica: entendi su praxis como una Ilustracin
la cultura sovitica acerca de sus propios mecanismos ideolgicos.
Por ello, los artistas de la primera generacin del Conceptualismo moscovita de
lIi Kabakov, Vitali Komary
Komar y Aleksandr Melamid,
los aos 60 y 70 -como, por ejemplo, lli
simple
Dmitri
r i Prgov o Lev Rubinshtein- han utilizado sobre todo el lenguaje del ""simple
Dmit.
hombre sovitico". Y as, las formulaciones cuidadosamente elegidas y cientos de
veces censuradas de la ideologa oficial sovitica fueron inevitablemente daadas
ipo de
inculto", y confundidas con todo ttipo
y desplazadas por su uso cotidiano, ""inculto",
lIi Kabakov y Dmitri Prgov,
opiniones puramente privadas e inexactas. Sobre todo lli
en sus comentarios al arte propio y ajeno, recurrieron a ese caudal de la teorizacin cotidiana e inculta. As, esos comentarios se convirtieron en un lugar en el que
los ms diversos discursos tericos -as como las ms diversas prcticas artsticas- sufran una catstrofe lingstica, y ello del modo ms divertido para el espectador informado. De este modo, se puede decir que el Conceptualismo moscovita
ha convertido la cultura de masas discursiva de su tiempo en su propio objeto, una
cultura discursiva que se da, desde luego,
luego , en todo el mundo, pero que en la Unin
Sovitica de aquel tiempo estaba especialmente omnipresente. Por un lado, el Conceptualismo moscovita fue, de hecho, una forma de arte conceptual. Pero, sobre
todo, fue una especie de Arte Pop discursivo.
El Conceptualismo moscovita se asemeja mucho a las corrientes conceptualistas de Occidente en un aspecto importante: se trata de la organizacin sistemtica
de un contrapblico, o ms exactamente, si se quiere expresar as, de un micropblico. Los artistas del Conceptualismo moscovita hicieron su arte para un pblico
podra afirmar que esta
exiguo, compuesto por los propios artistas y sus amigos. Se podra
situacin surgi forzadamente, que les fue impuesta a los artistas por la censura
ideolgica sovitica. Esto es, sin duda, correcto, y con seguridad los artistas sufrieron por aquel aislamiento respecto al gran pblico. Pero, por otro lado, no protestaron pblicamente contra esa censura, no intentaron relajarla, tal y como
the
to the
Adm inistration to
of Administration
Aesthet ic of
the Aesthetic
11 Benjamin
From the
196 2-1969 : From
Art 1962-1969:
" Con ce ptu al Art
Buchloh , "Conceptual
D. Buchloh,
H. D.
Benjamin H.
Yorle,
Nueva Yorle,
photographs, Nueva
intervie ws , photographs,
Critique
Broodthaers- writings, interviews,
42: Broodthaers-writings,
October 42:
en October
lnstitutions", en
of Institutions",
Critique of
1987,
119- 155.
pp . 119-155.
1987, pp.
ss.
y ss.
406 Y
pp . 406
1970, pp.
Frncfort, 1970,
3) , Frncfort,
{Werke , 3),
22 Georg
Geistes (Werke,
des Geistes
Phinomenologie des
Hegel, Phiinomenologie
Friedri ch Hegel,
Wilhelm Friedrich
Georg Wilhelm
Fundacin Juan March
24 /1 25
pretendieron muchos otros artistas soviticos. La razn para ello no resida slo en
el deseo de evitar una confrontacin directa con las autoridades soviticas. Ms
bien se intentaba no luchar contra las instituciones artsticas existentes, y, a
cambio, poder crear una institucin artstica propia, independiente. En realidad,
casi todos los movimientos vanguardistas del siglo XX han estado estructurados
de esta misma forma. Todos ellos creaban un micropblico que se separaba programticamente del gran pblico. Incluso en el arte de los aos 60 podemos observar numerosos intentos de crear este tipo de micropblicos. Pueden servir de
ejemplo la Internacional Situacionista y el grupo Art & Language. En todos estos
casos, la formacin artstica del grupo tena el objetivo de crear un lugar independiente para un anlisis social, una metaposicin esttica y una praxis colectiva.
La entera escena de sovitica artstica no oficial constitua un contrapblico de
ese tipo. Desde luego, fueron sobre todo los artistas del Conceptualismo moscovita
los que construan y fomentaban sistemticamente ese contra pblico. Se reunan
regularmente para discutir nuevos trabajos y textos. Sacaban a la luz publicaciones
propias e internacionales y creaban archivos. Especialmente Andrei Monastyrski y
su grupo Acciones Colectivas, que iniciaron sus actividades a mediados de los aos
?O,.contribuyeron a poner en movimiento una especie
especie de autoinstitucionalizacin
70,.contribuyeron
Conceptual ismo moscovita. Monastyrski organizaba performances a las que
del Conceptualismo
invitaba a otros artistas del Conceptualismo moscovita y que eran documentadas,
comentadas y archivadas de un modo minucioso, cuasi-burocrtico. Adems de eso,
Monastyrski involucr a muchos artistas jvenes en las actividades del grupo, impresionndolos profundamente con su asctico comportamiento artstico y su proceder sistemtico. Esos jvenes artistas, como Pvel Peppershtein, Vadim Zajrov
o luri Albert, no empezaron a trabajar activamente hasta los aos 80, a pesar de
lo cual se consideraron miembros del grupo. Ah radica el hecho de que el Conceptualismo moscovita comprenda dos generaciones de artistas, un hecho ciertamente inslito en la historia del arte.
Tras el fin de la Unin Sovitica en el ao 1991, todas las instituciones soviticas estatales se disolvieron, o se volvieron irrelevantes. Por eso, la tradicin del
Conceptualismo moscovita tiene un significado especial en la poca postsovitica,
pues este grupo, que englobaba tambin a comisarios y crticos de arte, constitua
el germen del nacimiento de una nueva opinin pblica artstica en la nueva Rusia.
Por supuesto, se puede decir que el panorama del arte ruso ha cambiado y
y' se ha
diversificado mucho en los ltimos decenios. Si es cierto que la influencia del Conceptualismo moscovita sigue siendo fuerte en el arte ruso actual, las condiciones
en que ese movimiento surgi y se desarroll pertenecen al pasado. Con la excepcin de Prgov, fallecido recientemente, los artistas cuyas obras se presentan
en esta exposicin siguen en activo con xito. Sin embargo, hoy se puede contem-
Fundacin Juan March
BORs GROYS
GROYS 1I EL
EL ARTE
ARTE CONCEPTUAL
CONCEPTUAL DEL
DEL COMUNISMO
COMUNISMO
BORS
piar
el
Conceptualismo
moscovita
como
un fenmeno
fenmeno histricamente
histricamente cerrado,
cerrado, yy por
por
un
como
piar el Conceptualismo moscovita
sino
en el
el mbito
mbito de
de esta
esta exposicin
exposicin no
no se
se muestran
muestran sus
sus trabajos
trabajos ms
ms actuales,
actuales, sino
eso en
eso
de la
la poca
poca en
en que
que el
el grupo
grupo constitua
constitua una
una cierta
cierta unidad.
unidad. En
En este
este sentido,
sentido,
slo los
los de
slo
posible
es
cmo
de
ejemplo
un
siendo
sigue
cierto,
el
Conceptualismo
moscovita
sigue
siendo
un
ejemplo
de
cmo
es
posible
por
moscovita
por cierto, el Conceptualismo
un grupo
grupo de
de artistas
artistas -incluso
-incluso condicionado
condicionado por
por una
una cultura
cultura de
de masas
masas que
que todo
todo
para un
para
lo dominadomina- crear
crear sus
sus propias
propias instituciones
instituciones yy enraizarlas
enraizarlas socialmente.
socialmente.
lo
Fundacin Juan March
26 1/ 27
27
26
1/2
1/2
3/4
_...,J'""' -- ?..r- ..-..:
~-;~E;:.~-:~ ,4:;:~:'~- _1~J.- --
1975
1 trik
CPSU, 1975
Bultov , Gloria al PCUS/Glory to the CPSU.
rik Bultov,
1993
2 Ili
Archive, 1993
Big Archive,
archivo/The Big
Kabakov , El gran archivolThe
Ili Kabakov,
sacar
3 Ili
iPor la limpieza! Horario para sacar
obras Por
sus obras
estudio con sus
su estudio
Kabakov en su
Ili Kabakov
ca . 1984
el
(1983), ca.
iAprobada! (1983),
(1980) y Aprobada!
basura (1980)
la basura
cubo de la
el cubo
out
Taking out
Raster for Taking
Ilya
with his works For Cleanliness! Roster
in his studio with
Kabakov in
Ilya Kabakov
the Slop
1984
ca . 1984
Tested! (1983), ca.
and Tested!
(1980) and
Pail (1980)
Slop Pail
44 Dmitri
1990
ttulo / Untitled, 1990
Sin ttulolUntitled,
Prgov, Sin
Dmitri Prgov,
fontanero
De
un fontanero
limpieza yy un
la limpieza
de la
mujer de
una mujer
para una
Instalaciones para
serie Instalaciones
la serie
De la
Plumber
and aa Plumber
From
Woman and
Cleaning Woman
for aa Cleaning
Installations for
series Installations
the series
From the
Fundacin Juan March
ILUSTRACIONES/ILLUSTRATIONS
ATIONS
ILUSTRACIONES/ILLUSTR
5/6
5/6
7/8
7/8
all /
la URSS yy ms all/
expos1c1on En la
5 Dmitri Prgov, La instalacin Nieve rusa en la exposicin
Installation Russian Snow
the exhibition In the USSR and Beyond, Stedelijk
Snow in tha
Museum,
1990
msterdam, 1990
Museum, mstardam,
1989
66 Dmitri Prgov,
Square, 1989
Malvich/Malevich Square,
Plaza Halvich/Halevich
Prigov, Plaza
Contemporanea
d ' Arte Contemporanea
Museo d'Arte
the Museo
77 Iuri
en/at the
Pvel Pppershtein en/at
y/and Pvel
Liderman y/and
Iuri Liderman
Luigi
1990
Prato, 1990
Pecci, Prato,
Luigi Pecci,
Pvel
Liderman yy Pvel
Iuri Liderman
88 Inspeccin
Anfriev , Iuri
(Serguei Anfriev,
Mdica CSerguei
Hermenutica Mdica
Inspeccin Hermenutica
Hermenutica
Inspeccin Hermenutica
de Inspeccin
PppershteinJ
instalaciones de
Dos instalaciones
exposicin Dos
la exposicin
en la
Pppershtein) en
Pavel
and Pavel
Leiderman and
Hdica/Inspection
Yuri Leiderman
Anufriev, Yuri
(Sergei Anufriev,
Hermeneutics CSergei
Medica! Hermeneutics
Inspection Medical
,Mdica/
Hermeneutik,
Medizinischen Hermeneutik,
der Hedizinischen
PeppersteinJ
Installationen der
lwei Installationen
exhibition Zwei
the exhibition
at the
Pepperstein) at
Kunsthalle
1990
DGsseldorf, 1990
Kunsthalle Dsseldorf,
Fundacin Juan March
28 1/ 29
C.OMMUNI8T
.OMMUNIST
C
CONCEPTUAL ART
Boris Groys
The goal of the present exhibition is to introduce to a Western public an art movement that is known in Russia as Moscow Conceptualism and that today's art world
in Russia rightly considers the most important Russian art movement of the second half of the twentieth century. AdmiUedly,
Admittedly, many of the artists whose work is
llya Kabakov, Erik Bulatov, Vitaly Komar,
being presented
presentad in the exhibition-such as lIya
Fundacin Juan March
BORIS GROYS 1/ COMMUNIST CONCEPTUAL ART
and Alexander Melamid-are already relatively well known in the West. Recently,
moreover, works by Andrei Monastyrski, Vadim Zakharov, Pavel Pepperstein, and
Yuri Albert have also been frequently shown. However, these have all been either
solo exhibitions or contributions to group shows that offer an overview of current
or to international art exhibitions such as documenta in Kassel or the
Russian art orto
Ven ice Biennale. Although the contributions of the individual artists are by all means
interesting, something important is missing: namely, an opportunity to categorize
these contributions historically, to understand their cultural and social context, and
to define their relationship to one another and to the other Russian art of recent
decades. Moscow Conceptualism is a coherent, relatively clearly
c1early defined art movement that has consciously set itself apart from other Russian art and that has its
own aesthetic, which is readily identifiable to Russian viewers, and even its own
quasi-institutional interna!
internal organization. This group solidarity of the Moscow
Conceptualists-even if it may have faded with time-has both fascinated and vexed
many in the Russian art world. In any case, Moscow Conceptualism is a well-defined concept for Russian culture and is very familiar to everyone who deals with art
inside Russia itself. In the West, however, the situation is rather different.
Iies above
aboye all in the way information about developments
The reason for that lies
in Russian art since World War 11 has reached the West. Moscow Conceptualism is
an art movement that evolved within the independent, unofficial art scene in Mos19605, 1970s,
19705, and 1980s.
19805. This scene emerged in the larger cities of the
cow in the 1960s,
Soviet Union almost immediately after Stalin's death in 1953. Although it was tolerated by the relevant authorities, it was almost entirely cut off from both official
media . For that reason, informaexhibition activity and the state-controlled mass media.
tion about this scene was not available to broader audiences either in the Soviet
Union or the West. The few Western collectors who were already interested in
unofficial Russian art back then could not get an overview of the whole scene. The
selection of works was usually random and determined primarily by the personal
acquaintances and individual preferences of the collector in question. Moreover,
the conditions for acquiring and exporting unofficial works of art often entailed quite
Un ion.
a bit of risk. Nor did the situation improve much with the end of the Soviet Union.
1990s were
The Western curators and collectors who traveled to Russia in the 19905
na mes that were
confronted with a large number of unfamiliar artworks signed with names
just
as unfamiliar. Once again, it was largely a matter of following chance and perjustas
sonal intuition. Numerous exhibitions resulted that attempted to offer a survey of
Russian art current at the time. From an art historical perspective, however, they
mixed up very different, often incompatible artistic positions.
In contrast to, say, Surrealism, Arte Povera,
Pavera, or Pop Art, Moscow Conceptualism
was not initially presented to a wider audience as a specific art movement defined
Fundacin Juan March
30 1I 31
by a shared aesthetic and a binding group ideology that later broke down into inbeca me acquainted with the art of Moscow
dividual artistic positions. The West became
It started in the 1990s, ata
at a time when the origConceptualism in the opposite way. lt
inal group dynamic was beginning to wane and the shared ideology was crumbling.
bed but without the historical conabsorbed
Hence works by individual artists were absor
It was not
text in which they had been produced being addressed clearly enough. lt
p. In the
up.
just in the East that the Cold War necessitated a later period of catching u
in were
Iron Curta
Curtain
West, too, many cultural events that had taken place behind the lron
overlooked. We have set ourselves the task in our exhibition to remedy this deficit
and to document both the history and ideology of Moscow Conceptualism as comna me deserves particular analysis. The atpletely as possible. Even the group's name
tribute "Moscow" may seem to be unproblematic at first, as it was indeed a group
of artists in Moscow. The term "Conceptualism" poses greater problems, however.
It obviously refers to the Western-more precisely, Anglo-American-Conceptual
lt
Art of the 1960s, which may give the impression it was merely an attempt to relocate Western Conceptual Art to Moscow. The artistic praxis of the group Art &
Language and that of Joseph Kosuth was indeed well known to the Moscow Conceptualists, thanks to Western journals and catalogues that made it to Moscow at
the time. Yet this praxis underwent a fundamental transformation in Moscow. The
name..
attribute "Moscow" is thus more a program than a mere place name
The nature of the transformation that Conceptual Art underwent in Russia resulted from the specific circumstances under which art as a whole functioned in
the Soviet Union.
Un ion. Conceptual Art can be characterized briefly as the result of putting
image and text on the same leve!.
level. The image is replaced by a written commentary,
critica! statement. This use of language
by a description of a certain art project, by a critical
art. In the
can be seen as a dematerialization and hence decommercialization of arto
capitalist West, the artwork is aboye
above all a commodity. Art is primarily defined by the
art market. Every commodity, however, is first and foremost a material object.
Hence it was very tempting at first to see the substitution of the artwork by the
word as a path from the "materialist" art market to the freedom of the immaterial and hence the unsalable, the "unexchangeable." Meanwhile, of course, it has
become clear that text is also a kind of image, because language has its own materiality, and that Conceptual Art cannot therefore lead the artwork to immateriality or liberate it from commerce. In retrospect, Conceptual Art can rather be seen
lang,uage. In any
as a crucial step toward objectifying and hence commercializing lang,uage.
case, the relationship of art to the art market-and to the market in general-was
and is a central theme for Western Conceptualist theory and praxis.
In the Soviet Union, by contrast, there was no market and hence no art market.
The value of a work of art was determined not by the rules of the market economy
Fundacin Juan March
BORIS GROYS 1/ COMMUNIST CONCEPTUAL ART
ion in
Unon
but by the rules of the symbolic economy that governed life in the Soviet Un
id down
laid
general. There were rules of social recognition and political relevance as la
in certain texts-whether official statements or unofficial pamphlets-that deterarto Thus the theoretical, philosophical, ideomined the value of every single work of art.
logical, or art historical commentary on an artwork-and not its price-ultimately
decided its fate. Or rather the ideological texts circulated in the Soviet symbolic
just as money circulated in the Western market economy. lt
It could be said
economy justas
that Soviet culture had always been conceptual-indeed, in its entirety. When
at a painting, normal Soviet viewers quite automatically, without ever having
looking ata
aced by its possible ideorepl,aced
heard of Art & Language, saw this painting inherently repl.
logical-political-philosophical commentary, and they took only this commentary into
account when assessing the painting in question-as Soviet, half-Soviet, non-Soviet,
anti-Soviet, and so on. From this it followed that the explicit use of texts of art commentary, philosophy, ideology, science, or literature in the artwork as practiced by
Moscow Conceptualists functioned primarily to reveal the procedure that defined all
Sovietculture-and
not as an alternative toa
to a Western-style market economy.
culture-and notas
of Soviet
In a certain sense, however, Moscow Conceptual Art was quite closely related
to Western Conceptual Art. Anglo-American Conceptual Art of the 1960s and 1970s
was primarily concerned with the question "What is art?" For that reason, it is
often seen as a point of departure for institutional critique. And while the market
did not need discursively formulated definitions of art, the bureaucracy that governs the museums, exhibition halls, and other institutions of art needed them to
justify and legitimize its decisions. It
lt could thus be said that by moving away from
the market and asking the question "What is art?" Conceptual Art ventured forward
into the discursive realm that had previously been reserved for bureaucratically
run institutions. This is particularly true of continental European Conceptual Art
such as that of Marcel Broodthaers or Hans Haacke. 1 The institutional critique that
had its origins in Conceptual Art was relatively uninterested in mass culture and
left it to Pop Art and the artists in that tradition to descend into the dregs of mass
culture. In that sense, one could say that Western Pop Art and Conceptual Art divided up the realms into which Western culture is split. Pop Art was concerned with
commercial, "Iow"
"low" mass culture, which was considered low precisely because it is
disseminated outside the discursive, institutional legitimization of art-that is to
say, outside the question "What is art?" Conceptual Art, by contrast, was concerned with institutional, "high" art and made institutional criteria of assessment
and recognition, of inclusion and exclusion, its themes.
1 Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, "Conceptual Art, 1962-1969: From the Aesthetic of Administration to the Critique
issue , October 42 (1987),
of Institutions,"
lnterviews, Photographs, special issue,
Broodthaers: Writings, Interviews,
lnstitutions," in 8roodthaers:
pp. 119-55.
Fundacin Juan March
32 1/ 33
33
32
It is
is well
well known,
known, of
of course,
course, that
that the
the Soviet
Soviet Union
Union was
was one
one great
great bureaucratibureaucratilt
cally administered
administered institution.
institution. There
There was
was no
no distinction
distinction between
between commercialized
commercialized
cally
mass culture
culture and
and institutionalized
institutionalized high
high culture.
culture. Soviet
Soviet culture
culture was
was uniform-and
uniform-and
mass
it was exclusively institutional in character. The administration of everyday mass
centralized, bureaucratic, and institutional as that of high
culture was just as centralizad,
culture-and was assessed, recognized, and disseminated by essentially the same
ideologically correct criteria. For that reason, the official discourse on what art is
had an all-determining role in all areas of Soviet culture. The main modus operandi
of Moscow Conceptualism was to exploit, vary, and analyze this official discourse
privately, ironically, and profanely. In that sense, the Moscow Conceptualists were
practicing a kind of enlightenment-specifically, total enlightenment. As Hegel
01 Spirit, enlightenment-that is to say, the free
rightly noted in his Phenomenology of
use of one's own reason-can only succeed in a society that has already acknowledged reason as its basis; for example, divine reason in France before the rise of
the EnlightenmenU The Catholic Church had already acknowledged reason-understood to mean God's reason-to be omnipotent. And so it was an easy game for the
Enlightenment to practice a kind of privatization of reason and ironically comment
on the Church's monopoly as a consequence of a lack of reason, of prejudice. The
Soviet system was also based on reason-namely, Marxism as the embodiment of
historical reason-and specifically as a direct successor to the classical Enlightlt was thus an easy game for the opposition to try to depict the party's
enment. It
monopoly as the result of ideological blindness. Moreover, the Soviet state had
ac.cording to the taste of the party leaderalways been a kind of artwork designed ac'cording
ship and as the result of centralized
centralizad planning of all aspects of Soviet life. In that
sense, art was the most suitable means of enlightenment. Hence the Moscow Concritica! method to the entire Soviet
ceptualists could extend their analytical and critical
system; they could c1aim
reflect-all of Soviet culture. The Moscow Conceptualists
claim to reflect"all
understood their praxis to be enlightening Soviet culture about its own ideological
mechanisms.
In the process, the artists of the first generation of Moscow Conceptualism of
the 1960s and 1970s, such as lIya
llya Kabakov, Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid,
above all the language of the "simple
Dmitri Prigov, and Lev Rubinstein, employed aboye
censored
Soviet citizen." The carefully chosen and repeatedly censo
red formulations of official Soviet ideology were inevitably damaged and misplaced in their daily, "uncultivated" use and in the process, mixed with every conceivable purely private and
in particular, drew frequently
half-baked opinion. lIya
llya Kabakov and Dmitri Prigov, in
on this storehouse of everyday, uncultivated theorizing for their commentaries
place where
beca me a place
on their own art and that of others. Thus these commentaries became
practices suffered a linguistic
artistic practices
the most diverse theoretical discourses and artistic
Fundacin Juan March
BORIS GROYS
GROYS 1/ COMMUNIST
COMMUNIST CONCEPTUAL
CONCEPTUAL ART
ART
BORIS
catastrophe-and in
in aa way
way that
that was
was highly
highly entertaining
entertaining to
to the
the informed
informed viewer.
viewer.
catastrophe-and
Thus it
it may
may be
be said
said that
that Moscow
Moscow Conceptualism
Conceptualism took
took the
the discursive
discursive mass
mass culture
culture
Thus
world
the
over
its time
time as its
its subject:
subject: aa discursive
discursive culture
culture that
that may
may exist
exist all
all over the world but
but
of its
was particularly omnipresent in the Soviet Un ion of the time. Moscow Conceptualism was indeed a kind of Conceptual Art, but much more than that, it was a kind of
discursive Pop Art.
Moscow Conceptualism strongly resembled Conceptual movements in the West
Moscow
in another important respect: the systematic organization of a counter-public or,
as it were, a micro-public. The Moscow Conceptualists made their art for a small
It could be claimed
public consisting of the artists themselves and their friends. lt
that this situation arose of necessity, since the artists were subject to Soviet
ideological censorship. That is certainly correct, and the artists did suffer under
their isolation from the broader public. Yet they did not protest this censorship
to do. This
publicly, nor did they try to loosen it, as many other Soviet artists tried todo.
Soviet
the
was not entirely due to their desire to avoid a direct confrontation with
authorities. They did not try to fight existing art institutions but rather to create
their own, independent art institution. In a sense, nearly all the avant-garde movements of the twentieth century were structured in that way. They all created a
micro-public that was programmatically separated from the larger public.
the art of the 1960s to create
One can also observe numerous attempts in _the
lnternational and the Art & Language group could
micro-publics. The Situationist International
ereserve as examples. In both cases, the goal of forming an artistic group was to create an independent space for social analysis, for an aesthetic metaposition, and for
a communal praxis.
lt
The entire unofficial Soviet art scene represented one such counter-public. It
was, however, aboye
all
the
Moscow
Conceptualists
who
systematically
built
and
above
maintained this counter-public. They met regularly to discuss new works and texts.
They had their own publications and circulated international ones; they established
archives. Andrei Monastyrski and his group Collective Actions in particular contributed in the mid-1970s to setting in motion a kind of self-institutionalization of
Moscow
Mosc"ow Conceptualism. Monastyrski organized performances to which he invited
other Moscow Conceptualists, and they were meticulously, almost bureaucratically,
documented, commented on, and archived. Monastyrski also involved many young
artists in the group's activities and deeply impressed them with his ascetic attitude
toward art and systematic approach. These young artists, such as Pavel Pepperstein, Vadim Zakharov, and Yuri Albert, only began to work actively in the 1980s,
but they nevertheless saw themselves as members of the Moscow Conceptualist
333ff.
pp. 333ff.
1977), pp.
(Oxford, 1977),
Miller (Oxford,
V. Miller
A. V.
trans. A.
22 Georg
Spirit, transo
of Spirit,
Phenomenology o/
Hegel , PhenomenoJogy
Friedrich Hegel,
Wilhelm Friedrich
Georg Wilhelm
Fundacin Juan March
34 1I 35
35
34
group. That
That is
is why
why Moscow
Conceptualism has
has two
two generations
generations of
of artists-an
artists-an unungroup.
usual phenomenon
phenomenon in
in the
the history
history of
of art.
arto
usual
end of
of the
the Soviet
Soviet Un
Union
in 1991,
1991, all
all of
of the
the Soviet
Soviet state
state institutions
institutions were
were
With the
the end
ion in
With
facto dissolved or became
beca me irrelevant. In the post-Soviet era, the tradition of
de tacto
Moscow Conceptualism acquired a special significance, since this group, which also
included curators and art critics, formed the core of the new public for art that
It can, of course, be said that the panorama of Russian art
was emerging in Russia. lt
has changed and diversified enormously in recent decades. Even if the influence
of Moscow Conceptua.
Conceptua.lism
lism on Russian art today is still strong, the conditions under
pasto With the ex.ception of Prigov, who
which it emerged and evolved belong to the past.
recently died, all of the Moscow Conceptualists whose works are presented in this
show are alive and working successfully. Nevertheless, Moscow Conceptualism may
be regarded today as a historically concluded phenomenon-and that is why the
present exhibition contains no current works but only those from the time when
the Moscow Conceptualists hada
had a certain unity. In that respect, Moscow Conceptualism still offers an example of how it is possible, even under conditions of a mass
culture that dominates everything, for an artistic group to create its own institutions and establish them in society.
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
36 1/ 37
37
36
TUALISMO
CONCEPTUALISMO
EL CONCEP
MOSCOVITA.
ITA.
MOSCOV
,
A
ESTETICA
HISTORIA
A E HISTORI
ESTETIC
.
80brnskaia
Los artistas a 105

los que se suele adscribir al "Conceptualismo moscovita", no se parecen nada entre s. No obstante, esa pluralidad de mundos artsticos heterogneos configura una orientacin que posee unidad interna. La unidad no se constituye en el nivel de 105
los rasgos externos, sino en el del propio mtodo de creacin y
en el de la relacin con 105
los contextos del arte (histrico, social, individual). En
el Conceptualismo moscovita
uno de sus artculos, el poeta Lev Rubinshtein defini el
Fundacin Juan March
EKATERINA BOBRNSKAIA
BOBRNSKAIA 1/ EL
EL CONCEPTUALISMO
CONCEPTUALISMO MOSCOVITA
MOSCOVITA.. ESTtTICA
ESTtTICA E
E HISTORIA
HISTORIA
EKATERINA
como "arte
"arte de
de las
las relaciones".
relaciones". En
En el
el arte
arte conceptual,
conceptual, segn
segn sus
sus palabras,
palabras, "el
"el
como
relala
de
el
en
sino
problema
de
la
'novedad'
no
se
resuelve
en
el
nivel
del
estilo,
sino
en
el
de
la
relaestilo,
del
nivel
el
en
resuelve
se
no
problema de la 'novedad'
el estilo.
estilo. Es siempre un sistema de relaciones (y
(y una dilucidacin de recin con
con el
cin
laciones) -entre la 'presencia' y la 'ausencia' del autor en el texto, entre 'su'

1
Precisamente en
discurso y el 'ajeno', entre el sentido 'recto' y el 'traslaticio'-"
'traslaticio'-"1.
el nivel de tales estrategias de interaccin con la sociedad y la tradicin artstica
surgi un fenmeno especial en la historia de la cultura no oficial sovitica: el Conceptualismo moscovita22
Los primeros trabajos que se pueden adscribir al Conceptualismo aparecen al
lIi Kabakov. Desde el principio de los aos 70 se
final de los aos 60 en la obra de lli
puede hablar con seguridad del Conceptualismo moscovita como una corriente independiente dentro de la cultura no oficial, corriente representada por aquel enlIi Kabakov, Vitali Komar y Aleksandr Melamid, Rimma y Valeri
tonces en la obra de lli
Guerlovin, Vktor Pivovrov, Erik Bultov, Leonid Skov, lvn
Ivn Chuikov, Andrei Monastyrski. Hacia mediados de los aos 70 el conceptualismo moscovita deviene la corriente principal de la cultura sovitica no oficial. En la segunda mitad de los aos
70 y en los aos 80, al Conceptualismo moscovita est ligada la obra del grupo Acgor Makrevich, Elena Elciones Colectivas -Andrei Monastyrski, Nikita Aleksev, gor
guina, Gueorgui Kizeval'ter, Serguei Romashko, Nikolai Pnitkov-, as como la de
Dmitri Prgov, Elena Elguina, gor
gor Makrevich, Nikolai Pnitkov, Natalia Abalkova,
Anatoli Zhilgov y tambin distintos trabajos de los artistas Eduard Gorojovski,
Grisha Bruskin, Vagrich Bajchanin, Bors Mijilov, Larisa Zvezdochiotovaia y Andrei
Filppov; tambin la del grupo Nido -G. Donskoi, Mijal Roshal, Vktor Skersis- y la del
grupo Mujomores -Konstantn Zvezdochitov, Vladmir y Serguei Mironenko, Sven
Gndlaj.
Gndlaj.
A finales de.
de. los aos 70 se dan a conocer jvenes artistas que continan y a la
vez reinterpretan las tradiciones de la generacin mayor del Conceptualismo moscovita: Vadim Zajrov, Vktor Skersis, luri Albert, y en los 80, el grupo Inspeccin
Hermenutica Mdica -Serguei Anfriev, luri Liderman, Pvel Pppershtein. La
segunda generacin de los conceptualistas no es simplemente un relevo generacional. Su surgimiento estuvo ligado a la formulacin de nuevas estrategias y a la elaboracin de un nuevo crculo de problemas.
48.
lskusstvo, 1 (1990), p. 4B.
1 Lev Rubinshtein, "Prlogo preliminar a un ensayo de
de creacin verbal conceptual", Iskusstvo,
la consolidacin de
2 Entre los artistas y literatos, el trmino "Conceptualismo"
"Conceptualismo " se difunde mucho tras la
constituido
haba constituido
se haba
ya se
Conceptualismo ya
el Conceptualismo
esta
cuando el
70, cuando
aos 70,
los aos
de los
mitad de
primera mitad
la primera
En la
tendencia. En
esta tendencia.
por
slo por
utilizado slo
era utilizado
"Conceptualismo" era
como
trmino "Conceptualismo"
el trmino
oficial , el
no oficial,
cultura no
la cultura
en la
aparte en
corriente aparte
una corriente
como una
moscovita "
romntico moscovita"
Conceptualismo romntico
"El Conceptualismo
unos
artculo "El
del artculo
1979 del
en 1979
publicac in en
la publicacin
de la
Despus de
pocos. Despus
unos pocos.
una
en una
convierte en
se convierte
moscovita" se
de
" Conceptualismo moscovita"
expresin "Conceptualismo
la expresin
A-Ja, la
revista A-Jo,
la revista
en la
Groys en
Bors Groys
de Bors
de
mbito de
el mbito
en el
trabajaban en
que trabajaban
literatos que
denominacin
artistas yy literatos
de artistas
crculo de
el crculo
para el
general para
aceptacin general
de aceptacin
denominacin de
la
relaciones ".
las relaciones".
de las
" esttica de
la "esttica
Fundacin Juan March
38 1
/ 39
familiarizados
Desde luego, en los aos 60 y 70 los artistas moscovitas estaban familiarizados
en cierta medida con el arte occidental del momento. Su fuente de informacin eran
publicaciones de la prensa extranjera y catlogos de exposiciones que iban a
parar a la URSS. Sin embargo, no hay que sobrevalorar la importancia de esa informacin. La versin de la esttica conceptual que se form en el arte sovitico no
oficial se apoyaba en gran medida en la tradicin artstica local y estaba ligada, la
mayora de las veces, a una problemtica arraigada en el contexto cultural ruso.
A algunas tendencias que existan en el arte no oficial ya en los aos 60, se las
puede llamar preconceptuales. El viraje, desde la estilstica expresiva, metafrica,
propia de la creacin de la mayora de los artistas no oficiales en los aos 50 y 60,
a la posicin analtica y distanciada del artista-investigador, fue decisivo para la
historia del Conceptualismo moscovita. Los primeros presagios de tal viraje aparecen hacia mediados de los aos 60. En ese momento se puede hablar de la formacin, en los artistas, de una posicin analtica y crtica con respecto al concepto
mismo de "arte" y de una renuncia programtica a la orientacin hacia las formas
"histricas", "museales", del arte.
Los primeros ejemplos de la interpretacin preconceptual del ~rte Pop en el
arte no oficial de los aos 60 se encuentran en la obra de Oskar Rabin. Los letreros,
las etiquetas, las seales de trnsito, los signos de jerarquas y relaciones sociales, adquieren en muchos de sus cuadros una vida independiente. Es en el mundo
artstico de Oskar Rabin donde la basura cobra por vez primera en el arte no oficial un significado independiente, simblico. Ya en las obras de Rabin de los aos
60 se pueden ver los orgenes de la llamada "esttica de la basura", que los conceptualistas desarrollarn en los aos 70 y 80.
La nueva actitud hacia el medio social, desprovista de patetismo o de crtica
agresiva, result otro fenmeno preconceptual en el arte de los 60. En ls collages
de Vagrich Bajchanin, la manipulacin de la simbologa poltica y de la cultura de
masas se apoya en las nuevas estrategias de desplazamiento de los acentos acostumbrados, de violacin de los vnculos estructurales, que sern desarrolladas en
los aos 70 y 80 por los conceptualistas. En sus collages se pueden adivinar los
contornos de un lenguaje artstico no orientado a la creacin de una realidad artstica autnoma, sino a la investigacin analtica, y a la vez ldica, de la mecnica del
funcionamiento de los signos y smbolos de la prctica social, de la lgica de supersu percepcin, del nacimiento y destruccin del sentido en ellos.
El Conceptualismo moscovita es el proyecto artstico ms integral y exitoso
de la cultura sovitica no oficial. Uno de los principales ingredientes de su xito
est ligado a un nuevo sistema de relaciones con la sociedad sovitica. En lugar de
entregarse a la fucha por un lugar en la jerarqua cultural sovitica -que inspiraba
la cultura no oficial en los aos 50 y 60-, los conceptualistas recurren a la crea-
Fundacin Juan March
BOBRNSKAIA 1I El
EL CONCEPTUALISMO
MOSCOVITA.. ESTTICA
ESTTICA E
E HISTORIA
HISTORIA
EKATERINA
cin de
de una
una "sociedad"
"sociedad" paralela,
paralela, con
con sus
sus estructuras,
estructuras, jerarquas
jerarquas ee instituciones.
instituciones.
cin
dimensin
Esta actividad
actividad de
de los
los conceptualistas
conceptualistas moscovitas
moscovitas no
no slo
slo tiene
tiene una
una dimensin sosoEsta
ciolgica, sino
sino que
que puede
puede ser
ser considerada
considerada tambin
tambin como
como un
un proyecto
proyecto artstico
artstico esesciolgica,
pecfico.
pecfico.
En vez
vez de
de producir
producir objetos
objetos artsticos
artsticos autosuficientes,
autosuficientes, los
los conceptualistas
conceptualistas
En
empezaron aa ocuparse
ocuparse de
de la
la elaboracin
elaboracin de
de estrategias
estrategias con
con cuya
cuya ayuda
ayuda determinadeterminaempezaron
conciencia
la
en
legal
estatus
un
adquirir
das
concepciones
artsticas
pudieran
adquirir
un
estatus
legal
en
la
conciencia
pudieran
artsticas
das concepciones
Para ello
ello se
se sirvieron
sirvieron de
de los
los instrumentos
instrumentos de
de institucionalizacin
institucionalizacin habituales
habituales
social. Para
social.
en la
la sociedad
sociedad (lenguaje,
(lenguaje, medios
medios de
de comunicacin,
comunicacin, sistemas
sistemas de
de informacin,
informacin, etc.),
etc.),
en
dicha
injertar
de
va
paradjica
la
por
asimilando
su
metodologa.
De
modo
que,
por
la
paradjica
va
de
injertar
dicha
que,
modo
De
asimilando su metodologa.
artstitrataba de librar al mundo
metodologa en el arte mismo, el Conceptualismo trataba
co de la presin externa.
En ausencia de las posibilidades de una actividad pblica abierta, los conceptualistas crearon un mundo cerrado y autosuficiente que garantizaba tanto la produccin de arte como su descripcin crtica, su archivo y la posibilidad de ser
objeto museable. Se erigi una comunidad, pequea por la cantidad de participantes, fundamentada no sobre la base de la unidad formal, sino sobre la del "trato
vivo". El constante intercambio de informacin, los debates, las presentaciones y
discusiones regulares de trabajos llegaron a ser los principales elementos vinculantes de la misma. Tambin algunos proyectos artsticos resultaron ser un importante instrumento que unific al Conceptualismo moscovita. Las acciones del
grupo Acciones Colectivas constituyeron un buen ejemplo de esa confluencia en un
proyecto artstico-social. En los aos 70 y principios de los aos 80, esas acciones
tenan lugar con regularidad, reuniendo siempre a una considerable cantidad de
pblico. Cada accin se acompaaba de un aparato explicativo especial: textos de
los participantes, de los espectadores, dilogos y artculos tericos. Los viajes al
lugar de las acciones 3 , la participacin en las discusiones de stas y el entrar en
conocimiento de los textos acompaantes resultaron instrumentos que estructuraron la prctica artstica del Conceptualismo moscovita. En gran medida fue
precisamente la actividad de ese grupo la que inici la elaboracin de un lenguaje
descriptivo propio y de las diferentes estrategias interpretativas del Conceptualismo moscovita.
Dentro del Conceptualismo moscovita se elabor tambin una prctica propia de archivo y musealizacin. El archivo deviene, en la esttica del Conceptuahasta
mismo hasta
viaje mismo
ciudad . ElEl viaje
la ciudad.
de la
afueras de
las afueras
en las
70 en
aos 70
33 La
los aos
en los
realizaron en
se realizaron
acciones se
las acciones
de las
mayora de
la mayora
performance.
la performance.
de la
importante de
parte importante
una parte
el
devena una
accin devena
la accin
ocurra la
que ocurra
en que
lugar en
el lugar
mecanografiados
tomos mecanografiados
de tomos
forma de
en forma
existan en
ciudad existan
44 Inicialmente
la ciudad
de la
afueras de
las afueras
Viajes aa las
libros Viajes
los libros
Inicialmente los
fueron
gorod, fueron
za gorod,
Poezdki za
mecanografiados, Poezdki
tomos mecanografiados,
con
los tomos
1998, los
En 199B,
mapas. En
esquemas yy mapas.
fotografas, esquemas
con fotografas,
editados
Mosc.
de Mosc.
Margine m de
Ad Marginem
editorial Ad
la editorial
por la
editados por
Fundacin Juan March
40 1I 41
lismo moscovita, una nueva modalidad de creacin. Proyectos artsticos de ar':'

ar.:.
chivo semejantes resultaron ser los libros de materiales de Acciones Colectivas,
titulados Viajes a las afueras de la ciudad 4 ; la serie de lbumes samizdat de lli
lIi
Kabakov 5 ; la creacin del Archivo Moscovita del Nuevo Arte (MANI) -carpetas que
incluan obras de arte conceptual, fotografas de trabajos y textos tericos 6 - . En
1988, los conceptualistas moscovitas crearon su propia coleccin musestica: el
Museo del MANI [fig.9/p.48l
[fig . 9/p.4BJ 7 En los aos 90, el proyecto archivstico tuvo continuidad en la actividad editorial de Vadim Zajrov 86
La principal estrategia de los conceptualistas en sus relaciones con la sociedad
sovitica es la de la existencia al margen (Al margen es el ttulo de uno de los traba"gra n" mundo del arte. La instalacin de
jos de lli
lIi Kabakov), en la periferia del "gran"
[fig.10/p . 4Bl, de la serie Diez perKabakov El hombre que no tiraba nada (1988) [fig.10/p.48l,
sonajes, presenta la historia de un hombre que ha reunido y sistematizado cuidadosamente las insignificantes marginalia de la vida humana: basura intil, restos,
fragmentos de diferentes objetos, papelitos, comprobantes, etc. Al describir la
vida "imperceptible" de su hroe dentro del espacio de un apartamento comunal
multifamiliar muy poblado, Kabakov reproduce al mismo tiempo el esquema de la
c_rea
existencia del Conceptualismo moscovita dentro de la sociedad sovitica y c.rea
una interpretacin irnica de la esttica de las marginalia y del arte existente "al
margen" de la cultura sovitica oficial.
La estrategia de la existencia "al margen" devino parte importante de la esttica del Conceptualismo moscovita. Precisamente a ella se puede vincular el inters
de los artistas por lo imperceptible, lo banal, lo aburrido, lo apagado y lo marginal.
Tal posicin propona un nuevo tipo de relaciones: la investigacin y el anlisis distanciados de la mecnica interna de la sociedad trasladaban el acento, de la activisocial , al trabajo con el "campo de la conciencia".
dad social,
En los aos 80 una nueva generacin de artistas cambia del nfasis del proyecto social del Conceptualismo moscovita. La prctica de la existencia "al margen"
y de la creacin de una comunidad "cerrada" es complementada con la prctica de
las intervenciones en la sociedad sovitica, de la creacin de proyectos que se realizan en el espacio social real, pero que existen en l de manera imperceptible. En el
ao 1979, el grupo Mujomores lleva a cabo la accin Metro: desde el momento en
que se abra el metro hasta el momento en que se cerraba, los miembros del grupo
se trasladaban por las estaciones con arreglo a un grfico preparado de antemano,
apuntaban en un diario las observaciones y tomaban fotos. El proyecto artstico de
los Mujomores, dedicado a adaptar para la vida uno de los espacios ms de culto y
simblicos
simblicos de la cultura sovitica, permaneci prcticamente imperceptible para
ajeno 9 Por ltimo, otra orientacin en los proyectos sociales del
el observador ajen0
"segundo Conceptualismo" fue la ligada a la investigacin de la propia comunidad
Fundacin Juan March
BOBRNSKAIA 1
/ EL CONCEPTUALISMO MOSCOVITA
MOSCOVITA.. ESTTICA E HISTORIA
EKATERINA
conceptual -de sus mtodos, estrategias y tradiciones- como un fenmeno social

2B6-2B7] fue
especial. La accin Adquir enemigos (1982) de Vadim Zajrov [pp. 2B6-287l
uno de los los primeros trabajos de ese crculo.
Al conversar sobre el Conceptualismo sovitico, no raras veces surge el tema
de la especial predisposicin de la cultura rusa hacia la versin conceptual del arte.
Se vincula la "conceptualidad" de la cultura rusa con el carcter especulativo, nsito ya en el arte religioso de la Rusia antigua; con el inters de los artistas rusos por
la solucin de problemas extraestticos (sociales, morales) y, en correspondencia
con ello, con la disminucin de la importancia del lenguaje plstico; por ltimo, se la
tambin
in con una especial veneracin hacia el texto, que se manifestara,
vincula tamb
por una parte, en una actitud casi de 9ulto hacia la literatura y los literatos, y, por
otra, en la confianza "ciega" en la propaganda de los peridicos y dems propaganda ideolgica. Esta ltima, en la poca sovitica -un texto total que somete a
su lgica la vida entera- devino otra circunstancia "favorable" para el surgimiento
del Conceptualismo. La ideologizacin del espacio de la vida cotidiana era considerada por muchos artistas como una importante condicin para la creacin de una
especial versin del arte que trabaja con ideas y con textos, y con las funciones de
ambos.
Ms de una vez haban surgido, pues, diversos gneros de presagios del Conceptualismo en la cultura rusa. Es dudoso que los artistas moscovitas estuvieran
1920
191 OyY1920
versados en los experimentos "conceptuales" en el arte ruso de los aos 1910
del siglo XX. No obstante, los ensayos "conceptuales" de principios de siglo no deben
ser considerados simplemente como coincidencias casuales, sino como un importante testimonio de la predisposicin de la cultura rusa para el arte conceptual.
Una de las obras "conceptuales" ms radicales es una serie de dibujos de Kazimir Malvich, de.
de_los aos 1915 y 1916, que exhiben palabras o frases sueltas que,
colocadas en un marco, sustituyen la representacin visual ("Me robaron la cartera
. 11-12/pp . 48-49]. Malvich comenen el tranva", "Ria en el bulevar", "Aldea") [figs .11-121pp.
t uno de esos dibujos especulativos de la manera siguiente: "En lugar de pintar
xx.
5 A principios de los aos 80, lIya

llya Kabakov cre una serie de lbumes en samizdat, en las cuales
aparecan sus propios textos, textos acompaantes extrados de los lbumes y tambin una lista general
de las obras ejecutadas por
po r el artista hasta ese momento.
6 En esos aos tambin se editaron en samizdat libros temticos del MANI: recopilaciones mecanogrficas
con fotografas y, a veces, con dibujos originales.
originales.
conceptual istas, e
7 La coleccin fue reunida por Nikolai Panitkov a partir de obsequios de los artistas conceptualistas,
inicialmente estuvo instalada en la casa de Panitkov en las afueras de la ciudad.
ed itorial Pastor Zond
8 En 1992,
1992 , Vadim Zajrov comienza a editar en Colonia la revista Pastor y crea la editorial
Edition.
9 Una estrategia parecida de intervenciones "imperceptibles"
" imperceptibles " en el espacio social encontr continuidad
en la actividad del grupo S-Z (Skersis y ZajrovJ.
Zajrov) .
10 Kazimir Malvich,
p. 19.
2000 , p.
Mosc , 2000,
Poeziia , Mosc,
Malvich , Poeziia,
Fundacin Juan March
42 1I 43
uo
chozas en los rincones de la naturaleza, es mejor escribir 'Aldea', y en cada urio
10
El cuadro-texto existotalidad"10.
surgir ella con detalles ms minuciosos y en su totalidad"
te en estos trabajos de Malvich como un proyecto especulativo, como una partitura para la conciencia y la imaginacin del espectador. A diferencia del cuadro
habitual, ste abre ante el espectador un espacio de libertad, es decir, de especulacin pura.
lIi Kabakov, Culpable (1982), reproduce el
A primera vista, el cuadro-texto de lli
mismo esquema: la palabra sustituye a la representacin visual, dejando al espectador la sola posibilidad de construir y contemplar especulativamente el "cuadro".
Sin embargo, hay una diferencia de principio. El Conceptualismo de Malvich es utpico. En l la palabra sirve de gua que conduce a una realidad distinta, especulativa
y, para Malvich, autntica, libre. En Kabakov la palabra no sustituye al estereotipo
necrosado de la visin del cuadro, sino que, por el contrario, lo reproduce. El cuadro-texto de Kabakov pone al descubierto la insuperable dependencia de nuestra
vista respecto del lenguaje, pone en tela de juicio nuestra capacidad de ver algo sin
apoyarnos en la palabra.
Otra versin del arte preconceptual es la representada por la obra de Aleksandr
Rdchenko.. En el otoo de 1921, en la exposicin 5 x 5 =25, este artista mostr sus
Rdchenko
clebres Tablas monocromas o Trptico de cuadrados de puro color-Rojo, Amarillo,
Azul. Estas obras eran tres tablas idnticas, pintadas uniformemente con pintura
roja, amarilla y azul. Las Tablas monocromas mostraban el grado cero de la pintura y
eran el prlogo a una nueva especie de creacin artstica: el objeto. Rdchenko priv
al cuadro de contenido literario, de alusiones psicolgicas y de aura emocional.
La interpretacin del cuadro tradicional como objeto "vaco" en el Conceptualismo moscovita se remonta a esas Tablas monocromas. El cuadro conceptual, por
una parte, pone de manifiesto la naturaleza lingstica de toda representacin visuper ficie que no
sual, y, por otra, vaca el cuadro, es decir, lo convierte en una superficie
representa nada, excepto a s misma. El grado informativo cero de muchas obras
conceptuales las convierte en objetos que narran exclusivamente la vida del lenguaje representativo-visual o del texto. Los cuadros de los conceptualistas se
c'onstruyen
construyen a semejanza de las afirmaciones tautolgicas: el cuadro representa un
cuadro. Enunciados tautolgicos as son cuadros como las citas totales del estilo
del Realismo socialista sovitico (lIi
(lli Kabakov, iBuenos das, maana de nuestra
Patria!, 1981) o de la ptica especfica de la foto sovitica (rik Bultov, Calle Krsikova,
sikova, 1977). Otra variante de tales obras son los objetos de Leonid Skov, en los
que las relaciones entre la palabra y la imagen visual se construyen seg~ el principio de los enunciados tautolgicos, de la visualizacin rgida de frases hechas,
vista , 1976; Lago
conceptos abstractos o denominaciones geogrficas (Punto de vista,
Baikal, 1975).
Fundacin Juan March
BOBRNSKAIA 1I EL
EL CONCEPTUALISMO
MOSCOVITA.. ESTTICA
ESTTICA E
E HISTORIA
HISTORIA
EKATERINA
Las tendencias
tendencias preconceptuales
preconceptuales en
en la
la cultura
cultura rusa
rusa surgieron
surgieron aa menudo
menudo en
en la
la
Las
O yY1920,
frontera entre
entre la
la literatura
literatura yy la
la creacin
creacin plstica.
plstica. Entre
Entre los
los aos
aos 191
1910
1920, la
la
frontera
poesa
de
formas
diferentes
a
veces
literatura
de
vanguardia
recurri
no
de
pocas
no
recurri
literatura
puramente especulativa, a gestos artsticos que proclamaban una radical desmateera
rializacin del arte: Poema del fin de Vasilsk Gndov era una pgina en blanco, yyera
leda por el autor slo "con un ritmo-movimiento de la
la mano"; el poema Logaritmo
Ivn lgntiev,
Igntiev, segn palabras del autor, "no poda ser ejecutado de
azul celeste de lvn
manera tipo-litogrfica"; tampoco la poesa de cifras de Velemir Jlbnikov y Aleksi
Kruchinyj poda "leerse" ms que de manera abstracta.
Otro tipo de experimentos preconceptuales en el arte ruso de principios de
siglo fue el ligado, hablando convencionalmente, a las tentativas estructuralistas
de trabajar con el lenguaje. En los aos 20, el poeta constructivista Aleksei Chicherin se ocupaba de esas investigaciones. Renunci a trabajar con determinados
estilos literarios, a crear nuevas formas de lenguaje, pero recurri a la investigacin de las condiciones de la percepcin de ste y a las particularidades funcionales del "signo de la poesa". Chicherin tambin renunci programticamente
a los privilegios de la palabra en la poesa, abriendo camino para la creacin de
una poesa visual y de la accin 1111.
La investigacin de las peculiaridades funcionales del "signo de la poesa" y,
ms ampliamente, del "signo del arte", atrajo constantemente la atencin de los
conceptualistas moscovitas. Una de las orientaciones de tales investigaciones en
la literatura conceptual fue la ligada a la transformacin del texto potico en objeto artstico, en accin artstica. Desde 1973, Lev Rubinshtein apuntaba sus obras
literarias en pequeas tarjetas de papel. En el proceso de la lectura, escogiendo y
variando su secuencia, el lector puede apropiarse el texto potico como un objeto
espacial y correlacionar su percepcin del texto con determinadas manipulaciones de
ese objeto. Andrei Monastyrski cre en los aos 70 una serie de objetos unidos en
el ciclo Poesa elemental. Esos objetos-acciones, basados en algn efecto paradjico,
se creaban como dispositivos rigurosamente funcionales para modelar en el espectamater ial para el signo
11 En el libro Kan-Fun,
Ale ksei Chicherin escribi: "el material
Kan-Fun , que apareci en el ao 1926, Aleksei
de la poesa debe ser un material
[ ... ] para el signo de la poesa sirve toda clase de
distinto , sin palabras [...]
material distinto,
materiales ".
colorantes y muchos otros materiales".
material...
metales, la madera, la tela, la pasta, los colorantes
las piedras, los metales,
material. .. las
Guer Rimma Guer12 La obra de muchos artistas conceptualistas estaba directamente ligada a la literatura. Rimma
poticos . Las primeras acciones del grupo
lvina y Andrei Monastyrski comenzaron con experimentos poticos.
accionista . La base liteAcciones Colectivas se situaban en el espacio fronterizo entre la poesa y el arte accionista.
de
Muchos cuadros de
Pivovrov. Muchos
Vktor Pivovrov.
raria
Kabakov yy Vktor
lli Kabakov
de lIi
lbumes de
los lbumes
de los
elemento de
importante elemento
un importante
es un
raria es
un
son un
litera r ios son
imgenes literarios
personajes ee imgenes
Los personajes
rik
Nekrsov. Los
Vsvolod Nekrsov.
de Vsvolod
poesa de
la poesa
ligados aa la
estn ligados
Bultov estn
rik Bultov
se
Mdica se
Hermenutica Mdica
grupo Hermenutica
del grupo
componente
actividad del
La actividad
Zajrov . La
Vadim Zajrov.
de Vadim
obra de
la obra
en la
constante en
componente constante
cuas iob r as cuasicomentarios, obras
dilogos, comentarios,
de dilogos,
forma de
desenvolva
en forma
texto : en
del texto:
territorio del
el territorio
en el
medida en
gran medida
en gran
desenvolva en
conceptualistas
literatos conceptualistas
son literatos
Sorokin son
cientficas
Vladmir Sorokin
Prgov yy Vladmir
Omitri Prgov
Rubinshtein, Omitri
Lev Rubinshtein,
literarias . Lev
cientficas oo literarias.
visual.
cuya
arte visual.
el arte
con el
directa con
ms directa
manera ms
la manera
de la
interacta de
obra interacta
cuya obra
Fundacin Juan March
44 1
I 45
dar, con ayuda de acciones elementales y recursos artsticos mnimos, determinados

dor,
El laconismo y el minimalismo de los recursos artsticos, la
de conciencia. E/laconismo
rgida estructura subyacente a los trabajos, y, al mismo tiempo, la ligereza ldica
y el carcter irnico conducan al participante de esas acciones poticas al espacio
de la experiencia interior paradjica, ininterpretable, e intraducible a un texto.
Toda una serie de peculiaridades de la esttica del Conceptualismo moscovita
est ligada a la interaccin programtica de ste con la literatura 12 El Conceptualismo moscovita no trabaja con la forma plstica, sino con diferentes tipos de
obje conciencia, con diferentes modos de pensar, que slo se reflejan en algunos objemateriales. Posiblemente por eso ha resultado ser la corriente ms "literaria"
tos materiales'.
en el arte ruso de las ltimas dcadas. El Conceptualismo es un arte de diferentes
estrategias de relacin con los contextos de su existencia -histrico, social, biogrfico, ideolgico-. La literatura, fenmeno clave para la cultura rusa, es uno de
los principales contextos con que trabaja constantemente el Conceptualismo
moscovita. Los conceptualistas investigan el fenmeno mismo del carcter esencia lmente literario de la cultura rusa, la especificidad de la sensacin "literaria" del
cialmente
"literaridad" la entienden los conceptualistas moscovimundo inherente a ella. Esa "Iiteraridad"
" guin mental" configurado por tradiciones seculares de
tas como una especie de "guin
la cultura escrita y libresca, como una trayectoria de movimiento predeterminada para la
la conciencia humana, de la que sta trata de desviarse y a la que, a
pesar de todo, regresa constantemente.
Los elementos literarios, narrativos, que se hallan en los trabajos de los conceptualistas moscovitas no vienen a ser un residuo arcaico casual, sino un instrulli Kabakov sita en el centro
mento de investigacin escogido intencionalmente. lIi
de muchos de sus lbumes, cuadros e instalaciones un argumento li~erario, incluye
en ellos el relato como uno de los elementos centrales. Las historias de Kabakov se
parecen a un ready-made: los textos estn construidos a base de clichs estilsticos y de un repertorio de lugares comunes. El
E/ artista los utiliza slo como un instrumento. A Kabakov le interesa, ante todo, no tanto esta o aquella historia contada
en los pequeos cuadros y comentada verbalmente, sino ms bien la propia estructura y lgica del pensamiento que genera la historia, la propia tradicin cultural de
ar tista cuenta la misma historia: cmo
narrar, comentar y describir. En realidad, el artista
de una multitud de voces, cuentos, observaciones, comentarios, se construye, se
visualiza la "realidad". Cmo esa "realidad" pone al descubierto su propio carcter
efmero y se desintegra, chocando con su sombra: la "palabra" o el esquema ideolg ico .
lgico.
La "esttica de las relaciones" conceptua
conceptuall est centrada ante todo en la investigacin del modo de funcionar de aquellas formas del arte en las que el lenguaje
impardesempea el papel principal. Es natural que la palabra, el texto, resulte un impore~tados
Fundacin Juan March
BOBRfNSKAIA 1/ EL
EL CONCEPTUALISMO
CONCEPTUALISMO MOSCOVITA.
MOSCOVITA. ESTTICA
ESTTICA E
E HISTORIA
HISTORIA
EKATERINA
tante componente
componente de
de la
la obra
obra conceptual.
conceptual. A
A los
los conceptualistas
conceptualistas les
les interesan
interesan las
las
tante
su
olvidado
ha
que
sujeto;
de
privado
de
autora;
el
lenguaje
privado
de
sujeto;
que
ha
olvidado
su
palabras
desprovistas
lenguaje
palabras desprovistas de autora; el
ser el
el lenguaje
lenguaje de
de los
los letreros,
letreros, de
de los
los carteles
carteles
naturaleza antropolgica.
antropolgica. ste
ste puede
puede ser
naturaleza
[fig.14/p.49),
Bultov, Peligroso, 1972) [fig.14/p
. 49l, de las consignas (Vitali Komar y Ale(rik Bultov,
[pp ..162-163);
ksandr Melamid, serie Eslogans, 1972) [pp
162-163]; el lenguaje de las diferentes
instancias sociales -formularios, certificados, recibos-, el lenguaje de las cocinas
(Ili Kabakov, instalacin 16 cuerde los apartamentos comunales multifamiliares (lli
das, 1983).
El lenguaje se asocia habitualmente con el principio autoritario, imperativo,
agresivo, y las relaciones del hombre con el lenguaje se entienden como un modelo
de sus relaciones con la sociedad. La irrupcin del lenguaje comunal, annimo, en la
esfera de lo privado, de lo personal, es uno de los temas fundamentales del Concepmoscovita.. Muchas de sus obras ponen de manifiesto la disonancia oculta
tualismo moscovita
en los mecanismos de funcionamiento del lenguaje en la sociedad, en las prcticas
de su uso. Surge una tensin entre el sonido de la voz individual y el discurso annimo, privado de autora. En las obras de los conceptualistas, el texto que conserva la
memoria corporal, pero que a la vez est privado de la presencia del autor, se prei gura del engao, como imitacin de lo individual. La existencia de lo
_
senta como ffigura
"individual" dentro de una cultura y una sociedad sometidas a la escritura y el
texto annimos resulta una ilusin.
La segunda generacin de los conceptualistas moscovitas cambia el acento de
esa historia de las relaciones con el lenguaje annimo. En las obras de luri Albert o
de Vadim Zajrov, el discurso en primera persona asimila, o, ms exactamente, se
apropia de muchas caractersticas y estrategias del lenguaje de lo annimo, de lo
comunal. A estos artistas les interesa ante todo la penetracin del discurso comunal en el territori9 de lo individual, su interaccin con la psique y la conciencia del
hombre aislado. Al crculo de los problemas tradicionales para el Conceptualismo
moscovita, ellos aaden una investigacin de las deformaciones de lo "individual",
la violacin de las fronteras del sujeto y el surgimiento de una forma social especfica de ste.
Otra faceta de la esttica del Conceptualismo moscovita est ligada al inters
por lo que no se puede expresar o configurar en palabra o texto; lo que "cae fuera" del lenguaje. Al revelar la naturaleza verbal, lingstica, de la imagen visual,
los conceptualistas moscovitas buscan, a la vez, una especie de lagunas, de brechas en la tradicin culturallogocntrica.
Una de las tendencias de la cultura rusa con la que la esttica del ConceptuaNikolai
Vaguinov , Nikolai
Konstantn Vaguinov,
Vvedenskii , Konstantn
13
Aleksandr Vvedenskii,
Jarms, Aleksandr
(Dan iil Jarms,
OBERIU (Daniil
literatos OBERIU
de literatos
grupo de
del grupo
obra del
La obra
13 La
muchas
en muchas
es, en
absurdo, es,
del absurdo,
esttica del
la esttica
Zabolotskii,
trabaj la
1927 yy trabaj
en 1927
creado en
fue creado
que fue
Olinikov), que
Nikolai Olinikov),
Zabolotskii, Nikolai
conceptualistas.
cosas,
los conceptualistas.
interesaba aa los
que interesaba
artstica que
problemtica artstica
la problemtica
afn aa la
cosas, afn
Fundacin Juan March
46 1/ 47
Iismo moscovita tiene muchos puntos de interseccin es la tradicin de la literatura

lismo
absurd013 Para la esttica del Conceptualismo moscovita, el absurdo es uno de
del absurdo
los componentes fundamentales. El mundo del absurdo es un mundo que no cabe en
r abajo de los conceptualistas moscola palabra, que no coincide con la palabra. El ttrabajo
vitas con diversos gneros de la produccin ideolgica de la cultura sovitica se
bas en la revelacin o la creacin artificial de lagunas especficas, de brechas de
sentido. La reduccin de la ideologa -como sistema de construcciones especulativas que suplantan la realidad- devino uno de los motivos determinantes para el
Conceptualismo moscovita. Muchas de sus obras se basan en la violacin de la
coherencia, de la integridad del "texto" de la cultura sovitica. Pueden ser paradjicas irrupciones de lo privado en la rgida estructura de la produccin ideolgica
oficial (Vitali Komar y Aleksandr Melamid, Autorretrato doble, 1984) u obras que
no se dejan "leer", que crean pausas, vacos de sentido (Hermenutica Mdica,
. 13/p.49J. La reinterpretacin
[fig.13/p.49l.
re interpretacin de la estrucGata blanca, instalacin, 1989) [fig
'el nivel de la introduccin de
tura tradicional del cuadro tena lugar no slo en el
elementos ilgicos que destruan el "texto" ideolgico coherente; GrishaBruskin,
en su obra Lxico fundamental (1986), propuso otro mtodo de reduccin de la
ideologa. Diversos hroes del mito sovitico, sus argumentos, los estereotipos de
texto" ideolgico de la cultura sovitica,
conciencia con los que se construa el ""texto"
estn convertidos en ese cuadro en letras sueltas, y el "texto" mismo aparece
desintegrado, desarmado hasta el estadio primario -el del alfabeto-. Esa revelacin de las estructuras primarias del lenguaje visual ideologizado de la cultura
sovitica
sovietica por la va de la violacin de su coherencia interna es tambin una de las
prcticas estructuralistas para liberarse del texto.
En la obra del grupo Acciones Colectivas se cre otro proyecto de existencia
libre fuera del texto. En las performances que realiz el grupo en los aos 70, la
accin se construa de manera que acercara al espectador al estado de "contemplacin pura"; que en la conciencia del espectador, en el momento de la accin
artstica, surgiera un efecto de liberacin respecto de la ininterrumpida interpretacin y comprensin mental; que surgiera un efecto de vaco, de salida ms all de
los lmites del tenso espacio del lenguaje.
el lenguaEn realidad, los conceptualistas moscovitas no investigan solamente ellenguaje, el discurso, sino, ante todo, el lenguaje social, sus rituales y mitos, la estructura de las jerarquas sociales. En otras palabras, investigan los sistemas sgnicos
que operan en la cultura, estudian las estructuras latentes del pensamiento que
gobiernan la realidad, crean un equivalente visual de las prcticas lingsticas
invisibles, privadas de forma material, de la sociedad.
Los fantasmas y los mitos de la conciencia colectiva y su reflejo en la conciencia
at encin de casi todos los artistas y
individual fueron temas que atrajeron la atencin
Fundacin Juan March
BOBRNSKAIA /1 EL CONCEPTUALISMO MOSCOVITA.

MOSCOVITA . ESTTICA E HISTORIA
literatos que pertenecan a la escuela moscovita de arte conceptual. La esfera de

lo ritual, de lo sacro, saturada de significados y smbolos sublimes, y la esfera
de la vida cotidiana, tejida de lo casual, de lo vaco y no pocas veces de "lo bajo",
constituyen los dos polos en las obras de Komar y Melamid. Su incompatibilidad e
inesperados acercamientos, los reflejos pardicos de uno en el otro, sus choques
hostiles -todo eso devino tema de muchos trabajos de esos artistas-o
artistas-. La performance Preparacin de una hamburguesa hecha con el peridico Pravda (1974)
[tig .15/p. 49]
49J utiliz la unin paradjica de esferas que comnmente no se cruza[fig
ban -las acciones de la vida cotidiana y la ideologa oficial-, para poner al descubierto lo penetrada que est la vida cotidiana por los mitos y las ideas que, subrepticiamente, imponen su lgica al ser humano. La transformacin del texto era
el contenido fundamental de esa performance. El texto, que encarnaba en forma
material la extrema condicin oficiosa e ideologizada, se converta durante la accin en un artefacto puramente visual y, ms an, en un objeto de la vida cotidiana, en una croqueta.
Entre el artista conceptualista y su trabajo se conserva siempre una distancia
que excluye la posibilidad de que coincidan el autor y su obra. Los conceptualistas
moscovitas inventaron un mtodo especial de creacin en el que el autor trabaja
bajo el nombre del artista-personaje -un protagonista creado por el propio artista-. A menudo, el lenguaje representativo-visual que utilizan los conceptualistas
en sus obras es atribuido a los personajes, de quienes se cuenta una historia inventada por los artistas. As, Vitali Komar y Aleksandr Melamid pintaron a principios
de los aos 70 varios cuadros bajo el nombre del pintor, inventado por ellos, Apelles
Ziablov -un artista abstraccionista del siglo XVIII-. Los cuadros se acompaaban de
textos que imitaban las publicaciones cientfico-artsticas sobre el inesperado descubrimiento de un
nuevo artista y de materiales "de archivo": cartas y documentos.
unnuevo
La "esttica de las relaciones" del Conceptualismo moscovita ha estado estrechamente ligada al contexto histrico y cultural de su existencia. Sin embargo, ni
siquiera despus de la desaparicin de la ideologa sovitica perdi el Conceptualismo moscovita su importancia para el arte ruso. Es ms: precisamente su esttica
devino la tradicin interna que, por regla general, toman en consideracin los representantes de las ms diversas tendencias del arte ruso actual, independientemente de si continan desarrollando la problemtica del arte conceptual o de si la
niegan.
Fundacin Juan March
48 1
/ 49
9 a/b
10/11
,h, ~- ~ ~--l
1t
f
'
=---=-- ..,_
:
_, _j
R-
9 a/b MANI Museum, Mosc/Moscow

basurero}/The Han
Man Who Never
10 Ili Kabakov, El hombre que no tiraba nada [El basurero)/The
Man), 1988
Threw Anything Away [The Garbage Han),
11 Kazimir Malvich, Ria en el bulevar/Kasimir Malevich, Fight on the Boulevard,
ca . 1915
ca.
Fundacin Juan March
12/13
12/13
14/15
14/15
(!'
12 Kazimir Malvich,
Malvich , Me robaron la cartera en el tranva/Kasimir Malevich,
A Purse Was Snatched on the Tram,
Tram , ca. 1915
Medica!
13 Inspeccin Hermenutica Mdica, El gato blanco/Inspection Medical
Hermeneutics, The White Cat, 1989
1972-73
14 ~rik
Peligroso / Dangerous , 1972-73
Bultov, PeligrosolDangerous,
rik 8ultov,
Pravda /
peridico Pravdal
el peridico
15
con el
hechas con
Hamburguesas hechas
Melamid, Hamburguesas
Komar & Melamid,
15 Komar
1974
Hamburgers
Pravda, 1974
Newspaper Pravda,
the Newspaper
of the
Out of
Made Out
Hamburgers Made
Fundacin Juan March
50 /1 51
MOSCOW
CONCEPTUALISM:
CONCEPTUALISM:
ITS AESTHETICS
ANO HISTORV
AND
Ekaterina Bobrinskaya
. The artists customarily associated with Moscow Conceptualism are completely unlike one another. Yet this plurality of artistic worlds nonetheless forms a coherent
current. Their unity is to be found not at the level of externa!
external features but in the
very method of artistic creation and in their relationship to the contexts of art
(the historical, social, and individual). The poet Lev Rubinstein defined Moscow
Fundacin Juan March
CONCEPTUAlISM: ITS AESTHETICS ANO

AND HISTORY
EKATERINA BOBRINSKAYA 1/ MOSCOW CONCEPTUALISM:
one of his articles as "the art of relationships." In Conceptualist

Conceptualism in ene
art, in his words, "the problem of 'novelty' is resolved not at the level of style but
to style. Broadly speaking, this is a system of relationships
of the relationship te
(and a clarification of relationships) between the 'presence' and the 'absence' of
(anda
the author in the text, between 'one's own' speech and that of 'others,' between
terms."11
'literal' and 'figurative' terms."
It was precisely at the level of these strategies of interaction with society and
lt
the artistic tradition that a special phenomenon in the history of Soviet unofficial
culture arose-Moscow Conceptualism. 2
Concepfualism appeared in the late
The first works that can be associated with Conceptualism
lIya Kabakov. By the early seventies, Moscow Conceptualism was
sixties in the art of llya
already clearly established as an independent current within unofficial culture,
lIya Kabakov, Vitaly Komar and Alexander
represented at this time by the works of llya
Melamid, Rimma Gerlovina and Valeriy Gerlovin, Viktor Pivovarov, Erik Bulatov; Leonid
Ivan Chuikov, and Andrei Monastyrski. Toward the mid-seventies, ConceptuSokov, lvan
alism beca me the leading current in unofficial Soviet culture. In the second half of
the seventies and in the eighties, Moscow Conceptualism was linked
Iinked te
to the works of
lgor Makarevich,
(Andrei Monastyrski, Nikita Alexeev, Igor
the Collective Actions group CAndrei
to indiElena Elagina, Georgi Kiesewalter, Sergei Romashko, and Nikolai Panitkov); te
Panitkov,
Nikolai
Makarevich,
lgor
vidual artists like Dmitri Prigov, Elena Elagina, Igor
to particular works by Eduard GorokNatalia Abalakova, and Anatoly Zhigalov; and te
hovsky, Grisha Bruskin, Vagrich Bakhchanyan, Boris Mikhailov, Larisa Zvezdochetova, Andrei Filippov, the "Gnezdo" (Nest) group of Gennadi Donskoi, Mikhail Roshal,
and Viktor Skersis, and the "Mukhomor" (Fly
(Fiy Agaric) group of Konstantin Zvezdochetov, Vladimir and Sergei Mironenko, and Sven Gundlakh.
Young artist~
artists who continued the traditions of the older generation of Moscow
Conceptualism, while at the same time re-examining them-Vadim Zakharov, Viktor
Skersis, and Yuri Albert-began to
te make their voices heard in the late seventies. In
the eighties they were joined by the Medical
Medica! Hermeneutics group of Sergei Anufriev,
Yuri Leiderman, and Pavel Pepperstein. The second generation of Conceptualists
lts advent was connected with
represented more than just
justaa generation change. Its
the formulation of new strategies and the elaboration of a new range of issues.
[lnterim Foreword on
1 ley
" Predvaritelnoe predislovie k opytu kontseptualnoi slovesnosti" [Interim
Lev Rubinstein, "Predvaritelnoe
(1990) .
the Experience of Conceptualist
lskusstvo 1 (1990).
Literatura], Iskusstvo
Conceptual ist literature],
sorne time
ar tists and literary figures quite some
2 The term "conceptualism"
" conceptualism" only gained currency among artists
after the formation of the school. In the first
f irst half of the nineteen-seventies, when Conceptualism had
" conceptualism " was only used by a
already emerged as a distinct current in unofficial culture, the word "conceptualism"
handful. The term "Moscow
" Moscow Conceptualism" only became the gene rally accepted na me for the circle of
"relationships " after the publication
artists and Iiterary
literary figures working in the field of the aesthetics of "relationships"
of Boris Groys's article "Moscow
Conceptual ism " in the journal A-Ya in 1979.
" Moscow Romantic Conceptualism"
Fundacin Juan March
52 1
/ 53
sorne extent,
The Moscow artists of the sixties and seventies were familiar to some
of course, with Western art of the time. Publications in the foreign press and exhibition catalogues that made their way into the USSR served as their sources of
information. But the significance of this information should not be overestimated.
The version of Conceptualist aesthetics that took shape in unofficial Soviet art was
based to a larger extent on the domestic artistic tradition and was most often connected with problems rooted in the Russian cultural context.
contexto
severa! tendencies in unofficial art that could
Already in the sixties there were several
metaphorical. style that
be called pre-Conceptualist. The turn from the expressive, metaphorical.
characterized the works of the majority of unofficial artists in the fifties and sixties
to the analytical and distanced stance of the artist-cum-researcher was decisive
for the history of Moscow Conceptualism. The harbingers of this change appeared
around the mid-sixties. One can speak of the artists of this time forming an analyticritica! stance toward the very idea of "art," and they programmatically
cal and critical
art.
rejected any orientation toward "historical" and "museal" forms of arto
The first examples of the pre-Conceptualist interpretation of Pop Art appeared
in the unofficial art of the sixties in the works of Oskar Rabin. Signboards, labels,
la beis,
a life of their own
road signs, signs of social hierarchies and relationships take on alife
in many of his pictures. In the artistic world of Oskar Rabin, garbage takes on a
art. The beginnings of
symbolic meaning of its own for the first time in unofficial arto
so-called "trash aesthetics," which the Conceptualists were to develop in the
seventies and eighties, can already be glimpsed in Rabin's works of the sixties.
A new relationship to the social environment, devoid of passion or aggressive
criticism, was yet another pre-Conceptualist phenomenon in the art of the sixties.
The manipulation of poltica!
political and mass-cultural symbolism in Vagrich Bakhchanyan's
collages relied on the new strategies developed by the Conceptualists in the seventies
and eighties for shifting the usual emphases and disrupting structurallinks. His collages let the viewer sense the contours of an artistic language oriented not toward
the creation of an autonomous artistic reality, but toward an analytical and at the same
time playful study of the workings of signs and symbols in social practice, a study
that looked at the logic of their perception, birth, and their destruction of meaning.
Moscow Conceptualism was the most coherent and successful artistic project
todo
of unofficial Soviet culture. One of the main ingredients of its success had to
do
with a new system of relationships with Soviet society. Rather than struggle for a
place in the Soviet cultural hierarchy, a struggle that inspired unofficial culture in
the fifties and sixties, Conceptualists turned to the creation of a parallel "society"
with its own structures, hierarchies, and institutions. The activities of the Moscow
Conceptualists not only had a sociological dimension, but can also be considered a
specific artistic project.
Fundacin Juan March
808RINSKAYA 1
ANO HISTORY
EKATERINA BOBRINSKAYA
/ MOSCOW CONCEPTUALISM: ITS AESTHETICS AND
Rather than produce "self-sufficient" art objects, the Conceptualists used the
institutionalization (Ianguage,
(language, the mass media,
socially accepted instruments of insttutionalization
information systems, and the like) and began to elaborate detailed strategies to
help this or that artistic conception possibly acquire legal status in society's consciousness. Conceptualism mastered the methods of the socially accepted procedures of institutionalization or, to be more precise, grafted them onto its art,
and in this paradoxical way attempted to set the artistic world free from outside
pressure.
For lack of possibilities of open public activity, the Conceptualists created a
closed and self-sufficient world that guaranteed the production of art and its critica! description, as well as its archiving and museification. This small communityical
small in terms of the number of members-was not based on formal unity but on
lts main connecting elements were the ongoing exchange of
"living interaction." Its
information, discussions, regular reviews, and talking about works. Several artistic
cohesiva role in Moscow Conceptualism. These
projects also played an important cohesive
socio-artistic projects were exemplified by the actions of the Collective Actions
group. Such actions were held regularly in the seventies and early eighties and
always drew a considerable audience. Each event was accompanied by a particudescriptiva apparatus-texts of the participants and viewers, dialogues, and
lar descriptive
theoretical articles. Going on trips to actions,3
actions, 3 taking part in discussions about
them, and gaining familiarity with the accompanying texts were instruments that
practica of Moscow Conceptualism. It
lt was this group acstructured the artistic practice
tivity that to a significant extent laid
la id the basis for the elaboration of Moscow
descriptiva language and various interpretative
interpretativa strategies.
Conceptualism's own descriptive
Moscow Conceptualism also developed its own internal
interna! practice
practica of archiving
became
and museification. In the aesthetics of Moscow Conceptualism, archiving beca
me
a kind of artistic creation in its own right. Examples of archiving projects were
oi Town by the Collective Actions group,4
the books of material entitled Trips Out of
group, 4
5
llya Kabakov,
a series of samizdat booklets by lIya
Kabakov,5 and the Moscow Archive of New Art
CMANI)-folders comprising works of Conceptualist Art, photographs of works, and
(MANI)-folders
theoretical texts. 6 1n
ln 1988, the Moscow Conceptualists created their own museum
3 The majority of artistic actions in the seventies took place in the countryside. The trip to where the
too k place beca me in itself an important part of the action.
action took
of Town books originally existed in the form of typewritten volumes with photographs,
4 The Trips Out 01
of Town
199B by Ad Marginum- Trips Out 01
diagrams, and maps. The typewritten volumes were published in 1998
1998).
(Moscow, 199B).
llya Kabakov created a series of samizdat booklets containing his own writings and
5 In the early eighties, lIya
al so compiled a generallist of all of his works that he had
accompanied by texts from the albums; he also
executed prior to that.
6 In these years, MANI also published thematic books as samlzdat publications-typewritten anthologies
drawings .
with photographs and sometimes with original drawings.
Fundacin Juan March
54 1/ 55
[fig.. 9/p. 48].
48].77 This archiving project lived on in the
collection-the MANI Museum [fig
nineties in the publishing activity of Vadim Zakharov. 8
The main strategy of the Conceptualists in their relations with Soviet society
lIya Kabakov's
was to live life on the fringes (On the Fringe is the title of one of llya
works), on the periphery of the mainstream art world. Kabakov's installation The
Never
48] from the Ten Charace ver Threw Anything Away (1988) [fig .10/p. 48l
Man Who N
aman
man who carefully collects and systematizes the inters series is the story of a
significant marginalia of human life: flotsam and jetsam, fragments and shards,
papers, receipts, and the like. In describing the "unremarkable" life of his hero in
a crowded communal apartment, Kabakov at the same time reproduces the everyday social setting of Moscow Conceptualism within Soviet society and creates an
ironic interpretation of the aesthetics of marginalia and of an art existing on the
fringe of official Soviet culture.
The strategy of living life on the fringe became an important part of the aesthetics of Moscow Conceptualism. Namely, it can be linked to the artists' interest
in the inconspicuous, the banal, boring, dull, and marginal. This stance put forward
internal worka new type of relationship-a distanced study and analysis of the interna!
the,
ings of society-and shifted the emphasis from social activism to working with the,
"field of consciousness."
In the eighties, a new generation of artists altered the emphasis in the social
practice of leading life on the fringe and
project of Moscow Conceptualism. The practica
creating a "closed"
"c1osed" community was supplemented by interventions in Soviet society and the creation of projects executed in real social space but existing imperceptibly within it.ln 1979, the "Mukhomor" group carried out its Metro action: from
the opening of the subway in the morning until its closure at night, the members
of the group moved from station to station following a pre-arranged schedule,
keeping a diary of their observations and taking photographs. This artistic project
of "Mukhomor," which was devoted to enlivening one of the most ~ultic and symbolic
spaces in Soviet culture, went practically unnoticed by the detached observer. 9
Finally, another direction in the social projects of this "second Conceptualism"
was connected with the study of the Conceptualist community itself as a special
social phenomenon with its own methods, strategies, and traditions. One of the first
works of this kind was Vadim Zakharov's action I1Made Enemies (1982) [p. 287].
The particular predisposition of Russian culture to the Conceptualist version
of art is a topic quite often raised in discussions about Moscow Conceptualism.
The "conceptualness" of Russian culture is attributed to various factors: to the
abstraction already present in Old Russian religious art, to Russian artists' interest
in the resolution of extra-aesthetic (social, moral) problems, and, accordingly, to
toaa special
a disparagement of the significance of linguistic plasticity, and finally to
Fundacin Juan March
EKATERlNA BOBRINSKAYA
BOBRlNSKAYA 1/ MOSCOW
MOSCOW CONCEPTUALISM
CONCEPTUALlSM:; ITS
lTS AESTHETICS
AESTHETlCS ANO
ANO HISTORY
HlSTORY
EKATERINA
reverence for
for text,
text, an
an awe
awe manifested
manifested in
in the
the almost
almost cultic
cultic relationship
relationship toward
toward litlitreverence
erature and
and the
the literary
Iiterary figures,
figures, on
on the
the one
one hand,
hand, and
and the
the "blind"
"blind" trust
trust in
in the
the print
print
erature
Soviet
media and other outlets of ideological propaganda, on the other. In the Soviet
propaganda-Iet us call it "the total text" that subordinated all
period, ideological propaganda-let
Iife to its logic-became yet another circumstance conducive to the rise
areas of life
of Conceptualism. Many artists considered the ideologization of the everyday encreation of a special version of art that
vironment an important condition for the creation
worked with ideas, texts, and their functions.
Different kinds of presentiments of Conceptualism have appeared in Russian
culture time and again. The Moscow artists were hardly aware of the "Conceptualist" experiments in Russian art of the nineteen-tens and twenties. Nonetheless,
the "conceptualist" experiments of the early twentieth century should not be reas an important sign of the predisposition of the
garded as freak coincidences but asan
culture to the conceptualist type of art and of its readiness to accept it.
Among the most radical "conceptualist" works is Kasimir Malevich's 1915-16
series of drawings, which demonstrate the way individual words or phrases can
CA Purse Was Snatched on the
be put into a picture-frame to replace the image (A
. 11-12!pp . 4B-49J. Commenting on
Tram, Fight on the Bou/evard,
Boulevard, and Village)
VillageJ [tigs
[figs.11-121pp.4B-49J.
"Instead of painting quaint picone of these abstract drawings, Malevich said: "lnstead
ture-book cottages it is better to write 'Village,' and then the village will appear
to everyone in greater detail, depth, and scope."10
scope." 10 In these works of Malevich's,
the text picture is like an abstract project, an orchestration for the conscioustoaa normal picture, it opens up a
ness and imagination of the viewer. In contrast to
space of freedom to the viewer-that of pure abstraction.
,.
lIya
llya Kabakov's text picture Guilty (1982) at first glance reproduces the very
same scheme: th,e
th.e word replaces the image and only leaves the viewer the possibility of abstractly constructing and contemplating the "picture." But there is a
fundamental difference. Malevich's "conceptualism" is utopian. For him, the word
serves to guide us into another reality-an abstract world, which for Malevich is
genuine and free. For Kabakov, the word does not replace the deadpan stereotype
of primal vision, but, on the contrary, reproduces it. Kabakov's text picture reveals
our vision's ingrained dependence on language and calls into question our ability
to see anything without relying on the word.
made by the Conceptualist artists;
7 Nikolai Panitkov put together this collection comprised of gifts made
initially,
house.
at his country house.
was kept at
it was
initially, it
Zond
Pastor Zond
the Pastor
established the
and established
Cologne and
in Cologne
Pastor in
B
journal Pastor
the journal
publish the
to publish
began to
Zakharov began
Vadim Zakharov
1992, Vadim
In 1992,
8 In
Edition
house.
publishing house.
Edition publishing
the
of the
activity of
the activity
in the
on in
carried on
was carried
space was
social space
99 A
in social
interventions in
"inconspicuous" interventions
of "inconspicuous"
strategy of
similar strategy
A similar
group
Zakharov) .
and Zakharov).
(Skersis and
S-Z (Skersis
group S-Z
10
19.
p. 19.
2000), p.
(Moscow, 2000),
Poeziya (Moscow,
Malevich, Poeziya
Kasimir Malevich,
10 Kasimir
Fundacin Juan March
56 1I 57
presented in the works of

A different version of pre-Conceptualist art was presentad
Alexander Rodchenko. At the exhibition 5 x 5 =25 in the fall of 1921 he showed his
Blue.
famous Monochrome Panels or Triptych of Pure Color Squares-Red, Yellow, 8/ue.
These works consisted of three identical panels uniformly painted red, yellow, and
blue. Monochrome Panels demonstrated the zero level of painting and were a prologue to a new type of artistic creation-the object. Rodchenko denuded the picture of literary content, psychological allusions, and emotional aura.
as an "empMoscow Conceptualism's interpretation of the traditional picture asan
ty" object goes back to Monochrome Panels. The conceptual picture, on the one
Iinguistic nature of any image; on the other hand, it devastates
hand, reveals the linguistic
the picture, turning it into a surface that depicts nothing but itself. The zero informativeness of many Conceptualist works turns them into objects that exclutexto The Conceptualists' pictures are
Iife of graphic language or text.
sively narrate the life
Iike tautological assertions-"the picture depicts the picture." Pictures
structured like
(lIya Kabakov's
that are total stylistic borrowings from Soviet Socialist Realism (llya
perspective of
Greetings, Morning of our Motherland!, 1981) or from the specific perspectiva
the Soviet photo (Erik Bulatov's Krasikov Street, 1977) exemplify tautological expressions of this kind. Leonid Sokov's objects are another variant of such works:
here the relationship between the word and the visual image is based on the principie of tautological expressions, direct visualization of idiomatic expressions, abna mes (Point of View, 1976; Lake Baikal, 1975).
stract concepts, or geographical names
tendencias in Russian culture often arose on the border bePre-Conceptualist tendencies
tween literature
art. In the nineteen-tens and twenties, avant-garde
literatura and graphic arto
literature
literatura quite often turned to various forms of purely abstract poetry and artistic gestures that declared
declarad the radical dematerialization of art: Vasilisk Gnedov's
justaa "rhythmic
Poem of the End was a blank page read out by the author with just
movement of
the hand"; Ivan
lgnatiev's poem Lazorev's Logarithm "cannot be perlvan Ignatiev's
ofthe
formed by typo-Iithographical
typo-lithographical means," as the author put it; Velemir Khlebnikov's
and Aleksei Kruchenykh's number poetry could also only be "read" abstractly.
Another type of pre-Conceptualist experiment in Russian art of the early twentieth century was connected, in a way, with structuralist experiences of working
with language. The Constructivist poet Aleksei Chicherin devoted himself to such
literary styles
studies in the nineteen-twenties. He refused to work with particular Iiterary
or create new forms of language, but turned instead to studying the conditions of
its perception and the functional peculiarities of "the sign of poetry." Chicherin
also programmatically rejected the privilege of the word in poetry and thus opened
poetry .11
the path for the creation of visual and action poetry.11
The study of the functional peculiarities of the "sign of poetry" and, more wideIy,
ly, of the "sign of art," constantly attracted the attention of the Moscow Concep-
Fundacin Juan March
CONCEPTUALISM: ITS
EKATERINA BOBRINSKAYA 1
/ MOSCOW CONCEPTUAL1SM:
lTS AESTHETICS ANO HISTORY
H1STORY
tualists. In Conceptualist literature, one current of such studies went in the direction of transforming the poetic text into an art object, an artistic action. Beginning
in 1973, Lev Rubinstein wrote his literary works on small paper cards. In the process
of reading them, and then shuffling and reordering them, the reader-can absorb
the poetic text like a spatial object and correlate his perception of the text with
certain manipulations of this object. In the seventies, Andrei Monastyrski created
a series of objects united in a common cycle entitled Elementary Poetry. These
object performances, which were built up around a paradoxical effect, were done
as strictly functional adaptations that the viewer could model through elementary
activities and the minimal artistic means of certain states of consciousness. The
laconicism and minimalism of the artistic means and the basic rigid structuredness of the works-albeit coupled with a playful ease and irony-channeled th
participant in these poetic actions into the space of a paradoxical, uninterpretable
interna!
internal experiment that was not translatable into text.
texto
A whole range of peculiarities in the aesthetics of Moscow Conceptualism are
connected with its programmatic interaction with literature. 12 Moscow Conceptualism does not work with plastic form but with different types of consciousness
and different ways of thinking, which material objects simply serve toreflect.
to-reflect. This
is possibly why itwas found to be the most "Iiterary"
"literary" current in Russian art over
the last several decades. Conceptualism is the art of different strategies of relating to the contexts of existence-historical, social, biographical, and ideological. Literature, a key phenomenon in Russian culture, is one of the main contexts
that Moscow Conceptualism is constantly engaged with. The Conceptualists study
the phenomenon of the literature-centeredness of Russian culture and the specific character of its inherent "Iiterary"
"literary" disposition. The Moscow Conceptualists
see this "Iiterariness"
"literariness" as a specific form of "mental scenario" set by the age-old
traditions of wi'itten
wi-itten and literary culture-a trajectory of movement laid
la id out for
human consciousness. Consciousness strives to distance itself from this trajectory and yet constantly returns to it.
" ... the material for the sign of poetry
11 Alexei Chicherin wrote in his book Kan-Fun published in 1926: "...
" any material will do for the sign of poetry ...
.. . stone, metal, wood,
ought to be different, silent material," "any
dye , and many other materials."
materials ."
fabric, dough, dye,
literature. Rimma Gerlovina
12 The creative work of many Conceptualist artists was directly connected with Iiterature.
And r ei Monastyrski made their debuts with poetic experiments. The first actions of the Collective
and Andrei
Art . The literary basis was an
Actions group !ay
lay somewhere on the border between poetry and Actionist Art.
llya Kabakov's and Viktor Pivovarov's albums. Many of Erik Bulatov's
Bulatov ' s pictures can be
important element of IIya
linked to the poetry of Vsevolod Nekrasov. Literary characters and images were a constant component in
Iinked
Medica! Hermeneutics group took place toa
the works of Vadim Zakharov. The activities of the Medical
to a significant
real m of the text-in the form of dialogues, commentaries, and quasi-scientific or Iiterary
literary
extent in the realm
works. Lev Rubinstein, Dmitri
Omitri Prigov, and Vladimir Sorokin are Conceptualist literary figures whose works
visua l art in a most direct way.
interact with visual
Fundacin Juan March
58 1/ 59
59
58
Literary, narrativa
narrative elements
elements in
in the
the works
works of
of the
the Moscow
Moscow Conceptualists
Conceptualists are
are
Literary,
Many
instrument.
research
chosen
but
a
consciously
chosen
research
instrumento
Many
not
chance
archaic
remains
consciously
a
but
remains
archaic
not chance
lIya Kabakov's albums, pictures, and installations revolve around a literary subof llya
ject-a story is one of the central elements. Each
Each of Kabakov's stories is like a pasjact-a
tiche-a text made up of stylistic clichs and a set of commonplaces. He only uses
them as a tool. Kabakov is not interested so much in this or that story told in pictures and embellished in words as in the structure and logic of thought that gives
rise to stories-the cultural tradition of storytelling, narrating, and describing.
He essentially tells one and the same story-about how "reality" is formulated and
visualized from a multitude of voices, stories, notes, and commentaries. About
visualizad
lis apart when it encounters
how this "reality" reveals its own ephemeralness and fa
falls
its shadow-the "word" or ideological blueprint.
The Conceptualists' "aesthetics of relationships" concentrate first and foremost on studying those aspects of the functioning of art in which language plays
the main role. The word-text-is naturally an important component of Conceptualist works. The Conceptualists are interested in words devoid of authorship, language that is devoid of a subject and has forgotten its anthropological nature.
8ulatov's Dangerou$,
Dangerous,
This can be the language of signboards and posters (Erik Bulatov's
. 162-S3l,
[fig.14/p.49l,
S/ogans series, 1972) [pp
[pp.162-63l,
. 14/p.49l, slogans (Komar & Melamid's Slogans
1972) [fig
the language of various social institutions-forms, documents, and receipts, or the
(lIya Kabakov's installation 16 Ropes, 1983).
language of communal kitchens (llya
Language is usually associated with the authoritarian, domineering, and aggressive principie, while people's relationships with language are understood to
be a model of their relationships with society. The incursion of communal, anonymous language into the private, personal sphere is one of the basic themes of
Moscow Conceptualism. Many of its works bring out the dissonance concealed in
practicas of its use. Tension arises
the workings of language in society and in the practices
speech devoid of authorbetween the sound of the individual voice and communal 'speech
ship. In the works of the Conceptualists, text preserves physical memory but is at
the same time devoid of the presence of the author; it thus appears as a figure of
deception, an imitation of the individual. Where culture and society are subordinated to the anonymity of the letter and text, the existence of "the individual"
within them is found to be an illusion.
The second generation of Moscow Conceptualists sets new trends in this history of relationships with anonymous language. In the works of Yuri Albert or Vadim
Zakharov, first-persOn speech adopts-or appropriates, to be more exact-many
of the characteristics and strategies of anonymous, communallanguage. The artists are interested first
first and foremost in the penetration of the communal word
psyche and the consciouswith the psyche
into the realm of the individual, its interaction with
Fundacin Juan March
EKATERINA BOBRINSKAYA 1
/ MOSCOW CONCEPTUALISM: ITS AESTHETICS ANO HISTORY
ness of the individual. They extend Moscow Conceptualism's traditional range of

issues by adding the study of deformations of the "individual," the infringement
form.
of the borders of the subject, and the development of its specific social formo
The other branch of Moscow Conceptualism's aesthetics is interested primarily
in that which cannot be talked about and cannot be ciad in words or text-that
which slips through the net of language. By revealing the literary, linguistic nature
of the visual image, the Moscow Conceptualists are at the same time searching
for what amounts to gaps and breaks in the logocentric cultural tradition.
tendencias in Russian culture that the aesthetics of Moscow ConOne of the tendencies
ceptualism has many points of intersection with is the tradition of absurdist literatureY
erature,13 The absurd is one of the fundamental components of the aesthetics of
Moscow Conceptualism. The world of the absurd is a world that does not fit into or
coincide with the word. The Moscow Conceptualists' work with various types of
ideology production in Soviet culture developed around the exposure or artificial
creation of specific gaps and semantic breaks. The reduction of ideology-a syssubstitutas itself for reality-became one of
tem of abstract constructions that substitutes
the driving motives of Moscow Conceptualism. Many Conceptualists' works are
constructed on a disruption of coherence, of the integral "text" of Soviet culture.
This can take the form of paradoxical incursions of the private into the rigid structure of official ideology production (Komar & Melamid's Double Portrait, 1973) or
works that are unable to be "read," that cause semantic blips and vacuums (Medica!
(Medical
Hermeneutics' White Cat installation, 1989) [fig .13/p. 49]. The re-examination of
the traditional structure of the picture was undertaken partly at the level of introducing alogical elements that destroyed the coherent ideological "text." But
Grisha Bruskin's work Fundamental Lexicon (1985) proposed another method of
reducing ideology: the picture turned the heroes of Soviet myth, its subjects and
stereotyped consciousness-the very stuff that the ideological "text" of Soviet culfragmentad and
ture was made of-into a muddle of letters; the "text" itself was fragmented
broken down into its primary elements-the alphabet. This exposure of the primary
structures of the ideologized visuallanguage of Soviet culture, by disrupting its co. herence, was also one of the "structuralist" practices
practicas of the Iiberation
liberation from texto
text.
A different project dealing with the free spaces outside the text was created
by the Collective Actions group. The group's actions in the seventies were conceived
in such a way asto
as to bring the viewer closer to a state of "pure contemplation"the action was to give the viewer a mental impression of liberation from constant
13 The works of the Oberiu g~oup (the literary figures Daniil
Oaniil Kharms, Alexander Vvedensky, Konstantin
Oleinikov), which was created in 1927 and elaborated the
Vaginov, Nikolai Zabolotsky, and Nikolai OleinikovJ,
aesthetics of the absurd, are in many respects closely related to the artistic problems that interested
the Conceptualists.
Fundacin Juan March
60 1
/ 61
mental interpretation and comprehension, an impression of "emptiness," a journey

beyond the limits of laden linguistic space.
The Moscow Conceptualists study not only language proper-speech-but first
and foremost social language, its rituals and myths, its structure of social hierarchies. In other words, they examine the semiotic systems that function in culture, study the hidden structures of thought that command reality, and create a
practicas.
visual equivalent of society's invisible and non-materiallinguistic practices.
The phantoms and myths of collective consciousness and their reflection in
the consciousness of the individual is a topic that has attracted the attention of
almost all the artists and literary figures of Moscow Conceptualism. The sphere of
the ceremonial and sacral, saturated with elevated meanings and symbols, and the
"low,"
lite woven from the coincidental, empty, and quite often "Iow,"
sphere of everyday Iife
&. Melamid. Their incompatibility and
constituted two peles in the works of Komar &
unexpected rapprochements, their parodistic reflection of one another, and their
beca me a theme of many of the artists' works. The action Hamburghostile clashes became
of the Newspaper Pravda (1974) [fig .15/p. 49]
49l made use of the parers Made Out 01
adoxical combination of spheres that do not usually intersect-everyday, even
lt revealed to what extent everyday
domestic activities versus official ideology. It
life is permeated with "myths" and "ideas" that secretly dictate their logic. The
transformation of text was the gist of this action, in which the particular text, an
embodiment of extreme officiousness and ideological obsession, was turned into
a purely visual artifact and, what is more, an everyday object-a "rissole."
preservad between the Conceptualist rtist and
A distance has always been preserved
ossibility of the author and his work coinciding.
his work, one that excludes the p.
pDssibility
The Moscow Conceptualists devised a particular method of artistic creation where
the author works from the person of the artist who is a particular character-a hero
created by the artist himself. Often, the graphic language used by the Conceptualists is ascribed to characters in a story told by the artists. Komar & Melamid painted several pictures in the early seventies and signed them in the name of a fictional
painter called Apelles Ziablov-an abstractionist artist from the eighteenth century.
The pictures were accompanied by texts imitating art-historical publications about
the unexpected discovery of a new artist, as well as "archive" material.
For Moscow Conceptualism, the "aesthetics of relationships" were closely con-'
con""
nected with the historical and cultural context of its existence. But even after the
demise of Soviet ideology, Moscow Conceptualism retained its significance for Rusart. Moreover, it is precisely the aesthetics of Moscow Conceptualism that
sian arto
representativas of
have become the inner tradition that is regarded as a rule by representatives
tendencias in contemporary Russian art, regardless of whether
the most diverse tendencies
they continue
continua to elaborate the problems of Conceptualist art or negate them.
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
62 1/ 63
62
COMPRENSIBLE
INCOMPRENSIBILIDAD.
LIDAD.
INCOMPRENSIBI
O
CONCEPTUALISMO
EL CONCEPTUALISM
DE MOSCU
y EL
EL'ESPECTADOR
Y
OCCIDENTAL
1I
Martina Weinhart
El discurso segn el cual Occidente no entiende al Este, y viceversa, se ha convertido en un lugar comn. Jacques Derrida necesita un libro entero para explicarnos
por qu le es imposible escribir acerca de Rusia tras su "vuelta de Mosc", adonde
haba viajado por primera vez en 1990. Ya Walter Benjamin y Andr Gide, tras cuyas
huellas camina, debieron saberlo 1 El desconocimiento mismo del ruso es suficiente
Fundacin Juan March
MARTINA WEINHART 1/ COMPRENSIBLE INCOMPRENSIBILIDAD
... ] quiere hablar

alguien [...]
para dificultar esa tarea, ya de por s imposible: "Cuando alguien[
... ] Y
y
de Mosc sin entender la lengua dominante, no resulta un poco ridculo? [[...]
Mosa
viaje
mi
sobre
porque yo tambin s eso, nunca podr decidirme a escribir
c"z.
2. As pues, Derrida nos deja con la paradoja que supone tener un libro en la
c"
mano cuya redaccin es, en el fondo, impensable. Estamos avisados.
Al final resuelve esta aparente contradiccin escribiendo acerca del tpico liteembargo,, en el fondo,
rario del viaje a Rusia, que ya casi constituye un gnero. Sin embargo
el tema principal de ese libro -y ello no debera sorprendernos- es el trnsito a una
final-cultura extraa reflejado en la cuestin de la lengua, de su transparencia y, final
mente, de su traducibilidad.
Estas cuestiones nos interesan en relacin con el Conceptualismo moscovita por muchos motivos. En primer lugar, encontramos la idea de que "Rusia no
puede ser analizada", una idea que fue trasplantada con xito al arte del que
estamos hablando aqu. Del mismo modo nos objeta la historiadora del arte moscovita, Katia Degot': "Entre los artistas, crticos y filsofos de Mosc reina hoy en
da la opinin de que 'Occidente no nos ha comprendido' mientras que 'nosotros
3
Occidente'''3.
El espectador occidental, como un legastnico,
entendemos todo de Occidente"'
se encuentra frente a la jungla prcticamente impenetrable de la lengua y la singularidad rusa. "Con ello, los intentos de Occidente encaminados a 'entender' -esto
es, a describir verbalmente el programa del arte moscovita- suelen calificarse de
superficiales, es decir, de lgicos pero limitados, y ello porque estn determinados
por una perspectiva externa"4.
ext!'lrna" 4
En el caso del Conceptualismo moscovita, ese aspecto se incrementa a causa de
la peculiar
pecul iar estructura y el carcter de este crculo de artistas, al que no se puede
negar cierto hermetismo; un carcter cerrado que ya se encontr de frente a la
sociedad sovitica, pues se trataba de un arte -como ha dicho a menudo Bors
Groys- que tuvo lugar en una esfera criptopblica. En muchos aspectos, se enlli Kabakov para su
contraban "al mrgen". Este elocuente ttulo fue el elegido por IIi
primera exposicin en Occidente, que tuvo lugar en 1985 en la Kunsthalle de Berna,
en ausencia del autor. Pero incluso desde la perspectiva occidental, el artista viva
-como dice Jean-Hubert Martin en aquel catlogo- "ms all de nuestros centros,
dur ante su
r edact ese diario durante
Benjamn redact
1 Cf.
Frncfort, 1980. Benjamin
Tagebuch , Frncfort,
Benjamn, Moskauer Tagebuch,
Walt er Benjamin,
Cf. Walter
Gide,
Cf. Andr Gide,
estancia
sovitica , entre el6 de diciembre de 1926 y el1 de febrero de 1927. Cf.
cap ital sovitica,
en la capital
estancia en
(eds.) ,
Ra imund Theis y Peter Schnyder (eds.),
Zurck
Werke , Raimund
en Gesammelte Werke,
(1937) , en
Sowjetru131and " (1937),
Zurc k aus Sowjetrul3land"
Stuttgart,
1996 , tomo 2.
Stuttgart, 1996,
2 Jacques Derrida, Rckkehr aus Moskau,
Moskau , Viena, 2005, p. 82.
Kriiftemessen . Eine
Bewul3tsein" , en Kriiftemessen.
3 Katia Degot', "Moskauer Konzeptualismus. Selbstbewul3tsein ohne Bewul3tsein",
Knstler werkstatt
cat. expo., Knstlerwerkstatt
Welt , cato
Ausstellung
west/ich en Welt,
innerha/b der westlichen
ost-iistlicher Positionen innerhalb
Ausste/lung ost-ostlicher
Lothringer
p. 154.
Ostfil dern , 1995, p.
Mnich , Ostfildern,
Str al3 e, Mnich,
Loth r inger Stral3e,
4 Ibid.
lbd.
Fundacin Juan March
64 1/ 65
65
64
sin tener
tener nada
nada que
que ver
ver con
con quienes
quienes han
han desarrollado
desarrollado sus
sus carreras
carreras superando
superando las
las
sin
5
eso"
todo
de
margen
al
de nuestro
nuestro sistema.
sistema. Se
Se encontraba
encontraba al margen de todo eso "5.
etapas obligatorias
obligatorias de
etapas
El trptico
trptico homnimo
homnimo de
de Kabakov
Kabakov asume
asume este
este aspecto
aspecto tambin
tambin desde
desde un
un punto
punto de
de
El
[fig .16/p
.16/p.. 68l:
68]: el centro de los
los trabajos no muestra sino un vaco indefivista formal [fig
como- si de un friso se tratase. En el comentario
nido enmarcado por las figuras, comaadjunto, Kabakov describe al modo de una parbola la peculiar distribucin de los
personajes en el cuadro. "Estos personajes se encuentran, igual que el paisaje,
siempre 'al mrgen', 'en el mrgen': no pueden apartarse 'del mrgen', ni acercar6
Sobre ese tipo de conocimiento se
pertenece"6.
se un pice al centro que no les pertenece"
ironiza tambin en los trabajos de Bors Mijilov, quien, en una hoja de su serie
/p. 68l
68] -collages a partir de fotografas marginales y nada
17 tp.
Tesis incompleta [fig ..17
artsticas, acompaados de comentarios a mano- sostiene: "da igual lo que fotografiemos: los americanos estarn fotografiando algo distinto".
En un dilogo sobre la distancia y la cercana, Komar & Melamid se ocuparon en
1974-1975
4-1975 de este asunto de un modo extraordinario y absolutamente peculiar.
197
Junto al videoartista norteamericano Douglas Davis, abordaron temas como lo cerrado, lo comn y la separacin, en un trabajo colectivo no slo inusual, sino incluso
Donde est la lnea entre nosotros?
-sin duda alguna- nico para su tiempo. Con oonde
68], crearon, en plena Guerra Fra, una obra de arte superadora de los
[fig .18/p. 68l,
bloques polticos, y lo hicieron a lo largo de un proceso que Davis describe de la siguiente manera:
"Yo no saba ruso, ni ellos ingls, pero tenamos amigos que nos ayudaban.
Tuve la idea de que yo podra pintar una lnea en mi pared, y ellos otra en la suya,
luego fotografiarlas y finalmente intercambiar por carta preguntas sobre el significado de esa lnea, de modo que el trabajo se llevara a cabo en ambas ciudades
para coincidir finalmente en el centro. Yo hice la foto la medianoche del 31 de diciembre de 1975, y ellos la suya a las ocho de la maana del1 de enero de 1976, es
decir, en el mismo instante"7.
instante" 7
Visto desde ese contexto, los trabajos del Conceptualismo de Mosc parecen
estar siempre incardinados en un espectador especfico. Los trabajos de Kabakov o
del grupo Acciones Colectivas son difcilmente separables de sus respectivas situalli Kabakov no
ciones de recepcin. Contra lo que pudiera pensarse, los lbumes de lIi
fueron vistos como libros, sino que fueron presentados como "teatro domstico"
en una accin "performativa". Kabakov pasa las pginas de un libro puesto sobre un
atril y lee en voz alta [figs .19-21/p.
. 19-21/p . 69]. La relacin con el espectador -que es
tenido igualmente por participante- es tambin muy estrecha en los trabajos de
Accio~es
Accio~es Colectivas. En las fotos que documentan las acciones nos encontramos
siempre con los mismos rostros de un crculo cerrado, un grupo selecto que con
no poca exactitud lleg a ser tildado de "logia"B.
"logia" 8
Fundacin Juan March
MARTINA WEINHART 1
/ COMPRENSIBLE INCOMPRENSIBILIDAD
Por otra parte, existi desde muy pronto el espectador occidental, entendido
como el "otro" espectador, pues los trabajos no solo fueron vistos por diplomticos, periodistas y otros participantes occidentales del mbito del intercambio cultural entre Este y Oeste, sino que tambin se vendan, encontrando de ese modo el
camino hacia Occidente: un hecho que motiv que muchos vieran al espectador
principal" 9 , e hizo que ..el
el Conceptualismo moscovita reoccidental como el "pblico principal"9,
cibiera a menudo la etiqueta -ms bien peyorativa- de "arte para la exportacin".
An as, la cultura rusa y sovitica se presenta como un espacio histrico, cultural y social acotado, que, a primera vista, excluye ms que invita al espectador
occidental. Esto vale mucho ms para el arte conceptual, con sus races en lo literario y en el lenguaje: un aspecto que slo marginalmente puede hacer actual el
argumento. Pues la difcil traduccin de los elementos textuales se yergue contra la
presunta inteligibilidad internacional de las formas pictricas. As pues, se abre
ante nosotros un foso que ha sido constantemente acentuado, o al menos afirmado,
por el propio arte, como por ejemplo en un temprano trabajo de luri Liderman
del ao 2005. Liderman completa el ttulo Mujaidnes con el subttulo Ancdota
rusa intraducible, irnicamente puesto en lengua inglesa bajo un texto cirlico que
acompaa al dibujo. Por otra parte, en la obra capital de Dmitri Prgov, El miliciano,
se lee: "Mi pas, quin podr entenderlo; la entera dimensin de nuestra vida"; y en
ese papel de miliciano Prgov resucitaba en sus performances el espritu dadasta,
objeto" 10
poniendo al descubierto "la conspiracin del lenguaje a espaldas del objeto"1o.
As pues, surge la cuestin acerca de qu nos permiten ver en general las obras
del Conceptualismo de Mosc, ms all de la diferencia de sistemas. Qu puede
"extico", habiendo sido decladecirnos hoy este arte moscovita particularmente "extico";
rado fundamentalmente hermtico, ininteligible, as como inexplicable e incomprensible desde fuera?
Detengmonos en el lenguaje, que tan central parece en este arte al que -si
confiamos en los testigos que hemos mencionado aqu- podramos describir perfectamente como "idiomtico", es decir, como un arte que est estrechamente
emparentado con la "forma de hablar" de un determinado crculo de personas.
//ya Kabakov. Am Rande, cat.
1985, p.2.
5 Jean-Hubert Martin, "Vorwort", en lIya
cato expo., Kunsthalle Bern, Berna, 19B5,
lli Kabakov al trptico Am Rande (Al mrgenJ,
mrgen), 1974, en ibd., pp. 24 yY ss.
6 Comentario de Ili
"lch glaube nicht an Kommunikationl",
Kommunikation!", entrevista con Douglas Davis
Da vis el 7 de mayo de
7 Tilman Baumgartel, "Ich
Te/epolis (www.heise.de/tp/r4/html/result.xhtml?url=/tp/r4/artikel/B/B116/1.htmIJ.
(www.heise.de/tp/r4/html/result.xhtml?url=/tp/r4/artikel/8/ 8116/1.html).
2000, en Telepolis
lndividualisten zur Solidaritat. Kollektiv und Kollektivitat
8 Cf. tambin Viktor Misiano, "Vom existentiellen Individualisten
in der zeitgenossischen
zeitgen6ssischen russischen Kunst", en Kollektive Kreativitiit, cat.
cato expo, Kunsthalle Friedericianum,
20D5, pp. 176-183.
Kassel, Frncfort, 2005,
lgor _Golomshtok y Alexander Glezer, Unofficial Art from the Soviet Union, Michael Scammell (ed.),
9 Cf. Igor
Londres, 1977.
{977.
Alphabete. Nachdichtungen von
van Gnter
10 Dmitri Prgov, Der Milizioniir und die anderen. Gedichte und Alphabete.
Hirt und Sascha Wonders, Leipzig, 1992, p. 19.
Fundacin Juan March
66 1
/ 67
Segn Derrida, no hay nada absolutamente intraducible, del mismo modo que no hay
nada absolutamente traducible, de donde surge el problema de "cmo hacer concordar la lengua idiomtica con la razn y transmisin universales". Pero Derrida
nos deja solos con esa tarea cuando llega a la siguiente conclusin: "no hay ninguna
regla universal y nadie puede dar a nadie ningn consejo universal"11.
universal" 11 . Siempre hay
algo traducido, pues la traduccin representa la actividad central del poetizar.
"iQu 'dice', pues, una obra literaria? -se pregunta Walter Benjamin en su ensayo,
"qu
a menudo citado, La tarea del traductor- Dice muy poco a aquel que lo entiende. Su
esencia no es la transmisin, la informacin. Con todo, la traduccin que pretende
transmitir no podra transmitir ms que la transmisin misma: es decir, nada esenBenjamin concluye con ello que las obras, hasta cierto punto, no pueden ser
cial"12. Benjamn
sino intraducibles, de forma que la traduccin sera slo una solucin pasajera de
la alienacin. Si recordamos el aspecto romntico del Conceptualismo moscovita y
nos dirigimos, por as decirlo, al embrin de la modernidad, podremos leer en una
especie de escrito polmico de Friedrich Schlegel -que pretenda oponerse a las
quejas contra la incomprensibilidad- que sta es siempre relativa. Schlegel "quera
mostrar que la ms pura y total incomprensibilidad se alimentaba precisamente de
la ciencia y el arte, los cuales proceden precisamente de la comprensin y la ,explicacin"13. Pero quin podra escapar del "eterno jeroglfico"? "Quin querra
rechazar un escrito hermosamente impreso por el nico motivo de que no se entiende?"14. As pues, sigue en pie la pregunta acerca de si la incomprensibilidad
puede llevar al conocimiento, y de qu forma. Es la incomprensibilidad necesariamente una carencia? O dicho con las palabras de Schlegel: "es acaso la inintelinegativo?" 15 . Habitualmente, sta es
gibilidad algo absolutamente rechazable y negativo?"15.
entendida como algo que puede ser superado con un poco de esfuerzo. La incomprensin aparece como un punto de partida mucho ms prometedor que un fenmeno recibido en un tiempo determinado, siempre con el objetivo de hacer propio lo
ajeno por medio de una nueva lectura o contemplacin 16 .
Al espectador occidental le queda la certeza -quiz consoladora- de que al
espectador del Este, que s conoce la lengua, no parece irle mejor, y que los puentes
que el conocimiento del idioma parece construir para l, finalmente conducen al
vaco. Bors Groys nos explica por qu esto es as cuando declara que las instalaciones y textos del grupo Hermenutica Mdica tienen por objeto "el colapso de todas
las explicaciones, interpretaciones y justificaciones": "el trabajo de la Hermenutica Mdica es la praxis del agotamiento sistemtico de todos los contenidos"17.
contenidos" 17 .
De esta manera, el camino hacia el vaco conduce realmente al centro del arte del
Conceptualismo moscovita.
Este vaco es, sin embargo, inestimable. Lo encontramos en Kabakov tanto
como en el grupo Hermenutica Mdica. Igualmente aparece en Komar & Melamid,
Fundacin Juan March
MARTINA WEINHART I1 COMPRENSIBLE INCOMPRENSIBILIDAD
bajo la forma de la cita culta, o en el concepto de la "accin vaca" de Acciones Colectivas. Este vaco ofrece la mayor superficie posible para que el espectador -y no
slo en Occidente- vierta all sus propios pensamientos y significados. Con todo, el
vaco del Este se entiende mucho mejor contra el fondo de los conceptos del Realismo socialista, que, con mximas como la del narodnost, incitaba a los artistas a
expresarse en un lenguaje llano. Pero como ya advirti Friedrich Schlegel: "en verdad os asustarais si, tal y como exigs, el mundo entero se volviera realmente
comprensible de una vez"18.
vez" 18
11 J. Derrida
p. cit., p. 101.
Derrida,, oop.
12 Walter Benjamin, "Die Aufgabe des bersetzers",
Obersetzers", en Gesammelte
Gesammefte Schriften, Frncfort, 1972, vol. IV/1
IV/1,,
p.
10.
p.10.
13 Friedrich Schlegel, "ber
"Ober die Unverstiindlichkeit" (1BOO),
(1800), Atheniium, 3, 2, August Wilhelm y Friedrich
Schlegel (eds.), reimpr. Stuttgart, 1960, p. 339.
14 lbd
., p. 341
341..
Ibd.,
15 lbd.,
Ibd., p. 350.
16 Cf. Eckhard Schumacher, Die Jranie
franie der Unverstiindlichkeit,
Unverstiindfichkeit, Frncfort, 2000.
17 Bors Groys, "Privatisierungen 1I Psycholog
is ierungen" , en Kriiftemessen. Eine Ausstellung
Psychologisierungen",
Ausstellung...,
B7.
..., cit., p. 87.
18 F. Schlegel, p. 351.
Fundacin Juan March
68 1 69
16
17/18
CAA.t.1.1C..:J
ll
'':J'IJf.,;
1-f'<!
t,..'.ll.-.,A-(C<..!
r
J..H/' ... "-G-""'-Jh
u.c..u.......,q,u'f )I':P~
16 Ili Kabakov, Al margen/On the Fringe, 1974

17 Bors
80rs Mijilov, Tesis incompleta/Unfinished
incomp1eta/Unfinished Dissertation, sin fecha/not dated
datad
18 Komar & Melamid, oonde
Donde est la lnea entre nosotros?/Where Is
ls the Line
Between
8etween Us?, 1974
Fundacin Juan March
19/20
21
19-21 Ili Kabakov presentando un lbum de los suyos/Ilya Kabokov presents one
of his albums
Fundacin Juan March
70 1/ 71
COMPREHENSIBLE
INCOMPREHENSIBILITY: MOSCOW
CONCEPTUALISM
ANO THE WESTERN
AND
VIEWER
Martina Weinhart
lt is almost a platitude: talk of the West not understanding the East and vice versa.
It
Jacques Derrida needed an entire book to explain why after coming "back from
Moscow," to which he traveled for the first time in 1990, it was impossible to write
about Russia .... Walter Benjamin and Andr Gide, whose literary trail Derrida was following, must have known that. 1 He writes that his ignorance of the Russian language
Fundacin Juan March
MARTINA WEINHART 1
/ COMPREHENSIBLE INCOMPREHENSIBILITY
toaa task that is impossible per se: "[Is

"[ls not] someone who [wishes]
is a hindrance to
to speak of Moscow ... without understanding anything of the dominant language
lt is beca use 1
a bit ridiculous? ... It
I know it too that 1
I shall always hesitate to write
2
about my trip to Moscow."
MOSCOW."2 Derrida leaves us with the paradox of holding a book
in our hands whose writing is essentially inconceivable. We have been warned.
In the end, he resolves this seemingly insuperable contradiction by writing about
literary topos of a journey through Russia, which almost constitutes a genre
the Iiterary
however-and this hardly comes as a surprise-his book
unto itself. At its core, -however-and
toaa foreign culture, reflected
reflectad in the question of language as such,
is about access to
about its transparency and ultimately about what can be translated.
These questions interest us in relation to Moscow Conceptualism for a number
of reasons. First, there is the notion that "Russia cannot be analyzed," which could
be applied very successfully to the art we are dealing with here. For example, the
Moscow-based art historian Katya Degot counters: "Today, the opinion dominates
among artists, critics, and philosophers in Moscow that the West 'has not under"' 3 The Western viewer
stood us,' whereas we 'understand everything in .the West. "'3
jungla of the Russian lanstands like a dyslexic befare
before the well-nigh impenetrable jungle
guage and Russian uniqueness: "At the same time, the attempts 'to understand'
on the part of the West, that is to say, the attempts ata
at a verbal description of the
i.e., logical but limprogram of Moscow art, are normally classified as superficial, Le.,
ited, since these are determinad
determined from an external
externa! perspective."4
perspectiva. " 4
itad,
In the case of Moscow Conceptualism, this aspect is heightened by the specific
structure and character of that circle of artists, as it cannot be denied that it was
marked by a certain hermeticism-an isolation even with respect to Soviet society,
since, as Boris Groys has often written, this art exists in a crypto-public sphere.
lt was, in many respcts, "on the margins." lIya
llya Kabakov chose this eloquent title
It
for his first exhibition in the West, which was shown at the Kunsthalle Bern in 1985
presence. But, as Jean-Hubert Martin noted in the catalogue,
without the artist's presence.
even from a Western perspectiva,
perspective, the artist lived "beyond our centers and has
evn
todo
do with those whose careers obtain their rhythm from the obligatory
nothing to
steps in our system. He stood outside of all this."5
this." 5 Kabakov's eponymous triptych
Benjamin , Moscow Oiary,
Diary, transo
trans. Richard Sieburth (Cambridge, MA, 1986). Benjamin kept this
1 See Walter Benjamin,
Se e also
al so Andr Gide, Retour
diary during his stay in Moscow fror'n December 6, 1926, to February 1, 1927. See
trans. by Dorothy Bussy as Return trom
from the U.S.S.R. (New York, 1937).
/'U.R.S.S. (Paris, 1936); transo
de "U.R.S.S.
Politics, Theory, and Contempo2 Jacques Derrida, "Back from Moscow, in the USSR" in Mark Poster, ed., Polities,
233 .
rary Culture (New York, 1993), p. 233.
Kr.ftemessen:
3 Katya Degot, "Moscow Actionism: Self-Consciousness without Consciousness," in Krattemessen:
ost-iist/icher Positionen innerhalb der westliehen
westlichen Welt, exh.
ex h. cato
cat . Knstlerwerkstatt
Eine Ausstellung ost-ostlieher
pp . 226-31, esp.
esp . p. 227.
Lothringer StraBe, Munich (Ostfildern, 1995), pp.
lbid.
4 Ibid.
,
//ya Kabakov: Am Rande, exh,
exh . cato
cat. Kunsthalle Bern (1985), p. 2.
2.
5 Jean-Hubert Martin, "Vorwort," in IIya
Fundacin Juan March
72 /1 73
up this aspect formally as well [fig .16/p.

takes Up
.16/p .68]:
68l: the center of each panel shows
trames the figures like a frieze. In the accomnothing but an unspecific void that frames
panying commentary Kabakov described the unusual distribution of people
people in the
painting as a parable: "These people find themselves, just like the landscape, only
'on the margins,' 'at the edge'; they cannot move away 'from the margins,' cannot
"on
approach by one iota the center that does not belong to them."6
them ." 6 This kind of recognition also becomes a source of irony in the works of Boris Mikhailov, who on one
sheet from his series Unfinished Dissertation [fig .17 /p.
tp .68]-collages
68J-collages from artless,
random photographs with handwritten commentaries-observes: "No matter what
you photograph, the Americans are already photographing something else."
In a quite singular way, Komar& Melamid con cerned themselves with this aspect
of a dialogue on distance and closeness in 1974-75. They dedicated themselves to
the themes of being excluded, being together, and being separated in a collaboration with the American video artist Douglas Davis, that was not just unusual but almost certainly unique at the time. In What Is
ls the Line between Us [fig .18/p.
.18/p . 68]
68l they
created, in the middle of the Cold War, an artwork that overcame the political blocs
in a process that Davis has described as follows: "1 spoke no Russian, they spoke
no English, but there were friends on both sides to help uso
that if I1
us. I1 had this idea
idea'that
painted a line on my wall and they painted one on their wall, we would take photographs, and hold up questions about the meaning of the line, and exchange them by
mail , so in each city the work would exist, spliced down the middle. I1took
mail,
too k my first
picture at midnight on December 31, 1975, and they took their picture at 8 A.M.
on January 1, 1976-the same instant.
"7
instant."7
From this context, it would seem that the works of the Moscow Conceptualists
appear to have always been addressed toa
ic viewer. Works by Kabakov or
to a specif
specific
the group Collective Actions can scarcely be separated from the circumstances of
the
ir respective reception. llya
their
lIya Kabakov's albums were not, as one would likely assume, viewed as a book but rather presentad
presented in a performance as "home theater"
theater"::
Kabakov leafed through the pages of an album placed on a lectern and read from
itit [f
ig s .19-21/p.
[figs
.19-211p. 69]. In the Collective Actions, as well, the connection to the viewers,
who are rather participants, is particularly clase.
close. In the photographs that document these actions, there is always a closed circle, a select group of always the
same faces that was, not coincidently, referred to as "the loge.
loge."8
"8
On the other side, there were, even very early, Western viewers as the "other"
viewers, since these works were also seen and even purchased by Western diplomats, journalists, and other participants in the East-West cultural exchange. And
so the works found their way to the West-a fact that has caused sorne
some people to
9
consider Western viewers as the ""principal
public,"9
which
principal public,
" wh
ich has sometimes earned
Moscow Conceptualism the rather pejorative label "art for export."
Fundacin Juan March
MARTINA WEINHART 1
/ COMPREHENSIBLE INCOMPREHENSIBILITY
presentad itself as a self-conRussian, or rather Soviet, culture nevertheless presented

tained, historical, cultural, and social space that at first glance appears to exclude
Western observers more than invite them. This is all the more true of Conceptual
literatura and language-an aspect that can only make the
Art, with its roots in literature
explosiva. After all, the supposed international intelligibility of
argument more explosive.
visual formulas contrasts with the arduous translation of the textual elements.
elements .
Hence a certain rift opens up, something that is repeatedly emphasized and even
defended in the art itself, for example, in a recent work by Yuri Leiderman from
2005: Leiderman supplemented the title Mojaheddins with the subtitle Untranslatable
Russian Anecdote, which he places, very ironically, in English between the Cyrillic
text that accompanies the drawing. "My country, who could ever understand it? The
whole dimensions of our life," as it is expressed in Dmitri Prigov's central work
Milizioni:i.r (The Militiaman), in whose role Prigov also revived the spirit of Dada
Der Milizionir
in his performances and uncovered "the conspiracy of language behind the back of
10
the object.
ob ject. ""10
This raises the question of the insights that the works of the Moscow Conceptualists can even permit us beyond the different systems. What can this strangely
"exotic" art from Moscow tell us if it is in principie hermetic and unintelligible, and
cannot be declared either comprehensible or explicable from outside?
lf we turn then to language, which seems so central in an art that (if we beIf
lieve the witnesses being called here) can fairly be described as idiomatic-that is
to say, an art that is closely
c10sely tied to the "way of speaking" of a particular circle of
justas
people? According to Derrida, there is nothing absolutely untranslatable, just
as
there is nothing absolutely translatable, which results in the problem of "how to
harmonize idiomatic language with general reason, communication, and so on."
Even Derrida leaves us alone with this task when he concludes: "There is no uniadvice." 11 There is always
versal rule and no one can give anyone else any universal advice."11
llya Kabakov's commentary on the triptych Am Rande, 1974, in ibid., pp. 24-25.
24-25 .
6 Ilya
GOl " interview with Douglas Davis on May
May 7,
7 Tilman Baumgaertel, "1
"1 Just Want to GOl"
7, 2000
2000,, in Rhizome,
http :/ /rhizome .org/discuss/view/28827 1
http://rhizome.org/discuss/view/28827
/ (accessed March 12, 2008). Komar & Melamid met Douglas
arder to write
Davis, who had been sent to Moscow as the art critic for an American music magazine in order
about the scandal of the Bulldozer exhibition-the now famous exhibition of unofficial art in Moscow
that was .broken up by the state using bulldozers. By 1974, Komar & Melamid had already worked out the
Davis , which was then written down in both English and Russian, and made sketches for
proposal with Davis,
the project, which was carried out only later. (From a conversation between the author and Vitaly Komar.)
Komar .)
this , see also Viktor Misiano, "From an Existentialist
Exi stentialist Individualist
lndividualist to Solidarity: Collective and
8 On this,
Collectiveness in Contemporary Russian Art,"
Art, " in Kunsthalle Fridericianum and Siemens Art Program,
Program , eds.,
2005) , pp.
pp . 184-90.
Col/ective Creativity, exh. cat., Kunsthalle Fridericianum, Kassel (Frankfurt am Main, 2005),
lgor Golomshtok and Alexander Glezer, in Michael Scammell
ed ., Unofficiaf
from the Soviet
9 See Igor
Scammell,, ed.,
Unotticia/ Art trom
1977) .
Union (London, 1977).
10 Dmitri Prigov, Der Milizioniir
Mifizioniir und die anderen: Gedichte und Alphabete;
Afphabete; Nachdichtungen von Gnter
Hirt und Sascha Wonders (Leipzig, 1992), p.
p. 19.
Fundacin Juan March
74 /1 75
something translated, because translation is the central activity of literature.

literatura.
literary work 'say'?" asked Walter Benjamin
Benjamn in his oft-cited essay "Die
"What does a Iiterary
(The Task of the Translator): "Very little to those who
Aufgabe des bersetzers" (lhe
understand it. lts essential quality is not communication or the imparting of information. Yet any translation that intends to perform a transmitting function cannot
transmit anything but communication-hence, something inessential. "12
" 12Benjamin,
Benjamn,
toaa certain extent, works cannot be anything but untranstoo, ends by noting that to
latable. Translation, in his view, remains a temporary solution for alienation.
rom ~mtic aspect of Moscow Conceptualism and thus enter
lf we reflect on the rom!:lntic
into the primal cell of modernism, as it were, then we can read in a kind of polemical
treatise by Friedrich Schlegel, who wanted to defend himself against accusations
all incomprehensibility is relative.
relativa. He "wanted to show
of incomprehensibility, that al/
that one obtains the purest and most splendid incomprehensibility precisely from
science and from art, whose very aim is to be understood and to make understandable." 13 But who would refuse the "eternal
"eterna! hieroglyph"? "Who would ever reject
able."13
such a beautifully printed text with the crass remark that it is incomprehensible?"14
incomprehensible?" 14
This in turn raises the question whether and, if so, in what form incomprehensils incomprehensibility necessarily a mistake? Or
bility can lead to knowledge. Is
as
Oras
"ls incomprehensibility actually something so completely reprehenSchlegel asked: "Is
base?" 15 Normally, incomprehensibility is understood to be something that
sible, so base?"15
little effort.
effort. A lack of understanding appears to be a promcan be overcome with a Iittle
ising point of departure, a Iimited
limited phenomenon of reception, always with the goa'l
goal
in mind to make the alen
's own through repeated reading or observation. 16
alien one
one's
Western viewers are left with the perhaps consoling realization that the situation of their colleagues in the East who can speak the language does not seem
that different from their own, and that the bridge that seems to be built as a result
of knowing the language nevertheless leads nowhere in the end. Boris Groys teaches
why that is the case when he declares that the installation
instal/ation and texts of the group
Medica!
Medical Hermeneutics is about "the collapse of all explanation
explanation,, all interpretation
interpretation,,
all justification
" : "'Medica!
justification":
'''Medical Hermeneutics' proceeds by systematically talking content to death
." 17 ln this way, the path into the void truly leads to the center of the
death."17In
art of Moscow Conceptualism.
Conceptualismo
This void is, however, inestimable. lt confronts us in the work of Kabakov and
that of Medica!
Medical Hermeneutics. lt
It confronts us in Komar & Melamid in the form of the
emptied quotation or in the concept of empty action of the Collective
Col/ective Actions. Not
only in the West, the void offers the largest possible foil for viewers who want to
bring in their own ideas and meanings. The void of the East, however, perhaps becomes that much more intelligible against the background of the concepts of Socialist Realism, whose maxims such as narodnost (art for the people) urged artists to
Fundacin Juan March
WEINHART 1/ COMPREHENSIBLE INCOMPREHENSIBILITY

MARTINA WEINHART
express themselves in a way the people would understand. But Friedrich Schlegel
"l ndeed, you would all be quite apprehensive if the whole
had already admonished: "lndeed,
18
world, as you demand it, were for once to become entirely understandable."
understandable."18
al/erDerrida ," in id., Moscou aller11 Jacques Oerrida

litterature : Entretien avec Jacques Derrida,"
Derrida in "Philosophie et Iitterature:
retour (La Tour d'Aigues, 1995), p. 103-55, esp. p. 118.
vol.11
12 Walter Benjamin, "The Task of the Translator," transo
trans. Harry Zohn, in id., Se/ected Writings, vol.
esp . p. 253.
(1913-26), ed.
ed . Marcus Bullock and Michael W. Jennings (Cambridge, MA, 1996), pp. 253-63, esp.
eds ., Theory as Practice: A
13 Friedrich Schlegel, "On Incomprehensibility,"
lncomprehensibil ity," in Haynes Horne et al., eds.,
119.
p. 119.
Critical
Anthology of Early German Romantic Writings (Minneapolis, 1997), pp. 118-28, esp. p.
Critica/ Antho/ogy
14 Ibid.,
p. 121.
lbid., p.121.
15 Ibid.,
p.1 26.
lbid ., p.126.
Sch/egel,
16 See Eckhard Schumacher,
lronie der Unverstindlichkeit: Johann Georg Hamann, Friedrich Schlegel,
Schumacher, Die Ironie
Jacques Derrida,
am Main, 2000).
Derrida , Paul de Man (Frankfurt am
p. 216.
17 Boris Groys, "Psychologizing
" Psychologizing Privacy," in Kriftemessen (see note 3), pp. 212-18, esp. p.
18 Schlegel, "On Incomprehensibility"
p. 126.
lncomprehensibility" (see note 13), p.
Fundacin Juan March
76 /1 77
ALIANZAS
''OMNILITERARI
"OMNILITERARIAS"
AS''..
,
LA ULTIMA,
GENERACION DEL
CONCEPTUALISM
CONCEPTUALISMO
O
,
DE MOSCU
1
Dorothea Zwirner
Escribir acerca de un grupo de artistas rusos que Bors Groys ha designado, en

analoga con el Arte Conceptual occidental, como "conceptualistas de Mosc", debera presuponer conocimientos de la lengua rusa y cierta familiaridad con la escena cultural moscovita de los aos 70 y 80. Carezco de ambos requisitos. Y esta
deficiencia slo puede ser atenuada por el hecho de que conozco personalmente
Fundacin Juan March
OOROTHEA ZWIRNER
ZWIRNER 1I ALIANZAS
ALIANZAS "OMNILITERARIAS
OMNILITERARIAS"
DOROTHEA
'
-y hemos
hemos mantenido
mantenido conversaciones
conversaciones yy compartido
compartido proyectosproyectos- aa numerosos
numerosos propro-y
tagonistas de
de ese
ese grupo,
grupo, como
como luri
luri Albert,
Albert, Serguei
Serguei Anfriev,
Anfriev, lvn
lvn Chuikov,
Chuikov, Bors
Sors
tagonistas
Groys, lli
lIi Kabakov,
Kabakov, luri
luri Liderman,
Liderman, Pvel
Pvel Pppershtein
Pppershtein yy Vadim
Vadim Zajrov,
lajrov, la
la mayora
mayora
Groys,
los cuales
cuale's vivieron en Colonia a principios de los aos noventa. Por eso merece la
de los
pena hacer de esta carencia el punto de partida de mi planteamiento: hasta qu
punto puede el Conceptualismo moscovita, con su hermetismo lingstico y especficamente grupal, abrirse a un pblico occidental que, generalmente, ni domina la.
lengua rusa ni ha vivido la realidad sovitica antes del cambio poltico? Visto con
el teln de fondo de la experiencia occidental del Arte Conceptual, resulta posible
una comparacin con su espejo en el Este, al hilo de la cual me gustara concentrarme ante todo en la segunda generacin de los conceptualistas de Mosc. Tratar
de indagar qu influencia ejerce la diversa realidad poltica de los sistemas liberales
o represivos en el desarrollo del arte conceptual, especialmente en lo que se refiere a los componentes crticos con el sistema, y tambin de dilucidar si podemos
reconocer rasgos conceptuales especficos independientes del sistema o caractersticas nacionales tpicas. Especialmente peculiar de la segunda generacin de los
conceptualistas de Mosc es el cuo literario a partir del cual se derivan alianzas
"omniliterarias" en las que se entrelazan arte y comentario, nominalismo y nomadismo, hermetismo y hermenutica, lo propio y lo ext'ico, Oriente y Occidente.
Para el espectador occidental, el modo ms fcil de acercarse al Conceptualismo de Mosc es a travs del medio ms comn del dibujo, junto con los lbumes,
libros, fotos y textos (traducidos) que, incluso en aquellas condiciones polticas
represivas, consiguieron surgir y circular en la escena artstica no oficial. En ellos
resultan especialmente llamativas, para la mirada occidental, la nostalgia narrativa
y la fantasa psicopatolgica (Serguei Anfriev, Pvel Pppershtein, luri Liderman,
el grupo Hermenutica Mdica), la sistematicidad serial y el concepto colectivo
(Andrei Monastyrski, el grupo Acciones Colectivas), as como el diseo grfico y la
meticulosidad archivstica (Vadim Zajrov). En estas peculiaridades se hacen visibles las necesidades econmicas que padecan y que les obligaban a ganarse la vida
como ilustradores y diseadores profesionales de libros. No obstante, la esquizofrnica doble existencia de la vida cotidiana sovitica no slo impregna la peculiaridad de la forma, sino que es ocasin de una constante bsqueda de la propia
qe la literatura, as como
identidad en el mbito de los mitos rusos, de la Ortodoxia y c!e
de la deconstruccin de la omnipresente y omniabarcante ideologa sovitica y de
266 - 267],
sus smbolos. Un ejemplo: en una serie de siete dibujos del ao 1994 [pp. 266-267],
Pvel Pppershtein intenta seguir el rastro a un ser en forma de bola animado provisto de pestaas, fcilmente reconocible como Kolobok, la bola de pan de un po-en cada uno de sus dibupular cuento ruso, y al que plantea en cada ocasin -en
La historia trata de un pan, hecho por
jos- una pregunta respecto
respecto a la identidad. La
Fundacin Juan March
78 1/ 79
dos ancianos utilizando sus ltimos restos de harina, que huye al bosque. All, de
modo similar al cuento del norte de Alemania del pastelillo grueso y grasiento, se
encuentra con distintos animales. Una y otra vez, el pan consigue escapar, hasta
que al fin sucumbe, como ocurre en tantas fbulas cuyo tema es la astucia del zorro
o la vanidad personal. En esos fabulosos dibujos a tinta sobre papel marrn, Pppershtein captura la densidad atmosfrica de todas esas leyendas que tienen como
motivo la huida; leyendas que, sin embargo, l sabe transportar a la bsqueda de
la identidad postsovitica. Como en una divertida historia en imgenes, ese nivel
denso de seriedad mitolgica se ve atravesado por una ldica levedad. Los dibujos,
que se valen de un lenguaje plstico simblico, muestran a Kolobok en diferentes
encuentros y situaciones, situaciones que se agudizan mediante preguntas concisas: en presencia de dos ancianos, se pregunta si los abuelos habrn previsto su
final; a la sombra de un haz de espigas sovitico, se pregunta con qu cereal se
inal de la Unin Sovitica; frente a un hombre con boina,
elaborar el pan tras el ffinal
(Kolobok) no se habr dejado aconsejar por criminales; frente a un
se pregunta si l CKolobok)
fondo de patriarcas rusos con largas barbas, se pregunta si la ms alta autoridad
eclesistica le ha dado su aprobacin; mientras pasea por un bosque con dos rboles
danzantes, se pregunta si ha atravesado el llamado Bosque de los bailarines; rodeado de dos muchachas con orejas de conejita, se pregunta si la chica perversa habr
colaborado en su preparacin como pan.
Pppershtein retoma en este cuento el leitmotiv de la evasin, que constituye
-en las distintas variantes del vuelo, el alejamiento y la desaparicin- una metfora central de los conceptualistas de Mosc y una realidad biogrfica muy concreta
1
exiliaron\
Para ello, Pppershtein cambia
para muchos de los que, de entre ellos, se exiliaron
la perspectiva temporal y convierte el problema de la identidad sovitica escindida
en el problema de la prdida de identidad postsovitica. Las preguntas acerca de si
una identidad escindida es mejor que la ausencia de identidad, o si el ocaso de la
Unin Sovitica haba de conducir necesariamente, para los conceptualistas de
Mosc, a la prdida de su identidad (aun siendo sta una identidad de oposicin),
conducen a la pregunta fundamental: quin o qu es lo que funda la identidad en
general? Es decir: se puede huir de la identidad? cmo? En los dibujos de Kolobok
de Pppershtein, la identidad postsovitica viene determinada por el linaje biolgico, el cuo ideolgico, las influencias criminales, los lazos religiosos, los instintos
sexuales y el principio de placer.
A ejemplo de los lbumes de lIi
lli Kabakov y de Vktor Pivovrov (el padre de Pppershtein), Dorothee Bienert ha puesto de relieve que la nostalgia rusa de libertad
y de trascendencia se une, en el Conceptualismo moscovita, a la nostalgia del paraso perdid0
perdido 2 Sin embargo, la conexin entre aumento de libertad y prdida de idenRomanticismo3 En esta tratidad configura un modelo reactivo ya con races en el Romanticism0
Fundacin Juan March
"OMNILITERARIAS""
DOROTHEA ZWIRNER 1I ALIANZAS "OMNILITERARIAS
dicin, la prdida de la prdida se emplea, en cuanto doble negacin, como medio

afirmativo contra la nostalgia4 A ello hay que aadir la vuelta a la figuracin, caracterstica del Conceptualismo de Mosc, una vuelta que revela otra vez la prdida de la imagen en cuanto signo de la realidad, tal y como la llev a cabo Malvich.
En este sentido, Pppershtein enlaza, en la historia de Kolobok, con la animacin del
pan, cuya forma circular abstracta es convertida en una forma figurativa. Semejante objetualizacin o personificacin se lleva a cabo tambin en la Breve historia
. 84l,
del arte contemporneo o Vida y muerte del Cuadrado negro (1986) [fig.22/p
[fig.22/p.84l,
5
largos. Esta historia evolutiva, narracontada en un rollo de papel de 36 metros de largo
da a la manera de los cmics, comienza con el nacimiento del cuadrado negro a partir
de un huevo, narra sus altos vuelos -el cuadrado negro carece de alas- y conduce,
a travs de sus diferentes resurgimientos, hasta su muerte en el patbulo. Otra forma de actualizacin y concrecin la experimenta el vaco suprematista en los campos nevados alrededor de Mosc, que constituan el objetivo favorito de los Viajes
a las afueras de la ciudad y el escenario de las Acciones Colectivas de Monastyrski.
La unin de narracin y abstraccin en la gran tradicin de la literatura rusa del
siglo XIX y de la Vanguardia artstica de comienzos del siglo XX se encuentra en
contraposicin con la concepcin occidental del arte conceptual. En particular, es
la dicotoma occidental entre lo discursivo y lo visual, lo visible y lo decible, la que
fructifica en manos del Conceptualismo moscovita, al trasladarla a su propia forma artstica de ilustracin y comentario. El comentario sobre el arte se convierte
en arte del comentario y, finalmente, en arte como comentario. Lo que en el Este
corresponde al cultivo del comentario o el dilogo, es en Occidente el enfoque en el
concepto y la idea. Partiendo de la tesis fundamental de Sol LeWitt6 , segn la cual
slo la idea puede ser ya obra de arte, la caracterstica esencial del arte conceptual
occidental reside en la desmaterializacin del objeto artstico con el objetivo de su
democratizacin. As pues, si en el arte occidental determinadas intenciones ideaViena, 1991; Flug, Entfernung, Verschwinden
1 lIya
Groys , Die Kunst des Fliehens, Mnich y Viena.
llya Kabakov y Boris Groys.
Waldsee,
Praga ; Haus am Waldsee,
Prahy, Praga;
- Konzeptuelle
Hlavn ho M_sta Prahy.
cat. expo .., Galerie Hlavnho
Konzeptuel/e Moskauer Kunst, cato
Ostfildern, 1995; Milena Slavicka ha abordado la tradicin y los
Kiel , Ostfildern.
Sophienhof, Kiel.
im Sophienhof.
Berln; Stadtgalerie im
princip ios del
precedentes de este motivo -abreviado PUIPUl- en la Vanguardia y la literatura rusa de principios
pp . 21-40.
citado, pp.
siglo XX. Cf. "Flug.
Verschwinden " en el catlogo citado.
Entfernung, Verschwinden"
"Fiug, Entfernung.
lbd. pp. 51-65.
2 Dorothee Bienert.
Bienert, "Die Sehnsucht nach Freiheit und Transzendenz", Ibd.
Viena,
3 Cornelia Klinger, Flucht Trost Revolte. Die Moderne und ihre iisthetischen Gegenwelten, Munich y Viena.
1995.
cit., p. 147.
Entfernung ... , cit.
Flug, Entfernung....
Nostalgia ", en Flug.
Mittel gegen Nostalgie".
4 Katia Degot.
Degot', "Der Verlust des Verlusts als Mittel
5 Se trata del ltimo trabajo de Alexejev antes de marcharse a Pars en 1986. Este culto ilustrador
80,
pr incipios de los aos 80.
casa, a principios
perteneca.
70, al grupo Acciones Colectivas y hosped en su casa.
perteneca, en los aos 70.
la llamada Apt Art Gallery.
Gallery, que fue un importante emplazamiento para el arte contemporneo de Mosc.
Furmani , una subasta de sus obras, a la
Para financiar su viaje, Alexejev organiz.
organiz, en su atelier de la calle Furmani,
rublos .
que invit a artistas y coleccionistas.
Vad im Zajrov compr el rollo por 50 rublos.
ella, Vadim
coleccionistas. En ella.
y ss.
pp . 79 Yss.
1967), pp.
V, 7 (junio 1967).
Artforum, V.
Art", Artforum,
6 Sol LeWitt.
LeWitt, "Paragraphs on Conceptual Art".
Fundacin Juan March
80 1/ 81
listas y crticas con el sistema se unen bajo la forma de ideas, habra que preguntarse qu meta persigue el arte no conformista ruso, en tanto que comentario.
Si se observa al grupo que constitua el objetivo de los artistas de la escena artstica
no oficial, que carecan de la ms mnima posibilidad de exposicin y venta, resulta patente que, en el sentido del sueo comunista, productor y receptor son idnticos 7 Esa dimensin utpica caracterstica de un crculo cerrado de amigos
ticos7.
otorga al arte en tanto que comentario una decisiva funcin comunicativa. El dilogo y el texto infinitos sirven a una comunicacin tambin infinita de digresiones
y asociaciones, de autorreflexin y autoescenificacin, de espacios espirituales
libres y vuelos espirituales de altura. Recomiendo al espectador occidental leer
los dilogos entre Kabakov y Groys -o al menos los disponibles en traduccin
alemana-, para hacerse una idea de la cultura del dilogo entre amigos que reinaba
entre los conceptualistas rusos, y de sus condicionantes y anhelos filosficos,
sociales, ideolgicos y terico-artsticos. Mientras que en esos dilogos se sigue
manifestando la fe y la pretensin de alcanzar explicaciones e interpretaciones
universales, las conversaciones de la segunda generacin se caracterizan por un
nomadismo nominalista, tal y como se expresa en el nombre del grupo NOMA, acuado por Pppershtein 8 En un dilogo no publicado entre Pppershtein y Anfriev
-del grupo de artistas Hermenutica Mdica-, acerca de la instalacin La expe{La sombra dorada) (1994), aparece una polmica contra el arte
riencia de la torre (La
comentari0 9 Frente a lo que
contemporneo occidental que atae al problema del comentario
Arnold Gehlen diagnostic como la "necesidad de comentario" propia del arte del
siglo XX, sta no es sentida por Pppershtein como dficit. Ms bien, la relacin de
dependencia se invierte: no es el arte moderno el que necesita del comentario,
sino que ese arte es slo consecuencia y sombra del comentario. Dicho de otra
manera: el comentario no habra surgido (segn Pppershtein) del sufrimiento
interior del intelectual (protestante), sino del hedonismo caracterstico de la Ortodoxia. "En cuanto anestesistas por excelencia, no podemos manifestar confianza
hacia el sufrimiento. Nuestro objetivo es la anestesia, que alcanzamos fundamentalmente por medio del comentario, pues el paraso consiste en la posibilidad de
comentar todo desde fuera y sentirse infinitamente bien en la sombra dorada del
dios que se marcha"10.
marcha" 10 En la medida en que ese comentario mdico-hermenutico
sobre el comentario sigue siendo hermtico, salta a la vista el parentesco etimolgico entre los conceptos -aparentemente tan contradictorios- de hermetismo y
hermenutica. La oscuridad hermtica y la doctrina hermenutica de la comprenlle\la y trasin remiten, posiblemente, a Hermes, el mensajero de los dioses, quien lIe\la
duce los mensajes entre dioses y hombres y es a la vez responsable de las ciencias
secretas y las doctrinas de la revelacin, emparentadas con la alquimia. Por eso, a
pesar de toda confusin, se ve claro que los hermenuticos mdicos utilizan el co-
Fundacin Juan March
"OMNILITERARIAS "
DOROTHEA ZWIRNER I1 ALIANZAS "OMNILITERARIAS"
mentario como una suerte de narctico psicoteraputico que, en medio de la fruicin

y la ociosidad hedonistas, puede conducir a una forma distinta de comprensin.
Arte y comentario, nominalismo y nomadismo, hermetismo y hermenutica
conforman en el Conceptualismo de Mosc una alianza omniliteraria, es decir,
profundamente literaria, que se diferencia claramente de los parmetros del arte
conceptual occidental. Mientras tanto, en el curso de la revalorizacin y desarrollo
del arte conceptual de los aos 60 y 70 han aparecido posturas y herencias del
arte conceptual muy diversas 1 \1. En ellas, el arte conceptual no se entiende como
un estilo de una determinada orientacin artstica, sino como una prctica artstica
lugares en posturas paralelas,
que se ha desarrollado y que perdura en diferentes lugares
12
aunque tambin contradictorias 12
A pesar de las distintas condiciones polticas
en el Este y el Oeste, y aunque sus objetivos sean radicalmente opuestos, muchas de
las prcticas conceptuales se asemejan. Mientras que la crtica de los artistas
conceptuales occidentales se dirige contra el poder del mercado y de las instituciones, en el Este es precisamente la carencia de posibilidades econmicas e institucionales la que configura las condiciones que enmarcan la escena no oficial del
arte. Mientras que, aqu, las estrategias de desmaterializacin y negacin se proyectan contra el exceso y el influjo del orden social tardocapitalista, all brotan de
Y en ambos casos evadiendo
la mera carencia de material y del miedo a la represin. Yen
-con la reduccin y la ape.rtura en simultneo de la forma artstica por medio de la
invencin de nuevas formas de comunicacin y distribucin- las respectivas instancias de control, sean stas de naturaleza capitalista o socialista. Si pone en
cuestin el concepto de una modernidad liberal y progresista, la crtica de los conceptualistas de Mosc se dirige contra la cultura oficial del Realismo socialista.
Al enlazar de nuevo con los comienzos radicales de la primera vanguardia, Duchamp aqu y Malvich all aparecen como los precursores del Arte Conceptual.
En ambos casos, los impulsos crticos y polticos del Arte Conceptual no excluyen sus aspectos idealistas, irnicos y poticos. Para comparar el Arte Conceptual
occidental con la variante singular del Conceptualismo de Mosc que Bors
Sors Groys
design como "Conceptualismo romntico moscovita" ya a finales de los aos 70 1\3,
resulta apropiada la denominacin de "Conceptualismo romntico", introducida
7 Boris Groys
Grovs e llya
IIva Kabakov, "Gesprach ber Noma", en //ya
lIya Kabakov: Noma oder Der Kreis der Moskauer
Konzeptualisten, cat.
., Die Kunst der lnstallation,
cato expo., Hamburger Kunsthalle, Ostfildern,
Osttildern, 1993, p. 33; Id
Id.,
Installation,
Munich yV Viena, 1996, p. 161
161..
8 Pvel Pppershtein, ""Rapport
Rapport NOMA... , cit., pp
NOMA - NOMA", en //ya
lIya Kabakov: Noma oder
oder...,
pp.. 88-18.
18.
9 Serguei Anfriev
Antriev yV Pvel Pppershtein
Pppershtein,, Das Turmerlebnis (Der Goldene Schatten), dilogo no publicado a
propsito de la instalacin en la galera lnge
Inge Baecker en la histrica torre romana de Colonia
Colonia,, 11 de
noviembre de 1994-20 de enero de 1995.
10 lbd.,
ss.
Ibd., p. 25 yV SS.
11 Alexander Alberro yV Sabeth Buchmann (eds.), Art after
afier Conceptual Art, Viena yV Colonia, 2006
2006..
12 Alexander Alberro, ibd
., p. 14.
ibid.,
Fundacin Juan March
82 1
/ 83
Jorg Heiser14 Si tomamos en consideracin el escrito de Sol LeWitt publicapor J6rg

do en 1969 acerca del Arte Conceptual -segn el cual los artistas conceptuales
son, antes que racionalistas, msticos a cuyas fugaces conclusiones no puede
llegar la lgica 15 - se relativizan las habituales dicotomas entre lo racional y lo
emocional, lo objetivo y lo subjetivo, la mitologa y la Ilustracin. Ms bien aparece un caldo de cultivo comn, en el que estn enraizadas las ideas romnticas de
lo fragmentario, la irona y la creatividad colectiva, en el que florecen las teoras
marxistas, lingsticas y estructuralisfas y nacen las prcticas postmodernas y de.
todo ello tanto en el Este como en Occidente.
constructivistas. Y
Ytodo
A pesar de tantas similitudes con las prcticas
prct icas conceptuales, el Conceptualismo
moscovita se distingue por sus tcnicas narrativas, psicolgicas y msticas de desciframiento y resolucin de enigmas; unas tcnicas originadas en el cuerpo comn
de un movimiento clandestino que tiene la forma de las sociedades secretas. Las
lneas de unin subterrneas se ramifican en una red total de referencias interculturales. Podemos recordar, sobre todo, Alicia en el Pas de las Maravillas, cuyo
personaje central se interna en un inframundo de rasgos onricos al traspasar la
entrada de una madriguera de conejos, pero tambin la abismal pelcula de culto
Cmo ser John Malkovich (1999), en la que a travs de un tnel somos introducidos
hasta el inconsciente del conocido actor. Como es sabido, en los palacios subterrneos del metro de Mosc, autntico no lugar de la u-topa dialctica materialista 16 ,
se abre un inframundo verdaderamente real. De ah al no lugar de la sociedad no
hay un largo camino. De ese "discurso de canalizacin" acerca del significado y la
funcin cultural del retrete en el Este y el Oeste es de donde Pavel Pppershtein
deriva el gnero de la instalacin en el doble sentido del trmino 17 Empezando por
n sistema de canales conduce hasta los Freel Pissoir de Marcel Duchamp, todo n
gaderos hechos a mano (a partir de 1984) y los Desages (desde 1988 y 1989) de
Robert Gober. Aqu y all, Fischli & Weiss construyeron una Tubera (1985) de poliuretano e intentaron analizar el sistema entero con su Vdeo de canal (1992). La
lli Kabakov, con la forma de los tpicos servicios
instalacin Retrete (1992) de lIi
pblicos rusos en la IV Documenta de Kassel, conectaba con la red elctrica de
distribucin occidental. En 1997 montaron, tambin en Kassel, una de aquellas estaciones de metro de Martin Kippenberger que luego se extendieron por todo el
mundo como una red subversiva de conexiones. En la digestin global de los alimentos surreales, romnticos y conceptuales, el retrete Silla elctrica del amor
(2004) de Vadim Zajrov [fig. 23/p. 85]
85l florece solitario.
Cuando el cambio poltico en Rusia promovi el reconocimiento de la escena
artstica no oficial y la prdida de su autoconciencia de oposicin, los conceptualistas de Mosc reaccionaron con un intenso proceso de autorreflexin y contexlli Kabakov se convirti en el gran installateur de la cultura
tualizacin histrica. Si lIi
Fundacin Juan March
"OMNILITERARIAS""
DOROTHEA ZWIRNER 1/ ALIANZAS "OMNILITERARIAS
de la memoria postsovitica, Vadim Zajrov asumi la humilde tarea del tipgrafo,

editor y archivero. Con su Pastor Zond Edition, creada en 1992, realiz y tematiz
el trnsito ideolgico del Este al Oeste, en el que se pone de manifiesto la importancia de una puerta de paso homfona. Con ello, l se vea a s mismo como un pastor,
en el sentido buclico del trmino, que reconoce y mantiene juntos a sus amigos
artistas, como si de ovejas se tratase. Las hasta ahora ocho ediciones de su revista
Pastor (1992-2004) constituyen un
un foro de debate y una especie de sustituto de la
Pas.tor
Perespatria para los artistas esparcidos por todo el mundo desde el tiempo de la Perasconocida
la
especi~lmente porque su aspecto se encuentra en la lnea de
troika, especi~lmente
tradicin rusa del Samizdat, de los documentos impresos a mano de la escena cultural rusa no oficial. En su condicin de pastor, Zajrov ha creado un archivo de
vdeo que documenta las actividades artsticas de sus amigos y colegas desde 1989.
Con la instalacin de Kabakov en la Kunsthalle de Hamburgo en 1993, se alcanz el punto lgido y final de esa fase de creacin de mitos propios. La instalac.in de doce segmentos espaciales -dedicados a los distintos miembros del grucin
po-, organizados en crculo alrededor de un centro vaco, ha desarrollado desde
entonces su fuerza centrfuga. Con la instalacin de Zajrov para la exposicin
8erlin-Moskva,
Moskau-8erlin en Berln (2003 y 2004), la poca histrica del ConBerlin-Moskva, Moskau-Berlin
ceptualismo moscovita se da por cerrada "definitivamente". En cinco gigantescos
archivadores transitables, marcado cada uno por su etiqueta, se puede examinar
de nuevo la Historia del arte ruso desde la Vanguardia rusa hasta el Conceptualismo de Mosc [tig
[fig.24/p.85l.
. 24/p. 85]. Desde la "utopa de la Vanguardia rusa" pasando por la
"ideologa del Realismo socialista", la cronologa contina hasta el "arte no conformista de los aos 50 y 60", la "autocrtica del Sots Art" y finalmente el "archivo del
Conceptualismo de Mosc". En este ltimo archivador se encuentra la figura de un
nio que escribe sentado sobre un alto pedestal, ante un armario de archivos 18
Con esa imagen absorta de nio y ese gusto infantil por la descripcin autorreferencial y el discurso metatextual, el archivo aparece en el Conceptualismo moscovita como otra forma de la utopa.
Id ., Romantischer Konzeptupp . 7-75; Id.,
13 Jorg
Frieze , 71 (noviembre 2002), pp.
Rescue ", Frieze,
" Emotional Rescue",
Jiirg Heiser, "Emotional
alismus, cato
Foundation , Viena, 8ielefeld y Leipzig, 2007.
Kunsthalle Nrnberg; 8AWAG Foundation,
cat. expo., Kunsthalie
(eds.) , Primary
14 Boris Groys, "Moscow Romantic Conceptualism",
Conceptualism ", en Laura Hoptman y Toms Pospiszyl (eds.),
Documents, Cambridge, Mass. y Londres, 2002, pp.
pp . 162-174.
15 Sol LeWitt, "Sentences on Conceptual Art", Art-Language, ao 1, 1 (mayo 1969), pp. 11-13.
ss.
y 55.
pp . 156 Y
RuB/ands, Munich y Viena, 1995, pp.
16 Boris Groys, "U-Bahn
en: Id., Die Erfindung RuBlands,
U-Topie", en:
" U-Bahn als U-Tapie",
p. 101; hay un
cit., p.
Entfernung ... , cit.,
Flug , Entfernung...,
17 Pvel Pppershtein, "Flug
Verschwinden " , en Flug,
" Fiug Entfernung Verschwinden",
llya Kabakov. Cf.
captulo dedicado exclusivamente al tema de 105
los lavabos en el dilogo entre Boris Groys e liya
Die Kunst der Instal/ation,
ss .
y 55.
cit ., pp. 117 Y
lnsta/lation, cit.,
" nio de la espina" que trata de sacar
18 Originalmente estaba prevista en ese lugar la figura del clsico "nio
mismo , Zajrov reconoce una
un cuerpo extrao de su pie. En esa postura en que est vuelto sobre s mismo,
prop io y
alegora del Conceptualismo moscovita, que siempre oscila entre la observacin narcisista de lo propio
la mirada desprendida a lo ajeno.
Fundacin Juan March
84 1
/ 85
22 a/b
contempornea , o Vida y muerte

22 a/b Nikita Aleksev, Historia breve de la vida contempornea,
Negro/Short History of Contemporary Art or Life
Lite and Oeath
del Cuadrado NegrolShort
Death of the
Black Square, 1986
B1ack
Fundacin Juan March
23
24 a/b
-- .-
-~
- . fI"iil'
..
11 'OIIIB
11
~
23 Vadim Zajrov, La silla elctrica del amor/Execution Chair of Lave

Love,, 2004
24 a/b Vadim Zajrov
Zajrov,, La historia del arte ruso desde la Vanguardia rusa hasta el
Conceptualismo moscovita
/ The History of Russian Art from the Russian Avant-Garde
moscovita/The
to Moscow Conceptualism
Conceptua1ism,, 2003
Fundacin Juan March
86 1/ 87
87
86
ALLITERATIONAL
ATIONAL
ALLITER
ALLIANCES:
ES:
ALLIANC
R
YOUNGER
THE YOUNGE
TION OF
GENERATION
Of
GEN.ERA
MOSCOW
CONCEPTUALISTS
TUALISTS
CONCEP
Dorothea Zwirner
To write about a group of Russian artists whom Boris Groys designated the Moscow
Conceptual Art requires a knowledge of the
Conceptualists by analogy with Western Conceptual
Russian language and a familiarity with the cultural scene in Moscow in the seventies and eighties.
As it is, I1have neither of these, and this deficiency can only partly
eighties. As
with
be made up for by my personal acquaintance, conversations, and projects with
Fundacin Juan March
DOROTHEA ZWIRNER 1/ ALLITERATIONAL ALLIANCES
(Yuri Albert, Sergei Anufriev, Ivan

lvan Chuikov,
numerous protagonists of this group (Vuri
llya Kabakov, Vuri
Yuri Leiderman, Pavel Pepperstein, and Vadim Zakharov),
Boris Groys, lIya
most of whom lived in Cologne in the early 1990s. For this reason, 1
I need to begin
my investigation by addressing this deficiency, by finding out how, given the hermetic nature of Moscow Conceptualism (hermetic both in the sense of language
and_with respect to its specific quality as a group), it can be made accessible to
toaa
and_with
Western audience, which, as a rule, has neither a knowledge of Russian nor experience of Soviet reality before the collapse of communism. Taking as a starting point
the Western experience of Conceptual Art, a comparison can be drawn with its
Eastern variant, and here 1
I would like to focus principally on the second generation
of Moscow Conceptualists. This will include exploring the influence the different
political realities of liberal or repressive systems have on the direction Conceptual
critica! of those systems and/or
. Art takes, especially with reference to elements critical
practicas that are independent of a political system
whether specifically conceptual practices
or typically national characteristics can be identified. A particular characteristic of
the Moscow Conceptualists appears to be the Iiterary
literary influence, and especially in the
second generation, literary and alliterational alliances emerge in which creativity and
commentary, nominalism and nomadic qualities, hermeticism and hermeneutics,
the familiar and the exotic, and the Orient and Occident join with one another.
observar, the easiest way to gain access to Moscow ConcepFor the Western observer,
tualism is via
vi a -the widely disseminated medium of drawing, and va
vi a the albums,
books, photos, and (translated) texts that were produced pnd circulated in the
unofficial art scene even under repressive political conditions. From a We.stern perspectiva, the narrativa
spective,
narrative nostalgia and psychopathological fantasy (Sergei Anufriev,
Yuri Leiderman, Medical Hermeneutics), serial systematics and
Pavel Pepperstein, Vuri
collective concept (Andrei Monastyrski, Collective Actions), and graphic design and
archiva! practice
practica (Vadim Zakharov) are the most conspicuous features
painstaking archival
of Moscow Conceptualism. In them, the economic necessity for a professional book
designar to earn his or her living has left behind its visible traciliustrator or book designer
daily life in the Soviet Union
es. However, the schizophrenic double existence of daly
Un ion
not only influenced the particular form of Moscow Conceptualism, but also gave
toaa constant search for identity in the realm of Russian myths, orthodoxy,
rise to
literatura and to the deconstruction of the omnipresent and all-encompassing
and literature
Soviet ideology and its symbols. The following shall serve as an example:
In a seven-part series of drawings from 1994 [pp. 266-67), Pavel Pepperstein
tried to establish, using one question per part, the identity of a spherical creature animated by the curve of an eyelash, which we can easily identify as Kolobok,
na me. The story
the rolling loaf
'Ioaf of bread from the Russian fairytale of the same name.
tells of a loaf of bread which two old people have baked from the last of their flour
Fundacin Juan March
88 1/ 89
and which escapes into the forest, where, like in the north German fairytale of the
fat pancake, it meets different animals. The loaf of bread repeatedly manages to
fables,
bies, it succumbs to the fox's cunning and its
escape, until finally, as in so many fa
fairytale-Iike ink drawings on brownish paper, Pepperstein capown vanity. In his fairytale-like
tures the atmospheric intensity of these legends, which are characterized by the
motif of escape; here, however, he transposes this to the (post-) Soviet search for
identity. As in a humorous picture story, the serious level of mythology is permeated with a playfullightness. The drawings, which employ a plastic, symbolic language, show Kolobok in various encounters and situations, each of which is made
poignant by a brief question. In the presence of two elderly people, the question is
asked whether the grandparents have foreseen the end; in the shadow of a Soviet
sheaf of corn, what grain is to be used to bake bread after the collapse of the Soconfronted by a
aman
man with a flat cap, whether "he" (Kolobok) has got adviet Union; confrontad
vice from a criminal; against the background of Russian patriarchs with long beards,
whether the highest religious leader has given him his blessing; when wandering
through a forest with two dancing trees, whether he has been through the so-called
forest of dancers; encircled by two girls with bunny ears, whether the perversa
perverse
girl helped with his preparation.
Pepperstein uses this fairytale to take up the central theme of escape, which
in the various guises of flight, distance, and disappearance, forms a central metaphor of the Moscow Conceptualists and a real fact of life for the many exiles among
perspective and turns the problem of split
them. 1 But here he changes the temporal perspectiva
Soviet identity into the problem of the post-Soviet loss of identity. The questions
nene at all and whether the collapse of the
of whether a split identity is better than none
Soviet Union
Un ion inevitably meant a loss of identity (albeit oppositional identity) for the
Moscow Conceptualists lead to the fundamental question of who or what confers
identity, and can we escape it, and if so, how? In Pepperstein's Kolobok drawings
it is the biological roots, the stamp of ideology, criminal influences, religious ties,
sexual desire, and the pleasure principie that define post-Soviet identity.
llya Kabakov and Viktor Pivovarov (PepperUsing as
an example the albums of lIya
asan
stein's father), Dorothee Bienert has deduced that the Russian longing for freedom
and transcendence as expressed in Moscow Conceptualism is linked to a yearning
for the lost paradise. 2 However, the connection between winning freedom and losing identity forms a response pattern that has roots in historical Romanticism. 3 ln
affirmative remasan
negativa, as
this tradition, the loss of loss is used, like a double negative,
an affir'mative
figurativa
edy for nostalgia. 4 This also includes the device of turning things into the figurative
so typical of Moscow Conceptualism, thus rendering anew Malevich's idea of the loss
he re that Pepperstein draws the animaof the mage
lt is from here
image as a sign of reality. It
tion of the loaf of bread in the story of Kolobok,
Kolobok, turning its abstract circular shape
Fundacin Juan March
DOROTHEA ZWIRNER 1
/ ALLITERATIONAL ALLIANCES
into an actual object. A similar objectification or personification also takes place

in Nikita Alexeev's Short History of Contemporary Art or Life and Death of the 8/ack
Black
[fig.22/p . 84l, which is told on a 36-meter-long roll of paper. 5 The
Square (1986) [fig.22/p.84l,
comic-like story begins with the birth of the black square from an egg, tells of its
soaring flights (the square has small wings), and continues through various revivals
until_its death at the gallows. Malevich's Suprematist emptiness resurfaces in a
untiUts
wh ich were the premodern, concrete form in the snowy fields around Moscow, which
ferred destination of Trips out of Town and the location of Collective Actions.
The combination of narration and abstraction in the grand tradition of nineliterature and the artistic avant-garde in the early twenteenth-century Russian Iiterature
tieth century contrasts with the Western idea of Conceptual Art. In particular the
Western dichotomy of the discursive and the visual, of the visible and effable is
brought to fruition in Moscow Conceptualism in a singular art form of illustration
and commentary. Commentary on art becomes the art of commentary and ultimately, art as commentary. The cultivation of commentary or conversation in the
East corresponds with the emphasis on concept or idea in the West. Taking as our
starting point Sol LeWitt's fundamental theory 66 that the idea alone can be an artwork, the main feature of Western Conceptual Art is the dematerialization of the
art object with the aim of democratizing it. Thus, when idealistic and system-critical intentions come together as an idea in Western art, we must ask what goal
lf we consider the target group
nonconformist Russian art as commentary pursues. If
sales
of the unofficial art scene, which lacked any form of official exhibition or
orsales
justas
opportunity, producer and recipient coincide, just
as envisaged by the communist
dream.l This utopian dimension of a closed circle of friends lends art as commendream.7
llya Kabakov and Boris Groys,
Groys , Die Kunst des Fliehens (Munich and Vienna, 1991); F/ug
1 lIya
Flug,, Entfernung
Entternung,,
Verschwinden-Kanzeptue/le
cato Galerie Hlavnho Mesta Prahy, Prague; Haus am
Verschwinden-Konzeptuelle Maskauer
Moskauer Kunst, exh. cat.
Soph ienhof, Kiel (Ostfildern,
(Ostfildern , 1995).
1995) . In her essay "Flug,
" Fiug, Entfernung,
Waldsee, Berlin; Stadtgalerie im Sophienhof,
Verschwinden " (pp.
(pp . 21-40), Milena Slavicka sheds light on the tradition and forerunners of this motif,
Verschwinden"
f irst Russian avant-garde and early twentieth-century literatura
abbreviated to PUl, in the first
literature..
Transzendenz, " in ibid.,
ibid ., pp.
pp . 51-65.
" Die Sehnsucht nach Freiheit und Transzendenz,"
2 Dorothee Bienert, "Die
Cornel ia Klinger,
Klinger , Flucht Trost
Trast Revolte.
Revalte. Die Moderne
Maderne und ihre iisthetischen Gegenwelten (Munich
(Mun ich and
3 Cornelia
Vienna, 1995).
Dyogot,- "Der Verlust des Verlusts als Mittel gegen Nostalgie,"in
Nostalgie,'' in exh. cat.
cato 1995 (see note 1),
4 Yekaterina Dyogot,
p. 147.
p.147.
before
1970s, the trained illustrator
5 This was Alekseev's last work befo
re he went to Paris in 1986. In the 19705,
belonged to the group Collective Actions, and in the early 19805
1980s the so-called Apt. Art Gallery, which was
an important location for contemporary art in Moscow, was housed in his apartment. To finance his
invitad artists
emigration, Alekseev held an auction of his works in his studio in Furmanny Lane, to which he invited
collectors . At this auction, Vadim Zakharov bought the roll for fifty rubles.
and collectors.
Art ,'' in Arttorum
Artfarum V, no. 7 (June 1967), pp.
pp . 79ff.
6 Sol LeWitt, "Paragraphs on Conceptual Arto"
llya Kabakov, "Gesprach
" Gesprach ber Noma," in lIya
llya Kabakov, Noma oder
ader der Kreis der Moskauer
Mos kauer
7 Boris Groys and lIya
Kanzeptua/isten, exh. cato
cat . Hamburger Kunsthalle (Ostfildern, 1993), p. 33; Groys and Kabakov, Die Kunst
Konzeptualisten,
lnsta/latian (Munich and Vienna, 1996), p.
der Installation
p. 161.
Fundacin Juan March
90 1I 91
91
90
tarya
decisive communicative
communicative function.
function. The
The endless
endless conversation
conversation and
and endless
endless text
text
a decisiva
tary
serve asan
as an infinita
infinite communication
communication of
of digressions
digressions and
and associations,
associations, of
of self-reflecself-reflecserve
tion and
and self-orchestration, of
of intellectual
intellectual space
space and
and intellectual
intellectual flights. Western
tion
observers are well-advised at least to read the dialogue between Kabakov and
Groys in order to get an idea of the conversation culture of friendship and to gain
philoso'phical, social, ideological, and art-theoretical
authentic insight into the philoso.phical,
Conceptualists. While these conversations
conditions and strivings of the Moscow Conceptualists.
still reveal a belief in universal explanations and interpretations and efforts to
arrive at them, the conversations of the second generation are marked by a nominalist, nomadic quality, expressed in the group name NOMA,
NOMA,a8 which carries the mark
of Pepperstein. An unpublished conversation between Pepperstein and Anufriev of
Medical Hermeneutics group of artists on the installation The Experience of
the Medica!
the Tower (The Go/den Shadow) (1994) contains a polemic against Western contem9
1n contrast to the paucity
commentary.9ln
porary art which concerns the problem of commentary.
of commentary in twentieth-century art diagnosed by Arnold Gehlen, Pepperstein
does not see this as a deficiency; rather, he believes that the relationship of dependence is reversed: modern art does not need commentary, but is itself only a
consequence and shadow of commentary. In other words, commentary did not
emerge from the inner suffering of Protestant intellectuals, but from the hedonism that is characteristic of orthodoxy. "As anesthetists par excellence, we cannot trust suffering. Our aim is anesthesia, which is attained especially by way of
commentary, for paradise offers the possibility of commenting on everything from
the outside and feeling infinitely happy in the golden shadow of the departing
God. "10
" 10 As this Medhermeneutic commentary on commentary remains thoroughly
hermetic, the etymological relationship of the terms hermeticism and hermeneutics,
which appear so contradictory at first glance, becomes apparent. The sealed hermetic circle and the hermeneutic doctrine of understanding presumably both go
back to the messenger of the gods, Hermes, who both carried messages between
the gods and people and translated them, and was responsible for secret teachings and teachings of revelation, which were linked to alchemy. Thus, despite all
obscurity, it becomes clear that the Medhermeneutics use commentary as a kind
of psychotherapeutic anesthetic, which can lead in hedonistic pleasure and idleness to another form of understanding.
In Moscow Conceptualism, art and commentary, nominalism and nomadic qualities, hermeticism and hermeneutics enter into an alliterational alliance, which
differs significantly from the parameters of Western Conceptual Art. In the course
of the reevaluation and continued
continuad development of Conceptual Art in the sixties
and seventies, highly different approaches to and legacies of it have now moved
into fOCUS.
focus. 1111 As such, Conceptual Art is not seen as the style of a particular art
Fundacin Juan March
DOROTHEA ZWIRNER 1
movement, but rather asan

as an artistic practice which has evolved parallel, but also
divergent approaches in different places and continues to existY Despite the different political conditions in the East and West, many of the Conceptual practices
are similar, even though the aims ar
ar"ee diametrically opposed. While Western Conceptual artists criticize the power of the market and the institutions, in the East,
it is precisely the lack of economic and institutional opportunities that determines
the conditions of the unofficial art scene. While here the strategies of dematerialization and refusal are directed against excess and against the influence of the
late-capitalist social order, there they originate from a plain lack of materials and
fear of repression. With the simultaneous reduction and opening of the artistic
form by means of the invention of new types of communication and distribution,
the controlling instances, be they capitalist or socialist in nature, are evaded in
."both
both cses. Whereas Conceptual Art questions the notion of a liberal and progressive era of modernism, the Moscow Conceptualists direct their criticism at the
official culture of Socialist Realism. And when each harks back to the radical roots
of the first avant-garde, it is Duchamp, on the one hand, and Malevich, on the other,
who appear as the forerunners of Conceptual Art.
~ritical and political impulses of Conceptual Art do not exclude in either case
The ~ritical
" 13
their idealistic, ironic, and poetic aspects. The term "Romantic Conceptualism, "13
introduced by Jorg Heiser, seems a suitable one for comparing Western Conceptual Art with the particular variant of Moscow Conceptualism that Boris Groys laln the context
beled "Moscow Romantic Conceptualism" back in the late seventies. 14 In
of Sol LeWitt's "Sentences on Conceptual Art," published in 1969, in which he said
that concept artists were more mystics than rationalists, who quickly reach con15
the established dichotomies between the raclusions that do not appear logical, 15
tional and emotional, the objective and subjective, mythology and enlightenment
all become relative. Rather, a common cultural breeding ground comes into view in
which in West and East alike the romantic ideas of the fragmentary, of irony, and
colledive creativity are rooted; in which Marxist, linguistic, and structuralist
of colleetive
in : exh. cato
cat. 1993 (see note 7),
7) , pp. 8-18.
8 Pavel Pepperstein, "Rapport NOMA-NOMA," in:
Turmer/ebnis {Der Goldene
Go/dene SchattenJ,
Schatten), unpublished dialogue
9 Sergei Anufriev and Pavel Pepperstein, Das Turmerlebnis
lnge Baecker
on the installation at the Galerie Inge
8aecker in the historical R6merturm (Cologne, November 11,
1994-January 20, 1995).
lbid., pp. 25f.
10 Ibid.,
Al berro and Sabeth Buchmann, eds., Art After Conceptual Art (Vienna and Cologne, 2006).
11 Alexander Alberro
12 Alexander Alberro, ibid., p. 14.
13 J6rg Heiser, "Emotional Rescue," frieze 71 (November 2002), pp. 70-75; id., Romantischer Konzeptualismus, exh. cat.
Iismus,
cato Kunsthalle Nuremberg; BAWAG Foundation (Vienna, Bielefeld, and Leipzig, 2007).
14 Boris Groys, "Moscow Romantic Conceptualism," in Laura Hoptman & Toms Pospiszyl, eds., Primary
pp . 162-74.
Documents (Cambridge, MA, and London, 2002), pp.
15 Sol LeWitt, "Sentences on Conceptual Art," Art-Language 1 (May 1969), pp. 11-13.
Fundacin Juan March
92 1
/ 93
theories thrive; and from which postmodernist and deconstructivist practices

spring forth.
Despite all the ways in which conceptual practices are comparable, Moscow
Conceptualism stands apart by virtue of its narrative, psychological, and mystical
techniques of encrypting and obscuring, which originate from the collective body
of a secret underground movement. The underground connecting lines branch out
above all of Alice in in a whole network of intercultural references, reminding us aboye
Wonderland, who falls through a rabbit hole into a dreamlike underworld, but also
of the unfathomable cult film Being John Malkovich (1999), in which the viewer can
enter the famous actor's subconscious through a tunnel. A real underworld opens
up, as we know, in the subterranean palaces of the Moscow metro literally as a nondialectic-mat erialist utopia. 16 From the underworld of the metro it is
place of the dialectic-materialist
it is from this "sewer discussion" on
but a short step to the sewer of society, and it
the cultural significance and function of the toilet in the East and West that Pavel
gen re of the installation in the double sense
sen se of the word. 17
Pepperstein derives the genre
Starting from Marcel Duchamp's Urinoir, a sewer system leads to Robert Gober's
Fischli/
handmade Sinks (from 1984) and Drains (from 1988-89). Here and there, Fischll
Weiss installed Pipes (1985) out of polyurethane and tried to study the whole sysllya Kabakov's installation Toilet (1992),
(1992) , which
tem with their Sewer Video (1992). lIya
Kassel ,
typ ical Russian public toilet, was shown at the documenta 4 in Kassel,
portrayed a typcal
thus forging a connection with the Western sewage network. In 1997, one of the
Martin Kippenberger, which have spread out across the whole
subway stations by Martn
subversiva network, also found its destination in Kassel. In the global
world like a subversive
digestive process of Surrealist, Romantic, and Conceptual nourishment, the comof Love
Lave (2004) by Vadim-Zakharov
Vadi m- Zakharov [fig.
[fig . 23/p.
23/p . 85]
B5J represents
mode Execution Chair 01
a solitary flowering.
t he recognition of the unofficial RusThe Moscow Conceptualists responded to the
sian art scene following the fall of communism and the accompanying loss of their
oppositional self-image by engaging in an intense process of self-reflection and
historicization. While lIya
llya Kabakov beca me the great installation artist of the postSoviet culture of remembrance, Vadim Zakharov assumed the equally responsible
but more modest role of typographer, publisher, and archivist. With his Pastor Zond
Edition, founded in 1992, he addressed th'e ideological transition from East to West.
Zakharov also saw himself as a pastor in the sense of a shepherd who carefully
seeks out and gathers together his artist friends, who are spread out everywhere
like sheep. The eight issues of his magazine Pastor (1992-2004) that have been
published so far form a discussion forum and a kind of substituta
substitute home for the
beca use
artists who have dispersed all over the world since perestroika, especially because
exter na! appearance of the magazine recalls the familiar Russian tradition of
the external
Fundacin Juan March
DOROTHEA ZWIRNER 1
samizdat, the hand-printed material produced by the unofficial Russian cultural

compilad an extensive
extensiva video archive,
scene. In his capacity as pastor, Zakharov also compiled
friendsand colleagues since 1989.
documenting the artistic activities of his friends-and
Circle in the Hamburg
Kabakov's installation NOMA or the Moscow Conceptual Gire/e
Kunsthalle in 1993 marked both the culmination and end of this phase of artists
crea~ing their own myths. The circular installation consisting of twelve rooll)
crea~ing
wh(ch was dedicated to a
segments arranged around an empty center, each of which
centrifuga! power. With Zakharov's
member of the group, has since unfolded its centrifugal
installation for the exhibition Berlin-Moskau, Moskau-Berlin in the Martin-GropiusBerlin in 2003-04, the historical epoch of Moscow Conceptualism was "deBau in Berln
id to resto
rest. In five giant, walk-in files, each labeled accordingly, the viewfinjtively" la
laid
er was able to revisit The History of Russian Art from the Russian Avant-Garde to
Moscow Conceptualism [fig. 24/p ._85]. Starting with the "Utopia of the Russian
"ldeology of Socialist Realism," the chronology continued
avant-garde" and the "Ideology
with "Nonconformist art of the 1950s and 1960s," "Self-criticism of Sots Art"
and ended with the "Archive of Moscow Conceptualism." In this last file, the figure of a child writing sits on a high plinth in front of an entire filing cabinet. 18 With
childlike immersion and pleasure in self-referential description and metatextual
Mosc'ow Conceptualism appears as another form of utodiscourse, the archive in Mosc.ow
pia.
pa.
" U-Bahn als U-Topie,"

U-Tapie," in id
., Die Erfindung RuB/ands (Munich and Vienna, 1995),
16 Boris
80ris Groys, "U-8ahn
id.,
pp. 156ff.
156ft.
"Fiug, Entternung
Entfernung Verschwinden," in exh. cato
cat. 1995 (see note
101 . A whole
17 Pavel Pepperstein, "Flug,
note.. 1), p. 101.
Jlya
chapter is also devoted to the theme of the toilet in the conversation between Boris Groys and liya
117ft.
cato 1993 (see note 7), pp. 117ff.
Kabakov, in exh. cat.
Originally, the figure of the ancient Boy With Thorn (Spinario)
18 Originaliy,
eSpinario) trying to remove something from his
toot
allegory of Moscow Conceptufoot was to be placed here. In this self-referential stance, Zakharov sees an aliegory
oscillates between the narcissistic view of the personal and the self-distanced view of the
alism, which osciliates
foreign.
Fundacin Juan March
95
94 1/ 95
"EL ,HOMBRE QUE

VOLO
VOlO AL ESPACIO
ESPACIO
DESDE SU
CONTEXTO". SOBRE
CONTEXTO''.
,
LA EXPOSICION, DEL
ARTE POSTUTOPICO
1
iMi respetado amigo y antpoda!

Edmund Husserl, en una carta a Len Shestov (1929)
En una de sus tempranas crticas de cine, el escritor argentino Jorge Luis Borges
ironiz con humor acerca del film The Sign of the Cross (1932) y su director:
"Cecil B. de Mille ignora con perfeccin que la reconstruccin de personajes
tan remotos como los mrtires cristianos circenses y sus perseguidores romanos
debe ser un problema. No recurre a la tentativa de comprensin ni al voluntario
anacronismo: le basta con disfraces, con leones, con barbas postizas, con himnos
Fundacin Juan March
FONTN DEL JUNCO /1 "EL

"EL HOMBRE QUE VOL AL ESPACIO DESDE SU CONTEXTO"
MANUEL fONTN
luteranos y letra gtica. El nico minuto defendible de esta cargosa produccin es

apariencia! del bao de Claudette (Papea)
el del gato negro paladeando la leche apariencial
Colbert. Por primera vez en su carrera obesa de triunfos, de Mille
Mili e parece sospechar
un problema (el de persuadir a su pblico de que esa cndida superficie es realmente leche) y resolverlo con alguna elegancia"\
C9mo la reconstruccin visualmente verosmil de ambientes cinematogrficos,
tambin la reconstruccin adecuada del contexto del objeto de una exposicin tanto en el aparato crtico que la sustenta como en la organizacin de las obras y
documentos artsticos en el espacio- "debe ser un problema" para sus responsables. Lo expuesto no puede dejarse, sin ms, "expuesto" al juicio del pblico:
necesita ser mostrado argumentativamente. Sin sospechar ese "problema" -y
l.as exposiciones temticas resultan inconsistentes en su concepsin superarlo- las
to, y, en su organizacin espacial, una mera yuxtaposicin de obras resuelta sin
rigor y con nula capacidad de.
de_persuadir a su pblico .
. En cambio, resultan logradas las exposiciones que "sospechan" lo problemtico
que es convertir lo textual y discursivo en visual y panormico; hacer intuitivamente
verosmil un argumento abstracto o lograr una adecuacin lo ms perfecta posible
entre lo expuesto, su disposicin en el espacio y las peculiaridades de su recepcin.
Esas exposiciones parten de que la seleccin de obras debe decidirla una interpretacin y una intencin; y persuaden a su pblico con la elegancia de lo indirecto como la escena del gato en The Sign of the Cross persuade al espectador de que
la actriz que interpreta a Papea est bandose, en vez de en agua, en leche-.
leche-o
En lo que sigue quisiera plantear sintticamente por qu hay motivos importantes para seguir "sospechando un problema" en la recepcin del tema de nuestra
exposicin por parte del pblico no ruso u occidental en general. Encuentro al
menos dos motivos para prevenir un posible dficit de la mirada occidental sobre
el Conceptualismo moscovita -especialmente en el caso espaol, pues se trata de
la primera muestra sistemtica sobre el tema celebrada en nuestro pas 2
El primero de ellos se refiere a la dificultad interpretativa que plantea el carcter ambivalente, a un tiempo desconocido y conocido, extrao y familiar, del
arte del Conceptualismo moscovita. El segundo motivo viene dado por una dificul1 El subrayado es nuestro. Cf. Jorge Luis Borges, "Cine. Cinco breves noticias", Seleccin. Cuadernos
mensuales de cultura, Buenos Aires, 2 (junio de 1933). Citado segn Jorge Luis Borges. Textos recobrados,
1931-1955, Barcelona: Emec Editores, 2001
2001,, p. 45.
2 Revelador en este contexto: Ekaterina Degot', "Desde Rusia ... con glamour", en Asociacin de Amigos de
Arco (ed.),
Ced.), Arco 2006. 25 Aniversario de la feria de arte contemporneo de Madrid, Madrid: TF, 2006, p.
108. El caso de la recepcin espaola reviste un aspecto relevante
relevante:: la disolucin de la URSS en 1991 casi
coincide con el comienzo de la eclosin de las estructuras ded
icadas al arte moderno y contemporneo
dedicadas
en nuestro pas, que, a diferencia de los pases de su entorno, se produce aproximadamente a finales de
los aos 80. Se podra hablar, con matices, de una incorporacin cultural simultnea de Espaa y Rusia a
la ""institucin
institucin arte
arte"" contempornea
contempornea..
Fundacin Juan March
96 1/ 97
97
96
tad "estructural".
"estructural". Consiste
Consiste en
en que,
que, para
para entender
entender el
el carcter
carcter especficamente
especficamente
tad
del Conceptualismo
Conceptualismo moscovita,
moscovita, losoclos'ocpostutpico (y
(y peculiarmente
peculiarmente postmoderno)
postmoderno) del
postutpico
esenexperiencia
una
de
falta
nuestra
de
de
nuestra
falta
de
una
experiencia
esencidentales
necesitamos
ser
conscientes
conscientes
ser
cidentales necesitamos
la experiencia de "vivir" en una utopa. Como puede
cial: la experiencia de la utopa, la
verse, se trata de dos problemas relativos a la comprensin de las obras expuestas y de las
las intenciones con las que stas fueron producidas en su contexto originario. Dos problemas que, si los sospechamos, podran abrir nuevas perspectivas para la reflexin, que de otro modo quedaran inexploradas.
Comencemos por esa peculiar mezcla entre lo familiar y lo ajeno que encontra/lustracin total. Todas ellas, en efecto, han
mos en las obras seleccionadas para La Ilustracin
sido producidas en un contexto, con una intencin y desde una experiencia que resultan, a un tiempo, conocidas y desconocidas para el pblico occidental.
lIi Kabakov, luri Albert, Andrei Monastyrski,
Por una parte, todas las obras de lli
Vitali Komar y Aleksandr Melamid, Dmitri Prgov o Vadim Zajrov, entre otros, fueron realizadas en Mosc antes de la disolucin, en 1991, de la Unin Sovitica, es
decir, en un contexto ideolgico y social muy alejado del nuestro; casi completamente
comunicaci!5n
desconocido entonces, y con posibilidades de acceso y de salida -de comunicaci!)n
e informacin, en suma- sujetas a prohibiciones y controles muy rigurosos y muy
reales. An hoy, las referencias en muchas de esas obras a la tradicin cultural
verncula -o, simplemente, la presencia habitual en ellas de textos en cirlicosuponen obstculos obvios para la comprensin directa de su significado, incluso
para un pblico plurilinge, conocedor del contexto artstico internacional y versado en la cultura visual contempornea.
Pero, por otra parte, muchas de las referencias culturales de esos artistas, as
como los temas y los rasgos de muchas de sus prcticas artsticas -procedimientos como los de la cita y la apropiacin de formas terminadas de la cultura, la conjuncin de imagen y texto, las acciones y performances o el desplazamiento desde
la obra de arte al documento y a lo archivstico, por ejemplo- son comunes a las de
sus coetneos occidentales. Esos rasgos se corresponden con la tipologa de lo que
Ces decir, en lo que
desde los aos 60 se conoce en Europa y en los Estados Unidos (es
entonges
entonyes era, para ellos, "Occidente", el mundo "no sovitico") como "Arte Conceptual" o, con matices, como Arte POp3.
Pop 3
As pues, el "Conceptualismo romntico" de Mosc parece constituir -ya desde
su curiosa pero exacta denominacin- un captulo ms de ese tpico secular de la
dialctica del parecido y la desemejanza entre el "alma" rusa y la occidental 44 De
hecho, y en mi opinin, la mezcla en el tema de esta exposicin de lo conocido y lo
desconocido, lo familiar y lo extrao, lo propio y lo ajeno es -al tiempo que su principal dificultad hermenutica- la responsable de su pertinencia y de su fascinante
relevancia.
Fundacin Juan March
" EL HOMBRE QUE

QUE VOL AL ESPACIO DESDE SU CONTEXTO"
MANUEL FONTN DEL JUNCO /1 "EL
CONTEXTO "
El caso es que ese carcter "mixto" del Conceptualismo moscovita podra tener
como consecuencia una comprensin deficitaria de su naturaleza y su significado.
Y, de hecho, existen un par de precedentes histricos de una comprensin tal en
V,
el mismo mbito geogrfico de nuestro tema; se trata, precisamente, de algunas
interpretaciones, relativamente comunes, de los dos antecedentes inmediatos
Concep~ualismo moscovita: la Vanguardia rusa y el Realismo socialista.
del Conceptualismo
En efecto: existe un tipo de acercamiento a la Vanguardia rusa por parte de la
y, sobre todo, la prctica expositiva, caracterizado por
crtica, la historia del arte Y,
una fuerte tendencia formalista y por el anlisis del fenmeno indiferenciadamente
del resto de los movimiento"s europeos de Vanguardia. Ese acercamiento no suele
atender ni al significado de la Vanguardia como concepto esttico ni a su contexto ideolgico-poltico desde el punto de vista de la lgica de los acontecimientos
culturales; no suele atender al hecho, por ejemplo, de que la Vanguardia rusa se
aesarroll, en parte, en condiciones prerrevolucionarias, revolucionarias y postdesarroll,
revolucionarias, mientras que el resto de las vanguardias europeas lo hizo -a
pesar de la virulencia, tambin poltica, de algunas de sus manifestaciones- en
contextos ms estables. Por lo que respecta al Realismo socialista -la corriente
oficialmente vigente a partir de los aos 30 en la Unin Sovitica- solo desde hace
relativamente poco tiempo ha sido puesto en valor su significado esttico como
algo ms que un Kitsch academicista aliado del aparato de propaganda sovitico,
tanto respecto de sus antecedentes -la Vanguardia- como de las corrientes artsticas que lo convierten en tema de su praxis artstica: precisamente nuestro
Conceptualismo moscovita y el "Sots Art" de los 70 a los 90.
Ese tipo de acercamientos ha producido muchas exposiciones colectivas, retrospectivas y temticas sobre la Vanguardia rusa, todas ellas muy valiosas, pero
concebidas y organizadas segn colecciones, o con criterios ms bien formalistas
ms o menos acertados. En ellas, los criterios formales y el factor cronolgico (arte
ruso "de Vanguardia"; arte sovitico "contemporneo") suelen tener mucho ms
3 Si apl
icamos la descripcin del ""Conceptualismo
Conceptualismo moscovita
aplicamos
moscovita"" como "Pop Art discursivo" (Cf. Bors
Groys, ""El
El arte conceptual del comun
ismo", en este mismo catlogo) y pensamos en la adscripcin al ""Sots
comunismo",
Sots
Art" (un juego de palabras entre "realismo socialista" y ""Pop
Pop Ar
t"J de
Art")
de,, sobre todo, las obras de Komar &
Melamid
Melamid..
4 se es un tpico que puede remontarse hasta las polmicas entre eslavfilos y accidenta
occidentalistas,
listas, y que
parece haber acompaado secularmente tanto la visin occidental de lo ruso como la de los propios rusos
sobre s mismos. Dostoievskii, por ejemplo, empieza sus Diarios as: "Antes se descubrir el perpetuum
mobile o el elixir de la larga vida
vida,, que no que los hombres de Occidente lleguen a comprender la verdad rusa,
el alma rusa, el carcter ruso y su tendencia
tendencia.. En tal sentido, hasta la luna resulta ahora ms detalladamente explorada que Rusia. Cuando menos, saben que all no vive nadie, mientras que de Rusia saben que
en ella viven hombres, y hasta rusos
". Cf. Fiador
rusos;; pero qu hombres?
hombres?".
Fiodor Dostoievski, ""Diario
escritor",,
Diario de uul
~ escritor"
en Obras Completas, tomo IV, traduccin de Rafael Cansinos Assens, Madrid: Agu
Aguilar,
ilar, 1968, p.14. Para las
polmicas entre eslavfilos y occ
identalistas, cf. Wilhelm Goerdt, Russische Philosophie
occidentalistas,
Philosophie,, Friburgo: Karl
Alber, 1984, en espec
ial pp. 262 yY ss.
especial
Fundacin Juan March
98 1
/ 99
peso que el concedido a la historia de las ideas y al contexto poltico-ideolgico de

esos fenmenos; algunas incluso carecen de la estructura conceptual adecuada
para poder entender el contexto de las obras expuestas y su lgica.
En el caso del Conceptualismo romntico moscovita, la aludida comprensin deficitaria consistira en una sintona tal con las semejanzas entre el Conceptualismo
moscovita y el Arte Conceptual europeo que nos hiciera perder la diferencia especfica del primero. Yeso
Y eso ocurrira si interpretramos el trabajo bsicamente conceptual desarrollado entre los 70 y los 90 por los artistas que Bors Groys incluy ya
moscovita" 5 y de
en 1979 bajo la denominacin de "Conceptualismo romntico moscovita"5
aquellos que definen su trabajo como "Sots Art" o "NOMA"6,
"NOMA" 6 , como algo asimilable
"locales"sin ms -eso s: con sus exticos aspectos "locales"
- a las corrientes conceptuales que comienzan a aflorar a finales de los aos 60 en Europa y Amrica 7 Del mismo modo que el Cubismo de Praga sera .un
un cubismo con "color local" centroeuropeo, el Conceptualismo moscovita consistira en cierto "Arte Conceptual", como el
de Art & Language, Joseph Kosuth o Maree!
Marcel Broodthaers, solo que con un punto
exticamente "eslavo". Algo que, por otra parte, se prestara muy adecuadamente a las estrategias de visibilizacin propias de una "institucin arte" cada vez
global izada y homogeneizada y, por tanto, ms ansiosa por encontrar producms globalizada
tos indgenas con rasgos locales cuya "diferencia" pueda otorgarles visibilidad y
valor de mercado en el cada vez ms homogneo "concierto de las naciones" artstico.
Una recepcin como sa sera ciega para las diferencias entre el contexto sovitico y el europeo de aquellas dcadas, una diferencia cuyas enriquecedoras
posibilidades para la comprensin se pierden demasiadas veces, unas veces por
acercamientos excesivamente formalistas y otras por una excesiva fascinacin por
los detalles de la vida durante el rgimen sovitico o durante su disolucin 8 ; y
siempre por una deficiente comprensin de lo que es en parte igual y en parte
distinto. En una comprensin como sa, las diferencias entre ambos contextos
desaparecen y, con ello, perdemos la posibilidad de contar con un trmino de comparacin irremplazable para repensar la lgica de la institucin arte, a saber: su
peculiar funcionamiento bajo las condiciones del sistema vigente en la Unin .SoviSovitica hasta 1991. O lo que es lo mismo: bajo las condiciones de una utopa efectivamente realizada segn un plan artstico tota
total.l.
Porque quiz sa sea la diferencia ms especfica entre el contexto del arte
occidental de los aos 60 y 70 y el del Mosc sovitico de esas dcadas y hasta los
,occidental del arte -los artistas, los museos, el
90. Las instituci'ones del contexto ,occidental
mercado, la
la crtica- han funcionado con la misma lgica -la de la "tradicin de lo
nuevo"nuevo" - desde las vanguardias histricas hasta las prcticas postmodernas contemporneas; pero lo que caracteriza al contexto occidental es que lo radicalmen-
Fundacin Juan March
MANUEL FONTN
FONTN DEL
DEL JUNCO
JUNCO /1 "EL
" EL HOMBRE
HOMBRE QUE
QUE VOL
VOL AL
AL ESPACIO
ESPACIO DESDE
MANUEL
DESDE SU
SU CONTEXTO"
CONTEXTO"
te nuevo
nuevo -o
-o sea,
sea, la
la utopautopa- jams
jams ha
ha tenido
tenido lugar.
lugar. Pues,
te
Pues, en
en efecto,
efecto, "la
"la idea
idea de
de una
una
nueva organizacin
organizacin del
del mundo
mundo segn
segn principios
principios estticos
estticos ha
nueva
sido
propuesta
en
Ocha sido propuesta en Occidente ms
ms de
de una
una vez,
vez, ee incluso
incluso se'
se ha
ha probado
probado muchas
cidente
muchas veces.
veces. Pero
Pero dance
donae por
por
Rusia" 9
primera vez se logr efectivamente fue en Rusia"9.
En Occidente, el contexto del arte se ha configurado como un autntico campo
experimentacin, de destruccin de formas antiguas y de creacin de otras
de experi.mentacin,
nuevas; pero el contexto social y poltico se ha mantenido prcticamente estable e
independiente de l, dependiente de los principios
principios polticos y jurdicos instaurados
desde la Ilustracin. En Rusia, en cambio, esa versin peculiar de la Ilustracin europea en que consisti el materialismo dialctico despleg una totalizante praxis
artstica y esttica que sustituy al conocimiento de lo real por la transformacin
de lo real: "hasta ahora los filsofos han interpretado el mundo; de lo que se trata
ahora es de transformarlo", reza la undcima tesis de Marx sobre Feuerbach, todo
un programa artstico cuyo material era el mundo entero, su tiempo la historia -y
sovitico-.
su producto el sistema sovitico-o
Todos los rasgos de la "institucin arte" bajo el rgimen sovitico -la inexistencia de mercado, de instituciones ms all de las oficiales, de diferencias entre
10
alta cultura y cultura de masas, de pblico o de crtica 10_
- se derivan del hecho de la
configuracin de la vida sovitica como una realidad artstica e ideolgica total. se
es el mundo, extrao para nosotros, que fue "privatizado" por las prcticas artsticas de los integrantes del crculo de conceptualistas romnticos moscovitas que
vivieron "am
vivieron"
am Rande", en sus mrgenes. Por eso, y como ha propuesto Bors Groys,
las obras del Conceptualismo romntico moscovita deben entenderse como la re5 Cf. Boris Groys, "Moscow Romantic Conceptualism/Moskovskii romanticheskii kontseptual
kontseptualizm",
izm", A-JA.
Unofficial
Unollicial Russian Art Revue, Alexei Alexejev y lgor
Igor Shelkovskyy (eds.), Pars, Nueva York, Mosc, Elancourt,
Francia, 1979, n
xto completo ha sido reed
itado en
n 1, pp
pp.. 3-11
3-11.. El te
texto
reeditado
en:: Laura Hoptman/Toms Posp
Pospiszyl,
iszyl,
Primary Documents. A Sourcebook lor

for Eastern and Central European Art Since the 195Ds,
19505, Nueva York:
The Museum of Modern Art, 2002
2002,, pp
pp.. 162 yY ss. Un extracto de ese artculo sem
seminal,
inal, hasta ahora indito
en espaol
espaol,, se ofrece en este volumen, en traduccin directa del ruso por Desiderio Navarro.
6 Sobre NOMA, cf
cf.. tambin: //ya
IIya Kabakov. NOMA oder der Kreis der Moskauer Konzeptualismus,
Konzeptuafismus, cat.
cato expo.,
Hamburger Kunsthalle, Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 1993, p. 59.
7 Cf. Sol Lewitt, ""Paragraphs
Paragraphs on Conceptual Art"
, Artforum, V, 7 (1967), pp. 79 ss. Una revisin amplia del
Art",Artlorum,
arte conceptual y su incidencia en el sistema del
del arte en: Alexander Alberro/Sabeth Buchmann, Art After
Alter
Conceptual Art, Generali Foundation Collection Series
Series.. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 2006.
2006.
8 Un relato cuas
inovelesco del ambientes de la
cuasinovelesco
la poca es el de Andrew Solomon, The lrony
Irony Tower. Soviet
Artists in a Time of
01 Glasnost, Nueva York: Alfred A. Knopf,
Knopf, 1991. Un relato de primera mano de aquellos
aos en: lli
lIi Kabakov, Die 60er und
und 70er Jahre. Aufzeichnungen
Aulzeichnungen ber das inoffizielle
inoffizielle Leben in Moskau, Viena
Viena::
Passagen Verlag
Verlag,, 2001
2001..
9 Boris
Sowjetunion,, traduccin del
del ruso de
de
Boris Groys,
Groys, Gesamtkunstwerk Stalin. Die gespaltene Kultur in der Sowjetunion
Gabriele
Gabriele Leupold,
Leupold, Mnich
Mnich:: Hanser,
Hanser, 1988,
1988, p.
p. 8.
8. La
La traduccin
traduccin es
es nuestra.
nuestra.
10
a aa su
xto de
10 "La
"La doble
doble mirada
mirada del
del artist
artista
su obra"
obra" es
es un
un te
texto
de Kabakov
Kabakov,, escrito
escrito en
en 1981
1981,, absolutamente
absolutamente
descriptivo
lico yy debe
descriptivo de
de la
la situacin:
situacin: la
la del
del artista
artista que
que carece
carece de
de pb
pblico
debe convertirse
convertirse l
l mismo
mismo en
en el
el pblico
pblico
de
de su
su propia
propia obra
obra:: llya
lIya Kabakov,
Kabakov, Der
Der doppelte
doppelte 8/ick
8fick des
des Knstlers
Knstlers auf
aul sein
sein Werk, Die
Die 60er
60er und
und 70er
70er Jahre.
Jahre.
Aufzeichnungen
Aulzeichnungen ber
ber das
das inoffizielle
inollizielle Leben
Leben in
in Moskau
Moskau,, cit.
cit.,, pp
pp.. 327
327 yY ss.
ss.
Fundacin Juan March
100 1I 101
flexin sobre las condiciones en las que queda una cultura cuando un proyecto
utpico triunfa y se mantiene como sistema poltico durante un largo periodo de
tiempo, ms que (como en el caso del modelo habitual en Occidente) como estrategias de una instancia crtica -el artista- enfrentada al poder y el mercado. Pues
los paralelos entre la teora y la praxis marxista revolucionaria y la teora y la praxis
de las Vanguardias artsticas, con su voluntad de dominio y transformacin del
material artstico segn las leyes dictadas autnomamente por el artista, son,
para el artista postsovitico, evidentes:
"[El artista sovitico es] incapaz de imaginarse el poder como algo impersonal,
como algo que se le enfrenta desde el exterior, que es el modo en que el artista
occidental se imagina sus relaciones con el mercado. El artista sovitico reconoce
necesariamente en el poltico sovitico, que quera transformar el mundo, o al menos su propio pas, segn un plan artstico total, a su Alter ego; se da cuenta de su
propia cooperacin con aquello que le oprime y le rechaza, ve las races comunes
que su propia inspiracin comparte con el poder sin alma. De ah que los artistas y
escritores del Sots Art no opongan resistencia al reconocimiento de la identidad
entre la intencin artstica y la voluntad de poder que se encuentra en las fuentes
de su praxis artstica; lo que hacen es ms bien convertir esa identidad en el objeto
ms importante de su reflexin, una reflexin que muestra parentescos all donde
11
tranquilizadores"11.
uno preferira ver nicamente contrastes moralmente tranquilizadores"
La conciencia de la efectiva victoria de la utopa define el postutopismo de los
artistas presentes en esta exposicin; fuera de su contexto histrico, ningn otro
proyecto utpico de la Modernidad ha conseguido nunca en ningn otro lugar transformar la vida segn un plan artstico total y mantenerlo durante dcadas, de modo
Y. esa "inexperiencia" nos oblique los occidentales carecemos de esa experiencia. Y.esa
ga a un cambio de perspectiva sobre el arte de los conceptualistas romnticos moscovitas, cuyo contexto no fue el de la estable sucesin de fracasos parciales de
sucesivos proyectos utpicos"
artsticos", como en Occidente, sino el de la trisutpicos "artsticos",
se de la vida sovitica tras la victoria sin residuos de un proyecto utpico total y
tes
tesse
su posterior organizacin en un sistema poltico totalitario durante casi un siglo.
Ese contexto peculiar de la victoria real de una utopa, que no debe olvidarse a la
hora de interpretar la peculiar "postmodernidad sovitica" del Conceptualismo
moscovita, no tiene ningn otro equivalente real. Lo inslito de su condicin cultural nos obliga por eso a "sospechar" de nuestra recepcin de ese arte y a arbitrar
para l una especie de doble perspectiva.
Precisamente por ello, el espectador perfecto de esta exposicin sera el que
intentara situarse en la doble perspectiva que es precisa para comprender aquello
que es a la vez familiar y extrao. Pues para entender lo propio debemos alejarnos de ello, "extraarnos"; y para comprender lo ajeno, "acercarnos". Aunque, en
Fundacin Juan March
MANUEL FONTN
FONTN DEL
DEL JUNCO
JUNCO /1 "EL
"EL HOMBRE
HOMBRE QUE
QUE VOL
VOL AL
AL ESPACIO
MANUEL
ESPACIO DESDE
DESDE SU
SU CONTEXTO"
CONTEXTO "
realidad, ese
ese doble
doble movimiento
movimiento debe
debe ejercerse
ejercerse siempre,
siempre, porque
realidad,
porque es
es el
el que
que distindistingue
el
pensar
(pensar
es
establecer
diferencias)
gue el pensar (pensar es establecer diferencias) del
del mero
mero reconocer
reconocer rutinariarutinariamente lo
lo propio
propio oo sorprenderse
sorprenderse por
por lo
lo exticamente
exticamente ajeno.
mente
ajeno . Nuestro
Nuestro espectador
vendra a ser un hbrido entre "el hombre que vol al espacio desde su
perfecto vendra
apartamento" [fig.
[tig . 25/p
25/p .103],
. 103l, el protagonista de una de las instalaciones ms colli Kabakov, y el
el de la parbola
parbola de su texto "O pustote", en el que Kanocidas de lIi
bakov habla de "la posibilidad de mirar 'nuestro lugar' desde otra parte" y compara
esa situacin con la de ir como "en un tren, por un tiempo
t iempo interminablemente largo, sentados todo el tiempo sin salir en un compartimiento, y que [...]
[... ] de repente
saliramos en una parada, a un andn de una estacin, diramos unos pasos, y
desde el andn, desde fuera, mirramos a travs del cristal dentro de ese mismo
comprtimento en el que haca un instante estbamos sentados [...
compartimento
[...]"12.
]" 12 Si salimos
mir arlo desde fuera o volamos desde l al espacio, nuesde nuestro contexto para mirarlo
tra perspectiva se ampla: lo contemplamos desde fuera, de cerca y en detalle,
como al interior del vagn, o desde la distancia panormica del espacio general
de las comparaciones.
11
11 Gesamtkunstwerk
Gesamtkunstwerk Stalin
Stalin,, cit.
cit.,, p.
p. 16
16..
12
K
aba kov , o
o") , traduccin
12 Cf.
Cf. lli
lIi
Kabakov,
"O pustote"
pustote" ("Sobre
("Sobre el
el vac
vaco"),
traduccin del
del ruso
ruso por
por Desiderio
Desiderio Navarr
Navarro,
en est
este
o, en
e
mismo
- 367 .
mismo volumen
volumen,, pp.
pp. 358
358-367.
Fundacin Juan March
102 /1 103
103
102
Fundacin Juan March
ILUSTRACIN/ILLUSTRATION
25
apartamento/
25 Ili Kabakov, El hombre que vol al espacio desde su apartamento/
Flew into Space from His Apartment, 1985
The Man who F1ew
Fundacin Juan March
104 1
/ 105
''THE MAN WHO

"THE
FLEW INTO
SPACE OUT OF
CONTEXT'':
HIS CONTEXT":
ON THE EXHIBITION
OF POST-UTOPIAN
ART
"My respected friend and contrarian!"

Edmund Husserl, in a letter to Leo Shestov (1929)
In one of his early film reviews, the Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges wrote
ironically about the film The Sign ofthe Cross (1932):
"Cecil B. DeMille makes a big effort to ignore the fact that the recreation of
like Christian martyrs killed in the circus and their Roman persehistorical figures Iike
cutors should be a problem. He yields neither to the temptation of comprehension
Fundacin Juan March
MANUEL FONTN DEL JUNCO /1 "THE MAN WHO FLEW INTO SPACE OUT OF HIS CONTEXT"
CONTEXT "
nor to voluntary anachronism: costumes, lions, false beards, Lutheran hymns and
Gothic lettering are good enough for him. The only defendable minute of this overwrought production is the black cat lapping what seems to be milk
mil k from Claudette
(Poppaea) Colbert's bath. For the first time in his colossal, triumphant career,
DeMille seems to suspect a problem (that of persuading his public that the innocuous surface is really milk) and he tries to resolves it with a certain elegance."1
elegance." 1
Like the visually plausible environments recreated for film, the appropriate recreation of context of any work of art in an exhibition-the critical
critica! apparatus that
itas
sustains it
as well as the organization of artworks and documents in the exhibition
space-shou/d be a problem for those responsible. That which is exhibited cannot
space-should
simply be left "exposed" to the judgment of the public; it needs to have an argumento
argument.
By being unaware of this "problem" -and thus not resolving it-thematic exhibitions
become conceptually inconsistent and, in their spatial organization, mere assemblages of works resolved without rigor and with no power to persuade the public.
Alternatively, exhibitions that "suspect" how problematic it can be to convert
discursiva into the visual achieve that aim: to make an abstract
the textual and discursive
argument intuitively credible. Those exhibitions are based on the idea that the
selection of works should be decided with an interpretation and intention in mind;
and they persuade their public with the elegance of the indirect, just
as the scene
justas
with the cat in The Sign of the Cross persuades the viewer that Poppaea is bathing
w~ter, but in milk.
not in w~ter,
Nevertheless, in the following 1
I would like to propose why there are important
reascins
reasons for continuing to "suspect a problem" of reception regarding an exhibition
of Moscow Conceptualism on the part of the non-Russian or Western public in general. 1
I find at least two reasons for anticipating a possible deficit in the Western
view of Moscow Conceptualism-especially in Spain, as it is the first systematic
presentation of this theme he
re. 2
here.
The first refers to the interpretive difficulty posed by the ambivalent character-simultaneously known yet unknown, familiar yet foreign-of Moscow Conceptualism. The second reason arises from a "structural" difficulty: we Westerners
must be conscious of our lack of an essential experience, that of utopia, the expe1 The emphasis is the author's. Jorge Luis Borges
Borges,, "Cine: Cinco breves noticias,
noticias,"" in Seleccin: Cuadernos
mensuales de cultura 2 (June 1933). Cited in Jorge Luis Borges: Textos recobrados, 1931-1955
(Barcelona, 2001), p. 45.
2 Highly elucidating he
re is Ekaterina Degot, "Desde Rusia ... con glamour,
here
glamour," in Asociacin de Amigos de Arco
Arco,,
ed
., Arco 2006.
25 Aniversario de la feria de arte contemporneo de Madrid (Madrid
2006.25
(Madrid,, 2006)
2006),, p. 108.
10B. The
ed.,
Spanish reception of these works presents an interesting facet, as the dissolution of the USSR in 1991
coincided with the creation of modern and contemporary art institutions in Spain, that, in contrast
to surrounding countries, took place in the late eighties. One can speak, in a sense
sense,, of a simultaneous
cultural incorporation within Spain and Russia of the contemporary ""art
art institution
institution."
."
Fundacin Juan March
106 1/ 107
rience of "living" in a utopia. As one can see, these are two problems related to
the understanding both of the exhibited works and the intentions with which they
perspectives
If one is aware of these two problems, this could open perspectivas
were produced. lf
for reflection that would otherwise remain unexplored.
We begin with that particular mix of the familiar and the foreign that we find in
the works of Moscow Conceptualism, all of which, in effect, were produced within
a context, with an intention and from an experience that is simultaneously known
and unknown to the Western public.
lIya Kabakov, Yuri Albert, Andrei MonastyrOn the one hand, all of the works by llya
ski, Vitaly Komar & Alexander Melamid, Dmitri Prigov, and Vadim Zakharov, among
others, were created in Moscow before the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
In other words, they were produced within an ideological and social context quite
distinct from our own and to which access was limited. Even today, references to
the cultural vernacular tradition in many of these works-to very specific people,
history, customs, or simply the regular presence of texts in Cyrillic-are obvious
obstacles to the immediate understanding of the significance of these works. This
even to the multilingual with knowledge of an international artistic context
applies evento
and versed in contemporary visual culture.
On the other hand, many of these artists' cultural references, as well as the
themes and characteristics of many of their artistic practices-processes such as
the quotation and appropriation of identifiable products of culture, the conjunction of image and text, the actions and performances and the displacement from
archiva!, for example-are things shared
the work of art to the document and to the archival,
by their Western colleagues. Those traits correspond to the typology of what has
been known since the sixties in Europe and the United States as Conceptual Art or,
with a slightly different tint, as Pop Art. 3
Thus, Moscow's "Romantic Conceptualism" seems to comprise-as a result of
its unusual yet precise name-another chapter in the perennial argument on the
"soul.""44 That said,
similarity and dissimilarity between the Russian and the Western "sou!.
in my opinion, it is the combination of the known and unknown, the familiar and the
so fascinating yet also comforeign, ours and theirs, that makes this kind of art 50
prises the main obstacie
obstacle to its interpretation.
The fact is that a consequence of this "mixed" character of Moscow Conceptualism can result in a defective
defectiva understanding of its nature and significance, a
fate that befell 50
me of its predecessors, in particular the Russian avant-garde
sorne
and Socialist Realism.
In effect, there is an approach to the Russian avant-garde on the part of critics, art history, and, aboye
above all, in exhibitions characterized by strong formalist tendencies
dencias which analyzes the phenomenon without taking account of other European
Fundacin Juan March
MANUEL FONTN
FONTN DEL
DEL JUNCO
JUNCO /1 "THE
"THE MAN
MAN WHO
WHO FLEW
FLEW INTO
INTO SPACE
SPACE OUT
MANUEL
OUT OF
OF HIS
HIS CONTEXT"
CONTEXT "
avant-garde movements.
movements. That
That approach
approach does
does not
not tend
tend to
avant-garde
to pay
pay attention
attention to
to the
the sigsignificance of
of the
the avant-garde
avant-garde as
asan
aesthetic concept
concept or
nificance
an aesthetic
or its
its ideological-political
ideological-political
context from the viewpoint of the logic of
of how culture works. For
For example, it ignores
the fact that the Russian avant-garde developed, in part, under pre-revolutionary,
revolutionary, and post-revolutionary conditions, while the rest of the European
avant-garde did so-despite the virulence,
virulence, and politics, of some
sorne of its manifestations-within more stable contexts. As for Socialist Realism, the official art tendency
Union from the 1930s onwards, only recently has its aesthetic signjfiin the Soviet Unjon
significance come to be valued as something more than academic kitsch allied with the
Soviet propaganda apparatus, with respect to its antecedents (the avant-garde) as
tre artistic currents that converted it into the subject of its artistic praxiswell as the
more precise)y, our Moscow Conceptualjsm
Conceptualism and Sots Art from 1970 to 1990.
That kind of approach has resulted in many collective, thematic exhibitions and
retrospectivas on the Russian avant-garde, all very valuable but conceived and orretrospectives
ganizad according to
toaa particular collection or rather formal criteria. In them, formal
ganized
f~ctor (Russian "avant-garde" art, "contemporary"
criteria and the chronological factor
Soviet art) tend to have much more weight than that granted to the.
the.history of ideas
and the political-ideological context of those phenomena; some
sorne even lack a conceptual structure suitable for understanding the context of the works and their logic.
In the case of Moscow Romantic Conceptualism, the deficient understanding
alluded to would consist of a fine tuning of similarities between Moscow Romantic
Conceptualism and European Conceptual Art that would allow us to forget the specific difference of the former. That would occur if we interpretad
interpreted the basically conceptual work that evolved between the seventies and nineties among the artists
whom Boris Groys identified in 1979 as "Moscow Romantic Conceptualists,"
Conceptualists,"55 and
3 These similarities ar
aree reflectad
reflected in the definition of Moscow Conceptual
Conceptualism
"discursive Pop Art"
ism as "discursiva
(cf. Boris Groys
Commun ist Conceptual Art,
is catalogue)
Groys,, ""Communist
Art," in th
this
catalogue),, and the categorizati
categorization
on of Komar &
Melamid
' s as Sots Art (a play on words between Socialist Realism and Pop Art)
Melamid's
Art)..
4 That is a subject that dates back to the controversy between Slavophiles and Western
Westernists,
ists, and appears
to have long accompanied the Western vision of Russia as muchas
much as itit did the Russian vision of itself.
Dostoyevsky, for example
The perpetuum mobile or the elix
example,, begins his Diarias
Diaries thus
thus:: ""The
elixir
ir of youth will be
discovered befare
before Western men cometo
come to understand the Russian truth, the Russian soul and
and its tenden
tenden-cias.
cies. In this
this sense
sense,, even the moon appears more minutely explorad
explored than Russia. And th
this
is despite knowing
that no one lives there while they know of Russia
Russia,, that men live there
there,, and even Russians; but what
what men?
men?""
See Fedor Dostoyevsky, Diary of a Writer, translated here from the Spanish Diario de un escritor in Obras
completas, vol. IV (Madrid, 1968),
196B), p. 14. For the controversy between Slavophiles and Westernists
Westernists,,
cf. Wilhelm Goerdt, Russische Philosophie (Freiburg
(Freiburg,, 1984), especially pp
pp.. 262ff.
55 Cf.
Moscow Romantic
ism/Moskovskii romanticheskii
Cf. Boris
Boris Groys,
Groys, ""Moscow
Romantic Conceptual
Conceptualism/Moskovskii
romanticheskii kontseptualizm,"
kontseptualizm," A-JA
A-JA..
..
Unofficial Russian Art Revue, Alexei
Alexei Alexejev
Alexejev and
and lgor
Igor Shelkovskyy
Shelkpvskyy (eds.)
(eds.) (Paris/New
(Paris/New York/Moscow/
York/Moscow/
lancourt,
n.o 1, pp
pp.. 3-11.
3-11. The
The complete
complete text
text was
was re
re-edited
and reprinted
reprinted in:
in: Laura
Laura
lancourt, France
France,, 1979),
1979), n.
- editad and
Hoptman/Toms
Primary Documents.
Documents. A
A Sourcebook
Sourcebook for
for Eastern
Eastern and
and Central
Central European
European Art
Art Since
Since
Hoptman/Toms Pospiszyl,
Pospiszyl, Primary
the
the 1950s
1950s (New
(New York:
York: The
The Museum
Museum of
of Modern
Modern Art,
Art, 2002),
2002), pp.
pp. 162ff.
162ff. An
An excerpt
excerpt from
from this
this seminal
seminal article
article is
is
offered
offered in
in the
the present
present catalogue.
catalogue.
Fundacin Juan March
108 1
/ 109
NOMA, 6 as a phenomenon basically comthose who defined their work as Sots Art or NOMA,6
parable (but of course with its exotic "local" aspects) to the conceptual currents
that begin to flourish at the end of the sixties in Europe and America. 7 1n
ln the same
way that Cubism in Prague could be described as Cubism with Central European
"local color," Moscow Conceptualism surely would consist of Conceptual Art-such
as that of Art & Language, Joseph Kosuth, and Marcel Broodthaers-but with an
"Siavic" touch. This form of interpretation, incidentally, easily lends itself to
exotic "Slavic"
the strategies of visibility within today's art system, a system ever more globalized
and homogenous and, as a result, more anxious to find indigenous products with
more local traits whose "difference" can give them visibility and market value within the ever more homogenous artistic "concert of nations."
A reception such as this would be blind to the differences between the Soviet
and European contexts of those decades, differences whose enriching possibilit imes it is dueto
due to an excessively f~rmal
ties for understanding are too often lost. At times
approach and at others to an extreme fascination with the details of life under the
dissolution, 8 and always with a deficient understandSoviet regime or during its dissolution,8
ing of what is in part the same and in part different. In an understanding suh as
this, the differences between the two contexts disappear, and with them any comparative model with which to rethink the logic of the art institution in general,
i.e., how that logic functioned under conditions in the Soviet Union prior to 1991.
Le.,
In other words, under the conditions of a utopia effectively realized according to
a total artistic plan.
Perhaps that is the most specific difference between the Western art context
of the sixties and seventies and that of Soviet Moscow during those decades and
into the nineties. The institutions within the Western art context-artists, museums,
markets, critics-have functioned with the same logic-that of the "tradition of the
historie avant-garde up to post-modern contemporary practices;
new" -since the historic
but what characterizes the Western context is that the radically new-or utopiatoo k place. In effect, "similar aesthetic reorganizations of society have been
never took
proposed and even tried more than once in the West, but it was in Russia alone that
such a project was first c.ompletely successful."g
successful." 9
atn authentic field of experimentation,
In the West, the context of art has been a.n
of the destruction of ancient forms and the creation of new enes,
ones, but indepenpolitical and legal
dently of a basically stable social and political context based on the poltical
principies instituted during the Enlightenment. In Russia, however, that particular
version of the European Enlightenment, consisting of dialectic materialism, unfolded the totalizing artistic and aesthetic praxis that replaced the knowledge of
the real with the transformation of the real: "Up to now, philosophers have interpreted the world in various ways; the point, however, is to change it," writes Marx.
Fundacin Juan March
MANUEL FONTN DEL JUNCO I1 "THE MAN WHO FLEW INTO SPACE OUT OF HIS CONTEXT"
MANUEL
All of the characteristics of the art institution under the Soviet regime-the
AII
nonexistence of an art market and the absence of unofficial institutions, of differences between high and mass culture, and of a public or of critics 1100-are
-are derived
from the configuration of Soviet life as a total artistic and ideological reality. That
is the world-so strange to us-"privatized" by the artistic practices
practicas of the members of the .Moscow Romantic Conceptualists who lived along its margins. For that
andas
reason, and
as Boris Groys has proposed, the works of the Moscow Romantic Conceptualists should be understood as a reflection on the conditions under which a
ce'ptualsts
culture remains when a utopian project succeeds and is maintained as a political
system over a long period of time, more than (as is the case with the standard
critica! instance-the artist-confronting
model in the West) as strategies of a critical
poltica!
poltical power and the market. The parallels between revolutionary Marxist theory
and praxis and the theory and praxis of the artistic avant-garde, with its desire
to gain mastery over the artistic material and its transformation according to the
autonomous laws dictated by the artist, are, for the post-Soviet artist, evident:
"The Soviet artist cannot oppose himself to power as something external
externa! and
impersonal, as the Western artist can do vis-a-vis the market. In the Soviet politician aspiring to transform the world or at least the country on the basis of a unitary
artistic plan, the artist inevitably recognizes his alter ego, inevitably discovers his
complicity with that which oppresses and negates him, and finds that his own insorne common roots. Sots artists and
spiration and the callousness of power share some
writers, therefor.e,
therefore, by no means refuse to recognize the identity of artistic intent
and the will to power at the source of their art.
arto On the contrary, they make this identity the central object of artistic reflection, demonstrating hidden kinship where
one would like
Ike to see only morally comforting contrast.
contrasto "11
" 11
The consciousness of the effective victory of the utopa
utopia defines the post-utopian
consciousness of the artists in this exhibition. Outside its historie
historic context, no other
utopian project of the modern era has managed to transform life according toa
to a
6 See llya
lIya Kabakov, Noma oder der Kres
Kreis der Moskauer Konzeptualsten,
Konzeptualisten, exh. cat.
cato Hamburger Kunsthalle
(Ostfildern, 1993).
7 Cf, Sol LeWitt, ""Paragraphs
Paragraphs on Conceptual Art,
Art," Artforum
Artlorum V, 7 (1967), pp. 79ft. For a comprehensive
review of Conceptual Art and its occurrence in art see Alexander Alberro and Sabeth Buchmann
Buchmann,, Art After
Afier
Conceptual Art (Cambridge
(Cambridge,. MA, 2006).
8 A pseudo
- novelesque recounting of the ambiance of the era is that of Andrew Solomon, The lrony
Irony Tower:
pseudo-novelesque
Soviet Artists in a Time of
01 Glasnost (New York, 1991). A first-hand account of those years is recounted
in llya
lOer Jahre: Aufzeichnungen
Aulzeichnungen ber das inoffzielle
inollizielle Leben in Moskau (Vienna
(Vienna,,
lIya Kabakov, Die 60er und 70er
2001)
2001)..
9 Boris Groys, The Total Art of
01 Stalinsm
Stalinism (Princeton, 1992), p. 4.
10 Kabakov
' s essay, ""Der
Der doppelte Blick des Knstlers auf sein Werk," written in 1981, is highly
Kabakov's
descriptiva
descriptive of the situation: that of an artist who lacks a public and therefore must himself become the
publ
ic for his own work. Essay published in Kabakov (see note 7)
7),, pp. 327ft.
327ff.
public
11 Groys (see note 8), p. 12.
Fundacin Juan March
110 1/ 111
111
110
total artistic
artistic plan
plan and
and maintain
maintain it
it for
for decades.
decades. As
As Westerners,
Westerners, we
we lack
lack that
that experiexperitotal
the
And that
that "inexperience"
"inexperience" obligates
obligates us
us to
to change
change our
our perspective
perspective on
on the art
art of
of
ence. And
ence.
not the
the stable succession
the Moscow Romantic Conceptualists. Their context was not
of partial failures of successive "artistic" utopian projects, as in the West, but
life after the complete victory of a total utopian project and
the tristesse of Soviet lite
totalitarian system for almost a cenits subsequent organization into a political totalitarian
tury. That particular context, of the real victory of a utopia, which should not be
forgotten when one interprets the particular "Soviet post-modernity" of Moscow
Conceptualism, does not have any real equivalent. The unusualness of its cultural
condition obligates us to "suspect" our reception of that art and arbitrate a kind of
dual perspective.
More specifically, the best way to view this exhibition would be to situate oneperspective,, which is essential in arder
order to understand that
self within that dual perspective
; Thus, to understand the familiar we
foreign;Thus,
which is simultaneously familiar and foreign
should distance ourselves from it, "estrange" ourselves, and to understand the
foreign we must "get closer." In reality, that dual action should always be exerbecause
use it is what distinguishes thought (to think is to establish differences)
cised, beca
from mere recognition of one's own routine or surprising oneself with the exotically foreign. Our perfect viewer would be a hybrid between The Man who Flew into
[fig.. 25/p .103l,
.103], the protagonist of one of llya
lIya Kabakov's
Space from his Apartment [fig
most well-known installations, and the parable in his essay "On the Subject of the
'Void.'"
'Void.'" In it, Kabakov writes of "the possibility of looking at 'our place' from somewhere else" and compares that situation with that of "a long train journey when,
after travelling an interminable distance sitting cooped up in a compartment, you
suddenly pull into a station. You go outside onto the platform and walk alongside
the train, and from the platform, from the outside, you loo k through the glass into
le ave our context
lf we leave
" 12 If
the very compartment where you
yo u had just been sitting. "12
our perspective
space,
into
it
from
so as to look at it from the outside or jump
clase and
expands; we leave our own context in order
arder to see it from the outside; up close
in detail, like the inside of the compartment, or from the panoramic distance of
the general space of comparisons.
12
catalogue .
this catalogue.
in this
368-376 in
pp. 368-376
See pp.
12 See
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
112 1/ 113
Fundacin Juan March
CATLOGO/CATALOGUE
CATLOGO/CATALOGUE
Fundacin Juan March
ff
(1
,,
Ir l' l U)
11AI' I HlfI
l/llIl<'
J/1'I'/JI1 11 111'1
/1
11,11.
Fundacin Juan March
'll'flJl HI
lIS'
(1', I
IJ/,Ir,
lJblfi!!mtJJ((/
f/ X 11 11
..11unycmp11!i
c oumiAII!IAtn"
19/lfh
1:.11HA!!
!PE
011: l:fi1CTKE)
01
IHfTrn
Yi/1
~//I/
!/'11J
1/H u !lflfTJI
ON
1II1f'W
H(UI/10UI/I/O
\h'/"fl .'l!0
IIJ3 Y'l
111' "l/uM/
/U/
'rf/0~'Il
__ ' ....:",0;;;"
~_:F' . :,~~,
' . '
- -\
....
~I
<o: ',_'
'.
~'.~.
: . '. '.. :J.'''::
_.~'
..
-*'
Fundacin Juan March
116 1/ 117
117
116
Ili Kabakov
Kabakov
Ili
iAprobada!/Tested!, 1983
1983
iAprobada!/Tested!,
Pintura de
de esmalte
esmalte sobre
sobre tablero
tablero de
de fibras
fibras de
de madera/
madera/
Pintura
Enamel paint
paint on
on fiberboard
fiberboard
Enamel
partes/Two parts
parts
22 partes/Two
Medidas totales/Total
totales/Total dimensions
dimensions 260
260 xx 380
380 cm
cm
Medidas
Donacin/Donation Ludwig
Ludwig 2000
2000 -- Ludwig
Ludwig Forum
Forum fr
fr
Oonacin/Donation
Internationale Kunst,
Kunst, Aquisgrn/Aachen
Aquisgrn/Aachen
Internationale
Aliojin:: "iAprobada!" (en una purga del Partido)

l.l. Aliojin
Industria del Socialismo"
Exposicin "La Industria
la Exposicin Agrcola de la Unin.
Unin.
Primer Premio y Diploma de la
1/
(At a Party
Party Purge)
l.1. Alekhin: "Tested!" (Ata
Exhibition "lndustry
"Industry of Socialism"
Agricultural Exhibition
Awarded first prize and a certificate of the AII-Union Agricultura!
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
35.
ffeqep.
JJoarpemtJtli 6f!t/up.
35.JJOCIPf!(ltblll
)JO
oil~
.Ro _'IIIIJJ oUf!lli1
JilDU
ubu:
JflDO of
J.aolu
Ji el;;
a9
ela!l
Ji.tt o olllt
II
J'tt.lwa
(.Jicf!na)
f11taa(JIceRO)
Jlempo(/11
.Pu.a.a a 7lfJ711pO
r/
111 II
U :U.
ti t" bi
'Jiu, 'tIvacb
un
r/m
fllCltJI1tll1l
!/K 11.011 Yl
kpaCll.l1
flu"t
fJ1toO(/uv
fJ./1flJt
:Jp fl CU.It C(I.ll
J(u
lit
ralIt
u:JJC a l, Pp'gYd
Jfu(J'JICl/.1i,
rlnOlll
cup.,mYrp.t ~
r/jJJoliu cup..lnyrp.l1f.
J[
(Jj 1J /nO ((lop
omZt. f!rJl
flbi
(flopomu.
Jla.t'bmo
!l1
11./t 11Yy1i1
!llllJt'll
E..tl.tflJt
fluaa
JI a p 1oo1111
uutia .ltapx
n..t
u~
mup
eu JUJf!(!, Ul
am1J(j(j r:tt1t(!
n.t8mb
lpyl'll..
!JO
Olt,30.1
.ll(JUfl.lbon.
lpYU1l./1.plta.tli
gU1
1i 1l.lJ
v/U 'K
llJt'ltYl(,
KOJtC.,flopomJi
Jlrll'llmo
Jfa.t'bmo IrOJlt./J(IPUJIlIt
llJ,O
llU)(! orrl.t
fU 0(1
mfl.t
oe UN/.tl
nJam'bfl
"IY.1U
1tanp.
VY.tlu ;anp.
!Ja~al1r:Jtll
3ap_a1lc1 a!l!l
(/11aa
J/ltlltl
!Pu.t u.a o11 o(bt
JIu11 a f/Ju.!.U.ltUJlo
lorpma
Jltambe,
Jt.l
(J 1ll1J ~ 'k*
o rp nia .It.1
7001;(1
!l, lue
11 upJt atI.
JO tli a 'l/p1la
Joffpoffa
Joflpoffa
JuuoulJa
fl.t u '1t a
!lff. of.t(!f!JlO
:Ju1t aulla ll1(,O
u).
1tflp1l0(J
JTa.t1Jmo
iTa.u>
lJl o 1fl?P
II 01 itp
ttY.t. '
cupatt,
lO rpm a cep
(f fI, 'It'!/.l.
ltorpma
.UOPU1/.
a :le
p(1 elJ.llo(!Ji (l
JpacuJtofiJta
.llapulla
m4
rp.l u 1f.tt(Jepubt
m y'Poli!
'fl'1l tJll
mll
Yll
OueuHa:YIl
OU(J1t1ta:
,
o:JfCepe.l1Ju(CJ...1iO(,'lJ.
OJIC flp fl.t1Jf! (c.t.lWCJJ
lfUlnll.t1J.
fiJJOKu
Jumu.tb, u'fnolfll
.1u(fl11l
./u(/uu
tl1to(/
/J PIl UJ, (? ~ll'tt
!l1ofl 11Uapau.tflfluv
Jorplna
r/.JIC., 1tY.ll~
Jorpma ~'JIC.,qY.t1'Q
-.
I
-
Fundacin Juan March
____,...
-- ~
12rPeflpaJ!l197gz.,.,
,.
lfmuClJIUll
CbfJJII..
'bHo
~l
Kanp..
'onp..
'!J)
up.,
30.l.
m.,
!~alit..
JOJIC.
(}'IC.
~p'bt},
'1ll)
r:m.,
1l.
omo
no
.llfi.Z.,
:o fl.,
'J
(!Jt.,
'IN.
1cm.
1/1,'.
a
n.n.,
anp
"/1,p.. ..
Jitnlla
Y/ll.IU:
Ca.tam U3 efl. oflomu, cYn,

nammum, zpulbt, napmorp.,
lO.ltnom
Ca.tam U3 e: oloute, ce.t1JU1J,
r/f.t1J01l e nupoJH:l., zpuo1Jt,
11 a 11 e nup ozo.Lt
CaJa m U3 efl. oflomfJll,cf!JbUlJ.
loJraea, rlpm, lapmorp.J!C.,
zpurt. 1io.ttnom. nupoJH:lU
Ca1am U!J c(f. odoutflli, rYJ'IJOll,
:napm otp fl.t1J :m: ap..,zpu rlbt,
"tazl e nupozo.a
Co.t1J1J, no.trru:a, nammem,
o'Oput, Hapm.orp.JJCap., zpuu'bt,
vau e nupozo.11
2311. 03./t.
Z3
OJ.Il.
Ca.tam us cfl. oflomell~ cYn,

nammem, va e nupozo.a
2311.10.a.
Ca.tam us cd. odo1lt flii, e'!ln,

lapmorpfJJlJ :m:ap., zputbt,
vall e nupozo.a
2211. 08Jt.
Z!ltt. 45./1,.
2311. Oi.tt.
2311. OJ.tt.
Fundacin Juan March
~~
--
.~
~- ----"
120 1
/ 121
Ili Kabakov
/ Sunday Evening, 1980

Domingo por la tarde
tarde/Sunday
leo sobre esmalte sobre Masonite/
Oil on enamel on Masonite
155 x 220 cm
Coleccin particular, Berna/
8erna/
Private collection, Bern
8ern
XXXV DOMINGO POR

LA TARDE
12 DE FEBRERO DE 1979
PERSONAS PRESENTES
VESTAN
LO QUE VESTAN
LO QUE COMIERON
CUANDO SE FUERON
Pomadnskaia , Rimma
Pomadnskaia,
Petrovna (esposa)
Chaqueta de punto color

beige, medias de nylon,
pauelo de cuello color
marfil
Ensalada mixta, sopa,

pat, setas, patatas,
compota de frutas
NS/NC
lsralevich
Levin, lkov Isralevich
Chaqueta , pantalones
Chaqueta,
grises, reloj de oro
Ensalada mixta,
aren ques, consom con
arenques,
nueces, setas, t y
pastel
23 :45
23:45
lakimchuk, Gersim
Sem inovich
Seminovich
Cazadora deportiva,
lana ,
camisa de lana,
pantalones grises, zapatos (piel)
mi xta,
Ensalada mixta,
salchicha ,
arenques, salchicha,
borsh , patatas fritas,
fritas ,
borsh,
setas, compota de
frutas, pastas
23 :05
23:05
lakimchuk, Elena
Markovna
Abrigo con cuello de piel

de nutria, vestido de
lana azul oscuro, broche
de oro
mixta ,
Ensalada mixta,
fritas ,
consom , patatas fritas,
consom,
setas , t y pastel
setas,
23 :05
23:05
lakimchuk, Marina
Gersimovna
Abrigo de piel con cuello

piel , vestido blanco
de piel,
de seda, medias de
nylon
Arenques , salchichas,
Arenques,
pat, borsh, patatas
fritas , setas,
setas , t y pastel
fritas,
23 :05
23:05
Zariskaia , Nina
Zariskaia,
Filimnovna
Vestido , jersey color

Vestido,
verde , falda de lana
verde,
negr a
negra
sopa ,
Ensalada mixta,
mi xta, sopa,
pat , t y pastel
pat,
23:10
Kvrova, Zinaida
lakvlevna
Abrigo de pao negro,

jersey gris, medias de
nylon, zapatos negros
mi xta, sopa,
Ensalada mixta,
fritas , setas,
setas , t
patatas fritas,
y pastel
22:08
Nota: Aprobado
Fundacin Juan March
FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY 12, 1979
35TH SUNDAY EVENING
PERSONS PRESENT
WHAT THEY WORE
WHAT THEY ATE
WHEN THEY LEFT
Pomadinskaya, Rimma
Petrovna (wife)
Beige cardigan, nylon

stockings, ivory
necklace
Mixed salad, soup, pat,

mushrooms, potatoes
potatoes,,
stewed fru it
n/a
Yakov
Israilevich
kov lsrailevich
Levin, Ya
Jacket, gray pants,

shoes, gold watch
Mixed salad, herring

herring,,
bouillon with noodles,
mushrooms, tea and
cake
11 :45 p.m.
Yakimchuk, Gerasim
Semyonovich
Sports coat, woolen

shirt,
sh irt, gray pants, shoes
(Ieather)
(leather)
Mixed salad, herring,

sausage, borsch, fried
potatoes, mushrooms,
stewed fruit, cookies
11 :05 p.m.
Yakimchuk, Yelena
Markovna
Coat with otter-pelt

collar, dark blue woolen
dress,
dress , gold brooch
Mi xed salad, bouillon,

Mixed
fried potatoes,
mushrooms, tea and
ca ke
cake
p.m.
11 :05 p.m.
Yakimchuk, Marina
Gerasimovna
Leather coat with fur

collar, white silk dress,
nylon stockings
Herring, sausage, pat,

borsch, fried potatoes,
mushrooms, tea and
mushrooms,
cake
11 :05 p.m.
11:05
Sarayskaya, Nina
Filimonovna
Dress,
cardigan ,
Dress, green cardigan,
black woolen skirt
Mixed salad, soup, pat,

tea and cake
11 :10 p.m.
11:10p.m.
Kovrova,
Zinaida
Kovrova, Zinaida
Yakovlevna
Yakovlevna
Draped
gray
coat , gray
black coat,
Draped black
cardigan,
nylon
cardigan, nylon
stockings,
shoes
black shoes
stockings , black
fried
soup , fried
salad , soup,
Mi xed salad,
Mixed
mushrooms,
potatoes, mushrooms,
potatoes,
cake
and cake
tea and
tea
p.m .
10:08 p.m.
10:0B
Mark:
Satisf actory
Mark: Satisfactory
Fundacin Juan March
l/ufi./mll1
bllpU((JI{lJI/,
O" xom~
.Iit/1IlUplifl:
nor:mpfJltmll r{(ulJIfltJli
)(}Ji no~ 3(fe!1Jm'POaOJl,
,IPllt
IIflljUJI/(,,'/lf' nfJ'/JflJllf(l(:/IlfJfJ{lJltJlQ. II/fIlJOll

liD fl/JIJCH-IJJf!l.
O",l/t('./UI
mn
Ji
OH
o'bI.l
.'f!ff(I7111 .11l.IlfJI,{IiI/ liolJu:/liJJf!:-
mi
.8.JlJJlJN /lr.mll rJ //Jt!o fIUllr.l/1f}fttfJll101QC

,,"/N1.co(fOllJ mlfJ1(JPtJ.
fi.
.Utlp 11[/
lID tJ~UIL
.1./1f1(/ Jf1!/ HIN l/edil

,BfllP.POJi eJJ!J NlJtgm eh!
!J tl{JI"1l1f1 11.'
iJlUoum ne6/iur.t!/L
'/)J""O}III(,(/IIO
thlpOli fJll
actt.ttu
CaJtoxfla.w(f:
fJur:tJJ
JI ri raJl
uf/nJ (1 (J:
OteltliffTl(fJOJ7!31CUlil
'l7!pusIleUl
IWlo OCOIIblO
IlDrWJ11t{L/,f} Ill!fiUJ
Y!J/iY/0ftRJUJli/e1UlHJ
/lf!JlO/llf!llY/0~(jfJOl!J.
ilopozu.
gjjIlIO
(/flll/J /1 ~(f t"JUU I'lIfi o:

t(U~,"P{/ xomelfl. 1/1//11(1'11. mi Jtr[JJ.
fJ I/(JI;,
~
1Jo.LOIJ'fl!f.lfIflRfJPIlff:
{O rp fJ !l JJJflj)l1Jlflpoflllll
Jj, ttifLlllllp O(lfta Ji"1N/bRf/!J.
Jjf!Je llb/W!t:
Hari!lJir"'IJJrIl''''(l!''
JoooJIJttiatt:
11(/1'9
jJ,UfiO!!
fOIPlJ!l
iJIJmo(;JCJYILOilllO
JUOf!.le10
f!lO IbJJtl
UHa"lJlJIII.
tauJJa'f)WKi)g
IJ031CIJ!l!l!l(/lO
filoIlt!
CJblutaJ. Di.
11M{f(fJlJlJ1tlJUl
ffffttJtmlmt (nil
filO CIJlJ"(iIO
r.ouaC/lo mllIIttlJfJI.
nptt6fllJt.
tiUdfJllillO
Vi/ilallO J(JbeJ
11ur.tfJIllltLL
pasllJ.
1
110011
011 (ftt!
ffce IHI((fIIJ
pa61to Ilfl(J(/L
na1Jt11.
II a
pa'j(Ii11.
110
.001110 JiOJt!COffa:
Ha!ioJ.n.llJ(UPIIJlJ((f1'l
1ffpruo61l'tlhlRilHt{!:
JloJtonoff: 1ij~f/f'h'(lflMI
''par.liOfffJ!lJllffiUDlll'lnU
Hltliltnlll'Utaihllfllpnfln:
1foflaJoffa:
IIII1UIJ(fli
.I/UIIIII JiI/JIlrIJ{(fl'
!l :Htilfl.lll
ezo Gca(iu na uu u
!l
ezo
nottma
11e
JHUJ..
e
1uut
UJI.Jlt
.J/nprpa.!/.IIXOH
a
./[JIJpeti
9. "dJllJJI tila
8 raoQ lUl HU. ti
g (!ll) n/HUllU Ile 911(1l.
t g/al (/fpJJ Jl/JiPfJ.1I/tt.mtt /1 ilJii'xHl
Cpemenli/L
'
IJeOleIl/Ur.
.rlfll/lOIWIII/ 1/(}(ll!l1fl,lpriiJ flitiU:
Ilpf/JDflJ KllJ om 'Uo:xr"g no~ nudf!t
.8fUunfl ftOmOlf.lllpJ /1 OH nfJpUrtl/Ol
Olt RtlbiuIJl80fm nUJ:F.O,. ftPH1l
u /lUfiPbI(fflJ rfXJo.u..
JOC"'f1uff(lJlJI,rg
!/opIJmil.
1J000000NJltul6tlemtt.
llati.a !btt'teffclia!l:
d.IJ,.,.u .. , 1/lattofln.toff:
Jlnl}!l,mr!Jo'/(/{{UUl!1:
Jlt(JbJlll
fll"fUlGfllOrt
fJtULOit (/ tt.eJt CliU'lllO. XOJOOilO a JIrUfUIJ (/pl/roN"" 1ltJlipolJ fiul1:
Jio()
ll/JJL JIJO men.to 11 nuao.
EJIlJiff. {/ U/Ji
CfW'lI/.o.
XOJODllO Il .buflllOi1lJ4 /Il6fI//IIt lIlO 6.~
O'lf!lliJ
OiJfLILOIW.
:mi~
100/ t'lJ/lo fJU!fI.lU 11 11/(fII~
()lf/lH.1J ob(JJWlio.
Hfl OiIJJJtJtmiIA
Jlaptt!l f/Jet,opo6ntt C!ittpttiJm:
flu.lattlltt.flttxa.torfna 0/oxofiCiwa:
JlflplI:t
1. {('ID IIJ (llVIUlllf1 6Ft rOl OEJ 1IIIfI' 3/tlllWl1l1
,llflno~ou:mb!J.Jlu
IlliJofill{J IIblJ:(}f!C1ift!l.'
On ttewqJdJopoflmr
tte cbe.taem.liWflru/!Jm:
He bem
O!tllP!l'temCY
u m11xo cntiRl
011 'lfJ10 It~ tbeJ.aem,
ofiuamiJ.Jle Ol'e/ll
(J HfJJl JifJf? mlf:C5IIiJfU Jl.IIIH("({Hi'P OIlI'f}!J'H?lIIl!J /lo{) Jllt"lllll!lJlff " lnlllO mf/D.
QUllittlllb.
!PIfIOPlJQtitl/.
Fundacin Juan March
1{f(1JffOtl.lttJJOll{)ffU'l
OJfI.IIIJUlIWfiIJJlttxail.lofl:
( JIIU/liJ.Jtj((:
lllillt!l JlptwiJtJeffuo. Hffae/tettiW!t: IL6tlll
'
100iln
oii1eru
PlYlfJllnllJpO((nl,
rtJHIJ.
01t bl.l slJeetJ.
Hmba /.iJemtJ P(!JJ(Jitmupo6a/Rb tellll.

llDiH}//tJ
llO!J06U
f!lO.Ola
1ia:rP(ttrl'ttttlitllll~6i
JIJ.r1u!J,liuJbl06a:
IiIJ.lbN(lllri: I - 4irlXfJt11l
U/H" o-..f/f ti '#f!fl1 (1 {fU,! JafJ(JflffUl
'H~Ile61Jlt-fJ(f;fJe6eftftf+-'-- -Jdttfl
fPnr:matwflatt tt~ _
IJrl.llJJ ,",10 fl!lC//lblNltfJ!l
JlmJO
,,'bl/JU1/1lllUJiO
mfJJM;O
e IUJ.
JmotUlI
JlOUO
bl/Rb
C /l/UL
QffefTlf!m
0/lOlllfJ(JJb/iO
/UatblO .liJIUOJJ.
f((j(fHUlm
J(!InOJl.
m6w.rf.nUJ9.
rllUJlU (/P.La lt!le/Ubl/UlO!l
U3fJIJJJJC/Uil!l
/)fmltlf[
lJopoza.
-!Pfi'l!5azpf/Jloffu't
Jjt/l/JfUJldlu'l CUKllar.VII.:
JlpeqJ
6l1l!f/fflJU!uflalla.t
u8n/huezo
(lto./Je:Jdu
Jft.Jft,lv /JtqJ(I{fbI6
l, 611JlfJ(/IJll!
Ji apmgcr.IC(J)XOJJJa.
mUlo.
e(;Hapmucc/Iozo
t8IJORU!J /Jl
, nottitalllUll fIUI (ION 6 /110m 1IlO.t
1l000RfURIIL
JhI{lfI!J l//.Itflll1b(l(11O fIj(Jlltlifl!l
(IIIJa"let:b 0IfJJU! Ji IIeJJY U {orD6r1i~
J
[/(ffUI CU~(Jjm(fllq liYI)Py(fl(tdl: {t'/ I 'ti i/IfIUUltt T' IlJflf'JfIl'd ti (
011 fNJP/JlO RiN/II1KIil ffIl ilrNI*m tI r.beitu.l Uta fjPJlI1iflJ1. HPJ{Ifl11~ Onm'fl.,Ildl .Bf:IfflJUlII. mbl u nUlo o3u e Jeuoo
Il A,/RtrrflnJJpfUl lJ.J.btl'lfllJ{
Jl!uta
,"'111(/[JazoptJeGua
JlnlJ {J,f} ti (/1l1J.Jfuze.ltJCOit:
.RmlJ ()COll:
Jl1te
.H.Ilf!Ha:JI(eme!l.
IiIJHCl!/lUg.ttmo
'imtf011
011/leJJflf/epltemt!l
fkp1I!DJe!l
/UllioziJa.
ItJUf.fJ1.oa.
J.ef(."etl
.{.,, f1 cr. titepef)J!lltblll:
((lIIf!d'jt!lIJ.W 11:
lii!t1iJ!Jmeo'fl
llUCtJJta
111fJd!J
1ll1Cl.Jlo.
3llet:IJ
'dbOCfl0110fJocmafftu
nmUl(J11J.
lp!abtul
l nrtnlO.lltti
Jor.ouw
(f:
/1IWOIlJJJwmpttdlutt
DJlIlIllp1lfdlu'/Heneli(/oiJa:
HflOt1iJfltlf!tJ:
1/I1IllfJJiIl~
JirmIUJlI(J{r.
!l!lffwpa
o flalle.t
.IJ.Jteeme
eJlapmw.JJ
XW/JJ
6 iia.teHali
GJlPJ1lm"lO
(/m)eJ.llfl/111.Y.llttte.
UJI/I/o.
JJ.IUlrl/w
e JillPllHOlJ011Olf
:r.oiJfJJ
(/ bom;U1J
.lec.
.]JIUOI{ ,'PiIJUUIt(k41:
.Uo::JJmnl rJlllb. Ofl (}m,r
.llapwp
ltlntt :Poo'itltt:Oit:
.lhlpi "/1I1I11f1
J~J(lillmJfl;
JJette
pwt olt (JII
!IUI.et
oiJIUL
1Ju1J.(!jJ(1Il
!JI/I/!J
{IiJon
lQf'.
leolllti)
Cmax!utfllllf JJffebeltcliU.ti: CoqJb!l IIU.!ii/Olll'tl!a 11/tlflopomoflw
~
('IInIIO /1JIJ.r.m4/11! .J)6"f){llft"llJi.'
IIttl
1ewpou. npa !!flli(Jffl(J OllllfJII//l/l 1te Bnbe!L 1/pac/UL uzo 6 !1/lliO w,enfllil uiem.
'fllllJfJlJJl npo SllRQDJ(! OIlIUJIIllUJ NI! {(J]i}eH.. JftmJflt:/lJi t!/O 6 fl/JfO SPJ2Hf1Ili 1iI111.
ti
JJ(lfiCHllhp IlfROJUI!lIJlIl:
fJlIIIJMIIJIJIJ 68JJI!IIb. rJI1ilJ tul G/J/IIlU
Il 8l/U!lIlIlI. (( NI!I4
llttpli llftmolwfla't JopoiJoffwt.

JIIQuJlM6'r/r
O!tJhlpfi
llP.UII09UJ.
lJJaco{fbf.JJ Toprultlfftli/:
C{ff!JfCttli J'Je
011 IIJNJ.(JO-ml.
11JllaJflrJJf
d/({Jf{IUi. J:Jlfll
JtalO!W
lt fPP!IIlllb/.
.Il(lJURII 1i QJfJfIGmw.
llttcpo/l!llt:
Pattli
)lUOUi ./llIfIHHlffll:
011i/JI
J/Citflem
3a !noli 1opoiJt
:JI('fJffem 9ft tntJfJ 10pntl
_. 111''', t 11r.n o n
.JlmicNo
JJ/U! llOtlmu R. llllJIYt
J_I/J
JJf{l 1l000mu R NflJJY,
rta/JeJICiJa Jeo!ut'i)o(/Jta JlOiiDO'(ftf:aa: .l!or!fftJ 'lfumpo(l!ta .llo.lflliallofla: 1Je!lcoti 1JJutlllpttef/Jt't .lttcttl{btH:

H"i'1(!JI(',l1o
,hU1HllilldJ/lU ffOliPfJ'(r/i,(J.!l:.lmiJa
.hnrMIIJ
11mBe
1/i(.'l'li lJ.lUlNlIJlIf4111'11mlillbllf.
!i'iJlmnpaclto cu!liu no.
Olt O/O!t'1llllpolllftl.llru.flfiIlHl(ffl:
lt/JC!J, filO ffce rfJIJO no!fP!JIIItO O!t'te
pmwi. emt C'llllllllllliJ om !iuJJ.
OI/liJI.JJ
of}e(j(fU/0
ll O/J/JfliJJIJL
tiJuf!l (Jlt 'lI!Il/{fUflffUjUi. (j(J]1 C'1fOIlQjIlIJ OI/J film.
flfHlfNllfl(J m!J(ffu (!lo.
Ji()lJfl!U/fJ!Ul'l(liL
"It OIifIII'U1.U!1:
fIlO fku
o'itifJ nOlRt~fJ()
mti
t!fINIlJJ h1Jp!flPIfJlI. ofH!/II(m /1 (}(Jjj(JtfIif1Jll (1IJJffU.
Fundacin Juan March
124 /1 125
Ili Kabakov
Las respuestas del grupo experimental
The Answers of the Experimental Group, 1970-71
Esmalte sobre tablero de fibras de madera/
Enamel on fiberboard
147 x 376 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery
GRUPO EXPERIMENTAL DEL RSKS PVLDV".

RESPUESTAS DEL GRUPD
" PVLOV ".
>
> Nikoli Borsovich
Borsovic h Mishrov: Quera
construir una gran casa cerca de

Zventzgrod.
> Bors Nilcolevich Gavrlov:

Gavrlov: Es mejor
>
> Ruben Sajrovich Kabajidze:

Kobajidze: En su
>
que le llevemos con cuidado para que
>
> Una
lina Sviagntseva:
Sviagnt seva: Por la tarde le
llevan de comer.
comer .
>
> Etrosinia
Efrosinia Zajrovna Kabchiek: Si
solo .
estaba solo.
tena una buena voz de bonito

juventud tenia
timbre.
Sarichnaya : Crudo
> Mara Dmtrievna Sarichnaya:
no est sabroso.
Vas ili Samojvlov: En otoo abrieron

> Vasili
> lnochka
lnochk.a Sintsina: lo lleno hasta
>
>
> Matilda lermolenko:
lermolenko : Mi hermana
una carretera estrecha y sin asfaltar.

Podlskaya : Al parecer, de
> Nadia Podlskaya:
quera que l viniera y que viviera con

nosotros.
nosotros .
>
Sotia VJadimrovna
>Sofa
Vladimrovna Belnskaya:
debajo del cobertizo y lo cubr.
horno .
arriba y lo meto en el horno.
Pushkarev : No le oa por el
> Voldia Pushkarev:
lluvia .
ruido de la lluvia.
Prask.via Niktichna Povarova: Marta,
Marfa,
> Praskvia
Tijn y Andri estaban con l.
lijn
> Antonina Novna Gorodskia: Volodia
engord y ya no pudo volver a
arriba .
abrocharse el botn de arriba.
> Mijail Borsovich Pokrvski: lena fue
>
> Maia Gabrichvskaia: All en invierno

>
a buscarlo a la tienda de la plaza
no se despierte.
> Serguei Victrovich Kolisov: No
>
manera accidental lo empuj

ligeramente y lo romp
Nik:oli Gavrlovich Mamnov: Yo
> Nilcoli
apenas le conoca.
> Serguei Vitldovich
Vitldov ich Pushlcanis:
Pushlcanis :
>
Cuando se puso a llover lo resguard
es aburrido, hace fro y est muy solo.

> Maria
Mara Fidorovna Slcarabut: ~I
~1 solo
promete lo que puede cumplir.
Smolinskaya.
Stopan i:
> Gavril Stepnovich Stopani:
Aleksander Grigrievich me habl de l.
ANSWERS OF THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP

GRDUP AT RSKS PAVLOVSK.
PAVLDVSK.
> Boris Nikolayevich Gavrilov: lt's
It's
better that we carry him away ca
re
care-
fully so he doesn't wake u

p.
up.
> Sergei Viktorovich
ViHorovich Kolesov: He wasn't
alone.
> Vasili
Vasin Samokhvalov: In the fall they
made a narrow, unpaved road through
it.
> Nadya Podolskaya: He knocked it over
and broke it allegedly by accident.
accidento
> Nikolai Gavrilovich Mamonov: 1I hardly
knew him
him..
> Sergei Vitoldovich
Vitoldovieh Pushkanis: When it
rained 1I put it under the awning and
put
put a cover over it.
>Maya
> Maya Gabrichevskaya: lt's
It's dull, cold,
and very lonely there in the winter.
> Maria Fyodorovna Skarabut: He only

makes premisas
promises he can k.eep.
keep.
> Ruben Zakharovich Kobakh

i dze : When
Kobakhidze:
he was young he had a lovel
y va
ice
lovely
voice
with a wonderful timbre.
> Maria Dmitriyevna Zarechnaya: lt

It
doesn't taste good raw
raw..
> Lenochka Sinitsyna: 1
ight to
I fill it up rright
the top and put it in the oven
oven..
> Volodya Pushkaryov: The noise of the
ra
in stopped me from hearing him
rain
him..
> Praskovya Nikitichna Povarova:
Marfa
Marta,, Tikhon and Andrei were with
him
him..
>Antonina
> Antonina Noyevna Gorodskaya:
Volodya got fat and didn
' t do up his top
didn't
button any more.
> Mikhail Borisovich
Borisovieh Pokrovsky: Lena
went to loo
lookk for him in the household
goods store on Smolensk Street.
>
> Gavriil Stepanovich Stopany: Alexander
Grigoryevich told me about him.
Fundacin Juan March
hubiramos sabido que l...

l. ..
lo atornillamos siguiendo las

instrucciones, pero se caa de todos
modos.
modos .
> Masha Kolisova: Le esper en el

jardn, en la esquina que da a la calle
Sritenka.
> Gortzi Velemnovich Vostkov: Rema
en silencio hasta la orilla y se para.
para .
> Vldik Shapovlov: Se estaba
calentito y en silencio a su resguardo.
Borisovich
> Nikolai Boriso
vich Mishurov:
He wanted to build a big house near

Zvenigorod.
> Una
>U
na Zvyagintseva: They take him food
in the evenings.
If
> Yefrosinya Zakharovna Kabachok: lf
only we knew what he ...
Matilda
Yermolenko: My sister wanted
>M
atilda Yermolenk:o:
Iive with us.
uso
him to come and live
Belenkaya:: We
> Sofya Vladimirovna Belenkaya
Iike the instructions said,
screwed it in lik:e
again..
but it fell out again
Kolesova:: 1I waited for him in
> Masha Kolesova
eorner of Sretenka
the park on the corner
Street.
Vostokov:: He
He''
> Goratsi Veleminovich Vostok.ov
rows quietly up to the shore and stops.

It was warm and
> Vladik Shapovalov: lt
it..
quiet under it
> Zinaida Mikhailovna Shakhovskaya:

He hides under the leaves and sleeps
peacefully..
peacefully
Arlcdi Yakvlevich
Yalcvlevich Sipin: Siempre
> Arkdi
Lidia
Arkdevna Kvasntskaya: l
ia Arkdievna
> Lid
> Zinaida Mijilovna Shajvskaia:

Shajvslcaia: Se
caminaba muy despacio, contando algo

al marchar.
Sarivslci: Una
> Anatli Guerguevich Sarivski:
carretera sin gente y llena de curvas
conduca hasta l.
> Aref Bagrnovich Sukiasin:
Sulciasin: Lo vi por
primera vez entre los rboles desde la
Kartsslci.
colina Kartsski.
> Lidia Samojvlova: Sola venir los das
estuvo aqu.
> Lidia Kulkova:
Kullcova: Eso slo poda pasarle
>Lidia
s y se pone a dormir
echa bajo las hoja
hojas
tranquilamente.
le
> lvn
Ivn Filmnovich Mijilov: Llma
L1male
cuando repares el desvn.
> Bajrn Rostnovich lslambikov:
Islambilcov:
no.
lo en vera
Florece s
verano.
slo
ra lgntievna
>Ma
> Mara
Igntievna lablnskaia:
lablnslcaia:
Sintese cerca de l y entrar en
fiesta..
de fiesta
> Anna Grigrievna Kguelson: Creo
que ya no regresar nunca ms.
Omtrievich Nileivoda: Le vi
v
> Arkdy Dmtrievich
ayer en la calle.
fnal
> Leonid Stajivich Vvedinski: Al final
de la tarde, a la hora de ocaso, apenas
se divisa desde aqu.

Niepomnish: Apart la
> Aleksandr Niepomnishi:
piedra, me puse de rodillas y ech un
a l.
Evdolcia Klmovna Pushikova
Pushilcova:: Y lo
> Evdokia
pusieron all, en el rincn de la
habitacin.
Ivn Sdorovich Kudriavtzev: Le
> lvn
piment y me lo com entero.
Alelcsi Serebriani: Dej una carta
> Aleksi
aqu para ti.
> Anatoly Kosolpov: Iba a menudo con
Mrik a un bosque muy alejado.

Nilctichna Shivortova: Vamos a
> Sofia Niktichna
pintarlo de verde brillante.
Gorodovn:: Llev a
> Mark Antnovich Gorodovn
los Vlsov pan del da, leche y frutas.
Moloknova:: Cuando
> Liubov Petrovna Moloknova
termin, todo estaba cubierto de
ladrllos rotos, vigas y trozos de papel.
ladrillos
calor.
> Serguei Anatlievich Pojarivski
Pojarivslci::
a, estuviste en su casa con
Recuerd
Recuerda,
Iich.
Lena y Aleksander lich.
> Volodia Rozentsveig: Es posible que
est aqu?
> Margarita Robinson: Se fue por la

lo.
tarde so
solo.
> Rbik
Rbilc Misronin
Misronin:: vive
Vive detrs de
aquella montaa
montaa??
puedo ir a
> Aniechka Pustovit: Puedo
vistazo dentro.
verle?
> Nadizhda Leondovna Polcrvslcaia:

Pokrvskaia:
> Aleksi Dmtrievich

Omtrievich Lsitsin:
Lisitsin: Es el
No tenas que haberlo cortado.
cuarto, contando desde la esquina.
> Arkadi Yakovlevich Sipn:

Sipin: He always
walked very slowly, explanng
explaining something as he went.
> Anatoli Georgiyevich Zarevsky:
A deserted,
desertad, winding road led to him.
> Aref Bagramovich Sulciasian:
Sukiasian: I1
first saw him between the trees from
Kartussky Hill.
>
ca me
Samokhvalova: He usually came
> Lidia Samolchvalova:
on public holidays.
> Anna Grigoryevna Kugelson: I1don't
think he'lI
he ' ll ever come back.
> Arkadi Omitriyevich
Dmitriyevich Nepeyvoda: I1saw
him on the street yesterday.
> Leonid Stakhiyevich Vvedensky: In the
evenings, at sunset, you can hardly
see it.
> Alexander Nepomnyashchy: I1pushed

back the stone, kneeled down, and
looked inside it.
> Nadezhda Leonidovna Pokrovskaya:
Pokrovskaya :
You shouldn't have chopped it down.
> Lidia Arkadiyevna Kvasnetskaya: He

was here.
> Lidia Kulkova: That could only happen

with him.
> Yevdokiya Klimovna Putikova: And
they put it there in that corner of the
room.
room .
> Ivan
lvan Sidorovich Kudryavtsev: I1
u p.
sprinkled pepper on t
it and ate it all up.
> Alexei Serebryany: He left a letter
he re for you.
yo u.
> Anatoli Kosolapov: He often went with
Marik to
toaa distant wood.
> Sofya Nikitichna Shivorotova: Let's
paint it bright green.
>
Mark Antonovich Gorodovin: He
> Marlc
mil k,
brought the Vlasovs fresh bread, millc,
and fruit.
> Lyubov Petrovna Molokinova: When it

was over, everything was covered
in brolcen
bricks, beams, and scraps of
broken briclcs,
paper.
Fundacin Juan March
Mikhailov: Call him

> lvan Filimonovich Milchailov:
when you're renovating the hall.
lt
lslambekov: It
> Bakhram Rostanovich Islambekov:
only flowers in the summer.
lgnatiyevna Yablonskaya: Sit
> Maria Ignatyevna
clase to it and get warm.
close
Pokharzhevs ky:
> Sergei Anatolyevich Pokharzhevsky:
Remember, you went to see him with
llyich!
Lena and Alexander lIyich!
ls he here
> Volodya Rosenzweig: 15
>
perhaps?
Robinson : Yesterday he
>Margarita
>
Margarita Robinson:
we nt away alone.
went
Does he live behind
> Radik Misronian: Ooes
mountain ?
that mountain?
se e
> Anechka Pustovoit: Can I1go and see
him?
lt 's the
Li sitsyn: It's
> Alexei Dmitriyevich Lisitsyn:
>
cerner.
fourth from the cornero
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
128 1/ 129
Kaba kov
Ili Kaba
El mar/The Sea, 1970

leo sobre esmalte sobre Masonite/Oil on enamel on Masonite
125 x 197 cm
Berna/Prvate collection, 8ern
Bern
Coleccin particular, 8erna/Private
[ngulo superior izquierdo]

lnna
Inna Sergueievna Trpina:
Esto es un lago.
[top left]
lnna
Inna Sergeyevna Tropina:
This is a lake.
[ngulo inferior izquierdo]

Serguei Mijilovich Lievshuk:
Esto es el aire fresco.
[bottom left]
Sergei Mikhailovich Levshuk:
air.
This is fresh airo
[ngulo superior derecho]

Boriev:
Nikoli Admovich 80riev:
Esto es el mar.
[top right]
Borev:
Nikolai Adamovich 80rev:
This is the sea.
[ngulo superior derecho]

Borsovna Sej:
Lidia 80rsovna
Esto es el cielo.
[bottom right]
Lidia Borisovna Sekh:
This is the sky.
Ili Kabakov
Sofa Stajivna
Stajidvna Yuk: "De
oe quin
abrelatas? "
qu~en es este abrelatas?"
this? " , 1982

Sofia Stakhiyevna Zhuk: "Whose can opener
apener is this?",
De la serie Cocinas/From the series Kitchen
leo sobre esmalte sobre Masonite/Oil on enamel on Masonite
70 x 120 cm
Berna/Prvate collection, Bern
Coleccin particular, Berna/Private
Sofa Stajivna Yuk: We

oe quin es este abrelatas?
Borsovna .
Vktor Danlovich Kosar: De Anna Borsovna.
Sofia Stakhiyevna Zhuk: Whose can opener is this?

Viktor Danilovich Kosar: Anna Borisovna's.
Fundacin Juan March
Ili Kabakov
metafsico / The Hetaphysica1
Metaphysical Han
Man
El hombre metafscolThe
Instalacin/Installation
Instalacin/lnstallation
mesas , 4 bancos/Three
3 cuadros, 1 barandilla, 3 fragmentos de pared, 2 mesas,
paintings, one balustrade, three wall fragments, two tables and four benches
Cuadros/Paintings :
Cuadros/Paintings:
"Berdankskaia" / The Berdyanskaya Spit,
Spit , 1970
La lengua de tierra "Berdankskaia"IThe
Esmalte sobre Masonite/Enamel on Masonite
185 x 216 cm
casa/The Han
Man and the House, 1969
El hombre y la casalThe
135 x 160 cm
)
Artstico/ At the Great Artstic

Artistic Council,
En el Gran Consejo ArtstcolAt
Counci1, 1983
~abla (cuadro)/Picture panel 150 x 210 cm
~abla
xto)/Text panel 150 x 108 cm
Tabla (te
(texto)/Text
[Komsomolskaia Pravda) , una escoba, varios textos
te xtos
Una camisa, un peridico [Komsomo1skaia
alemanes y rusos escritos a mquina y encuadernados
A shirt, a newspaper [Komsomo1skaya
[Komsomolskaya Pravda) , a broom,
broom , various bound typescripts
in German and Russian
Kunsthalle Bremen - Oer Kunstverein in Bremen
Fundacin Juan March
fIPOEKT
TIPOEKT
lIP
M. TOB TIOBC8AH8BHOr
nOB
r BH ro OBI1XOA3
OBI1XQAa
TIP8AM8TOB
1\Ml
1>, H01 oro 48AOBeKa
4 AOB l\;j
AMI o
0A11HOKOfO
HecrOJ\bHa'7l
HacTO/\bH8S1 flaMna
/\aMna
1.AAfl
AAfl4'l'eHH~
4TeHHH K>-4l1rH.
KHitlrH.
2.AA51 YKnHOro
ytorHoro ocaeLLtQHl-t9,
ocee~eHHR \
LAA~
CraKaH BOAbl
aOAbl
CTaKaH
3.,A.Ml
3.AI\H P3:drA'7tAblBal-i:l.tI'H
P23rA5JAbtBaHHs:l
yTOJl....
A,~ YT0/\6HHs:l
H..}f(2)f(Abl.
;'<'l)t<4.toI.
l. A/\9.
C'CS':TBet-lMoro
C06CT B8HHOroOTFt:l'~HI"I"i!
OTPa>K.eH~fl
Z.AASI3AnHBAHH'il
::!Anlo'l~.AHM,, T86
,a6J\e'TCJt(
2.A/\9.
/\6TOK
fl.S Btl'Ioi9PHero
8C1"eN:
CT6Ki\6
Be49PHero OMHa
OKH2.
OW6HOIA
1iOIIl'1.
60/\H.
'CM nPHAO)KBHHe
n~H.-,oKCH~le
CM.
nF'OCK'V
KK nPOeKry.
Slc/\OKO
S'l6ll0KO
MSl
TaEi/leTKl--1
Tac/\eTKI-1
OTfOtiOBH0!-1
rOAOI!HO~
OT
50/11--1
150/\111
KP2C0Tbl
l l. /1.9. H;P,laCOTbl
YTOA6HH9.
rQJ\QI\a
.2.AMl
AMr YTOlleH
"!1 l"OI\Cl,a
a Atl nQO,61'.m
nQt>.a PKaAf"/rOMY
ApYroMy
1AAR
QAJ<HC)KOMV""'eADaBKY
4et\OBeKy.
Qll.HHO:xc.M'l
K1HI'Y
MOlt<HO:
t. '~I1HI
4HT2Tb,b.
2.nePeAI-1CTbtBaTb,
'.""-FeJlHCThIB;Il,,
3.Pa3rA'AbiB8Tb.
1F'a~Abl6a
ts.'.I1QI"JlllJIIH8
norAa>K.HBaTb.b.
s.SLA,81fb
AaTb no4HTaTb
rlOYHTaTb
APYroMy
A/''f'OMYQt>.~HoKoMy
OAHliOKOMY
Y61\0BeKy.
4eJlO
l<y
CTOJ\
Cro/l
3a CTOAOM
3;a Cl'OAOIA MO~HO;
l.
Y~T2Tb.
~ Y~T31b.
2. nHC2Tb,
2, nPfCaTb,
3. eCTh.
..... n POCTO CJ.1ATb

'" c,MOTpeTb B OKH
Fundacin Juan March
Pll~)1 11 1
PE>KVIM
AH5-1
AHSl
i\.V1H01<O O Y8AOB8K3
lIeAOBeKa
O.l1HOKOfO
noAbeM,
YTPeHH..,,;, l)'aAeT
700.-i'30.
n '"~,
ES
o
CoH
eH
&eA
QWA
0.00-7.00.
000-7.00
14.00-15.00.
1".00-6,00
4TeHHe KHHH1
4reH
He KH Hr"1
22.30-24.00
22.30,2".00
nPOCAYWHBaHHe
npO'::A'I'WHSaHl1
nocAeAHH X H3BeCTHH
OCABA)oII-{)( '\.13aeCn'1~
no PaAHO
no p'a,6,1010
22.00.-22.30.
22.0022. 30.
Ya,;,
Co3eP~aH"'e
CO~epl.laH"E!
3aKynKa
nPoAyKTOB fii-'ITaHH'il
3aKynKa npOAYKTOS n';TaHHf1
s eMara3HHe
Mar-a3:,.jHe
Lia"
21.00.-21.30.
2l00-213O
sa.... ePHEle
21.30.-22.00.
21.3O-22.0Q
18.00.-18.'t5.
18.0018.~5.
Y"""'f
nPHPOAbl
npl'1POp,bl
B B848PHee OK HO
1900-1930
OKHO
nPvtrOTOBI\8Hl-1 e
1&"5.-19.00
BcTPeYH H seceAbl
Bt::'noe'-n.t 'H e;eceA,'bI

C APyrHMH OAHHOKI-tMH 1\IOAbMH
e A HMH
19.30.-21.00.
OJIJh1
Y>KI-1Ha
[lPHrOTOBMlH",e V)l(l<4Ha
18.45.-19.00
~M"'" ~'11r1
a30.-2l0Q.
Fundacin Juan March
132 1/ 133
Vktor Pivovrov
6 paneles de la serie Proyectos para un hombre solitario
Six panels from the series Projects for a Lonely Man, 1975
a) Croquis para objetos de uso cotidiano de un hombre solitario
Man,, 1975
Plan for the Everyday Objects of a Lonely Man
sobre
re tablero de fibras de madera/Enamel on fiberboard
Esmalte sob
171 x 130 x 4 cm
Croquis para objetos de uso cotidiano de

un hombre solitario
Plan for the everyday objects of a lonely man
[en el sentido de as agujas del reloj desde arriba]
[clockwise from top]
Cuadro'
croquis..
Ver el apndice al croquis
Picture'
See the addendum to the plan.
Vaso de agua
1. Para calmar la sed.
c.ontra
o ntra el dolor de
2. Para tragar las pastillas c.
cabeza.
Glass of water
1. For quenching thirst
thirst..
2. For washing down headache tablets.
Pastillas contra el dolor de cabeza
Headache tablets
Libro
Un libro se puede:
1. leer.
2. hojear.
hojear .
3. mirar por encima.
encima .
4. acariciar.
5. darlo a leer a otra persona solitaria.
solita ria.
Book
A book may be
be::
1. read,
2. leafed through,
3. looked through,
4. stroked,
toread
5. given to another lonely person to
read..
Silla:
1. Para sentarse a la mesa.
2. Para enroscar una bombilla nueva.
Chair
1. For sitting at the table.
2. For screwing in a new lightbulb.
Mesa:
En una mesa uno puede:
1. leer.
leer.
2. escribir.
3. comer.
4. simplemente sentarse en ella
e ll a y mirar por la
ventana.
ventana .
Table
can :
At the table one can:
1. read,
2. write,
3. eat,
4. simply sit and look out the window.
Manzana
1. Para adornar.
2.
2. Para satisfacer el hambre.
3. Para regalrsela a otra persona solitaria.
Apple
1. For decoration.
hunger .
2. For satisfying hunger.
person.
3. To give as a present to another lonely persono
Lmpara de mesa
1. Para leer un libro.
2.
agradable .
2. Para una iluminacin agradable.
3. Para la contemplar el reflejo de uno mismo en
el cristal de la ventana al
al atardecer.
Desk lamp
1. For reading a book.
lighting .
2. For pleasant lighting.
2.
3. For examining one's reflection in the window3.
evening .
pane in the evening.
Fundacin Juan March
b) El
El reg~men
reg~men diario
diario de
de un
un hombre
hombre solitario
solitario
b)
The Daily
Daily Regime
Regime of
of aa Lonely
Lonely Man,
Han, 1975
1975
The
Esmalte sobre
sobre tablero
tablero de
de fibras
fibras de
de madera/Enamel
madera/Enamel on
on fiberboard
fiberboard
Esmalte
171 xx 130
130 xx 44 cm
cm
171
El rgimen diario de un
un hombre solitario
ily regime of a lonely man

daily
The da
la curva
curva del reloj,
[Detalles en la
de arriba a abajo]
[details on the clock'

clock'ss curve,
curve,
top to
to bottom]
from top
08.00
.00 - 11.00: Horas de trabajo
08
11.45 - 14.00: Horas de trabajo
11.4515.00 - 18.00: Horas de trabajo
15.00-
.m.
:00 aa.m.
Working hours 8:00-11 :00
.-2 :00 p.m
a.m.-2:00
p.m..
Working hours 11 :45 a.m
p.m..
Working hours 3:00-6:00 p.m
[ms detalles, en el sentido de las agujas

del reloj de arriba abajo]
[further details, clockwise from top]
07.00
.00 - 07.30: Levantarse; aseo matutino
07
07.30 - 08.00: Desayuno
11.45:
solitario
meditacin
in
itario y meditac
.45 : Paseo en sol
11.00 - 11
con tema libre
14.00 - 15.00: Almuerzo
18.00 - 18.45
18.45:: Compra de alimentos en la tienda
18.45 - 19.00: Preparacin de la cena
19.00 - 19.30: Cena
19.30 - 21.00:
21 .00 : Encuentro y charla con otra
gente solitaria
21.00
21 .00 - 21.30: Hora del t
21.30
21.30-- 22.00: Contemplacin de la naturaleza a
travs de una ventana abierta al crepsculo
22.00
- 22.30:
22.30: Audicin de las ltimas noticias
22 .00de la radio
22.30 - 24.00:
24 .00: Lectura de un libro
00.00 - 07.00:
07 .00: Sueo
- 7:30 a.m.
Getting up. Morning toilet 7:00
7:00-7:30
Breakfast
8reakfast 7:30-8:00 a.m.
Lonely walk while reflecting on a free choice of
:00-11 :45 a.m.
topics 11 :00-11:45
Lunch 2:00-3:00 p.m.
:45 p.m.
Grocery shopping 6:00-6
6:00-6:45
6:45-7 :00 p.m.
Preparation of dinner 6:45-7:00
7:00-7 :30 p.m.
Dinner 7:00-7:30
Meetings and conversations with other lonely
p.m .
people 7:30-9:00 p.m.
p.m.
9:00-9 :30 p.m.
Tea 9:00-9:30
Contemplating nature through the evening window
9:30-10:00 p.m.
p.m.
Listening to the news on the radio 10:00-10:30 p.m.
10:30-12 :00 p.m.
Reading a book 10:30-12:00
a.m.
Sleep 12:00-7:00 a.m.
Fundacin Juan March
IIPC
fKT
liPOEKT
:JJ013
CHOB
I-\.i\.~
AMI
oOAHHOKOfO
HI--l on
IJ(~\ u ,1 a
lJeAOBeKa
BTOPHHK
STO?H"IK
BOCKPiEltl'eHI:::If:!
CY560Ta
I
Fundacin Juan March
TIPOf]
T
TIPOEKTK .13a
Heoa
. \~I Oj.11
HOI\.Om l!C'\OBC\3
q '. \OH f'()
OA!-11-lOKOrO
AMI
1. 1.Yl1cToe
He5o
Yl-l c Toe Heso
Y eHHee He60
Hel>O
4.'L YTPeHHee
2.0bA:l
Hoe H6S0
He60
2. 6i\a 4HOe
BeyePHee He6o
He60
s.5 Be4ePHee
He60
riaCMYPH Oe He60
3.3. IlaCMYPHOe
6. H o4Hoe He6o
305
3115
,,.
Fundacin Juan March
. . ..
... ".__
ant'"...
,
""
136 1I 137
Vktor Pivovrov
Pvovrov
Viktor
se re Proyectos para un hombre solitario
6 paneles de la serie
Sx panels from the series
se res Projects tor
for a Lonely Man, 1975
Six
c) Croquis para sueos de un hombre solitario
e)
Plan for the Dreams of a Lonely Man, 1975
fbras de madera/Enamel on fiberboard

fberboard
Esmalte sobre tablero de fibras
171 x 130 x 44 cm
Croquis para sueos de un hombre solitario
Plan for
tor the dreams of
ot a lonely man
[en el sentido de las agujas del reloj desde el

centro superior]
[clockwise from
trom the top center]
Lunes
Monday
Martes
Tuesday
Mircoles
Wednesday
Jueves
nube:]
:] sueo sin sueos
[en la nube
Thursday
:] Sleep without dreams
[in the cloud
cloud:]
Viernes
Friday
Sbado
Saturday
Domingo
Sunday
Fundacin Juan March
d) Croquis del cielo de un hombre solitario

Plan for the Sky of a Lonely Man
Man,, 1975
Esmalte sobre tablero de fibras de madera/Enamel on fiberboard
171 x 130 x 4 cm
Croquis del cielo de un hombre solitario
s ky of a lonely man
Plan for the sky
1. Cielo despejado
1. Clear sky
nuboso'
2. Cielo nuboso'
2. Cloudy sky
3. Cielo cerrado
3. Overcast sky
4 . Cielo matutino
4.
4 . Morning
Mo r ning sky
4.
5. Cielo vespertino
5. Evening sky
6. Cielo nocturno
6. Night sky
Fundacin Juan March
rIPOEKT
nPQEKT
/K
1/1;\01'0o nn oMetu
N\eU~Clll1>l
e Hvrs:I
JKHAor
lMI
Ai\51
~\HHOK ro Qpl\OReK3
lle;\OBeKa
OAVfHOT<Or
5Ai\KOH6AAKOH-
KYX H'TI
KYXHSl
06Wa51
3iWKtPq El
nAowaAb KB.
32M
~I.---""'~'
'1',~~
.".~
V
nP~X0)!(3~
nPllXO;aH
t >K1-111a ~ KOMHaTa
2. BHA ~oot J o KHa
3. K YXHS'I
J KYlCHIol
Fundacin Juan March
.tt. Ca H.
yJeA. saHH a_on
DPOEKT
VI I'P8<D1!I Vi
5VIOrPacJ>Hl1
.LU1HOKOr
oaeKa
qeAOB8K3
OAHHOKOfO '1e
~,BHOKHM \.l'-I~AOB8KOM
~OB K
MOX<eT
KaJf<AbU:l
CT8Tb Ka)rw.u1.
MO)K8T CTaTb
AHHOKVIM
POAHBllIl1Cb
I-Ia
Cl3eT.
1Ke.1\aTe.l\bllO
y
MaTePH
-OAl1H lfKlI. OAHHOKHJ1 '-leAOM8T8P11-0A,J1Hl.JKJ1,
Y
POA11Bllll1Cb Ha OB8T, 2K8A8T8AbHO
BBeKA!AOA)K8H
\)I~ H IJP
Jilm lleTblP8
TeTBa: i)SJD\11,
~$lCi\I1, ~A8TC3A.
~
A8TCTB8:
CT3AJ111 A
'-18TblP8 CTW'IH
IlPOMTI1
~lliKOAa
",8TH.
AaT8Pb.
~!\.8TH. AaIePb.
OAl1l~OKMl~
OOOK AOIVK
H n
PeE
Th: CB11HKOH,
BI1HKOH. KP8CHYXOJ.1,
1<?aCJ OH. KOKA!OllleM,
1)K,\l llle\'\,
rrePeBOA8Tb:
A<WK8H
AMHOKI1I1 qY8AOB8K
cKaPAan1HoR.
PhlQ ITH8BMOHI18M.
111-1 BMOHH tilo flMPKe
nl1P~ AOA2KHO
AOlvt{HO BblTb
BblTb nli.0nOAOAkl38HT8Pi'I8M, ~KOPbiO,
CK3PA3THHOH,AM3eHTePHetl.
/I}J
\hHoe. rPJimn
r
P838 B fOA.
lPIDJ1H8- no ,li,B3 pa3a
fPI1IITI HH aHrnI"<:\-[lQ,lIJ3a
2KH'feAhM08,
B8llIKOl\e
OBeJ< /JfJ/\lJ{.H
6b11ll H80AHOKP8THO
HC{f.l,l [ooa'[l-IO BI1T
EHT CBOHMI1
C1IDl1MI1
A0\)!(8H 13b1Tb
'-18AOB8K
OAHHOKHM '\le
IllK0/\.8 0A11H0KYl:H
eCB8PCTHHK3MI1.
I U1J<aM\1.
.
'
T Hal.\I-1H8IOTCSI.
KffiKAbl\\ rAOM
TO,Ml!\J\ CTP8AaiD15I
CTP2,AaHH5l TIAOTI1,
rIi\OTl1
DPGlfP8CCI1i>YIOilli:18 C KDI\AblM
HEt"li1H310TC5!, TIPOfPea;I1PYlOilll1e
ll A8T
'C1'11\
He AONKHhl
I1P11l[CM
'iliHlJle O\YlraH
'130crn H
Q\)f{Hbf DPI1HOCI1Tb
fTP~IHOCHTh OEt\8fY8H11S!.
OR. eNeHHSI.
Cl\)'tiaH Bl\.1130CTII
ITPI1YeMoOTAeAbHble
'-!eAoBeK AOA)KeH
APAee
nl\J!{eH TIPOMTI1
nPo~nJ1 0\.8AYIOI!li1E'
C\C'AYIOlllI1e 3TarTbJ:
3Tallbl: CJBYYeHMe
UBYlleH.t1e
OAMHOKI1J.1 teI\OBeJ<
AaAee <WIHOl<l:1I1
A8fK08 B8H8PI148CK08
8PMI1l1, flet1ille
Barw\lm
CA~a B
BB11I1CTIHYTe.
BeH Pl14 o 38BOJ\.8B8H.I18,
. RO\eR3HI1 BCTYI1A8HI18
BC1'YTIJ IDIe
MHCTIITYT8,~?KBa
BCTYI1A8Hl18 B
BTOPOe BCrYllA8HHe
P33BOA,
2K8Hhl, Pfl3B
l13M8H3 )f(eHbl.
B BP8K,11:),\\I?Ha
B.6paK,
1\. BTOPO
B BP8K,
oPaK. PO)[{A8HI18
PQJKAeHlle CJA11HOKOfO
CW1HOKO
Pa3BOA. TI0Ilb!TK3
)K8Hbl, P':i3Bre,.
BTOPOM JKeHbI.
H3M8H8 BTOPO;'
P8EeHK8. H30"'eHa
reDeHK3.
1l00blTK8 11HT8fP8UI1M,
l1HTe aUl'1H, ITP.I1013P8T8HJ18
npl10BPeTeHI18
ITOM8IU8Hl1S!.
2KHAOr nOA'\e
COBCT.B8HHCJID
6CTBeHHOro lKIiAorO
HYl5I.
MO)KHO H3lll1H3Tb
3ram1 MCKHO
3Tl1 :.rr<lf1'
DPOMASI 3m
TiTAbKO
. llPOlWl
llJ1. HaTb nePBh!e
nePBble onbiTbi
OIllil1bl
co3HareAbHoro
C03liaTeAbHoro
QOAJ1H0l!8CTB8.
HHOt
Ba.
Y8TblP8 CTYTI8HI1:
11M8eT t.eTblPe
AHHOl!8CTBO HMeeT
Qv1HOlJecTBO
ynemJ:
11AH 3K311cT8HU113AbH08
1.1.1P3Fijll8CK08
TpanItlecKoeMAI1
K3I1CTeJ-lUHai\bH e OAl1HOlJ8CTBO.
OOJIlOllecTBO.
KOQW!l.j8CK08
I1A.I1 KOCMHLt
2.MeAaHX<Wt~YeCK08
2. Iv\ 'aRXOl\H4e .me l'u\H
CKoe OA11HOY8CrBO.
OAY1Ho'lecrn .
Mera<I>I1311.YecKoe
.I1Al1 M
3.3. Co3ePuareAbHoe
::IePlla
bllO I1AI4
''f(}QlH311'-1e KQ:> CJA11HOLI8CTBO.
OAMHOlleCTBQ.
OAI1H04ecrBo.
ascoMorHoe
I1A.I1 aoc
PaAocmoe l'lA!'!
'.~-PlAOC11l0e
\lOTl-I
I1H lj 1130
H8CBOBOAY Ha YJJOBHe
ITP8AeAbHYIO
JIPeAeAbHYI
1-1 e
y Ha YP BJ-le
AOCTJ1)!(8HYIIO Y8TB8PTOJ.1 CTYneK.
I{ AfJ T;j1Kel LJ1lU l[ TBePT (- CTYneM coBnaAaer e <t>M3MY8CKOI1 CMePTbiO
OAI1HOLiecrBa, IKOTOPa5!
H11 ~Ho4ecTBa
Hl
'lOPCl51 xor5! H
e rmaaaeT e (J)j"3V1l1e KOH
'P'JhtO
5l.BASI8TCS! TeM He M8H88 OEP8T8HI18M ITOAAJ1HHOI1
t,I8AOB8K8,
OAJ1HOK0f0
CW'lHO~ r l.JeAO el{a, 51BhSleTC51 TE'.\'\ 1I MeH (> BPe 'Ill! \ n MI1HHOIit
CBOEOAbl 11 COeA11H8Hi1S! C B8CKOH8l!HbiM.
CB BQL\h[ 11 O~l1HeHYlsl e 6 CKlielfllbl.'\t\.
DP08KTbl, IIITPeA\arllOITll18
flOK833HHbl8nroeKThI,
nOKa3aHHbre
\aralOlllH
ITPI1B8CTI1
Bb!T1151,
aKTYaAbHOfO
aKTYaAbliOl'O blll151, A~bl
Q )1\1-11>1 llPI1DCCTI1
xam
Fundacin Juan March
140 1
/ 141
Viktor Pivovrov
6 paneles de la serie Proyectos para un hombre solitario
Si x panels from the series Projects tor
for a Lonely Man, 1975
Six
f) Croquis de vivienda para un hombre solitario
for the Living Space ot
of a Lonely Man
Plan tor
Man,, 1975

171 x 130 x 4 cm
Croquis de vivienda para un hombre solitario
Plan for the living space of a lonely man
[comenzando arriba a la izquierda,

izqu ierda , en el sentido
de las agujas del reloj]
[from top to bottom and from left to rightl
Vistas hacia el cielo

Balcn/terraza
Superficie total 32 m'
Cuarto de estar
Coc ina
Cocina
f regadero
Estufa elctrica, fregadero
Retrete
Cua rto de bao
Cuarto
Ves tbulo
Vestbulo
Entrada
View to the sky

Balcony/loggia
Total area 32 m'
living room
Kitchen
stove , sink
sin k
Electric stove,
lavatory
Bathroom
Hall
Entran ce
Entrance
1.
2.
3.
4.
4.
1. living room
2. View from the window
3. Kitchen
4. lavatory, bathroom
Cuarto de estar
Vista desde la ventana
Coc
ina
Cocina
Retrete , cuarto de bao
Retrete,
Fundacin Juan March
e) Proyecto de biografa del hombre solitario

Plan for the Biography of the Lonely Man, 1975

171 x 130 x 4 cm
The Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art
from the Soviet .Union
Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey
Proyecto de biografa del hombre solitario

Cualquiera puede ser un hombre solitario.
na'cer, preferentemente de madre
Despus de naber,
sola o soltera, el hombre solitario debe pasar en
su infancia por cuatro estados: 1) guardera para
nios de 1 a 3 aos; 2) jardn de infancia; 3)
escuela; 4) campamento de verano.
El hombre solitario deber padecer: parotiditis,
disentera ,
rubeola, tos ferina, escarlatina, disentera,
neumona . Deber dar positivo en la
sarampin y neumona.
prueba Pirquet de la tuberculosis y deber sufrir
ao .
de gripe y anginas dos veces al ao.
En el colegio, el hombre solitario debe ser
golpeado repetidamente por nios de su edad.
los 14 aos aparecern sus sufriA partir de ios
mientos carnales, que se ir agravando progresivamente cada ao y no se ver aliviado por
aisladas y coyunturales demostraciones de
afinidad o proximidad.
Ms adelante, el hombre solitario deber pasar
por las siguientes etapas: la enseanza en el
instituto , el servicio militar, una ligera infeccin
instituto,
venrea, el matrimonio, la infidelidad a su esposa,
el divorcio, segundo matrimonio, infidelidad a su
esposa , nacimiento de su hijo nico,
segunda esposa,
divorcio , tentativas de integracin y
segundo divorcio,
obtencin de una vivienda en propiedad.
Slo despus de pasar estas etapas se pueden
tener las primeras experiencias de soledad
consciente.
soledad :
Hay cuatro grados de soledad:
existencia l.
1. Soledad trgica o existencial.
csmica .
2. Soledad melanclica o csmica.
3. Soledad contemplativa o metafsica.
4. Soledad feliz o absoluta.
Los esquemas y croquis presentados aqu, que
proponen una extrema falta de libertad en el
nivel de la existencia objetiva real, conducirn a
,I la obtencin del cuarto nivel de soledad.
soledad . ste,
aunque coincide con la muerte fsica del hombre
solitario, supone de hecho la conquista de la
libertad autntica y de la unin con lo infinito.
Plan for the biography of the lonely man

man .
Anyone can become a lonely mano
After being born, preferably toa
to a single mother,
a lonely man must go through tour
four stages of
childhood: 1) day care, 2) kindergarten, 3) school,
4) Pioneer camp.
campo
The lonely man must come down with mumps,
fever,, dysentery,
rubella, whooping cough, scarlet fever
measles, and pneumonia. He must be TB-test
positive and have both the flu and tonsillitis twice
ayear.
At school the lonely man must be beaten repeatedly by his peers.
The sufferings of the flesh begin at the age of
fourteen and progressively worsen with every
isolated instances of intimacy
passing year, and solated
need not bring relief.
Further, the lonely man must go through
phases : training at
atan
the following phases:
an institute,
compulsory army service, a slight venereal
infection , marriage, unfaithfulness to his wife,
infection,
divorce, second marriage, birth of a lonely
wife , divorce
divorce,,
child, unfaithfulness to his second wife,
becom ing a homeowner.
an attempt to integrate, becoming
Only by going through these phases can the
begin .
first experiences of conscious loneliness begin.
four degrees of loneliness:
There are tour
existentialloneliness .
1. Tragic or existentialloneliness.
2. Melancholic or cosmic loneliness.
3. Contemplative or metaphysical loneliness.
4. Joyful or absolute loneliness.
here , which propose
propase
The plans presented here,
extreme unfreedom at the level of actual objective reality, lead to the fourth degree of loneliness.
Although this coincides with the physical death of
atta inment
the lonely man, it nonetheless marks the attainment
lnfinite.
of genuine freedom and oneness with the Infinite.
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
144 1/ 145
145
144
Ivn Chu
Chuov
ik ov
Ivn
Seal de
de trfico!
trfico/Traffic
Sign,, 1972
1972
Traffic Sign
Seal
leo sobre
sobre lienzo/Oil
lienzo/Oil on
on canvas
canvas
leo
117 xx 90
90 xx 3 cm
cm
117
Coleccin/Collection Antonio
Antonio Piccoli
Piccoli
Coleccin/Collection
Fundacin Juan March
Ivn Chuikov
I, 1976
Panorama 1,
37 x 65,8 x 66 cm
Peter und Irene Ludwig Stiftung, Aachen/Aquisgrn; prstamo indefinido en el/
Art , 8udapest
Budapest
on long-term loan at Ludwig Museum - Museum of Contemporary Art,
II, 1976
Panorama 11,
29 x 65,8 x 65,4 cm
Stiftung , Aachen/Aquisgrn; prstamo indefinido en el/
Peter und Irene Ludwig Stiftung,
Art , 8udapest
Budapest
on long-term loan at Ludwig Museum - Museum of Contemporary Art,
Ivn Chuikov
Derecha - Izquierda/Right - Left, 1979
Ple xigls, esmalte
Objeto: Plexigls,
Object: Plexiglas, enamel
2 partes/Two parts, 30 x 40 cada una/each
Heritage Preservation Russian Avantgarde Foundation/
Moscow Archive of New Art (MANI)
(Coleccin MANI/MANI Collection)
Fundacin Juan March
..
,.11111 111111
'
111111 111111
111111 111111
111111 111111
111111 111111
111111 111111
l111111
111111
111111
l111111
111111 111111
111111
111111
1
111111 111111
1 1 111111
11111'
''.
1111111
111111
, 1:
1111 111111 1 ..
'
'
'
'
'
'
11111111
11111111
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
148 1/ 149
149
148
Komar &
& Melamid
Melamid
Komar
Cita/Quotation,
1972
/ Quotation, 1972
Cita
leo sobre
sobre lienzo/Oil
lienzo/Oil on
on canvas
canvas
leo
118 xx 79
79 cm
cm
118
Coleccin particular/Prvate
particular/Private collection.
collection.
Coleccin
Cortesa/Courtesy Ronald
Ronald Feldman
Feldman Fine
Fine Arts,
Arts,
Cortesa/Courtesy
New York,
York, NY
NY
New
Fundacin Juan March
Komar & Melamid

{Bailarina)
Sin ttulo (Bailarina)
{Ballerina) ,, 1972
Untitled (Ballerina)
cartn/Oil on cardboard
leo sobre cartn/Dil
100 x 90 cm
Coleccin/Collection Antonio Piccoli
Komar & Melamid

Caja de cigarillos Laika
Laika Cigarette Bo
Box,
x , 1972
De
Oe la serie Sots Art
From the series Sots Art
leo sobre lienzo/Oil
lienzo/Dil on canvas
77 x 58 cm
Coleccin particular/Private
collection
coHechon..
Cortesa/Cou
r tesy Ronald Feldman
Cortesia/Courtesy
Fine Arts
Arts,, New York
York,, NY
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
152 1/ 153
Komar & Melamid con/with Charlotte Moorman
performance,, instalacin
Escritura musical- Pasaporte, performance
Musicwriting - Passport, Performance, Installation, 1975
De la serie Cdigos/From the series Codes
Tcnica mixta sobre lienzo, 3 fotos, cinta de audio, CD, manuscritos de msica/
Mixed media on canvas; three photos, audiotape, CD, music manuscripts
200 x 200 x 60 cm
Antiguo/Former Komar & Melamid Art Studio Archive
Fundacin Juan March
Komar & Melamid

Autorretrato doble
Double Self-Portrait, 1984
Tmpera sobre cartn/Tempera
on cardboard
150 x 150 cm
Sots Art (Arte socialista/Socialist Artl
Komar & Melamid

Post-Art No
[Warhol) / Arte Post N.' 1
No.. 1 [Warhol)IArte
[Warhol),, 1973
[Warhol)
lienzo/Oil on canvas
leo sobre lienzo/Dil
122 x 91 cm
particular/Prvate
Coleccin particular/Private
collection.
Cortesa/Courtesy Ronald Feldman
Cortesia/Courtesy
Fine Arts, New York, NY
Fundacin Juan March
.,..
.
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
156 /1 157
Komar & Melamid
Komar
Bujmov/ Nikolai Buchumov,
Buchumov , 1973
Nikolai Bujmov/Nikolai
De la serie Leyendas/From the series Legends
Instalacin : 59 paneles (leo sobre cartulina)/Installation:
cartulina)/Installation : oil on posterboard,
Instalacin:
panels ; 12,7 x 17,8 cm cada uno/each
59 panels;
"Bujmov " /In addition,

addition , seven 8uchumov
Buchumov objects:
Adems, 7 objetos "8ujmov"/In
1 . Parche ocular/Eye patch
1.
autobiography , ca.
ca . 63,5
63 , 5 x 50,8 cm
2. Su autobiografia/His autobiography,
3 . Su cuaderno de notas/His notebook
3.
4 . Su paleta/His palette
4.
5 . Percha/Coat hanger
5.
6 . Un cuadro al leo Marina con nia/One oil painting Seascape with Girl,
6.
50 , 8 x 110,5
110 , 5 cm (no reproducido/not illustrated)
50,8
7 . Una foto pequea de Bujmov/A small
s mall photograph of Buchumov
7.
K. Rector
Coleccin de/Collection of Neil K.
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
160 1
/ 161
Komar & Melamid
liblov/ Apelles liablov, 1973
Apelles liblov/Apelles
7 cuadros y un libro/Seven paintings and one book
The Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art from the Soviet Union
Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Fundacin Juan March
A. liblov
liblov (Estudio
(Estudio para
para
A.
una monografa)/
monografa)/
una
Study for
for aa monograph),
monograph) ,
Study
sin fecha!not
fecha/not dated
dated
sin
Libro/Book
Libro!Book
Texto impreso,
impreso, cubierta
cubierta
Texto
de piel!Printed
piel/Printed text,
text,
de
leather cover
cover
leather
28 x 19,5 cm
Apelles liblov
liblov -Apelles
Sin ttulo/Untitled,
ttulo/Untitled,
Sin
1789
1789
leo sobre
sobre lienzo!
lienzo/
leo
Oil on
on canvas
canvas
Dil
62,5 xx 8D
80 cm
cm
62,5
Apelles liblov Sin ttulo/Untitled,

1785
lienzo/
leo sobre lienzo!
Oil on canvas
Dil
79 x 65 cm

1791
lienzo/
leo sobre lienzo!
Oil on canvas
Dil
69,5 x 58,5 cm

1797
leo sobre lienzo!
lienzo/
Dil
Oil on canvas
1D2,5
102,5 x 69 cm
Apelles liblov Sus Majestades ""La

La
Nada
"/Their Majesties
Nada"/Their
"Nothingness
," 1783
"Nothingness,"
leo sobre lienzo/
lienzo!
Oil
Dil on canvas
76,5 x 69 x 4 cm
Apelles liblov Sus Majestades "La

Nada
"/Their Majesties
Nada"/Their
"Nothingness
," 1796
"Nothingness,"
1796
leo sobre lienzo/
lienzo!
Oil
Dil on canvas
45 x 32 cm
Apelles liblov Sus Majestades ""La

La
Nada"/Their
Nada
"/ Their Majesties
"Nothingness,"
"Nothingness
,"
fecha!undated
sin fecha/undated
lienzo!
leo sobre lienzo/
Dil on canvas
Oil
62,5 x 57 cm
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
164 1/ 165
165
164
Komar & Melamid

Eslogan ideal/Ideal Slogan, 1984
Tmpera sobre cartn/
Tempera on cardboard
2 partes/Two parts,
75 x 150 x 4 cm cada una/each
Coleccin/Collection
tion Antonio Piccoli
Coleccin/Collec
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
168 1I 169
169
168
rik Bultov
Voy!II'm going, 1975
iVoy!/I'm
leo sobre lienzo/Oil on canvas
230 x 230 cm
Coleccin particular, Zrich/
Private collection, Zurich
Fundacin Juan March
rik Bultov
Marca registrada/Trademark, 1986
lienzo/Gil on canvas
203 x 203 x 6,5 cm
Koln/Sammlung Ludwig
Museum Ludwig K6ln/Sammlung
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
172 /1 173
Aleksandr Kosolpov
Malvich / Malevich , 1993
Malvich/Malevich,
65 x 120 cm
Fundacin Juan March
Aleksandr Kosolpov
Lenin - Coca-Cola, 1993
75 x 120 cm
Aleksandr Kosolpov
iSashok! vas
Sashok!
Vas aa tomar t?
Some Tea?, sin fecha/not dated
Sashok! Would You Like Sorne
Madera pintada, cinta adhesiva, arpillera, clavos sobre tabla/
Painted wood, tape, burlap, nails on panel
50 x 107 x 4 cm
The Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist
Art from the Soviet Union
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
176 /1 177
Aleksandr Kosolpov
Egipto / Egypt, 1982
Egipto/Egypt,
102 x 127 cm
Contemporary Art Museum Art4.RU
Art4 . RU
Fundacin Juan March
Aleksandr Kosolpov
Kosolpov
Aleksandr
Norte / North, 1973
1973
Norte/North.
Gouache sobre
sobre tablero
tablero de
de fibras
fibras de
de madera/
madera/
Gouache
Gouache on
on fiberboard
fiberboard
Gouache
40 xx 60
60 cm
cm
40
The Norton
Norton and
and Nancy
Nancy Oodge
Dodge Collection
Collection of
of Nonconformist
Nonconformist
The
Art from
from the
the Soviet
Soviet Un
Union
Art
ion
izquierda a derecha]
[de izquierda
Surf
El norte
Kazbik
KazbiK
/1
[from left to right]

Surf
The North
Kazbek
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
180 1
/ 181
Leonid Skov
Proyecto para fabricar gafas para todos los ciudadanos soviticos
Citizen , 1976
Project to Construct Glasses for Every Soviet Citizen,
Madera pintada/Painted wood
33 , 3 x 31 cm
11,3 x 33,3
Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art
The Norton and Nancy Oodge
Union
from the Soviet Un
ion
Leonid Skov
Mandibulas / Jaws, 1976
Mandibulas/Jaws,
Hierro forjado/Forged iron
31 x 36 x 31 cm
Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art
The Norton and Nancy Oodge
Union
from the Soviet Un
ion
Fundacin Juan March
Leonid Skov
Leonid Skov
Herramienta para determinar

nacionalidad/ A Too1
Tool for Gauging
la naciona1idadlA
Nationality , 1977
Nationa1ity,
Fuego/Fire, 1975
FuegolFire,
madera/Oil on wood
leo sobre madera/Dil
127,5 x 28 x 5 cm
Coleccin particular, Suiza/
Private collection, Switzerland
Herramienta para determinar

la nacionalidad
abajo]
[de izquierda a derecha y de arriba a abajo)
Judo Ruso Georgiano Armenio
Uzbeko Lituano Moldavo Tungoso
leo sobre madera y bombilla/Dil

bombilla/Oil on
on
wood and light bulb
80 x 45 x 20 cm
The Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection
of Nonconformist Art from the Soviet
Un ion
Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum,
Rutgers, The State University
of New Jersey
Instrucciones de uso
agujero .
1. Meter la nariz en el agujero.
2. Si el ngulo de la nariz o el volumen de la misma
coinciden con el agujero, Vd. pertenece a la
nacionalidad correspondiente.
/
A Tool for Gauging Nationality
ATool
bottom]
[from left to right and from top to bottom)
Jewish Russian Georgian Armenian Uzbek
Lithuan ian Moldavian Tunguz
Lithuanian
lnstructions
Instructions
1. Put y~ur nose in the hole.
2. lf
If the shape and size of your nose are right,
you belong to that nationality.
Leonid Skov
Punto de vista
/ Point of View
vistalPoint
View,, 1976
leo sobre madera y plstico/
Oil
Dil on wood and plastic
33 x 20 x 17 cm
Coleccin particular, Suiza/
Private collection, Switzerland
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
J~
"(
.r ..Y"
('
"
-~ J~l . ~
.....
" J
~\
rtfl
))
1
,,
n 't
-~~
"111
J~
J~
i-
,.
a .
jj
~;~
ri.'Lr
Jl .
.f
JJ
- .._
--"""-
n. \e
1 '
iJ
l7
~~
~n~
Jl
ti
J)
,._o"'
~~
~~~
m"
)1
.;..
['11
'
-a--
ff
l ..,_
.:'
~r\ .
r.fi
.
~~~
'!,
~O' .
i~
~~~
JJ
(i)l
..,,
~it
ll
.1.'1:11'-,- }
~-
IJ
jjiJ~~
Jl
~~
Fundacin Juan March
"
n~o
,li,JI;i."''{'
~lf
..,...
~j}J,
1--~
). .
1}
Jl
~
..
ll .
j {t\
(5
-:,
'j) ~f~
"(
,)r
~-.
=J
~.
J}
'I".J..J , . 1.
;~
1J:
,.
11
el
~
-~
'(J:
~1m
,#
' ~[>
:oo. Jt;'
. ""
.~~
'
.
-~
n
_...,.
. ..
J"'
~~,
~~:rr'
Vd
, .rf
.~,, !j ~
"".-
~'
\'1
d'J
.~.V
'l
,
1"'
~..,tiJ .
..:>_.;;,-
, .f)
i'
'ft
:_k
-. 1'
.-1'
'1
{
,
.ll
''
:
'"' 1
n 1f:.
1j
i'f'l .
.
R'
J\.. i
Jl
~Pj
~~ .
~\
::"'
1~-
~!1
,i}
j)
rf
~l
Ji1 ~ tJj l
11
.;/
'
- ~'
~f)
lf .
'11
~-
. ~\ .
Jl
, ,,
~
J".
~~~ .
.,.. - ~
~
j'! ct' )
1'
.J\ .
:1
)f\
~~ 1
ll
6.!.1
184 1/ 185
Grisha Bruskin
Lxico fundamental I
Fundamental Lexicon I, 1986
32 partes/Thirty-two parts,
55 x 38 cm cada una/each,
Medidas totales/Total dimensions
220 x 304 cm
Coleccin particular/
Private collection
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
,f'l1. ""rrt.. i~ f.
t 1,,~ .
t
1;:"
(1\.
tf . <t ;. t t.t; 'fi~ "i
,}.fn
-l;;
i ~',<.'
Jt 1 . '
r\ ]\ fl~1~t
11
-t ~. -~)
).
i
t
'\1
~.
j.
1'.1.
rf
J\ '
1 1
"
.
r
t. t
.fb
~i
"
~
~t.
''1'
J1 ~f'
I wD f!". -~. 't
i"
l.'
';t1f. -r ej.ft 1 t'~t'
.
J)
'i
,,
,:\t )1'
t)'i
lt
1 ;tl-,\.
t
1 " ~. 'WW. lt t.
t iti. -t1 1. 1"' "j..ij ~
1'j.-.
-USSR '
ll
J)
JJ
,,
JL
~~
(j
~~, .
.H
J)
,- J!J.
>.
~-~
'11>
~.
\~\
'ti':
J}
J t
o(f\
, ,!'
<Jn
~
'i'
~(
J).
.J
""i!'l
.;~
' i."t'. ,
-..,
", "'.
,;\
..-a
..",s,
~-
..,..,
~'
~.$.~
J\
"
JJ
JV
l .
u....
~- .
J)
;?
,..,..
1 ..
1
llt' .-
i
~ .~" ffli
~~~.
t~'"
.' .
,7
'.
'
~-
'
<1'!1,
--
~ -
""'""
<'1}
ip.-;./~\
-~
{;
,.
'
,.1
j_
t~-l:v
.ca
g.
1
,.'
.
~l." .~ ! " .
- ; ; .';
'
~~~ ~ .
;\
.. At~
..
o/,fl:.
e$
JJ
,~..
~'
JJ .
Jt
i1
'
~
JJ
tI' ~-}
..
,f"r . .
.,
.. .
w
t~ L
J ...
~
~
~,
~
.
,:1J!
Jl
~-
.:..~
..\
'
."
.1.
.#
i .
JJ
..R-~
.)..
~
.~
-"'
'
..,~,~
~>
, .
--= ~--
@t
ri]N
-~1>
,~.
'
~v.
)i
'!1.
J.J'
"~
~.....:...._~
.,;~
~~ -
'
r}'
i .
~}...,
j}
. )
'J . '
.U
J\
f
~ 10~
Fundacin Juan March
' -~
f~~~ ,
188 1
/ 189
Grisha Bruskin
Lxico fundamental
II
fundamenta] 11
Fundamental Lexicon 11,
II, 1986
Fundamenta]
lienzo/Oil on canvas
leo sobre lienzo/Dil
32 partes/Thirty-two parts,
55 x 38 cm cada una/each,
Medidas totales/Total dimensions
220
22D x 304 cm
Private collection
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
192 1/ 193
193
192
Grisha Bruskin
Bruskin
Grisha
Lxico
fundamental I1 (detalle)
(detalle)
xico fundamental
L
Fundamental Lexicon
Lexicon I1 (detail)
(detail),, 1986
19B6
Fundamental
Fundacin Juan March
Grisha Bruskin
Bruskin
Grisha
Lxico fundamenta]
fundamental II
II (detalle)
(detalle)
Lxico
Fundamental Lexicon
Lexicon II
II (detail),
(detail), 1986
1986
Fundamenta]
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
196 1/ 197
197
196
Omitri Prgov
Prgov
Dmitri
Corrupcin/Corruption,
1987
/ Corruption, 1987
Corrupcin
Tinta sobre
sobre papel
papel de
de peridico/
peridico/
Tinta
Ink on
on newspaper
newspaper
Ink
60 xx 42
42 cm
cm
60
particular/
Coleccin
Private collection
collection
Prvate
Omitri
Dmitri Prgov
Serbios/Serbs,
Serbios / Serbs, 1995
Tinta sobre papel de
peridico/
Ink on newspaper
59 x 41 cm
Coleccin/Collection
Antonio Piccoli
t ri Prgov
Dmi
Omitri
Prgov
Brezhnev,
Brezhnev, 1987
1987
t a sobre
Tin
Tinta
sobre papel
papel de
de peridico/
peridico/
Ink
Ink on
on newspaper
newspaper
60
60 xx 42
42 cm
cm
Coleccin
particular/
Prvate
Private collection
collection
Omitri
Dmitri Prgov
Debilidad/Weakness, 1995
peridico/
Ink on newspaper
60 x 42 cm
Coleccin/Collection
Coleccin/Collect i on
Antonio Piccoli
Fundacin Juan March
Dmitri Prgov
Omitri
Misterio /Mys tery , 1995
Misterio/Mystery,
peridico/
Ink on newspaper
60 x 42 cm
Coleccin/Collection
Antonio Piccoli
Dmitri Prgov
Prgov
Dmitri
Muchas glsnosts/Many
glsnosts ! Many Glasnosts,
Glasnosts ,
Muchas
1987-1989
1987-1989
Tinta sobre
sobre papel
papel de
de peridico
peridico/Ink
on newspaper
newspaper
Tinta
lInk on
ca . 360
360 xx 400
400 cm
cm
ca.
Donacin/Donation Ludwig
Ludwig 2000
2000 -- Ludwig
Ludwig Forum
Forum
Donacin/Donation
fr Internationale
Internationale Kunst,
Kunst , Aquisgrn/Aachen
Aquisgrn/Aachen
fr
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
200 1/ 201
Dmitri Prgov
Prigov
ca.. 1975
Lata de las profecas/Can of Prophecies, ca
Lata con texto en collage/Can with text collage
17 x 7,5 x 7,5 cm
particular/Private collection
Lata de una palabra/Can of One Word, ca. 1975

Lata con texto en collage/Can with text collage
11,5 xx 7,5 xx 7,5 cm
Lata de texto/Text Can, ca
ca.. 1975
l age
collage
Lata con texto en collage/Can with text col
11,5
, 5 x 7,5 x 7,5 cm
11
Fundacin Juan March
Dmitri Prigov
Prgov
latas) / Untitled (5 Gans)
Cans) , ca.
ca . 1975
Sin ttulo (5 latas)/Untitled
conse r vas/Collage on food cans
Collage sobre latas de conservas/Collage
var i ables/Diameter and height vary
Dimetros y alturas variables/Diameter
Donacin/Donation Ludwig 2000 - Ludwig Forum
Kunst , Aquisgrn/Aachen
fr Internationale Kunst,
right]
[De izquierda a derecha/From left to rightl
1. Lata sin etiqueta/Unlabeled Can
's Can
2. Lata de hombre pequeo/Small Person
Person's
3. Lata de La Santsima Trinidad/Trinity Can
4. Lata rusa/Russian Can
4.
5. Lata sovitica/Soviet Can
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
204 1/ 205
Dmitri Prgov
Alemania/Germany,
/ Germany , 1994
Alemania
Serie de 17 dibujos con fotografas
Series of seventeen drawings with
photographs
20,5
, 5 cm cada una/each
29,5 x 20
Art4.RU
. RU
Contemporary Art Museum Art4
Fundacin Juan March
Lev Rubinshtein
3 Cuadernos de anillas con protectores de pginas
Three ring binders with sheet protectors, 1976-1985
autor/Author ' s manuscript, A5
Manuscrito del autor/Author's
Libro 1/Book
1/800k 11::
De jueves a viernes", 43
1 . ""De
1.
2 . "Cuando no es una cosa es
2.
another ," 45 pages, 1985
another,"
" El poeta y la multitud",
multitud" ,
3. "El
pginas/ " From Thursday to Friday,"

Friday, " 43 pages,
pages , 1985
pginas/"From
otra " , 45 pginas/"If it's not one thing, it's
it ' s
otra",
pgina s / "The Poet and a Crowd,"
Cr owd, " 99 pages, 1985
99 pginas/"The
Libro 2/Book
2/800k 22::
1 . "El
" El catlogo de las posibilidades de la comedia",
comedia ", 131 pginas, manuscritol
manuscrito/
1.
Possibilities ," 131 pages,
pages , manuscript, 1976
"The Catalogue of Comic Possibilities,"
2 . "El
" El serafin de las seis alas",
alas " , sin paginar, 22 pginas/"The
pginas/ "The Si
x-winged
2.
Six-winged
Seraphim, " no pagination,
pagination , 22 pages, 1984
198 4
Seraphim,"
" Fsicamente imposible",
imposible ", 21 pginas/"Physically
pginas/ " Physically Impossible,"
Impossible ," 21 pages, 1983
3. "Fisicamente
Libro 3/Book
3/800k 3:
1 . "Circunstancias y presagios",
presagios " , 59 pginas/"Circumstances
pginas/ "Circum s tance s and Superstitious
Sup e rstitious
1.
Beliefs ," 59 pages,
pages , 1983
Beliefs,"
2 . Setenta
"Setenta y un modales amistosos", 71 pginas/"Seventy-Dne
pginas / "Seventy-Dne Friendly Manners,"
Manners, "
2.
71 pages, 1983
3 . "Siempre ms all
", 58 pginas/"Faraway
pgina s /"Faraway and faraway,"
faraway, " 58 pages,
pages , 1984
3.
all",
Heritage Preservation Russian Avantgarde Foundationl
Foundation /
Moscow Archive
Ar chive of New Art (MANI)
CMANI)
Moscow
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
208 1I 209
209
208
Bors Mijilov
Sin ttulo/Untitled, 1970-1980
De la serie Luriki
From the series Luriki
Fotografas en blanco y negro
hite
coloreadas a mano/Black-and-w
mano/Black-and-white
hand-colored photographs
30 x 20 cm - 80 x 60 cm
Cortesa del artista/Courtesy
of the artist
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
~!:Y:r
{t(f)7'U-U{,
~ lj-ta~/:J
kj'rJc ,
tu. tu.. ~ae. ~ ,J?

t;J JIJje.e_ k.-,<
~.x "~
~
J6. K
z.u.s-ct. n, I
'tu }"~ r6
K. ,, v0L({( .
~
1.,;~
<! C-
I-u..,
06""
ft
Fundacin Juan March
t~
f1.<r
.-------':....,
!u.. J-O'i.~..P
J-C'i.o9J J"Iv..
je. 'f'Z.o:J..
'd'l<>~reo<'-,
Te""<-,
ftu.,p<.~e.)c,d JA.o~'J~~
r
fc",t'<."1ltc')C41
J.-oo~7)c. 'JkfiU.'-'J"~<'\'
:;.kf1U.W.JIoUt,
r:oroi'PI "fcJtJ,
"fCj-<r, rno"
r-oroprJ
m."
61I!J ~
ee.... ~
<LufJt..9 ""41'"'
<~"'J'"- S,"'1'
... h"J1t K~-f"O
k.:;o-ro ~
tPl"d' ~'"'l)
~"l'
.,__,:Jk>o.r
......,,~
~f'-<'3"'"'CJ,
k!",
3144111"""
-_.;re
;re
ll?.<.<."-'>,'V"
",..........
,1/0 ocbrb~Jc,.
ockfb:,v.,.",
r~ J rtpff<a,)
r"J
fw.''''''
kl d .&S1J
t:...
1~f~
1'(-
....
r"...
!PI"""" }
k,,~
uF ""'~"""'"""'".."-'
"1
/J~ .Jl)b;vc. ~ <. 1!-t-t"""'c -o
p~
r< e.vJ 1 ,(
'l.IO
l
,..,"
Ji:}
g ~ iJo"'
er-tJ
po ft"'
<CfCiJpo
ftL>'<
./1.1"'"'"'kf <(or-tAo....J~ 1'-'-0C>e-'-t
MO
j kl''''''~
Fundacin Juan March
u ~.o~
tu..
,,,
"l
~.
Ij;tlV_Vt:~
.....
o,~...,;J(,--4~
t -." ro
3 r.-<'"0
ro
'O
J "
ftV(~t,.Lt"-t,.....('
~-...
O J.'
OJ.'
!C
212 1/ 213
213
212
80rs Mijilov
Mjlov
Bors
Sin ttulo
ttulo/Untitled,
1984
/ Untitled , 1984
Sin
finished Dissertation
De la
la serie
serie Tesis
Tesis incompleta/From
incompleta/From the
the series
series Un
Unfinished
Dissertation
De
d-white photographs
Fotografas
en blanco
blanco yy negro
negro con
con textos
textos manuscritos/Black-an
manuscritos/8lack-and-white
photographs
as en
Fotograf
wth handwritten
handwritten te
text
xt
with
DIN A4
A4
DIN
Cortesa del
del artista/Courtesy
artsta/Courtesy of
of the
the artist
artst
Cortesa
[Arriba]
[Arriba]
Hoy, durante
durante los
los discursos
discursos en
en lala televisin
televisin,, ca
ca
Hoy,
cuenta de
de que
que hasta
hasta los
los ms
ms importantes
importantes se
se
en lala cuenta
en
refieren aa si
si mismos
mismos no
no como
como "yo",
"yo", sino
sino como
como "nosotros".
"nosotros".
refieren
[Abajo]
[Abajo]
otros".
Pido encarecidamente
encarecidamente que
que all
all donde
donde ya
ya figure
figure "yo
"yo"" lean
lean "nos
"nosotros".
Pido
Procedemos de
de un
un paradigma
paradigma..
Procedemos
1/
[top]
ion today,
television
When 1I was watching the speeches on televis
1I noticed that even the high and mighty refer to
themselves as "we
"we,"
l."
," not ""l."
[bottom]
"1.""
"we"" wherever it says "l.
Please read "we
Our origin is a paradigm
paradigm..
Fundacin Juan March
[Arriba]
[Arriba)
Bueno, en realidad ...
Bueno,
[Arriba]
[Arriba)
Dijeron alguna cosa mala de todos y cada uno.
[Abajo]
[Abajo]
se dobla la esquina de camino aa tu casa,
casa ,
Apenas se
me encuentro con una mujer joven que puede
confesar inmediatamente que acaba de salir (de la
caree!).
carce!).
[izquierda]
[izquierda)
" ley" de Marina [tachado]:
La "ley"
[tachado] : "Lo que
que une a la
gente no es la suma de lo bueno,
bueno , sino la cantidad
Jo que malo oculto".
de lo
/1
[top]
[top)
Well, you see ...
[Abajo)
[Abajo]
Jo har alguien maana?
yY si se dice hoy, lo
/1
[top]
[top)
They said something bad about everyone.
[bottom]
Before going around the corner to your place,
one meets a young woman who can admit outright
and straight away that she has just been released
(from prison).
[left]
[Ieft)
Marina ' s "Iaw"
"law " [crossed out):
Marina's
out] : "What
" What connects
people is not the sum of what is good, but the
Jatently bad."
amount of what is latently
[bottom]
Jf it is said today, will someone do it tomorrow?
If
[Arriba a la izquierda]
izquierda)
A mam y a pap les gustan casi todos Jos
los
programas de la tele.
teJe .
[Arriba, en el centro]
Sobre la vejez
[Arriba a la derecha]
derecha)
Atribuido a J. Stravinski: ""Dijo
Dijo que era bueno
haber llegado a la vejez, de modo que llegara a
gustarle la msica de Brahms"
[Abajo]
[Abajo)
Tengo tanto miedo que pronto me pueden empezar
a gustar muchas cosas.
1/
[top Jeft]
left)
Mom and dad like
Iike almost all the programs on TV.
[Arriba]
[Arriba)
Persiguiendo el conejo equivocado
[Abajo)
[Abajo]
El pequeo Bria so que yo estaba corriendo y
fotografiando un hermoso conejo de color
naranja, y no saba
saba que era un juguete mecnico.
1/
[top]
[top)
Chasing the wrong rabbit
[bottoml
[bottom)
Little Borya dreamed that 1
I was running and
photographing a beautiful orange-colored rabbit
and didn
't know that it was a windup toy
didn't
toy..
[top centerl
center)
Old age
[t
op right]
[top
right)
Attributed to J. Stravinsky: "He said it was good
that he had reached an old age and that he had
cometo
."
Brahms."
come to like the music of Brahms
[bottom]
[bottom)
l'm
JI sorts of
I'm so afraid 1
I might soon start Jiking
liking aall
things.
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
216 1I 217
217
216
Bors Mijilov
Sin ttulo/Untitled, 1982
De la serie Cuatro/From the series Four
Fotografas en blanco y negro, collage/
Black-and-white photographs, collage
18 x 24 cm
Cortesa del artista/
Courtesy of the artist
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
~
-
-~f
-~~
--.
_._.-~",,,.~
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
220 /1 221
gor Makrevich
Alteracin/Alteration, 1978
C-Print (foto en color), 2008
16 fotografas/Sixteen photographs
51,5 x 50,7 cm cada una/each
Cortesa/Courtesy gor Makrevich
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
224 1
I 225
gor Makrevich y/and Elena Elguina

Chistoe [Lo puro/The Pure), 1987
Instalacin: tcnica mixta/
Installation: mixed media
85 x 136 x 20 cm;
30 x 20 x 20 cm; 35 x 35 x 35 cm
Cortesa/Courtesy gor Makrevich &
Elena Elguina
Fundacin Juan March
Nikolai Pnitkov
Pnitkov
Nikolai
En todas
todas las
las cosas/In
cosas/In All
All Things,
En
Things, 1988
1988
Objeto: cacerola,
cacerola , C-print
C-print (foto
Objeto:
(foto
en color)/Object:
color)/O bject: saucepan,
saucepan , C-print
en
C-print
Altura/H eight 15 cm;
Altura/Height
Dimetro /Diamete r 24 cm
Dimetro/Diameter
(Colecci n MANI/MANI
MANI/MANI Collection)
Collectio n)
(Coleccin
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
228 1/ 229
229
228
Monastyrskii
Andrei Monastyrsk
No estropear!/
estropear!IDon't
1986
Don't Damage!, 1986
iNo
Objeto: tcnica mixta/
Object: mixed media
iameter
Longitud/Length
Dimetro/Diameter
ngth 25 cm, Dimetro/D
Longitud/Le
8 (4) cm
n Russian Avantgarde
Preservation
Heritage Preservatio
Foundation/Moscow
oscow Archive of New Art
Foundation/M
(MANI)
CMANI)
Fundacin Juan March
Andrei Monastyrski
bastones/Two Walking Sticks, 1988
Dos bastoneslTwo
Object: mixed media
99 x 89 x 13 cm
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
232 I1 233
Andrei Monastyrski
Respiracin/ Breathing, 1977
Respiracin/Breathing,
pintado/Plywood , painted
Contrachapado pintado/Plywood,
31 , 8 x 19,7 x 11,3 cm
31,8
Coleccin/Collection Regina Gallery
Andrei Monastyrski
Tabla pintada can
con 6 bobinas
Painted Plate With Six Cails,
Coils,
1985-2005
Madera, clavos, envoltorios/Wood
envoltorios/Wood,,
nails, wound coils
110 x 230 cm
Cortesa
Cortesia del artista/Courtesy
of the artist
Fundacin Juan March
Andrei Monastyrski
Can/Cannon,
/ Cannon, 1975
Can
Madera, cartn, campana, hoja con te
texto
xto
cardboard,, bell, text sheet
Wood, cardboard
54 x 54 x 74 cm
Cortesia/Courtesy Charim Galerie,
Cortesa/Courtesy
Viena/Vienna
Fundacin Juan March
JI'
, .
I
"
.l
. .L
,...'41'
1"'J :-:I 'pi"~

','
"~"11'
1,
l.~
~\
- -
Fundacin Juan March
- --
Fundacin Juan March
236 /1 237
237
236
Andrei Monastyrski
tierra/Earthwork , 1987
Obra de tierra/Earthwork,
Serie de 18 fotografas en blanco
y negro
Series of eighteen black-and-white
photographs
Cortesa del artista/Courtesy
of the artist
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
240 1
/ 241
Andrei Monastyrski
Cuadro / Picture , 1979
Cuadro/Picture,
De la accin Los cuadros/From the action The Pictures
Collage, papel/Collage, paper
40 x 42 cm
Acciones Colectivas/Collective Actions

cuadros / The Pictures, sin fecha/not dated
Los cuadros/The
Los cuadros
sobres , confeccionados con papel blanco y de colores, 144 en total, se
Los sobres,
introducan y agrupaban en doce juegos de doce sobres cada uno (el ms grande, de
cm ; el ms pequeo, de 13 x 8 cm).
cm) . Cada
Ca da sobre contena una descripcin de
40 x 42 cm;
los aspectos ms importantes del evento, de acuerdo con los siguientes apartados:
1) Pautas de recomendaciones para el pblico; 2) programa de la accin en su
fenmeno ;
conjunto; 3) decorado; 4) tiempo; 5) color de los sobres; 6) sonido; 7) fenmeno;
8) tiempo de finalizacin de un gesto (accin); 9) reaccin del pblico; 10)
directiva ; 12) factografa.
factografa .
significado de un gesto (accin); 11) interpretacin directiva;
invitad os que se haban congregado en el
Estos juegos se distribuan entre los invitados
personas , doce de los cuales reciban juegos)
campo (treinta personas,
juegos).. Mientras los
ordenaba n en una lnea sobre la nieve (de
espectadores abran los sobres y los ordenaban
apro ximadamente cincuenta metros de largo), tres participantes cruzaban el campo
aproximadamente
i nformacin
y desaparecan en el bosque por el lado opuesto. Despus de leer la informacin
contenida en los sobres, los espectadores doblaban y pegaban cada serie de sobres
hasta componer doce cuadros con estructura coloreada: el sobre ms grande al
fondo, el siguiente inmediatamente ms pequeo sobre l y as sucesivamente. Toda
Cesto es, el lugar y el
la informacin escrita, salvo el texto factogrfico (esto
tiempo de la accin, la lista de participantes, etc ... ) permaneca oculta bajo
los sobres. Despus estos cuadros eran distribuidos entre la audiencia como un
certificado de su asistencia.
Mosc , lnea ferroviaria Paveltskaya, estacin de Rastrguievo,
Regin de Mosc,
Parque Sujnov
Fundacin Juan March
The Pictures
Envelopes crafted from white and colored paper, 144 in all, were interfolded and
compilad into twelve sets of twelve envelopes each (the
Cthe largest one 40 x 42 cm,
compiled
cm ,
cm) . Each envelope contained a description of the most
the smallest 13 x S8 cm).
following : 1-guidelines for the
important aspects of the event according to the following:
audience , 2-schedule
2- schedule of the whole action,
action , 3-setting, 4-weather, 5-color of the
audience,
6- sound , 7-phenomenon, S-time
8-time a gesture (action) ends, 9-the
envelopes, 6-sound,
audience ' s reaction, 10-meaning of a gesture (action), 11-interpretation, direcaudience's
tiva, 12-factography. These sets were distributed among invited guests who had
tive,
gathered on the field (thirty
Cthirty persons, twelve of whom received sets). While the
viewers were unsealing the envelopes and arranging them in a line on the snow
(approx . fifty meters long),
long) , three participants crossed the field and disappeared
(approx.
side . After they had read the information on
into the woods on the opposite side.
the envelopes, the viewers folded and pasted each set of envelopes to form twelve
colored "framework" pictures: the largest envelope on the bottom, a smaller one
on top of it, and so on. All of the written information, except for factographic
te xt (i.e.,
(i . e . , place and time of action, list of participants, etc.) was hidden
text
envelopes . These pictures were later distributed among the audience as
under envelopes.
attendance .
certification of their attendance.
Moscow region, Paveletskaya railway line, Rastorguyevo station, Sukhanovo park
Pblico y participantes/Audience and participants

A. Monastyrski,
Monastyrs ki, N. Aleksev,
Aleksev , N. Pnitkov, l.
l . Yavorski, l. Kabakov, M.
A.
M. MiturichJlbni kov, R. Arutyunian, R.
R. Gerlovina, V.
V. Sojranski, V.
V. Nekrasov,
Jlbnikov,
l . Pivovarova, V.
V. Dobroselski, V. Mochalova, l. Bakstein,
E. Gorojovski, l.
Bakstein ,
Golovinskaia , y otros 12 o 15/
B. Groys, N. Nikitina, L. Skov, l. Chuikov, l. Golovinskaia,
and 12 or 15 others
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
244 1/ 245
245
244
Acciones Colectivas/Collective
Colectivas/Collective Actions
Actions
Acciones
El eslogan/The
eslogan/The Slogan,
Slogan, 1977
1977
El
26 de
de enero
enero de
de 1977/January
1977/January 26,
26, 1977
1977
26
Un trozo
trozo de
de tela
tela roja
roja (1
(1 xx 10
10 m)
m) se
se suspendi
suspendi entre
entre las
las copas
copas de
de dos
dos rboles
rboles
Un
situados en
en una
una cuesta.
cuesta. La
La inscripcin,
inscripcin, en
en letras
letras blancas
blancas estarcidas,
estarcidas, rezaba:
rezaba:
situados
"Yo no me quejo de nada y casi me gusta, a pesar de que nunca estuve aqu y no s
nada de este lugar" (una cita del libro de Andrei Monastyrski Nada ocurre).
linea ferroviaria Leningrdskaia
Leningrdskaia,, estacin Firnskova
Regin de Mosc, lnea
1977
26 de enero de 1977
lnscription in
A red banner (1 x 10 m) was hung between two treetops on a hill. Inscription
"1 do not complain about anything and I1 almost like
white stenciled letters said: "I
it here, although I1 have never been
be en here befare
befo re and know nothing about this
place"" (a quote from Andrei Monastyrski's book Nothing Happens)
HappensJ..
place
region,, Leningradskaya railway line, Firsanovka station
Moscow region
January 26, 1977

A. Monastyrski, V. Miturich-Jlbnikov, N. Aleksev, G. Kizeval'ter, N. Pnitkov,
M. K., A. Abramov
Fundacin Juan March

El eslogan/The Slogan, 1978
9 de abril de 1978/April 9, 1978
estarci-Se suspendi un trozo de tela azul oscura (1 x 12 m) con letras blancas estarci
ro.. La inscripcin rezaba
rezaba:: "Me pregunto por qu me engaR
enga
das en la orilla de un rio
m mismo proclamando que nunca habia
haba estado aqui
aqu ni sabia
saba nada de este lugar
lugar:: a
a mi
aqu se est tan bien como en cualquier otro lugar, slo que aqui
aqu
fin de cuentas aqui
esa sensacin es ms viva y la ausencia de comprensin es mayor".
lnea ferroviaria 8elorusskaia, cerca de la ciudad de Zvenigorod
Regin de Mosc, linea
9 de abril de 1978
with
th white stenciled letters was hung on a riverA dark blue banner (1 x 12 m) wi
bank.. The inscription said
said:: "I
"1 wonder why 1I lied to myself about ever having been
bank
he re and being completely unfamiliar with this place-in fact, it's just like
here
anywhere else here, only the feeling is stronger and the lack of understanding
greater.""
greater.
8elorusskaya railway line, near the city of Zvenigorod
Moscow region, Belorusskaya
April 9, 1978

I . Yavorsky, V. and L. Veshnevski, G. Kizeval'ter
A. Monastyrski, N. Aleksev, l.
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
248 /1 249
variante/ The Third Variant
La tercera variantelThe
28 de mayo de 1978/May 28, 1978
El pblico invitado (aproximadamente 20 personas) se concentraba a un lado de un

campo . A su derecha, a 50 metros de distancia de los espectadores, aparecia
campo.
apareca un
participante vestido con una toga morada. Caminaba a lo largo de una lnea
linea
tendia dentro de un foso, desapareciendo de la
paralela a los espectadores y se tenda
surgia de otro foso, situado treinta
vista. Tres minutos ms tarde, su figura surga
metros a la izquierda del primero.
primero . Segua
Seguia vistiendo la misma toga morada, pero
ahora con un globo rojo en lugar de su cabeza. Luego pinchaba el globo con un
palito, y el globo se deshaca en una nube de polvo blanco. El hombre, ahora sin
cabeza , volva
volvia a tenderse en el foso de donde haba
habia salido haca
cabeza,
hacia unos momentos.
momentos .
volvia a surgir del primer foso (30 metros a la derecha), pero
Al mismo tiempo, volva
ahora vestido con ropa informal, y se alejaba hacia el bosque en la misma direchabia venido al comienzo de la accin.
accin .
cin de la que haba
linea ferroviaria Saviolovskaia,

Saviolovskaia , cerca del pueblo de Kyevy
Regin de Mosc, lnea
Gorky .
Gorky.
28 de mayo de 1978
(appro x. twenty persons) gathered on one side of a field.

The invited audience (approx.
field . To
their right, fifty meters away from the onlookers, a participant appeared dressed
robe . He walked along a line parallel with the onlookers and
in a dark purple robe.
lay down into a pit, disappearing from sight. Three minutes later, his figure
appeared from another pit, thirty meters to the left of the first one.
one . He wore
the same purple robe, but with a red balloon instead of a head.
head . He then pierced
the balloon with a stick, and it burst into a cloud of white dust. The now
headless man lay back into the pit from which he had appeared moments ago. At the
same time
time,, he rose from the first pit (thirty meters to the right), this time
in casual clothes, and left for the woods in the same direction from which he had
come from at the start of the action.
Moscow region, Savyolovskaya railway line, near the village of Kyevy Gorky
May 28, 1978

A. Monastyrski, V. Miturich-Jlbnikov, N. Pnit
kov, N. Aleksev, M. K.,
Pnitkov,
Il.. Kabakov, V. Mochalova, L. Talochkin, S. Bordachev,
80rdachev, V. Veshnevsky, A. Urusov
Urusov,,
A. Rokhlis y otros 10/and 10 others
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
252 1
/ 253
Iuri Liderman
Dios/ The Kind God,
God , 1989
El buen Dios/The
leo y esmalte sobre cartn/Oil and enamel on cardboard
200 x 160 cm
iEI buen Dios es un buen irlands! (oso)

El
1
/
The Kind God is a kind lrishman!

Irishman! (bear)
Fundacin Juan March
Iuri Liderman
Nacido . Alegre. Muerto
Nacido.
Born, Merry,
Merry , Oead,
Dead, 1989
Laca sobre tablero de fibras de madera
Shellac on fiberboard
3 partes/Three parts: 94,5 x 283 cm;
201,5 x 123 cm; 201,5 x 123 cm
Peter und Irene Ludwig Stiftung, Aquisgrn/Aachen,
long - term loan
prstamo indefinido en el/on long-term
Art , 8udapest
Budapest
to Ludwig Museum - Museum of Contemporary Art,
Fundacin Juan March
TMXAA IKAflOCTb
1npOCRT K CTOfl\j 1
-------------~~.~
.r
j . . I-
.-
...
..
,. l."
l"
l"'~
A-----r;- ~ ~.
-' ,... - - '
..
,.....
..
1_.
,...
.....
I
.~.
.'"'1".
..
~. l
I
JI".
..... -,.
.. 1
"",
--
_...
. .,
.. L ::..'
','
'..
'21'
if.. :l:-:". ..:
.... --" ....
-'- I : -e:. 4.: .
' I .. ...
j: ::
7..
..
--.
11
t~
-l
...
~.
I~ + -
~.
iIII
lI'"
,...
..
T.
1111
le
,
..
L
.. ,-
. ' 1,,
"
.,~
I
. L-f _h
. . ...... .". "

~.
-'--
'1
,.
iiiI"
.,.
Cpa3y IlOC.
nocne
38BOeBaHIIJR IfpcH.
Cps;-w
rE? JaBOBaJlI"1R
pCIl.'l3H,LJ,J-1fl
'la 1un lfl 6bJ
6H11ard 1nOTlC_'lE'1
H3 TIJLl(''-II1blE.\
TOLJ'-11-lble fJO.fl51
(J1H nii51COK
H8
IJO. 151 f,lJl51
D.1 'OH'
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
256 /1 257
257
256
Iuri Liderman
Liderman
Iuri
Compasin callada/Silent
callada/ Silent Pity,
Pity , 1988
1988
Compasin
leo sobre
sobre lienzo/Oil
lienzo/Oil on
on canvas,
canvas, 150
150 xx 200
200 cm
cm
leo
Coleccin/Collection Antonio
Antonio Piccoli
Piccoli
Coleccin/Collection
Compasin callada
callada
Compasin
ila cena
cena est
est servida!
servida!
iLa
/
Silent Pity
Dinner is served
Iu
r i Liderman
Iuri
Groenlandia/
Greenland , 1987-1992
Groenlandia/Greenland,
2 partes/Two parts
parts,, 200 x 120 cm cada una/each
Colecc
i n/Collection Antonio Piccoli
Coleccin/Collection
lnme_
d iatamente despus de su conquista
ia
Inme.diatamente
conquista,, Groenland
Groenlandia
fue dividida en diminutas pistas de baile
baile..
1/
lmmediately
Immediately after Greenland was conquered, it
was divided up into dot fields for dancing
dancing..
Fundacin Juan March
Iuri Liderman
Liderman
Iuri
Fbricas, plantas/Factories,
plantas / Factories, Plants,
Plants, 1988
1988
Fbricas,
leo sobre
sobre lienzo/Oil
lienzo/Di! on
on canvas
canvas
leo
150 xx 19D
190 cm
cm
150
Moscow Archive
Archive of
of New
New Art
Art (MANI)
CMANI)
Moscow
(Coleccin MANI/MANI
Collection)
(Coleccin
Iuri Liderman
Mmolcula
/ Mmolecule , 1987
Mmolcula/Mmolecule,
lienzo/Dil on canvas
89 x 101 cm
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
'",.
....
-.
~
-
~-~
--
Fundacin Juan March
260 1/ 261
Inspeccin Hermenutica Mdica
Inspection Medical Hermeneutics
Partisanos/Partisans,
/ Partisans , 1989
Partisanos
madera,, arena, 40 libros
Caja de madera
box,
x , sand,
en cirlico/Wooden bo
forty Cyrillic books
29 x 204 x 154 cm
Ludwigmuseum,, Koblenz
Koblenz,, Sammlung Peter
Ludwigmuseum
und Irene Ludwig
Fundacin Juan March
La curva/The
curva/The Bend,
Bend, 1986
1986
La
Sus ojos/His
ojos/His Eyes,
Sus
Eyes, 1986
1986
Objeto: tcnica
tcnica mixta/
mixta/
Objeto:
Object: mixed
mixed media
media
Object:
8,5 xx 8,5
8,5 cm
cm
99 xx 8,5
Heritage Preservation
Preservation Russian
Russian
Heritage
Avantgarde Foundation/Moscow
Foundation/Moscow Archive
Archive
Avantgarde
of New
New Art
Art (MANI)
(MANI)
of
(Coleccin MANI/MANI
Collection)
(Coleccin
Objeto : tcnica
Objeto:
tcnica mixta/
mixta/
Object : mixed
Object:
mixed media
media
16 , 5 xx 10,5
44 xx 16,5
10,5 cm
cm
Heritage
Russian
Avantgarde Foundation/Moscow
Avantgarde
Foundation/Moscow Archive
Archive
of New
New Art
Art (MANI)
of
CMANI)
(Coleccin MANI/MANI
(Coleccin
Collection)
Too Late, 1986

Pero demasiado tarde/But Too

Object: mixed media
3,5 x 88 x 3,5 cm
Heritage Preservation Russian
Avantgarde Foundation/Moscow Archive
CMANI)
of New Art (MANI)
Pero demasiado tarde, una enorme bola de nieve cay
sobre ellos, con el Kolobok [N. del T.: el "panecillo
redondo" en los cuentos populares rusos] dirigindola
dentro .
desde dentro.
1
/
carne crashing down at
But too late, a huge snowball came
loaf inside and steering it.
them with Kolobok the Round Loaf
Ms exactamente, el fondo de la continua coagulacin en el laboratorio

More Precisely,
Precise1y, the Background of Continuous Laboratorial
Laboratoria1 Coagulation,
Coagu1ation, 1986
Objeto: tcnica mixta/Object: mixed media, 8 x 23,5 x 12,5 cm
Moscow Archive of New Art CMANI)
(MANI)
Ms exactamente, el fondo de incesante reduccin y autodesnudamiento, producido de manera constante
bajo condiciones de laboratorio y ligeramente coloreado en unos tonos muy plidos, psicodlicos, propios
de la tcnica del "frottage". Este fondo es precisamente lo que nosotros definimos como "espacio
psicolgico individual". En trminos puramente tonales, este fondo representa la zona de una alucinacin
particularmente especial confortable, cuya desactualizacin de lo prximo, lo vincula ms con las
alucinaciones de "naturaleza
"naturaleza onrica" que con las alucinaciones
alucinaciones reales. Por otra parte, ese espacio se
se
define, en un sentido instrumental, como un fondo de horizonte
horizonte inalcanzable, que elimina las diferencias
entre la ilustracin y el discurso ilustrado por ella, entre el intrumento y el objeto de la influencia
instrumental.
More precisely, the background of incessant reduction and self-denudation occurring under laboratory
conditions
conditions and
and slightly
slightly tinged
tinged with
with psychedelic
psychedelic yet
yet faded
faded frottage
frottage tones.
tones. This
This background
background is
is exactly
exactly what
what
we
we define
define as
as individual
individual psychological
psychological space.
space. In
In purely
purely intonational
intonational terms
terms itit represents
represents the
the zone
zone of
of
particularly
particularly comfortable
comfortable hallucination,
hallucination, whose
whose de-actualization
de-actualization makes
makes it
it more
more closely
closely akin
akin to
to so-called
so-called
oneiric
oneiric hallucinations
hallucinations than
than to
to true
true hallucinations
hallucinations.. On
On the
the other
other hand,
hand, this
this space
space is
is defined
defined in
in an
an instruinstrumental
mental sense
sense asan
as an unattainable
unattainable background
background horizon
horizon that
that eliminates
eliminates the
the differences
differences between
between the
the
illustration
illustration and
and the
the discourse
discourse it
it illustrates,
illustrates, between
between the
the instrument
instrument and
and the
the object
object of
of instrumental
instrumental
influence.
influence.
Fundacin Juan March
OU
TS\XO ~ ~1l::)U'SnHU Mide.... 'HII4.T'7 11 CTA.\ ..J'),A.. ..u.l~n
At;.A'ILI'IIt'.t
..
_.
11;'10",.1 ntlulll:...... un : ..__ u ...,. Il""". A''''UUl'lI
ACJ'I"Jlf1It.(u~n '"
Tf'ur."IlI"tU
'A)'TU.IUU "" ..U I!
""\11
.r..
It OAU:tUUh'....rr-...., r""'TJlun
:lII'.'01' 1'1>1 t ... r.'!"'-t
nnw...'
; '......uun1'....
Fundacin Juan March
T'"'x.lIn...
J IlJKA.Mnnn.. n --'l'U~L AAtUO "e1'A f'"'t....
..
fo
..
B.
]11101.....
"
0\"'1- ~...."'.
u,n."'''''''l.MKWl
Jortn. ':fHICI. H ..TDIATn.-., U[O .O.u.uC vt:1' S..ulll"""

J(,o.3A.YoC ..,.1 "17'Ii''' , .....UUJIt
ltr..C'"Ilu ...,uIlIl... ITK....
11_:......'1 11 ULlnH
nc-.......
it
~
litP'
Ji
Fundacin Juan March
JI
(j;
t
f
0'"
C"ITuc'm ':f.'l'-EM'.'CT.
r,'.... llll...., ....
tl
'
nr"E.\I~\.IOt.!IIIUlc..
OIlJl:oliAtl
"
@:
.~
.iJ
..
@J.
~
nUI.U1I1CT. nuIUU1'.. .., .cIl.., -.. tl1l
..
264 1
/ 265
Pvel Pppershtein
Observaciones/Observations , 1984
Observaciones/Observations,
lbum de 15 pginas/Album with fifteen
pages
papel/Ink and
Tinta y acuarela sobre papel/lnk
watercolor on paper
36,6 x 24,4 cm
OBSERVANDO LOS JUGUETES INFANTILES

Ya en nuestra tierna infancia comenzamos a
prestar atencin a las personas y los objetos de
entorno . De manera especial y durante
nuestro entorno.
largos perodos de tiempo, nos quedbamos
observando nuestros propios juguetes.
OBSERVANDO AL ABUELO Y A LA ABUELA

Furtivamente y en silencio, entr en la habitacin
y observ atentamente a su abuelo y a su abuela,
que miraban el televisor.
televisor .
"iAh, aqu ests! -dijo el abuelo, al darse cuenta
de su presencia- "iHace tiempo que tenas que
estar en la cama!"
/
ANO GRANDFATHER
OBSERVING GRANDMOTHER AND
enterad and began looking closely at
He quietly entered
grandfather and grandmother, who were watching
television.
are!" grandfather said, when he
"Ah, there you arel"
him . "lt's
noticed him.
"It's way past your bedtime."
1/
OBSERVING CHILDREN'S TOYS
We began to observe the people and things around
small. We looked at our
us when we were still very smal!.
toys often and for long periods of time.
OBSERVANDO EL BOSQUE
En verano, a la hora del crepsculo, haba mucha
gente en el bosque. Los vecinos de las dachas,
de las casas de campo, paseaban entre los rboles,
estaban sentados en la hierba, leyendo el peridico
o jugando al badminton.
1
/
OBSERVING THE FOREST
EXPRESIN DE LA CARA DE UN
OBSERVANDO LA EXPRESiN
DESCONOCIDO QUE ENTRA POR LA PUERTA
Su sonrisa me resultaba un tanto demasiado
amable.
1
/
OBSERVING THE EXPRESSION ON THE FACE OF THE
STRANGER COMING THROUGH THE DOOR
justaa bit too friendly.
His smile struck me as just
In the summer at dusk there were lots of people in

the forest-holidaymakers strolling beneath the
trees, sitting on the grass, reading newspapers,
badminton .
or playing badminton.
Fundacin Juan March
OBSERVANDO UNA
UNA COLA
COLA EN
EN LA
LA TIENDA
TIENDA
OBSERVANDO
OBSERVANDO AA LOS
OBSERVANDO
LOS PASAJEROS
PASAJEROS DEL
DEL METRO
METRO
I1
Cuando viaje
viaje en
Cuando
en metro,
metro, observe
observe atentamente
atentamente aa
OBSERVING AA UNE
LINE IN
IN AA STORE
STORE
OBSERVING
los pasajeros
pasajeros que
los
que estn
estn sentados
sentados frente
frente aa usted.
usted.
I1
OBSERVING PASSENGERS
OBSERVING
PASSENGERS IN
IN THE
THE SUBWAY
SUBWAY
When you're
you're in
When
in the
the subway,
subway, you
you should
should fix
fix your
your
gaze on
on the
the passengers
gaze
passengers sitting
sitting across
across from
from you.
you.
OBSERVANDO EL ROSTRO DEL PROFESOR DE

MATEMTICAS
En clase de matemticas, mi atencin estaba
puesta ante todo en la cara del profesor. A veces
pareca como si su piel fuera transparente
y pudiera ver su cerebro
cerebro,, integrado por unos
vistosos trocitos multicolores.
OBSERVANDO LAS CONCHAS MARINAS

Cuando se acercaron al muro
muro,, vieron que su
superficie estaba cubierta de hermosas conchas
marinas
marinas..
I
OBSERVING SHELLS
They went up to the wall and saw that its surface
was covered with beautiful dazzling shells.
OBSERVING THE FACE OF THE MATH TEACHER

During math lessons, 1
I was interested primarily in
the teacher's fa
ce. Sometimes the skin on his
face.
face
fa ce seemed
seemed transparent and you could see his
skull made up of
of many beautiful, multicolored
fragments.
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
..Bott'UH.
/ZOCAerHO&
upa C(
,/tu
l'
CPCTO!lj. u e
I 1,,,,,'1 Jj.-wZ/I'LX?
;B:xOtfZI.A.O .A.U
j'X'i!ll.A.O Jl,U
11 eAO
tIU)
cccmal'
cocmal'
~ttteHU .,"s'bfof5.wmcKoe"
Ybz.op.wmcKoe ".?,P
/U'UHU
Fundacin Juan March
268 /1 269
269
268
Pvel Pppershtein
Pppershtein
Pvel
lntervienieron las
Intervienieron
las nias
nias perversas
perversas en
en su
su
preparacin?
preparacin?
/1
Were perverse
Were
perverse girls
girls involved
involved in
in working
working on
on him?
him?
Sin ttulo/Untitled,
ttulo / Untitled , 1994
1994
Sin
Acuarela/Watercolor
Acuarela/Watercolor
69 xx 50
50 cm
cm
69
Dorothea Zwirner
Zwirner
Dorothea
Habra sido
sido consagrado
consagrado al
al sacerdocio?
sacerdocio?
Habra
/1
Was he
he ordained
orda ined to
to the
the priesthood?
priesthood?
Was
Haba cruzado el llamado "Bosque de los bailes"?

1
/
Did he go through the "Forest of Dances"?
Habr consultado ya con los delincuentes?

1/
Has he consulted with the criminals yet?
Fundacin Juan March
Est implicado en el estado pstumo del escudo

de la URSS en las panaderas?
/1
ls he involved in the posthumous state of the
Is
Soviet coat of arms in bakeries?
Estarn entre sus ingredientes las galletas

"Aeroflot" ?
"Aeroflot"?
Were Aeroflot cookies one of his ingredients?
ingredients?
saban
padre"
Saban de eso el abuelo y la abuela, el ""padre"
y la "madre"_
"madre"_ del final?
1
/
Being "father" and "mother" of the end, did
Grandpa and Grandma know about this?
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
272 1/ 273
Serguei Anfriev
Har/I
Shall,, 1987
/ ! Shall
Har
Papel, gouache sobre contrachapado/
Paper, gouache on plywood
90 x 120 cm
(MANI)
Moscow Archive of New Art CMANI)
Fundacin Juan March
Iuri Albert
Albert
Iuri
Pintando para
para los
los ciegos.
ciegos. Cultura
Cultura visual
visual (Es
(Es mejor
mejor ver
ver una
Pintando
una vez
vez que
que
escuchar cien
cien veces)
veces)
escuchar
De la
la serie
serie Arte
Arte elitista-democrtico
elitista-democrtico
De
Painting for
for the
the B1ind.
Blind. Visual
Visual Culture
Culture
Painting
(It is
is better
better to
to see
see once
once than
than hear
hear aa hundred
hundred times),
(It
times), 1988
1988
From the
the series
series E1itist-Oemocratic
Elitist-Democratic Art
Art
From
Acrlico yy plstico
plstico sobre
sobre tablero
tablero de
de fibras
fibras de
de madera/Acrylic
Acrlico
madera/Acrylic and
and
plastic on
on fiberboard
fiberboard
plastic
12D xx 200
200 cm
cm
120
Moscow Archive
Archive of
of New
New Art
Art (MANI)
(MANI)
Moscow
(Coleccin MANI/MANI
Collection)
(Coleccin
Iuri Albert
Para Taqugrafos
Taqugrafos.. (Incomprensible en la forma, comprensible en el contenido)
De la serie Arte elitista-democrtico
For Stenographers (Not understandable
understandab1e in form, understandable
understandab1e in content)
content),, 1989
From the series Elitist-Oemocratic
E1itist-Oemocratic Art
Acrlico sobre lienzo/Acrylic on canvas
100 x 300 cm
Estudio del artista/Studio of the artist
Iuri Albert
Albert
Para
Para Taqugrafos.
Taqugrafos. (Comprensible
(Comprensible en
en la
la forma,
forma, incomprensible
incomprensible en
en el
el contenido)
contenido)
De
De la
la serie
serie Arte
Arte elitista-democrtico
elitista-democrtico
For
For Stenographers
Stenographers (Understandable
(Understandab1e in
in form,
form, not
not understandable
understandab1e in
in content)
content) ,, 1989
1989
From
From the
the series
series Elitist-Democratic
E1itist-Oemocratic Art
Art
Acrlico
Acrlico sobre
sobre lienzo/Acrylic
lienzo/Acrylic on
on canvas
canvas
100
100 xx 300
300 cm
cm
Estudio
Estudio del
del artista/Studio
artista/Studio of
of the
the artist
artist
Fundacin Juan March
TA_IQ PA
"l'l''
b! DC
frTY,
I'x,HVI'II1I..
Fundacin Juan March
KAK nonYII.IIIInOCb,
II.ITO SI C.ll.EnAn
111 MEH HO 3T Y PASOTY
111 C.ll.EnAn E E
IIIMEHHO TAK?
.,.,......,... ,' .......
KAKOI!il
TPAAlo'IU,lo'llo'l
CAEJ\AHA
3TA
PASOTA
tO. AnbiSEPT . 1961- a O
nPIIIMY B nOJlAPOK
PASOTbl:
AllEKCEEBA
.EiYJlATOBA,
BACII'IllbEBA.
JlOHCKOro,
3AXAPOBA.
IIIHU>AHT3,
KASAKOBA.
KII'I3EBAJlbTEPA.
llYTUA,
MAKAPEBII'I'-IA.
MOHACTbiPCKOro,
nAHIIITKOBA,
OIIIBOBAPOBA.
POWAJ151,
PYSII'IHWTEHHA,
CKEPCII'ICA,
CTOJlOOBCKOail,
'-IYHKOBA,
tollii'IKOBA.
5I H Kll'l.fl EBCKOro
11'1 JlPYrii'IX
XYJl.O>KH 11'1 KOB ...
to.U>. AllbEiEPT
1980 r.
Fundacin Juan March
276 1/ 277
277
276
Iuri Albert
Albert
Iuri
Sera fabuloso
fabuloso hacer
hacer una
una obra
obra de
de arte
arte que
que dejara
dejara
iSera
todos con
con la
la boca
boca abierta
abierta ....
. . !l
aa todos
It'd
be great
great todo
to do an
an artwork
artwork that
that wowed
wowed everyone
everyone ..
.... !1,, 1986
1986
' d be
It
sobre lienzo/Di!
lienzo/Dil on
on canvas
canvas
leo sobre
leo
115 xx 115
115 cm
cm
115
Moscow Archive
Archive of
of New
New Art
Art (MANI)
(MANI)
Moscow
(Coleccin MANI/MANI
Collection)
(Coleccin
Fundacin Juan March
Iuri Albert
Albert
Iuri
Iuri Albert
Iuri
Albert
cmo result
result que
que yo
yo hice
hice precisamente
precisamente
Cmo
esta obra
obra yy la
la hice
hice precisamente
precisamente de
de
esta
esta manera?
manera?
esta
How is
is it
it that
that II created
created this
this very
very
How
work in
in the
the very
very way
way II created
created it?,
it?,
work
En qu
En
qu tradicin
tradicin est
est realizada
realizada esta
esta
obra?
obra?
In what
In
what tradition
tradition was
was this
this work
work
executed?, 1981
executed?,
1981
1981-1990
1981-1990
Acrlico sobre
sobre lienzo/Acrylic
lienzo/Acrylic on
on
Acrlico
canvas
canvas
60 xx 50
50 cm
cm
60
Estudio del
del artista/Studio
artista/Studio of
of the
the
Estudio
artist
artist
Iuri Albert
Letraset sobre
Letraset
sobre papel/Letraset
papel/Letraset
48 xx 36
48
36 cm
cm
Estudio del
Estudio
del artista/Studio
artista/Studio of
of
artist
artist
on
on paper
paper
the
the
Iuri Albert
Venga
iVenga aa visitarme! Estar encantado
Aceptar como regalo las obras de

de::
Aleksev,
A1eksev, Bultov,
Bu1tov, etc.
I will
wi11 accept as gifts works by
Alexeev,
. , 1980
A1exeev, Bulatov
Bu1atov,, etc
etc.,
de mostrarle mis obras

Come visit me, I'd be delighted
de1ighted to
show you my works
works,, 1983
Tmpera sobre Masonite/Tempera on

Maso
ni te
Masonite
79 x 55,4 cm
Estudio del artista/Studio of the
artist
Rotulador sobre lienzo/Felt-tipped pen

on canvas
69 x 50 cm
Estudio del aartista/Studio
r tista/Studio of the
artist
Aceptar
Aceptar como regalo las obras de: Aleksev
Aleksev,,
Bultov,
8ultov, Vasliev, Donskii,
Bonskii, Zajrov, Infante, Kabakov,
Kizeval'ter, Lutz, Makrevich, Monastyrski,
Pnitkov,
Pnitkov, Pivovrov,
Pivovrov, Roshal
Roshal,, Rubinshtein,
Rubinshtein, Skersis,
Skersis,
Stlpovski,
otros
Stlpovski, Chuikov,
Chuikov, llikov,
llikov, lankilvski
lankilvski yy otros
artistas.
artistas.
l.1. F.
F. Albert,
Albert, 1980
1980
1I
1Iwill
will accept
accept as
as gifts
gifts works
works by
by Alexeev,
Alexeev, Bulatov,
8ulatov,
Chuikov,
Chuikov, Donskoi,
Donskoi, Infante,
Infante, Kabakov,
Kabakov, Kiesewalter,
Kiesewalter,
Lutz,
Lutz, Makarevich,
Makarevich, Monastyrski,
Monastyrski, Panitkov,
Panitkov, PivoPivovarov,
varov, Roshal
Roshal,, Rubinstein,
Rubinstein, Skersis,
Skersis, Stolpovskaya,
Stolpovskaya,
Vassiliev,
Yulikov, Yankilevsky,
Yankilevsky, Zakharov,
Zakharov, and
and
VassiJiev, Yulikov,
other
other artists.
artists.
Y
Y.. F.
F. Albert,
Albert, 1980
1980
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
'
....
'
f0. 111b6CP 1"

/./.98~
Fundacin Juan March
280 1
I 281
Iuri Albert
Mi obra ha entrado en crisis
crISIS.. Estoy confuso,
desconcertado y no s qu hacer ahora
entered
crisis . ['m
I'm confused, perturbed,
My work has ente
red a crisis.
don ' t know what to do next,
next , 1983
and don't
Tcnica mixta sobre lienzo/Mixed media on canvas
50 x 70 cm
Iuri Albert
lo que respecta a la opInIon
opinin que le merece esta
Por 10
obra , estoy totalmente de acuerdo con ella.
obra,
concerned ,
As far as your opinion of this work is concerned,
I'm in complete agreement with it, 1987
['m
Acrlico sobre contrachapado/Acrylic on plywood
Acrlco
24 x 30 cm
Coleccin/Collection Dmitr Machabely
Fundacin Juan March
Iuri Albert
Albert
Iuri
Qu habrn
habrdn visto
visto de
de bueno
bueno en
en estos
estos Umujomores,n?
"mujomores" "?
Qu
What good
good do
do they
they see
see in
in these
these uMukhomors
"Mukhomors n"?,
1983"
What
?, 1983'
Esmalte sobre
sobre tablero
tablero de
de fibras
fibras de
de madera/Enamel
madera/Enamel on
on fiberboard
Esmalte
fiberboard
48 xx 61
61 cm
cm
48
Moscow Archive
Archive of
of New
New Art
Art [MANI)
[MANIJ
Moscow
[Coleccin MANI/MANI
Collection)
[Coleccin
"Mujomory":
"M ujomory" : especie de setas venenosas --Grupo
Grupo de artistas
[1978-84)
moscovitas (1978-84)
"Mukhomors" : Toadstools-group of Moscow artists [1978-84)
UMukhomors":
Iuri Albert
Una vez Nikita Aleksev me dijo que su trabajo tambin
estaba siendo influido por mi
..
m.. Pero no lo parece ....
Nikita
Nikta Alexeev once told me that his work is also influenced
by mine. Ooesn't
Doe sn't look like it to me ..
.... , 1987
leo sobre contrachapado/Oil on plywood
24 x 30 cm
Moscow Archive of New Art [MANIJ
[MANI)
[Coleccin MANI/MANI Collection)
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
284 1I 285
Iuri Albert
Para las sordomudos (Qu quiso decir el artista con esto?)
soy with it?),
it?) , 1987
For Deaf-Mutes (What did the artist want to say
From the series Elitist-Democratic Art
Acrlico sobre foto montada sobre Masonite/Acrylic on photo
mounted on Masonite
100 x 350 cm (5 partes/five parts
parts,, 100 x 70 cm cada una/each)
Iuri Albert
sordomudos . El desarrollo ulterior y la intensificacin de las
Para los sordomudos.
Arte " de Wittgenstein (De lo que no se puede hablar,
hablar ,
"Meditaciones sobre el Arte"
callar)
se tiene que callar]
For Deaf-Mutes: The Advancement and Intensification of Wittgenstein's Thoughts
silent) , 1988
on Art (Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent],
From the series Elitist-Democratic Art
Acrlico sobre foto montada sobre Masonite/Acrylic on photo mounted
on Masonite
100 x 560 cm (8 partes/eight parts, 100 x 70 cm cada una/each)
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
288 1/ 289
289
288
Vadim Zajrov
Zajrov
Vadim
Inscripciones en
en la
la mano/
mano/Adquir
enemigos
Adquir enemigos
Inscripciones
Hand Inscriptions
Inscriptions/I
Hade Enemies
Enemies
/ I Made
Hand
e photographs
Fotografias en
en blanco
blanco yy negro/Black-and-whit
negro/Black-and-white
photographs
Fotografas
30 xx 20
20 cm
cm cada
cada una/each
una/each
30
Vadim Zajrov
Zajrov
Vadim
lankilvski yy Kabakov
Kabakov tienen
tienen algo
algo de
de lobos
lobos.. iTengan
iTengan cuidado!
cuidado! iEs
lEs verdad!
verdad!
lankilvski
1/
Yankilevsky and
and Kabakov
Kabakov are
are aa little
IiUle like
like wolves!
wolves! Watch
Watch out;
out; it's
it's true!
true!
Yankilevsky
Fundacin Juan March
Adquirenemigos,
enemigos.
Adquiri
IShteinbergl
iShteinberg! lEs
iEs usted
usted un
un Malvich
Malvich maquilladol
maquillado!
iHaga usted
lHaga
usted elel favor
favor de
de aclararsel
aclararse!
I1
1made enemies,
enemies .
Imada
I1
Steinberg,
Steinberg ,you're
you're aapawdered
powdered Malevich.
Malevich . Please
Please
male
make this
this clear
clear ta
to yauraelfl
yourself!
iCisico Bria!
iSus
sinceridadl Sus
IClsico
Borial iSe lo digo con sinceridad!
pretensiones
exageradas!
pretensiones son obviamente exageradasl
hay
ISultav!
iBultov! Resulta que usted mete mieda...
miedo ... lEsa
iEso hoy
es peligroso!
peligrasal
1I
1I
Classic Borya,
Clasaic
Sorya, 11''1111 be honest
honeat with you, your
pretenses
obviously exaggerated.
pretenses are obvioualy
Bulatov,
Bulatav, it turns
turna out you're
yau're bluffing. This is
dengeraua
nawadaysl
dangerous nowadays!
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
292 1/ 293
Vadim Zajrov
Elefantitos/Little
/ Little Elephants, 1982
Elefantitos
Black-and-white photographs
100 x 70 cm cada una/each
Vadim Zajrov
2. Cuando
Cuando mi esposa o un amigo alinean elefantitos sobre mi espalda ...
1/
2. Whenever my wife or
or my friend lines up little
elephants on my back ...
1. Cada vez que me meto elefantitos en las orejas

o en la nariz, o cuando me los pongo sobre la
cabeza o los hombros
hombros...
...
/
1. Every time 1I stuff little elephants into my ears
or my nose, whenever 1I put them on top of my
head or my shoulders ...
3. Cuando tiro
t iro los elefantitos al aire y ellos, al
caer, se estrellan
pecho ...
estre llan contra mi pecho...
/
1
3. Whenever I1 throw little elephants up into the air
air
and they bounce off my chest in falling ...
.. .
4. S que cualquier resistencia que haga a los

elefants estorban la vida.
elefantes es intil. Los elefantes
1
/
it's pointless to resist the elephants in
4. I1 know t's
interfere .
way . Elephants always interfere.
any way.
Fundacin Juan March
Vadim Zajrov
Parche ocular/Eye Patch, 1983

negro
Black-and-white photographs
una/each
70 x 50 cm cada unaleach
Vadim Zajrov
Al arte no le da igual en qu ao nac, los nombres

de mis amigos y cuntos aos hace que llevo este
parche .
parche.
25 . 4. 1983 V. Zajrov
25.4.1983
I1
Art is not indifferent to the year of my birth, the
names of my friends, and the number of years
I1 have worn this patch.
25 . 4. 1983 V.
V. Zakharov
25.4.1983
Vadim Zajrov
Pozos
/ Wells , 1983
Pozos/Wells,
Fotografa en blanco y negro
Black-and-white photograph
60 x 80 cm
Vadim Zajrov
En el cartel del pozo de la derecha

derecha::
El buen chico que se encuentra en el pozo contiguo y parece tan lleno de s frente a la cmara no sabe
que le ocurrir maana o dentro de un mes o un ao
ao.. Ni siquiera sabe si va a poder salir del pozo
pozo..
Quiz consiga este ltimo, pero, con ello
ello,, slo podr resolver sus propios problemas.
1I
The text
text on the sign inside the right well reads:
The ni
ce boy in the neighboring well who seems so self-possessed in front of the camera doesn't know
nice
what will happen to him tomorrow or next month or next year; he doesn
't even know whether or not he'll
doesn't
he'II
be able to get out of the well at all
all.. lt's
It's possible that he might make it, but by doing so, he will only have
solved his own problems.
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
296 1/ 297
Andrei Filppov
I, 1988
Elemento I/Element 1,
De la serie Lnea de Defensa
From the series Line of Defense
Esmalte sobre tablero de
fibras de madera/
201 x 122 cm
A. Filppov/E.K.ArtBureau
Fundacin Juan March
Andrei Filppov
II, 1988
Elemento II/Element 11,
De la serie Lnea de Defensa
From the series Line of Defense
Esmalte sobre tablero de
fibras de madera/
201 x 122 cm
A. Filppov/E.K.ArtBureau
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
300 1I 301
Filppov
Andrei Filippov
/ Rome to Rome/,
Rome!, 1990
iA Roma lo que es de RomaJ
Roma/'/Rome
1990'
Serigrafa/Silkscreen
57,5 x 75,5 cm
Foundation/
Heritage Preservation Russian Avantgarde Foundationl
CMANI)
"RIMU-RIM",, se lee " A Roma lo que

Cuando se traduce al espaol el ttulo ruso "RIMU-RIM"
Roma !. Al mismo tiempo, si se lee al revs,
revs , resulta una alusin al eslogan
es de Roma!.
"Miru-Mir " -Paz para el mundo-, omnipresente en la URSS (la palabra rusa mir
"Miru-Mir"
"paz " como "mundo").
significa tanto "paz"
1
I
"Reme to
When one translates the Russian title RIMU-RIM into English, it reads "Rome
Reme! " At the same time,
time , if one reads the Russian title backwards, it is an
Rome!"
"Miru-Mir "-Peace to the world-which was ubiquitous in the
allusion to the slogan "Miru-Mir"-Peace
meanss both "peace"
"peace " as well as "world").
"world ") .
USSR (Russian mir mean
Fundacin Juan March
Andrei Filppov
Filippov
Andrei
Agua tranquila!
tranquila/Still
Water,, 1988
1988
Still Water
Agua
Instalacin de
de 2 partes/Two-part
partes/Two-part installation
installation
Instalacin
2'parte,
guillotina-caballete:
estandarte,, lminas
lminas de
de zinc
zinc
- caballete: estandarte
parte, guillotina
2'
Part 22,, Guillotine
Guillotine:: Easel,
Easel, standard
standard,, zinc
zinc plates
plates
Part
260 xx 95
95 xx 75
75 cm
cm
260
Oonacin/Oonation Ludwig
Ludwig 2000
2000 -Oonacin/Donation
Ludwig Forum fr Internationale Kunst, Aquisgrn/Aachen
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
304 1/ 305
305
304
Andrei Filippov
Filippov
Andrei
Agua tranquila
tranquila/Still
Water, 1988
1988
/ Still Water,
Agua
Instalacin de
de 22 partes/Two-part
partes/Two-part installation
installation
Instalacin
x),
1'parte,
tablas: esmalte
esmalte sobre
sobre tablero
tablero de
de fibras
fibras de
de madera
madera (Pavate
(Pavatex),
parte, tablas:
1'
tela pintada,
pintada, candados
candados de
de metal
metal
tela
Part 1,
1, Panels:
Panels: enamel
enamel on
on wood
wood fiberboard,
fiberboard, painted
painted cloth
cloth,, metal
metal locks
locKs
Part
133 xx 402
402 cm
cm
133
Ludwig 2000 Oonacin/Oonation Ludwig
Ludwig Forum fr Internationale Kunst, Aquisgrn/Aachen
Una cabeza est

est bien, pero dos es
es mejor!
mejor!
iUna
1/
One head is good, two heads are better!
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
306 1/ 307
Fundacin Juan March
DOCUMENTOS
NTOS
DOCUME
VTEXTOS
TEXTOS
V
,
HISTORICOS
OS
HISTORIC
',
HISTORICAL
AL
HISTORIC
DOCUMENTS
NTS AND
DOCUME
TEXTS
Fundacin Juan March
308 1
/ 309
E
L CONCEPTUALISMO
E'L
,
ROMANTICO
.'MOSCOVITA
MOSCOVITA
1
Bors Groys
La combinacin de palabras "Conceptualismo romntico" parece, desde luego, muy

monstruosa. Sin embargo, no se me ocurre mejor denominacin para algo que
est aconteciendo ahora en Mosc y tiene un aspecto bastante original.
El trmino "Conceptualismo" puede ser entendido, en su sentido ms estricto,
como denominacin de una determinada orientacin artstica, limitada por el lugar
Fundacin Juan March
BORS GROYS 1I EL CONCEPTUALISMO ROMNTICO MOSCOVITA

BORtS
yY el momento de aparicin, as como por el nmero de artistas que engloba; pero

puede entenderse en un sentido ms amplio. En este caso, "Conceptualismo" designa cualquier tentativa de apartarse de la produccin de objetos de arte como
objetos materiales destinados a la contemplacin y a la evaluacin esttica, para
intentar mostrar y articular las condiciones que dictan la percepcin de las obras
de arte, el proceso de su creacin por parte del artista, su relacin con el contexto, su estatus temporal, etctera. Con la aparicin del "modernismo" o del "arte
de Vanguardia", las obras de arte perdieron su condicin inmediatamente recofinales
nocible en cuanto ciertas cosas o textos en medio de otras cosas o textos. A
Afinales
del siglo XIX, tanto el artista como el espectador sintieron desconfianza hacia ese
don natural que incita al artista a crear y le da la posibilidad de hacer cosas parecidas a otras cosas, lo que hasta entonces se consideraba su tarea. Incluso el principio mismo de la semejanza se vio cuestionado. Llegaron a la conclusin de que en
la semejanza de los objetos se manifiesta la semejanza de las funciones del artista
y del espectador, as como el empleo de la raz comn (irreflexiva) del juicio, que
ambos comparten como miembros de una misma sociedad. Pero en cuanto se tom
conciencia de ese hecho, la comunidad de pintor y espectador se desintegr.
Tambin los pintores se hicieron analistas: su anlisis se orient entonces a descubrir no la semejanza entre la obra de arte como "representacin" y el objeto como
"representado", sino la diferencia entre la obra de arte como objeto presente en el
mundo y otros objetos que con igual derecho existen en ese mismo mundo. Se tom
conciencia de la semejanza como "convencin". Todo intento de ir ms all de dicha
convencin fu considerado como un experimento que deba mostrar hasta qu
punto era posible apartarse de la semejanza, permaneciendo siempre dentro de los
lmites del arte. Cada experimento exitoso haca que se ampliaran los lmites del
arte. y el no arte. La
arte y evidenciaba con mayor precisin la frontera entre el arte.
indignacin del pblico pas a constituir una confirmacin del acierto del camino
emprendido, con lamisma
la misma conviccin que antes lo haba sido su aceptacin entusiasta.
La crisis se hizo evidente cuando la indignacin del pblico desapareci y se
puso de manifiesto que la convencin segua vigente. Slo que la convencin de la
semejanza se haba deslizado hasta la convencin de la diferencia; es decir, la convencin del parecido de una obra de arte que representa (y todas las artes representan) y el objeto representado -que se basaba en la semejanza "natural" del
artista y el espectador- se haba convertido en la convencin de la distincin entre
artista y no artista, es decir, en la convencin del reconocimiento de fulano como
artista. El asunto estaba en que si se haba efectuado tal reconocimiento, todo lo
dems estaba en orden: el artista era capaz de transformar todo -ms exactamente: todos los objetos- en obra de arte. Pareca que todo estaba resuelto.
Fundacin Juan March
310 1/ 311
Cada artista hace lo que quiere, expresando con ello su individualidad. Sin embargo,
dos consideraciones contradecan esa conclusin: en primer lugar, si antes la verdad de la representacin radicaba en el parecido, en qu radica ahora? Si sta se
ha desplazado, junto con la convencin, hacia la existencia del artista, inmediatamente surge la pregunta acerca de cul es la verdadera existencia. Esta pregunta
pone en duda la autnoma individualidad del artista. En segundo lugar, aunque
dominase realmente la individualidad -y realmente, desde una perspectiva sincrnica, domina-, quedaba claro que en el sucederse de las corrientes artsticas haba
una lgica.
Para resolver esa contradiccin era necesario plantearse la cuestin de la diferente funcin de la obra de arte respecto a los objetos de otro tipo. Si el arte posee
alguna verdad, sta debe ponerse de manifiesto precisamente aqu. Pero eso significa, como dira Hegel, que el arte llega aqu a su concepto, es decir, deviene "conceptual". Es verdad que el propio Hegel pensaba que, al alcanzar el Espritu Absoluto,
es decir, la esfera de las ideas (o del "concepto"), el arte desaparecera en cuanto
-conserva, habiendo dejado de ser
representacin de lo sensible. Pero si el arte se conserva,
inmediato, es natural que haya devenido "concepto". De nuevo surge la pregunta:
dnde radica lo inmediato? Realmente se ha acabado con l de una vez por todas?
Pienso que no es as, aunque abordar esa cuestin rebasa el marco del presente
artculo.
De lo dicho resulta claro, sin embargo, que, por su propia naturaleza, el arte
conceptual debe ser del todo transparente, es decir, debe contener en s mismo
criterios propios para su existencia como arte. No debe sobreentender inmediatez
alguna. El proyecto de ese arte debe ser tan claro que el espectador pueda repetirlo, como se repite un experimento cientfico. No siempre se dispone de los conocimientos y destrezas pertinentes, pero, en principio, eso es algo que debe ser
siempre posible. La obra de arte conceptual debe contener las premisas y principios
explcitos de su gnesis y su recepcin, y debe presentarlos al espectador.
Una obra de arte slo puede hacer eso si encierra en s misma su interpretacin. Ya hace bastante tiempo se apunt a que las obras de arte contemporneo son ,
"incomprensibles" sin el apoyo orientador de la crtica. Esto significa que la crtica
ha perdido su papel inicial, el de constituir un metalenguaje, y ha asumido algunas
de las funciones del lenguaje propio del arte. El arte conceptual est recuperando
hoy esas funciones.
Sin embargo, hay transparencias y transparencias. En Inglaterra y Estados Unidos, donde se form el arte conceptual, transparencia equivale a posibilidad de
verificacin del experimento cientfico, que hace patentes las fronteras y las cualidades de nuestra capacidad cognoscitiva. En Rusia, sin embargo, es imposible
pintar un cuadro abstracto pasable sin hacer referencia a la luz irreal del mon-
Fundacin Juan March
BORS GROYS 1/ EL CONCEPTUALISMO ROMNTICO MOSCOVITA

BORs
te Tabor1 La unidad del alma colectiva est an tan viva en nuestro pas, que en l
la experiencia mstica en nada va a la zaga de la cientfica en cuanto a inteligibilidad
Y todava ms: si no es coronada por la experiencia mstica, la
y transparencia. V
actividad creadora no parece del todo cabal. A la religiosidad mstica estn ligados
tambin el "lirismo" y la "humanidad" especficos del arte, que se atribuyen incluso
artistas que en realidad hace mucho tiempo se haban declarado libres de todo eso.
Ese estado emocional "lrico" y "romntico" de todo Mosc se contrapone a la
seca objetividad oficial, y hace posible el fenmeno del Conceptualismo romntico y
lrico, que representa una total novedad en la vida emocional de esta ciudad. A pesar de su lirismo, no vacilo en llamarlo "Conceptualismo", atenindome a la esencia
Yves Klein, el
del asunto y recordando que conceptualista llamaban, digamos, a Vves
artista francs que, en consonancia con el espritu francs, contrapona un mundo
de puro sueo al mundo que se rige por las leyes terrenales.
Para ello hay fundamentaciones an ms slidas. Los artistas occidentales de
los aos 70 contraponen el "Conceptualismo" y el "enfoque analtico" a la espontaneidad del arte de los aos 60. En ese perodo, el arte era considerado como el
ltimo bastin del "hombre aislado" en su lucha contra la existencia despersonalizadora en una sociedad moderna. La quiebra de las ilusiones respecto al "carcter
de elegido" del artista y a la singularidad del artista y su capacidad de reestructurar la vida con arreglo a la ley de la libertad creadora indujo a los conceptualistas
de los aos 70 a buscar apoyo en una concepcin de la creacin artstica como un
oficio que, al igual que otras profesiones, dispone de determinados procedimientos
y persigue determinados objetivos. El arte comenz a definirse operacionalmente:
qu es el arte se hace evidente cuando se puede ver qu y cmo hace el artista y
de qu modo el resultado de su trabajo se relaciona con otros objetos dentro del
mundo.
Sin embargo, semejante enfoque positivista y transparente del arte supone una
nueva forma de academicismo, ya que establece para la creacin del artista una
norma extrahistrica,
extra histrica, que coincide con el perfiLde la profesin, o, en otras palabras, con las fronteras del "medio" en el que trabaja el artista. Otras orientaciones
artsticas, como la romntica o la metafsica, cuentan tambin con una praxis propia, y, adems, con tradiciones para su recepcin e interpretacin. La concepcin
"romntica" del arte posee, por tanto, su peculiar facticidad, y calificarla de ilusin
supondra cerrar los ojos ante los hechos. Incluso si ese arte pierde su fuerza de
atraccin inmediata, eso no significa, en modo alguno, que pierda su sentido, es
sl.J correlacin con las esferas del conocimiento y la accin. De ello se sigue
decir, su
que no se debe confiar, como se haca antes, en la totalidad y la inmediatez de la
Tabor : cf. Mateo,
1 N. del T.: La luz que despeda Jesucristo al tener lugar la Transfiguracin en el monte Tabor:
XVII , 2; Marcos, IX, 3 yY Lucas, IX, 29.
XVII,
Fundacin Juan March
312 1/ 313
percepcin; por el contrario, se ha de trabajar esa correlacin y liberarse de la

ambigedad, que surge inevitablemente cuando se intenta presentar la obra de
arte como revelacin que habla por s misma.
A la conciencia rusa siempre le fue ajena la visin positivista del arte como un
mbito de actividad autnomo, determinado slo por su efectiva tradicin histrica. Apenas resulta posible resignarse a que el arte no sea sino la suma de todo un
conjunto de procedimientos cuyo "objetivo" se ha perdido. El "Conceptualismo romntico" de Mosc es, por consiguiente, no slo un testimonio de la intacta unidad
iones que
del""alma
alma rusa", sino tambin un intento positivo de revelar las condic
condiciones
del
permiten al arte traspasar sus fronteras. Es, por tanto, el intento de devolver y
conservar conscientemente lo que el arte ratifica como acontecimiento en la historia del espritu e impide que su propia historia concluya.
Tras una anlisis de la creacin de varios artistas moscovitas contemporneos,
surge naturalmente la pregunta acerca de cul es la particularidad del arte ruso
actual. Qu lo hace peculiar, si es que tiene de algn modo tal peculiaridad? Puede
caracterizarse como contraposicin al arte de Occidente, viendo al mismo tiempo
rasgos comunes entre ambos?
Pienso que, efectivamente, podemos hablar de contraposicin. Tal vez esta anttesis no se ponga de manifiesto hoy plenamente en los trabajos de los artistas
moscovitas contemporneos, pero sin duda determina la comprensin de esos traV, por consiguiente, dichos trababajos tanto por los artistas como por el pblico. Y,
per~ibe de modo
jos muestran el sello de la diferencia, aunque, por desgracia, no se per~ibe
consciente, de manera que requiere de la interpretacin.
En Occidente, el arte dice siempre algo sobre el mundo. Puede hablar de la fe,
pero en realidad habla de cmo se encarna en el mundo. Puede hablar tambin de s
mismo, pero en realidad habla de cmo se encarna en el mundo. El arte ruso, desde
la pintura de iconos hasta nuestros das, quiere hablar de otro mundo. Hoy en Rusia
se recuerda con agrado que la palabra "cultura" proviene de la palabra "culto".
Aqu la cultura se entiende como el conjunto de las artes. La cultura acta como
guardiana de la revelacin original y como mediadora para nuevas revelaciones. El ,
ordinario por hablar del mundo de
lenguaje del arte no se distingue del lenguaje ordinprio
El lenmanera ms bella y depurada, ni por hablar del "mundo interior del artista". Ellenguaje del arte se distingue por hablar de otro mundo sobre el que slo l puede
hablar. Con su estructura interna, el lenguaje del arte revela la estructura del otro
mundo, del mismo modo que la estructura del lenguaje ordinario revela la estructura del mundo emprico. Vcada
Y cada nueva posibilidad de decir algo nuevo capacita al
lenguaje del arte para descubrir algo nuevo y hasta ahora desconocido en la estructura del otro mundo. Por eso, se puede querer al artista por haber descubierto
un mbito indeseado. El arte en Rusia es magia.
Fundacin Juan March
BORS GROYS 1I EL CONCEPTUALISMO ROMNTICO MOSCOVITA

BORs
Pero, qu es ese otro mundo? Es el mundo que la religin nos abre, el mundo
que se nos muestra slo a travs del arte, el mundo que se encuentra en la interseccin de esos dos mundos. Por eso en Rusia la relacin entre el arte y la fe es
tan tensa.-En
tensa : En todo caso, el otro mundo no es el pasado ni el futuro. Es ms bien lo
presente en el presente, en lo que es posible sumergirse por entero. Para vivir en
la iglesia o en el arte no es necesario esperar ni afanarse. Basta simplemente con
dar un paso a un lado y uno se halla ya en otro lugar. Es tan simple como morir, y,
en realidad, es lo mismo que morir. Hay que morir para el mundo para resucitar
nuevamente junto a l. La magia existe en el espacio, no en el tiempo. El propio
cosmos est construido de tal manera que en l hay lugar para diversos mundos.
Los artistas de los que he hablado antes no son religiosos, pero estn profundamente impregnados por la comprensin del arte como fe. Ya sea como mera po[predstav/ionnost': "revelacin",
sibilidad de existencia, ya como mera revelacin [predstavlionnost':
"condicin inoculta"], o como signo que es entregado desde arriba y que exige una
interpretacin, para ellos el arte es siempre una irrupcin del otro mundo en nuestro mundo, irrupcin cuyo sentido hemos de descifrar. Una irrupcin que se realiza a travs de ellos mismos y por la que debemos estarles agradecidos. Y es que
mediante esa irrupcin del otro mundo en nuestra historia podemos decir sobre l
algo que l no puede decirnos sobre s mismo. A saber, podemos decir que el otro
mundo no es otro mundo, sino que es huestra propia historicidad, que nos ha sido
revelada aqu y ahora.
1979
Fundacin Juan March
314 /1 315
26/27
26 Ili Kabakov en su estudio/Ilya Kabakov in his studio

27 El estudio de rik Bultov/Erik Bulatov's studio, 1979
Fundacin Juan March
28/29
30
28 Andrei Monastyrski, 13 Video-OVOs, 1978-2006

wn ,
29 Andrei Monastyrski, Viajes a las afueras de la ciudadlTrips
Town,
ciudad/ Trips Out of To
1980-2006
Kizeval ' ter, Estudios
Estudios.. 1
l' parte
partel/
30 Vadim Zajrov y/and Gueorgui Kizeval'ter,
Studios.
I, 1982-83
Studios . Part r,
Fundacin Juan March
316 1/ 317
MOSCOW ROMANTIC
ROMANTIC'
CONCEPTUALISM
Boris Groys
sound , I1know of no better

However odd the juxtaposition of these two words may sound,
term than Romantic Conceptualism to describe the present development in the
Moscow art field.
The word "conceptualism" may be understood in the narrower sense as desorigin. Or,
ignating a specific artistic movement clearly limited to place, time, and origino
Fundacin Juan March
BORIS GROYS /1 MOSCOW ROMANTIC CONCEPTUALISM
interpretad more broadly by referring to any attempt to withdraw from

it may be interpreted
considering artworks as material objects intended for contemplation and aesthetic
lnstead , it should encourage solicitation and formation of the condievaluation. Instead,
cond itions that determine the viewer's perception of the work of art, the process of its
inception by the artist, its relation to factors in the environment, and its temporal
status. The rise of modernism or avant-garde art did away with direct cognitive
status.
cognitiva
reception of works of art as objects. At the end of the nineteenth century, artists
and spectators alike began to doubt whether there was such a faculty as
an inborn
asan
gift. The artist was creating things resembling other things. The very principie of
resemblance was challenged. As it turned out, resemblance between objects mirrored analogous aspects in the lives of artists and their audiences. And it was a
function of a general pre-reflective ground for judgment, shared by the artist and
the viewer as members of one and the same community. But as soon as this was
apart. Artists became
beca me analysts: their analytic efforts were
recognized, the unity fell aparto
now aimed not at finding a similarity between the artwork as representation and
representad, but rather the distinction between artworks as extant
the subject represented,
objects and other objects existing in the world on an equal footing. The resemblance was perceived as a "contingency," and when the resemblance exceeded the
realm of contingency it was always regarded as an experiment showing how far
one might depart from similarity while yet remaining within the confines of arto
art.
Each successful experiment extended the boundaries of art and, or so it seemed,
sharpened the demarcation between art and non-art.
non-arto Previously, if the audience
was enthusiastic, that meant the artists were on the right track; now, public disapproval was seen as proof that the approach was valid!
The crisis came
ca me to the fore when public indignation waned, and it was discovered that contingency didn't reach far.
faro The contingency of resemblance became
a contingency of difference. That is to say, the contingency of resemblance between
works of figurativa
figurative art (and all arts are figurativa)
figurative) and the object depicted, based
on a "natural" identity of artist and viewer, was transformad
transformed into a contingency of
the distinction between artist and layman. The fact remains that once this recognition has taken place, everything else fa
lis into line: the artist is capable of turning
falls
any object into a work of art.
arto
And so it would appear that all was going well. Each artist did what he wanted,
thereby expressing his personality, and everything was fine. But there are two objections to this view: firstly, if pictorial truth had previously resided in resemblance,
where was it now to be found? lf
If it had passed over, along with contingency, into
the artist's existence, then the question arises: what kind of existence is a true
one? This very question casts doubt upon the artist's individuality. Secondly, while
individuality is supposed to predominate, and does indeed predominate in works
Fundacin Juan March
318 1
/ 319
viewed synchronically, there is a logic that can be seen plainly in a succession of

trends.
lt was natural, in seeking a solution to this contradiction, to look at the question
It
of how artworks function by comparison with other types of objects. Clearly, if art
sorne kind of truth, it is precisely at this point that it should be discovpossesses some
ered. Here, however, as Hegel might say, art comes into its concept; that is, it
becomes "conceptual." True, Hegelhimself
Hegel .himself held that, with attainment of absolute
absoluta
spirit (or the sphere of ideas or concepts), art disappears because of its very
nature, which is that of the actualization of the immediate. Yet if art subsists while
re ason that it has become a "concept."
having ceased to be direct, it is only for the reason
Again the question arises asto
as to what happens to the immediate. Has it really been
left behind once and for all? 1
I think this is hardly the case, but the scope of the
present essay will not allow for a detailed examination of the problem.
From what has been said so far, it is evident that Conceptural Art by its very
lt should contain within itself the clear criteria
nature must be absolutely explicit. It
of its existence as arto
art. It
lt must not imply any immediacy. The projected intent of
itas
such art must reach the mind of the viewer in a way that he could repeat it
as if it
experiment. Though the knowledge and equipment may be lacking,
were a scientific experimento
it is always possible to do this in principie. A work of Conceptual Art must embody
an.d principies of its origin, its communicability, and it
the explicit prerequisites and
must be able to convey these to the audience.
An artwork possesses that capability as far as it does not exclude the possicriticism. For a fairly long time, it was recognized that contemporary works
bility of criticismo
of art were "incomprehensible" without a guiding hand from the critics. This meant
sorne
that criticism had lost its original role as a metalanguage and had taken over some
art. Conceptual Art is now reclaiming
of the functions of the language of proper arto
these functions.
There are different forms of transparency. In England and America, where
Conceptual Art originated, transparency meant the explicitness of a scientific experiment, clearly exposing the limits and the unique characteristics of our cognitiva,
faculties.ln Russia, however, it is impossible to paint a decent abstract picture without reference to the Holy Light. The unity of collective spirit is still so very much
alive .in our country that mystical experience here appears quite as comprehensible
so . Unless it culminates in
and lucid as does scientific experience. And even more so.
creativa activity seems to be of inferior worth. And this is
a mystical experience, creative
essentially true to the extent that, where a certain level of understanding has been
attained, it must be traversed. Along with religious mysticism, and related to it,
we also find a definite sort of "lyrical"
"Iyrical" and "human" quality in art-an element
evento
those
artists
who
have happily left such things far behind.
assigned even
to
Fundacin Juan March
BORIS GROYS /1 MOSCOW ROMANTIC CONCEPTUALISM
The general tenor of emotionallife in Moscow, thus forming a Iyrical

lyrical and romanremantic blend, still stands opposed to the dryness of officialdom. And this climate is
propitious to the phenomenon of Romantic and Lyrical Conceptualism-a phenomclearly discernible in the emotional atmosphere of the capital. I1do not
enon rather c1early
lyrical aspect, bearing in mind
hesitate to call it Conceptualism, notwithstanding the Iyrical
the basic essentials and remembering that the term has been applied to Yves Klein,
a French artist who distinguished in the French manner between a world of pure
dream and a world governed by earthly laws.
term. During the 1970s,
There are even more important reasons for using this termo
Western artists drew a line between Conceptualism and the "analytical approach,"
on the one hand, and the rebellious mood of the 1960s on the other. In those days,
art was regarded as the last forward-defense position held by the individual human
being in his battle against a depersonaliszing existence within society. Belief in
artistas
the unique status of the artist
as a privileged person, and in his ability to rebuild
life in keeping with the dictates of creative
creativa freedom, proved illusory. In the 1970s
cling to a notion of artistic
the collapse of this belief prompted Conceptualists to c1ing
creativity as belonging to a specific profession, possessing its own techniques, purposes, and confines alongside other professions. Art acquired an operational definition: what art is will be evident when you can see what the artist does, how he does
it, and how the results of his work interrelate with other objects in the world.
Nonetheless, this kind of positive-transparency approach to art presupposes a
new form of academism. For it confronts the artist in his creative
creativa work with a certain extra-historical norm that is identified with the clearly demarcated boundaries
of the profession or, as they say, of the media within which the artist operates.
Romantic metaphysicism and other trends in art likewise have their ways of doing
things. Furthermore, to each school belong its particular usages in the field of
perception, or interpretation. That is, the "romantic" view of art has its own facticity: reducing it to illusion amounts, above
aboye all, to closing one's eyes to the facts. Even
if art of this type loses its immediate appe~l,
appeal, it still preserves its significance, which
is to say, its relationships with the realms of action and cognition. lt
It is important to
clarify these relationships, without stressing, as before, totality and immed
immediacy
iacy of
perception, and to free ourselves from the evocation inherent in attempts to present
a work of art as a revelation that speaks for itself.
The positivist view on art as an autonomous sphere of activity determinad
determined
solely by an available historical tradition has always been aliento
alien to the Russian mind.
We can hardly reconcile ourselves with the idea that art should be regarded as
being simply the total sum of its techniques, and that its purpose has been lost
sight of. Therefore, Romantic Conceptualism in Moscow not only testifies to the
continuad
continued unity of the "Russian soul"; it also tries to bring to light the conditions
Fundacin Juan March
320 1/ 321
321
320
under which
which art
art can
can extend
extend beyond
beyond its
its own
own borders.
borders. lt
It makes
makes aa conscious
conscious effort
effort
under
to recover
recover and
and to
to preserve
preserve all
all that
that constitutes
constitutes art
art as
as an
an event
event in
in the
the History
History of
of
to
Spirit and which renders its own history uncompleted ...
[W]e have undertaken to analyze the creative work of several contemporary
Moscow artists. This naturally leads us to a further inquiry into the typical characteristics of contemporary Russian art as a whole. What is it that makes this art
unique, if indeed it is unique? Can we relate it antithetically to Western art to see
what the two have in common?
It is certain that such an antithesis does in fact exist.
existo Perhaps the differences
lt
artists today compared with
Moscow
are not so plainly evident in the works of
their counterparts in the West; but the contrast is clear beyond all doubt in the
way the public and the artists themselves understand their work. Consequently
these works bear the stamp of distinguishable difference, though unfortunately
to an only half-recognized extent so that interpretation is required in order to
see them in a proper light.
In one way or another, Western art says something about the world. Even when
It may turn its
concerned with faith it speaks of faith as incarnate in the world. lt
to do with its own process of
attention inward onto itself, but what it says has todo
realization in the world. Russian art, from the age of icons to our time, seeks to
like to point out that the term "culture"
speak of another world. Russians of today Iike
is derived from "cult," whereby culture is understood as the totality of the arts.
Culture comes out as the guardian of primordial revelation and also as the mediator for new revelations. The language of art differs from everyday language not
because it speaks of the world in a more elegant and beautiful way or discloses
the "internal
"interna! world of the artist." What makes it different is the message it has to
say. The inner strucconvey about the other world-something that only art can sayo
ture of artistic language empowers it to convey the structure of that other world,
just as the inner structure of our everyday language discloses the world of here
and now. Each discovery of the power of artistic language to communicate someknow~
thing new is accordingly a discovery of something new, something never knowl;l
before, about the structure of the other world. We may love the artist for showing
us a region we long for; we may hate and fear him for revealing a world we do not
want. In Russia, art is magic.
lt is the
What is the other world? It
lt is the world opened up to us by religion. It
lt is also the world
art. It
world that opens itself to us only through the medium of arto
that is situated at the point where those two worlds intersect. This is the reason
why there is so much tension in the relationship between art and faith in Russia.
lt is rather the
In any event, the other world is neither the past nor the future. It
waiting
presence in the present into which we may withdraw without reserve. No waiting
Fundacin Juan March
BORIS GROYS 1/ MOSCOW ROMANTIC CONCEPTUALISM
art.
around and no wheeling or dealing is needed in arder
order to live in the church or in arto
All you need to do is to take one sideward
sidewa_rd step and you find yourself in another
AII
place. This is quite as simple as dying, and essentially it is the same thing as dying.
You perish for the world and you are resurrected alongside the world.
Magic subsists in space but not in time. The cosmos is constituted in such a
way th~t it contains adequate space for different worlds.
The artists whose works have been discussed here are not religious persons;
yet they are able to comprehend art in terms of belief. Whether as mere'ly potential
existence oras
or as straightforward portrayal (revelation or absence of concealment)
or as a sign from above
aboye that calls for interpretation, art-as they see it-involves
impingement of that other world on our own. We must make an effort to understand what this invasion signifies. The intervention has occurred with the artists'
complicity and we cannot be ungrateful to them on that account. By invading our
history, the other world gives us the power to make statements about it that it
could not make itself. And what may we finally conclude? Precisely this: that other
world is not another world at all; but it is our own historicity, revealed to us here
and now.
1979
Fundacin Juan March
32:2 1
322
I 323
,
1
PROLOGO AL PRIMER
TOMO DE VIAJES
A LAS AFUERAS DE
LA CIUDAD
Andrei Monastyrski
La mayora de las acciones 1 aqu descritas consisten en una situacin en la que un

grupo de personas es invitado por los organizadores a participar en una actividad
desconocida para ellos. Todo lo que ocurre en esa situacin se puede situar en dos
niveles: lo que ocurre en la esfera emprica (con :rreglo a un plan previo de los
organizadores) y lo que ocurre en la esfera de lo psquico, es decir, la vivencia de
Fundacin Juan March
MONASTVRSKI 1
/ PRLOGO AL PRIMER TOMO DE
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI
VIAJES A LAS AFUERAS DE LA CIUDAD
lo que sucede en el campo visual de los participantes durante la accin, y la vivencia

de lo que antecede y acompaa dicha accin.
Puesto que en nuestro trabajo nos interesa precisamente el dominio de lo psquico, de lo "interior", tenemos que prestar especial atencin a todo gnero de
sucesos previos y a lo que ocurre "al margen" del "campo" demostrativo o expositivo de la accin. El propio campo demostrativo se ensancha y deviene objeto de
examen: tratamos de descubrir en l zonas poseedoras de determinadas propiedades e interrelaciones. Esas propiedades y relaciones, a nuestro parecer, influyen
sobre la conformacin de los niveles de la recepcin, en uno de los cuales se puede
alcanzar la vivencia de lo que ocurre como algo que ocurre principalmente "dentro
de" la conciencia que se libera -esa es la tarea general de las acciones. Desde el
punto de vista constructivo, la tarea consiste en no salir arbitrariamente del marco
de la percepcin directa, en el que se desenvuelve el principio de prcticamente
todas las acciones.
En conexin con ello, naturalmente, cambia tambin la relacin con los argumentos de las acciones. El contenido mitolgico o simblico del argumento no es
importante (en el plan de los organizadores) para la construccin de ese nivel de la
percepcin, para el que se sirven -como uno de los elementos constructivos- del
argumento como medio instrumental.
Sin embargo, cualquier accin dentro del campo demostrativo -por mnima que
sea- lleva consigo una interpretacin, y sobre una capa metafrica del propio
campo demostrativo se superpone otra: el espectador comienza a pensar qu significa una u otra accin y, al final, "descubre" su contenido mitolgico o de cualquier otra ndole. Cierto es que la construccin de algunas acciones incluye tambin
un proceso de interpretacin (la "interpretabilidad" como tal); esto quiere decir
que, durante su realizacin, la necesidad de "interpretar" como necesidad psquica
es orientada de una manera determinada, al tiempo que para los organizadores es,
a sabiendas, falsa. As, durante la accin se excluye la interpretacin ampliada, pero
despus sta resulta inevitable; y, puesto que las acciones son, comnmente, de
corta duracin, en los participantes puede crearse la impresin de que esa "mitologicidad" fue interpretada por ellos durante la accin misma. El problema de la
libre interpretacin tiene, para nosotros, una importancia esencial. Consideramos
la libre interpretacin como la posicin demostrativa de un "observador externo".
des 7
En esa posicin y slo en ella se halla, por ejemplo, el lector de los textos que des:
1 N.
N. del T.: para designar el gnero de actividad artstica o esttica denominado "accin", el ruso ha
" 1. Ejercicio de una
tomado la palabra extranjera aktsiia, reservando para la "accin" en los sentidos de "1.
potencia, 2.
(Cf. DRAE, s.v.) la palabra castiza rusa deistvie. A fin de respetar este uso
2. Efecto de hacer" (Cf.
" accin"(en el
" la(s) accin(es)" de una "accin"(en
terminolgico ruso que permite teorizar sin confusiones sobre "Ia(s)
" performance " , sino por
sentido genolgico), no traducimos aktsiia -como se ha hecho en ingls- por "performance",
su equivalente "accin".
"accin ".
Fundacin Juan March
324 1/ 325
criben las acciones. Sin embargo, hay algunos procedimientos que impiden la formacin de esa posicin durante la accin misma y, principalmente, cierto tiempo despus de la conclusin visible de sta. Uno de esos procedimientos es la
introduccin del elemento extrademostrativo, cuya actuacin prolonga el nivel de
la vivencia y crea la impresin de que el fin temporal de la accin no est definido.
A la introduccin del elemento extrademostrativo en la estructura demostrativa en
diferentes etapas de la accin y a su transcurrir en el tiempo de la demostracin los
llamaremos en adelante "accin vaca".
ia fue inducida a
conciencia
Para que a los espectadores les resulte claro que su concienc
participar en la construccin del suceso (o en la preparacin para el acto de autoconciencia) y para que -conforme al recuerdo cognoscente- entiendan que, durante la
accin, precisamente su conciencia ha sido objeto de una demostracin de cara a un
"observador externo" inexistente en el plano fsico, introducimos la "accin vaca", que, indicando el sistema de relaciones demostrativas, configura la conciencia
de los espectadores-participantes como uno de los componentes del acto esttico.
Hemos definido la "accin vaca" como un principio; sin embargo, en cada accin
se expresa de distinta manera y es considerada como un determinado segmento
temporal de la accin, en el que los espectadores, si as puede decirse, "no entienincorrectamente"" lo que ocurre
ocurre.. Adelantndonos,
den en tensin" o "entienden incorrectamente
sealaremos que los medios-actos o medios-sucesos con ayuda de los cuales se
realiza la "accin vaca" (aparicin, desaparicin, alejamiento, desdoblamiento,
etc.)
etc .) no slo crean las condiciones para la meditacin en el nivel de la percepcin
directa, sino que tambin devienen tema de ella.
Consideramos que un elemento muy importante de la estructura demostrativa
es la relacin de objetualidad y subjetualidad en la dinmica de su interconexin. Al
lector no le es difcil advertir que el movimiento de las figuras y objetos en las
acciones descritas ocurre, en lo fundamental, en lnea recta y en dos direcciones:
o desde los espectadores o hacia los espectadores. En el contexto dado, ese movimiento hay que entenderlo como un movimiento en una especie de "lnea de la
recepcin",
recepc in", que es una particularidad del modelo demostrativo.
As pues, todas las figuras y etapas en el desarrollo de las acciones son como la
"huella de un lpiz" que traza los bordes, las zonas y las relaciones del "campo"
demostrativo vaco (puro) por el que "pasan" los participantes y organizadores de
la accin a medida que sta se desarrolla. Aqu queremos detenernos brevemente
en el propio campo demostrativo; trataremos de describir a grandes rasgos algunas de sus etapas, estados y estructuras, tomando en cuenta las impresiones de
ellas .
los participantes y, en cierta medida, basndonos en ellas.
La vivencia inicial del participante-espectador invitado a la accin se puede
definir como un estado de expectativa. Antes del comienzo del suceso en el campo
Fundacin Juan March
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI 1/ PRLOGO AL PRIMER TOMO DE VIAJES A LAS AFUERAS DE LA CIUDAD
emprico, ese "campo" de expectativa se llena de todo gnero de presentimientos y

suposiciones. Es evidente que, cuanto ms "desconocido" es el suceso prometido
en la invitacin, con tanta menor concrecin cobran forma esos presentimientos y
suposiciones. La tendencia de esa vivencia es tal que, si se reduce ese carcter
concreto al mnimo, el campo de expectativa quedar prcticamente vaco y tenso
hasta el comienzo mismo de la accin. En eso desempean un papel importante los
histrico-contextua!,
diferentes contextos que componen un determinado fondo histrico-contextual,
contexto que es preciso tener en cuenta al planificar la accin, para que, por una
parte, sta se presente ligada a l, y, por otra, pueda ser proyectada ms all de
contextua! general. (En este sentido, nos
sus lmites, modificando as ese fondo contextual
parece significativa y determinante la introduccin de algunos elementos -y,
est sobre todo, de algunos principios- de diferentes prcticas espirituales en la esttica actual).
As pues, si el campo de expectativa est "vaco", la expectativa misma como
vivencia psquica se concentra y se siente .como
como estado casi suficiente (presuficiente). Surge la impresin de que la accin ya comenz, mientras que, en realidad,
el que vivencia ese estado todava no se ha acercado al lugar desde el cual le ser
visible (o audible) la accin.
Hemos empleado dos medios para crear esa impresin previa que se puede
llamar preexpectativa: en primer lugar, la forma de la invitacin (o la instruccin
previa); en segundo lugar, las particularidades espacio-temporales del viaje al
lugar del suceso. En relacin con el ulterior desarrollo del campo demostrativo,
llamaremos campo de preexpectativa al campo psquico que an no ha "enlazado",
a travs del campo visual, con el campo real (emprico) en que se supone "se har
visible" cierto suceso esperado.
Aqu podemos dar una definicin preliminar del campo demostrativo como
conjunto de los campos psquicos, visual y emprico, en el que se incluyen -es importante sealarlo- tanto las vivencias y sucesos que anticipan la accin misma,
como las que continan tras la conclusin de la accin.
Las fronteras espacio-temporales desdibujadas de la pre-expectativa se
concentran en las limitaciones espaciales y temporales ms rgidas de la expectativa propiamente dicha en el momento en que los participantes-espectadores salen
del bosque a un campo vaco abierto con ayuda de una simplsima instruccinadvertencia del tipo "He aqu que ocurrir esto". Es necesario detenerse ms detalladamente en este campo real, al que en esa situacin psicolgica se le atribuye
incondicional e inconscientemente el calificativo "vaco". El campo real puede ser
de color castao oscuro o verde, llano u ondulado, etc., pero es del todo evidente
que en ese momento su principal particularidad para el hombre que vivi la preexpectativa y ahora vive la expectativa, es su "vaco".
Fundacin Juan March
326 1/ 327
La vivencia de ese "vaco" del campo real y la vivencia que se prolonga de la

expectativa como "campo" vaco de la expectativa, se enlazan. El campo real se
metaforiza y en cierto momento puede ser percibido como prolongacin del campo
de expectativa, al tiempo que es dotado de cualidades inherentes a los campos
psquicos: "invisibilidad", no objetualidad, ubicacin "dentro", es decir, carcter
no contrapuesto a la conciencia. Hay que decir que, precisamente el espacio libre de
un campo real de grandes dimensiones, cuando origina la sensacin de que el
campo visual se desenvolviera libremente en el espacio y junto con l "se desenvolviera" el campo de expectativa, produce un efecto de prolongada conservacin
de la expectativa concentrada.
Aqu surge el problema de no perturbar ese estado con una grosera irrupcin
de algn objeto o suceso en el campo visual. Como ya hemos dicho anteriormente,
no tenemos la tarea de "mostrar" algo a los participantes-espectadores. La tarea
consiste en conservar la impresin de la expectativa como la de un suceso importante, significativo. Sin embargo, si la pre-expectativa requiere su resolucin en la
expectativa -cosa que ocurre-, tambin la expectativa, a su vez, requiere su resolucin en alguna vivencia nueva, es decir, necesariamente requiere el comienzo
de la accin; de lo contrario, no puede realizarse como su propio objeto. Habiendo
alcanzado un estado en que la conciencia est liberada de la esfera inmediata de la
percepcin ordinaria -condicin derivada de la "conduccin" de la conciencia como
por la periferia del campo demostrativo-, es importante influir en ella a travs de
un suceso programado de la propia accin, de tal manera que no regrese al estado
inicial que precede a la pre-expectativa y se conserve en esa condicin liberada al
percibir sucesos completamente reales.
referiremos.a un determinado grupo de accioPara resolver esa tarea (aqu nos referiremos
nes: Aparicin, Comedia, Tercera variante, Cuadros, Lugar de la accin), utilizamos el procedimiento de extraer gradualmente el objeto de la percepcin (la figura
del participante-organizador) de la invisibilidad -a travs de la zona de indistincin- a la zona de distinguibilidad en el plano emprico del campo demostrativo.
pura
. Con todo, si hasta ese momento tuvimos una vivencia de la expectativa pura
ahora, cuando aparece en el campo real el objeto de la percepcin, esa vivencia
cesa, se interrumpe y comienza un proceso de mirada intensificada, al tiempo que
surge el deseo de comprender qu significa ese objeto. Desde nuestro punto de
vista, esa nueva etapa de la percepcin es una pausa, una etapa necesaria del proceso de percepcin, pero en ningn caso el acontecimiento perseguido como fin.
De inmediato diremos que la accin misma de la accin se efecta "para distraer la
atencin". La naturaleza de la expectativa exige que realicemos esa etapa y es
imposible desviarse de ella en el marco de la tarea planteada, pero se puede "engaar" a la percepcin, es decir, realizarla y despus dar a entender que "mientras
Fundacin Juan March
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI 1I PRLOGO AL PRIMER TOMO DE VIAJES A LAS AFUERAS DE LA CIUDAD
principal' ocurra del todo en otro lugar"

todos miraban en una direccin, el suceso principal
espectadores-o
-en este caso, en la conciencia de los propios espectadores-.
Hay aqu una importante particularidad que es preciso esclarecer: el suceso
el momento en que se comprenda que esa "mirada" era una
ocurra; es decir, en el
"mirada adonde no era", el suceso principal ya haba ocurrido, de l slo es posible
acordarse en el momento presente, pero no fue posible seguirlo conscientemente,
ya que, mientras transcurra, la conciencia estaba ocupada por el otro, estaba
orientada a la percepcin del otro.
Pero, qu ocurra en realidad? Si lo que ocurra en el campo real era falso,
respecto a qu autenticidad se comprende esa falsedad, qu indica? Es evidente
que en esta etapa de la demostracin estamos "rodeados" por un "campo" bastante
grande de expectativa, es como si nos hundiramos en l a una distancia considerab'le
le de los bordes y ahora nos encerrsemos en nosotros mismos -ya que lo
rabque se nos mostraba era, en realidad, una demostracin de nuestra percepcin, y
nada msms-o. He aqu que esa expectativa pura es precisamente lo que ocurra en
realidad, y es la expectativa que se cumpli. Se cumpli, no ocurri lo que esperbamos, no ocurri un suceso concreto contrapuesto a nosotros, sino que es precisamente la expectativa misma la que se cumpli y ocurri. En otras palabras, la
pausa de la percepcin del objeto termin con la propia expectativa, pero sta se
haba desarrollado ya en otro nivel de la percepcin y durante su transcurso no
haba sido percibida como tal; fue vivida a travs del recuerdo de ella en un determinado momento de la accin. Despus de ese momento, la conclusin de la accin
(la partida de la figura del campo) es percibida de manera completamente inmediata, como al margen de su convencionalidad -a la par que los rboles, la hie;ba, los
propios espectadores-, es decir, como desmetaforizada.
Es importante entender que el "campo de accin" real se convierte nuevamente
en un campo "vaco" ya antes de que el participante-organizador se vaya de l. De
resultas de determinada accin de los participantes-organizadores, ese campo se
metaforiza nuevamente como "vaco"; surge en l un lugar, una especie de "vaco
sublime", en el cual la conciencia que recuerda (que comprende) -la conciencia
de los participantes-espectadores- entra en un vnculo metafrico, mientras que
parece como si el participante-organizador "saltara" despus de ese momento de
la accin al campo emprico; es decir que, hallndose todava en la zona emprica
del campo demostrativo, ese participante-organizador deja de ser percibido como
objeto demostrable con arreglo al plan de la accin: es simplemente un ser humano
que se va y se adentra en el bosque, del mismo modo que al principio pareca simplemente un ser humano que haba aparecido a lo lejos, saliendo del bosque.
Se debe hacer la reserva de que en este prlogo estamos examinando slo una
parte, una parte superficial, de toda la situacin; es decir, una parte "para los es-
Fundacin Juan March
328 1
/ 329
pectadores" y ms o menos ligada a problemas estticos. Aqu no se examina el

sent"ido interno de la misma, ligado al objetivo principal de las acciones, esto es: a
la obtencin de una determinada experiencia espiritual, no sgnica por su esencia,
y que tiene una significacin real exclusivamente para los organizadores activos en
el campo.
As pues, para la creacin de semejante gnero de situacin, todos los objetos
y las figuras de movimientos -como hemos dicho previamente, en nuestro caso se
trata generalmente de una lnea recta que va desde el objeto de la percepcin hacia
el sujeto, o a la inversa; es decir, de un movimiento que sigue la "lnea" de la relacin sujeto-objeto- utilizados en la accin, deben carecer de un significado
ellos "no debiera haber nada escrito" fuera de que
independiente. Es como si en elios
las figuras de los participantes tienen significado precisa y nicamente como "participantes" con respecto a los "espectadores"; y si se utiliza algn objeto, ste
debe utilizarse exclusivamente para crear determinadas condiciones de percepcin, por ejemplo, para crear invisibilidad o una impresin de identidad, etc.
Como ya hemos mencionado, la aparicin del objeto de la percepcin en nuestras acciones procede de la invisibilidad a travs de la indistinguibilidad, lo que requiere cierta acomodacin de la vista del que percibe. Este procedimiento hace
posible conciliar las zonas psicolgica y emprica del campo demostrativo.
As pues, tras la aparicin de la figura se desenvuelve cierto acontecimiento
"falso" en la zona de "distincin" y, finalmente, surge una bien marcada separacin
de lo que ocurre en: 1) suceso emprico, trado al dominio de lo inmediato despus
del momento en que los espectadores comprenden que la accin era falsa, "vaca";
y 2) suceso psquico: la vivencia de la expectativa que se realiz.
En el momento de esa separacin, es como si la conciencia se sustrajera violentamente al carcter concreto de su expectativa, es decir, de la que se realiz a
travs del recuerdo: es una expectativa superada en su carcter concret, por
consiguiente, en la situacin dada, la memoria es tambin una zona psquica del
campo demostrativo. Este momento se puede describir as: la autenticidad de la
accin se acab en el momento en que el objeto de la percepcin sali de la zona de
indistincin a la zona de percepcin indirecta, contrapuesta. Las manipulaciones de
los participantes-organizadores en la zona de distincin se producan para dejar la
traer la al presente: "se acab entonces",
autenticidad de la accin en el pasado, sin traerla
pero no "se acab ahora". Pero slo ahora nos enteramos de eso. En el intervalo
entre "entonces" y "ahora" nos engabamos, pero en el momento "ahora" nos
dijeron eso. Ese intervalo temporal entre "entonces" y "ahora" es la distancia (en
nuestra memoria) entre nuestra expectativa y nosotros. Lo "miramos" desde aqu,
estando en estado de "ausencia de engao"; estamos liberados del autoengao en
una expresin-directiva suya, concreta, que se prolong en el tiempo. "Mirar" la
Fundacin Juan March
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI 1/ PRLOGO AL PRIMER TOMO DE VIAJES A LAS AFUERAS DE LA CIUDAD
expectativa es, en realidad, vivenciar la expectativa como expectativa de la liberacin de s mismo consumada. Es probable que precisamente el carcter desacostumbrado de esa vivencia en las condiciones de la demostracin (aunque de la vivencia puede no tomarse conciencia en la forma en que aqu est descrita, e incluso
no debe ser concienciada asO genera el sentimiento de que lo prometido se cumpli,
de que,U
que "no
no hubo engao".
En el sentido estrictamente esttico, en cambio, se podran caracterizar las
acciones aqu presentadas como tentativas de hacer inusual la percepcin de las
usuales aparicin, desaparicin, alejamiento, luz, sonido, etc.
1980
Fundacin Juan March
330 /1 331
31 a/b
Fundacin Juan March
31 ec
31 a/b/c Acciones Colectivas, La aparicin,

aparicin , 13 de marzo de 1976
Collective Actions, The Appearance,
13 , 1976
Appearance , March 13,
Fundacin Juan March
332 1
/ 333
PREFACE TO THE
FIRST VOLUME OF
FIR8T
TRIPS OUT OF TOWN
Andrei Monastyrski
actions described here constitute a situation in which the organizers

Most of the actionsdescribed
invite a group of people to take part in an action unknown to them. Everything that
takes place in such a situation may be divided on the basis of a distinction between
empirical events and events in the psychological sphere or, in other words, between
the experience of what occurs during an action in the participants' field of vision
.
and what precedes or accompanies such an action.
Fundacin Juan March
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI
MONASTVRSKI 1I PREFACE
PREFACE TO
TO THE
THE FIRST
FIRST VOLUME
VOLUME OF
OF TRIPS
TRIPS OUT
OUT OF
OF TOWN
TOWN
ANDREI
Because in
in our
our work
work we
we are
are particularly
particularly interested
interested in
in the
the psychological,
psychological, the
the
Because
events,
preceding
possible
all
to
"inner"
aspect,
special
attention
must
be
given
to
all
possible
preceding
events,
given
be
must
attention
special
aspect,
"inner"
to that which takes
takes place
place on
on the
the "edges,"
"edges," as it
it were, of
of the
the demonstration
i. e., to
becomes the object
"field" of an action. The demonstration field itself widens and becomes
of observation: we try to make out zones in it, zones displaying certain properties
and interrelations. These properties and relations, we feel, impact on the formation
of levels of perception. At one of these levels, the events may be experienced as
"inner" events "within" a consciousness that is freeing itself. This is the general
not to arbitrarily leave
task of the actions. Constructively, however, the task is .not
the frame of immediate perception, on the basis of which practically every action
unfolds.
In this context, of course, the relationship to the subjects of the actions also
changes. Their mythological or symbolic content is irrelevant (at least as regards
the organizers' intention), the subject-as a constructive element-is used only
as an instrument to create that "inner" level of perception.
asan
Nevertheless, any action in the demonstration field, however minimal, entails
an interpretation, anda
and a second layer places itself on the first metaphoricallayer of
the demonstration field-when the spectator starts thinking about what this or that
contento
action denotes, and when, finally, he "discovers" its mythological or other content.
of
process
a
include
they
that
way
a
Some
actions,
however,
such
in
designed
are
Sorne
interpretation ("interpretability" as such), i. e., in the course of their realization
the psychological necessity arises to "interpret" them in the form of a definitively
oriented (and~ as the organizers are aware, false) understanding. Extensive interpretation is usually ruled out during the action. Afterwards, however, it is unavoidable, and because the actions are normally very short, the participant may get the
impression that he has deciphered this "mythological" aspect during the duration
us.
of the action. The problem of free interpretation is of principal importance to uso
We understand free interpretation as a demonstration position of the "outer observer." The reader of the descriptive texts, for example, is in this position, and
only there. There are, however, some
sorne ways of preventing such a position from
sorne time after its visible conforming during the action itself and, aboye
above all, for some
clusion. One such method is to introduce an extra-demonstrative element, whose
effect prolongs the state of experience and arouses the impression of an indeterminate end of the action. In the following, we shall use the term "empty action" to
describe the introduction of such an extra-demonstrative element into the demonstration structure and its progression during the demonstration.
We introduce the empty action in order
arder for the spectators to realize that their
consciousness has been included in the construction of an event (and in the prepaarder for them to recognize-in their
ration for
for an act of self-knowledge), and in order
Fundacin Juan March
334 1/ 335
335
334
comprehending memory-that
memory-that their
their consciousness
consciousness was
was an
an object
object of
of demonstrademonstracomprehending
immediately
tion for
for aa physically
physically absent
absent "outer
"outer observer"
observer" during
during the
the events
events immediately gone
gone
tion
before.
re.
befo
Here we have defined the "empty action" as a general principie, but it finds its
special expression in every action. lt
It may be understood as a certain
own very special
period of time in the action during which the spectators, if we may put it like this,
"strenuously do not understand" or "do not properly understand" what is happening. To jump ahead, we note that the acts or events with the aid of which the
"empty action" is realized (appearance, disappearance, withdrawal, division, etc.)
level of immediate perception and become
create conditions for meditation at the leve!
its subject.
We feel that one central aspect of the demonstration structure is the relation
of objectness and subjectness in the dynamics of their interrelations. The reader
will easily recognize that the movement of the figures and objects in the actions
described here progress for the most part in a straight line-in two directions:
either away from the spectators or towards them. In our context, this movement
must be seen as movement on a kind of "perception line" that is part of the demonstration model.
As such, all figures and stages of creation of the actions resemble a "pencil
line" drawn around the edges, zones and relations of the empty (pure) demonstration field, and which the participants and organizers of an action "pace out"
in the course of its realization. We would like to dwell a while on the demonstration
stag_es, states, and structures,
field, describing in general outlines some
sorne of its stag.es,
and particularly considering the participants' impressions.
toan
The first experience of the spectator-participant who was invited to
an action
may be defined as a state of expectation. Up to the beginning of the event on the
empirical
emprica! field, this "field" of expectation is fil!ed with all manner of anticipations
and assumptions. The more "unknown" the event announced in the invitation, the
form. The tendency of
less these anticipations and assumptions assume a concrete formo
mnimum,
toaa minimum,
this experiential state is such that, when its concreteness is reduced to
the field of expectation remains empty practically until the actual commencement
of the action.
Thus, if the field of expectation is empty, the actual expectation is focused as
a psychological experience and perceived as an almost sufficient (presufficient)
state. The impression is as though the action has already begun, whereas in fact
the person experiencing this state has not even arrived at the place from where
he will be able to see or hear the action.
We used two methods of creating this anticipatory impression, which we could
call pre-expectation. Firstly,
the form of the invitation (and the preceding
was the
this was
Firstly, this
Fundacin Juan March
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI 1/ PREFACE TO THE FIRST VOLUME OF TRIPS OUT OF TOWN
instruction), and secondly, the spatial-temporal peculiarities of the journey to the

event . Below, we will take the field of pre-expectation to denote such a
site of the event..
psychological field as yet unconnected-via the field of vision-to the real (emsorne event will presumably be seen.
pirical) field in which some
We will define the demonstration field provisionally as the entirety of psychological, visual, and empirical fields, that includes both the experiences and events
'preceding
preceding the actual event and those that persist after its conclusion.
The blurred space-time borders of pre-expectation develop a sharper profile
in the harder spatial and temporal contours of what is now the actual experience
when the spectator-participants come out of the forest onto the open, empty field.
This is backed up by a simple instruction such as: "This is where it happens." We
will now go into this real field in greater detail. In such a psychological situation, the
spectator unconditionally and unconsciously gives it the "empty" epithet. The real
spettator
field may be brown, green, flat, bumpy, etc., but it is totally clear
c1ear that, at this moment, its primary trait for a person having experienced pre-expectation and now
experiencing expectation is "emptiness."
The experience of this "emptiness" of the real field coincides with the ongoing
experience of expectation as that of an empty field. The real field is metaphorized
and may be perceived ata
at a given moment as the continuation of the field of expectation, assuming traits that usually belong to psychological fields: "invisibility,"
non-objectness, "inner" location. We may observe that-if the field of vision and,
with it, the field of expectation unfold freely, as it were, into space-precisely the
free expanse of a real field of fairly large dimensions achieves a storage effect for
quite a long period of focused expectation.
Here, the problem arises of how not to destroy this state by an object or event
vision. As stated above, it is not our task to "show"
crudely breaking into the field of visiono
something to the spectators. The task is to preserve the impression of expectation
event. If,
lf, however, pre-expectation requires
as that of an important, meaningful evento
its dissolution in expectation, which does in fact occur, then expectation, in turn,
sorne new event, i.e., it necessarily requires the comrequires its dissolution in some
mencement of the action. The important thing here is to preserve the state of consciousness of a liberation from the immediate sphere of everyday perception. This
state arose as a result of guiding the consciousness along the periphery, so to
speak, of the demonstration field. Thus, it is now a matter of influencing this consciousness such that it does not revert to its initial state prior to pre-expectation, but rather that this inherent liberated state is preserved when perceiving
completely real events.
(he re we are referring to
toaa certain group of actions:
In order to solve this task (here
lmages, Scene of the Action), we employ the
Appearance, Comedy, Third Variation, Images,
Fundacin Juan March
336 1/ 337
337
336
method of
of gradual
gradual emphasis
emphasis of
of the
the object
object of
of perception
perception (the
(the figure
figure of
of one
one of
of the
the
method
indistinguishability
of
zone
a
of invisibility-via
invisibility-via a zone of indistinguishabilityorganizer-participants)
from out
out of
nts) from
organizer-participa
of distinguishability
distinguishability (in
(in the
the empirical
empirical dimension
dimension of
of the
the demonstrademonstrainto the
the zone
zone of
into
tion field).
field).
tion
And yet,
yet, ifif the
the experience
experience so
so far
far was
was that
that of
of pure
pure expectation,
expectation, this
this experience
experience
And
on the
the real
real field.
field.
now transforms
transforms upon
upon the
the appearance
appearance of
of the
the object
object of
of perception
perception on
now
It is
is interrupted,
interrupted, and
and there
there begins
begins aa process
process of
of strenuous
strenuous looking,
looking, accompanied
accompanied
lt
by the
the desire
desire to
to understand
understand what
what this
this object means.
means. In
In our
our view,
view, this
this new
new stage
stage
by
While it
it is
is a necessary
necessary stage
stage in
in the
the process
process of
of
of perception
perception constitutes
constitutes aa pause.
pause. While
of
anged.
it is
is by
by no
no means
means the
the event
event for
for the
the sake
sake of
of which
which all
all of
of this
this was
was arr
arranged.
perception, it
perception,
hasten to add that the
the action itself is only performed to "divert the gaze." The
We hasten
of expectation requires us
us to realiza
realize this stage
stage of
of perception,
perception, and
ando it is
is not
nature of
possible to omit doing so within the framework of the task at hand. We may, howrealize this stage, but subsequently claim
Le., we may realiza
ever, "cheat" perception, i.e.,
that "while everyone was looking in one direction, the main event was taking place in
different place" -in our case in the spectators' consciousness itself.
a completely differer.1t
In this context, we should discuss a specific aspect, namely: the event hapLe., at the moment of comprehending that this "looking"
"Iooking" was "looking
"Iooking in
pened, i.e.,
.occurred, and at the present
the wrong direction," the main event had already
alreadyoccurred,
moment we can merely remember but not follow it, because while it was taking
place, our consciousness was busy with something else.
If what happened on the real field is "false" -in
But what actually happened? lf
terms of which veracity do we comprehend this falseness, to what does it refer?
During this stage of demonstration, we are evidently surrounded by a fairly large
"field" of expectation; we have entered, as it were, its depth and now find ourselves
some considerable distance from the edges, and we are now totally encapsulated
in ourselves-because what was actually demonstrated was our perception and
nothing else. This pure expectation is what actually happened, and it is a concluded
expectation. It
lt is concluded, it was not what we expected to happen, no concrete
event, there, before
befare our eyes, but rather precisely this expectation was concluded
and happened. In other words: the pause in perception of the object ended with
the very same expectation, but it is now already taking place on a different levonly
lt was only
el
is not perceived as such while it is progressing. It
e! of perception and is
point
this
After
action.
the
of
point
certain
of
Atter
experienced in the memory of it-at a
in time, the conclusion of the event (the departure of the figures from the field)
the
with the
leve! with
conditionedness-a t aa level
its conditionedness-at
outside its
is
immediately, outside
very immediately,
perceived very
is perceived
demetaphorized.
been
has been demetaphorized.
it has
i.e., it
trees,
himself, Le.,
spectator himself,
the spectator
grass, the
the grass,
trees, the
becomes
again becomes
once again
action" once
of action"
"field of
real "field
the real
In
that the
realize that
us realize
let us
context, let
this context,
In this
of aa
result of
As aa result
it. As
left it.
has left
organizer-participa nt has
the
the organizer-participant
befare the
even before
field, even
"empty" field,
the "empty"
Fundacin Juan March
MONASTYRSKI 1/ PREFACE TO THE FIRST VOLUME OF TRIPS OUT OF TOWN

ANDREI MONASTVRSKI
certain action of the organizer-participants, this field is once again metaphorized

as "empty" -there emerges a place ora
or a level of "elevated emptiness," as it were,
with which the spectators' remembering-understanding consciousness enters
into a metaphorical association. This happens although the organizer-participant
i.e.,
"jumps" onto the empirical field, as it were, after this moment of action, Le.,
although-still in the empirical zone of the demonstration field-he is already no
longer perceived as an object demonstrated according to a certain plan. Now he
is simply a person walking away and disappearing into the forest, just as in the
beginning he was simply a person emerging from the forest in the distance.
By way of qualification, itmust be said that in this preface, we are only observing one part of the overall situation that is on the surface, that part that is
more or less connected with aesthetic problems "for the spectators." We do not
intei'ld to deal here with their inner purpose, that is connected with the primary aim
intel1d
of the actions, that is, to have a certain intellectual-essentially not symbolicexperience, and that is possessed of real meaning only for the organizers operating
on the field.
In arder
order to create such a situation, then, the objects and figures of movement
above, it is primarily a straight line from the object of perception
(as mentioned aboye,
i.e., a "line"
to the subject or vice-versa, Le.,
"Iine" of the subject-object relation) must not
them ," as it were,
have any independent meaning, nothing must "be written on them,"
organizer- participants only have meaning
beyond the fact that the figures of the organizer-participants
as "participants" for the "spectators." And if an object is used, then it must only be
in arder
order to create certain conditions of perception, for instance in arder
order to create
invisibility or the impression of isolation, etc.
above, the object of perception
percption in our actions appears from out of
As observed aboye,
invisibility, via indistinguishability, which requires a certain visual accommodation
on the part of the perceivers. This procedure allows us to harmonize the psychological and empirical zone of the demonstration field with each other.
Once a figure appears, then, there unfolds a certain "false" event in the zone
of "distinguishability," and in the end we see the distinct separation into 1) the
empirical event, shifted into the sphere of the immediate after the moment when
the spectators understand that the action was false, "empty," and into 2) the psychological event, the experience of a concluded expectation.
At the moment of this distinction, the consciousness forcefully, as it were,
tears itself away from the concreteness of its expectation. In other words, the
expectation concluded by way of memory is the expectation dissolved with regard
to its concreteness. Memory, then, also becomes a psychological zone of the demfollows : the
onstration field in this situation. This moment may be described as follows:
veracity ofthe action ended at the moment when the object of perception emerged
Fundacin Juan March
338 1/ 339
339
338
from the
the zone
zone of
of indistinguishability
indistinguishability into
into the
the zone
zone of
of non-immediate
non-immediate perception
perception
from
(immediate perception
perception in
in the
the sense
sense of
of perception
perception of
of aa vis-a-vis).
vis-a-vis). The
The manipulamanipula(immediate
tion by
by the
the organizer-participants in
in the
the zone of
of distinguishability
distinguishability was
was necessary
necessary
tion
in order to le
leave
ave the authenticity of the action in the past so as not to fetch it into
presento "lt
"It ended at this and that moment, then," but not: "lt
"It ended just
the present.
now." We only just found out about it now. In the space between "then" and "now,"
we were deceived, but "now" we have been told. This space between "then" and
uso We "look"
"Iook"
"now" is the distance (in our memory) between our expectation and us.
not being deceived," we are freed of
at it from here, now already in the state of ""not
self-deception in one of its concrete forms of expression that unfold in time. Quin"Iook" at expectation implies experiencing expectation as the extessentially, to "look"
It is probably the unusualness of
pectation of a completed liberation from oneself. lt
this experience under the demonstration conditions (although we do not necessarily have to-or indeed, are not even supposed to-realize this, as described here)
that creates the impression that the promise has been fulfilled and that no "deception" was involved.
In a strictly aesthetic sense, we might characterize the actions presented here
as attempts to make the perception of usual appearance, disappearance, withdrawal, the perception of usuallight, sound
sound,, etc., unusual.
1980
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
340 1I 341
341
340
"CAMPO
PO DE LA
''CAM
,
COMEDIA
Y LINEA
DIA V
COME
ROS''.
CUADROS".
DE CUAD
COMENTARIOS
NTARIOS AL
COME
ESQUEMA
EMA
ESQU
1
Andrei Monastyrski
El esquema "campo de la comedia yy lnea de cuadros" representa en s mismo una

de
argumentales de
metatramas argumentales
las metatramas
de las
una de
de una
inte"rpretacin
potencial de
hipottica yy potencial
inte-rpretacin hipottica
de
"esquema
un
como
unitario, como un "esquema de
todo unitario,
un todo
como un
Acciones
tomadas como
(AC) tomadas
Colectivas CAC)
Acciones Colectivas
acciones oo
las acciones
de las
espectadores de
los espectadores
pesas"1,
organizadores yy 105
los organizadores
por 105
compuesto por
pesas"\ compuesto
2002.
1972 aa 2002.
aos 1972
los aos
instalaciones
durante 105
cabo durante
llevadas aa cabo
instalaciones llevadas
Fundacin Juan March
LNEA DE CUADROS"
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI 1/ "CAMPO DE LA COMEDIA Y LNEA
En las instalaciones de Acciones Colectivas hubo siempre dos tipos de espectadores. En primer lugar, gente conocida, amigos, invitados especialmente para una
accin o instalacin concreta. En segundo lugar, espectadores ocasionales, annimos: por ejemplo, personas que, en un momento dado, se encontraban en el bosque,
cerca del lugar en el que habamos instalado nuestra Tienda de campaa. Recientemente, en tres acciones o instalaciones "de gira" (625-520 en Berln, Las aventuras de un ciego en Francfrt y 51, en el Centro Pompidou de Pars) intervenan o
aparecan espectadores que haban comprado su entrada para ver nuestra instalacin o que haban sido invitados a ella (pero no por nosotros).
En el presente esquema se puede distinguir un grupo de espectadores-participantes, invitados por nosotros a la instalacin; tambin puede distinguirse el proceso progresivo, por etapas, de su "reproduccin-trascendentalizacin" desde su
posicin de espectadores de la accin de la "comedia" hasta su sustitucin en el
"cuadro" en calidad de "espectadores-personajes" en la instalacin En el claro.
Como instrumentos inductores de esta "reproduccin-trascendentalizacin"
nos servimos de los fosos y cuadros que empleamos en las acciones o instalaciones
en calidad de medios tcnicos para la creacin de determinadas relaciones demostrativas.
En general, el asunto versa sobre un "proceso de desaparicin" gradual y continuo del espectador como elemento del modelo expositivo. De un modo convencional, el espacio en el que se desarrolla este proceso puede llamarse "campo de la
comedia".
En la accin o instalacin Comedia, del ao 1977, "desaparec" como por arte
de magia, como un rayo, rpidamente y de una sola vez; mientras que el grupo de
espectadores, para "desaparecer" o reproducirse en "espectadores" contemplativos (personajes), durante el "fogonazo" del paraguas ardiendo de la instalacin
En el claro (que se consumi casi al instante), tuvo que pasar por una multitud de
niveles de "reproduccin" y "trascendentalizacin".
Por tanto, se puede entender que la tensin esttico-existencialista del "campo
de la comedia" se conservara y mantuviera durante muchos aos gracias a que, en
la instalacin Comedia, yo "desapareca" en un foso y durante esos ltimos aos
la metatrama en este campo se hubiera desarrollado en torno a mi "desaparicin",
como si de una "accin vaca" o inacabada se tratara. Yo mismo (como uno de los
organizadores de la accin, aunque en el papel de "ausente" de la metatrama)
siempre haba sido apartado de todo lo que, en ltima instancia, ocurriera en este
campo. Pero el campo en s -desde un punto de vista discursivo y profundamente
T.: "Esquema
" Esquema de pesas" -gntielnaia
-gntie/naia sjima, en su transcripcin fnica en ruso- es un trmino
1 N. del T.:
utilizado por Monastyrski y que, con sus propias palabras, viene a ser "el elemento expositivo de un
".
mismo".
acontecimiento o una situacin, constituido por los organizadores y los espectadores del mismo
Fundacin Juan March
342 1/ 343
psicolgico- no fue apartado de m como si yo fuera una figura "desaparecida" en

l muchos aos atrs con un determinado argumento y un final desconocido. Esta
lnea hermtica ("lnea de la comedia") se ha mantenido durante diez aos hasta
la instalacin Producto de las Artes Figurativas-cuadro (en adelante, Primer cuadro), cuando, en el foso de la instalacin, justo a mi lado, fue emplazado un especel argumento o asunto de la obra
tador (Sorokin) que no haba sido informado sobre _
.el
y, consecuentemente, a un cierto nivel de observacin, esta "accin vaca" y hermtica, que tuvo sus inicios en la instalacin Comedia, alcanz su fin. Se produjo
una despresurizacin (deshermetizacin) parcial de la "lnea de la comedia".
Sin embargo, hasta ese momento, la "lnea de la comedia" funcion como una
especie de mecanismo de "sublimacin hermtica" para los espectadores, tanto
en un sentido contemplativo -en cuanto observacin de "lo extrao" en distintas
instalaciones: Tercera variante, M, Mundo ruso, etc.- como en un sentido activo-factual de los distintos desplazamientos espacio-temporales (alejamiento,
el "campo de la comedia" expuesto,
aparicin, desaparicin) de los espectadores en el"campo
por ejemplo, entre otras instalaciones, en Diez apariciones y Escenario, donde
cada espectador ejecutaba el escenario toda esta serie de figuras y relaciones
demostrativas, incluyendo la "estancia en el foso" (escenario).
A lo largo de estos diez aos, e incluso durante an ms tiempo, nuestros espectadores, en su trnsito o viaje contemplativo por las instalaciones de las
Acciones Colectivas, deban terminar de alguna manera en ese espacio terico- especulativo (que tambin se puede calificar de "reproductor") de la "ausencia", de
cuyo conocimiento daba cuenta esa parte de m, uno de los organizadores de la
"ausente" , despus de
instalacin que, en el sentido de la metatrama, permaneca "ausente",
cuand q_ y
desaparecer en la "comedia", haciendo acto de presencia de vez en cuandQ.
siempre de una manera extraa:
ext raa: por ejemplo, con la forma de una figura humana
con una bola en vez de cabeza (Tercera variante), o de una figura que se aleja y
desaparece en la nieve, como en la instalacin Cuadros, donde se representaban
adems una serie de personajes literarios (por ejemplo, la escena de la novela Sueo en el habitculo rojo de la torre: la desaparicin de Bao-Yiu en compaa de
monjes budistas y daostas).
Esta figura de la larga ausencia desarroll hasta tal punto la metatrama de las
instalaciones, que los propios espectadores eran progresivamente "succionados"
del"campo
"campo
hacia "ese lugar",
lugar" , hacia esa misma "ausencia positiva", desapareciendo del
de la comedia" tanto por los niveles de la "trascendentalizacin", como simplemente por la necesidad histrica (a cada asunto y a cada historia, antes o despus, le
llega su final). Es importante subrayar tan slo que esta metatrama no la montamos
nosotros especialmente,
especialmente , sino que ella misma se fue conformando o desarrollando
por sus propias leyes -que, dicho sea de paso, a lo largo de todos estos aos, tanto
Fundacin Juan March
MONASTVRSKI 1/ "CAMPO
CAMPO DE LA COMEDIA Y
V LNEA
LNEA DE CUADROS
CUADROS"
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI
nosotros como nuestros espectadores intentamos seguir y levantar en num~ro

narraciones-o Quiero hacer constar de pasas interpretaciones, descripciones y narraciones-.
no se estudia ni analiza) que, tanto en el nivel del texto como
sada (aqu esa lnea rio
-y esto es lo ms importante- en el nivel del discurso, en la serie de acciones o
instalaciones Perspectivas del espacio discursivo se produjo esa misma "desaparicin" de espectadores bajo distintas formas de repeticiones y silencios.
esta""ausencia"?
ausencia"? iA
A qu
Pero;; en definitiva, qu significa esta "desaparicin", esta
Pero
tipo de experiencia o sensacin remite? La entonacin puesta en esta "ausencia" es
muy importante. En nuestro contexto, las acciones de "desaparicin" y "ausencia"
de la "comedia" no tienen un carcter simblico, sino estrictamente instrumental.
No se trata de una desaparicin en una especie de grandioso vaco metafsico, ni de
una "fusin o disolucin en blanco" o una "huda ms all de los lmites" de tipo
modernista. Al contrario, esta ausencia, esta "desaparicin", fueron ideadas por
esnosotros con ese ritmo, esa entonacin que se produce en el juego infantil del ""escondite". Sencillamente este juego del escondite tena lugar en el texto y en sus
distintas variantes: descripciones, narraciones, discursos, formas documentales,
bus-"factografas", etc. Los espectadores deban "conducir" la situacin, es decir, bus
realidad,
lidad, naturalmente, no existan) de una
car los sentidos escondidos (que, en rea
accin o instalacin a otra, de un texto a otro y, lo ms importante, buscarse a s
mismos, buscar las capas "escondidas" del propio conocimiento, en cuanto que el
trasunto siempre versaba sobre el hecho de que el objeto representado en nuestras instalaciones era precisamente el conocimiento de los espectadores. Y si
" ausencia" venan a equivaler
nuestras premisas de "ocultacin", "desaparicin" y "ausencia"
a una especie de juego del escondite, en los espectadores, en el proceso de bsqueda de su propio conocimiento, podan surgir, y de hecho surgan, maneras distintas
de interpretar esta "ausencia",
"ausencia" , interpretaciones que podan llegar incluso a la
"fusin o disolucin en blanco", a una "huda ms all de los lmites", "al paso al
otro mundo", etc.
Nuestra tarea, la de los constructores y organizadores, consista slo en que la
correspondiente accin o instalacin, la correspondiente interpretacin "proveniente de los autores", pusiera en duda las "elevadas" orientaciones que parecan
impregnar estas bsquedas, tratando cada vez de hacer volver a los espectadores
a un "incomprensible suceder de las cosas",
cosas " , para que estas bsquedas tuvieran su
continuidad en el plano fsico de la experiencia espacio-temporal, de un foso a otro,
de un cuadro a otro, y no se apagaran de repente en un texto definitivo, conclusivo
o aclaratorio de todo. Es decir, que entre las distintas acciones o instalaciones
continuamente discurra un texto a la manera de ese recitativo que siempre acompaa el juego del escondite: "uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco; yo salgo a buscar: el que
no se haya escondido, culpa suya ser...
ser ...". Este mecanismo era el que iba constru-
Fundacin Juan March
..."'
"'
......
"'
344 I 345
~
:~
...
~
Ti enda de
campaa
76
..................
LINEA LIBL/J
Tabla con esquema
Disparo
84
IP!"TT
lt.L::.:J
.. .... .. ...... .. . ..
~~
:87
Primer : cuad ro
.a.
1--~-'-----,
...
.. 1 .. . ........ .. ..... .... ..
~ .......
89
Cambio dc
espectadores
~ ont aa
. ....
Tienda de
campaa n." 2
89
.. .. "83"
0;".~ .;";~. .. .
.-"
... gente a lo lejos

89
..... ... ....
JijjJ 1 En la
2000
Hog uera del primer Cll fldro
"bosque"
Linea de
Fundacin Juan March
.a.
.a.
;...........;
.
.
...
...
: 79
Lugar de la : accin
mm
U... h-c_""-
Tercera variante
78
Diez
apar~c;ones ~Pa~;da
Sai;da
Primer : cuadro
.... ~ ....
....
Circulo
77
Comedia
77
Lnea de aparicin (76) y (/e partida (79)

. . ... . .......... . . . . . . . .................. . .... ......... . . .
(timbres telefnicos grabados en el magnetfono en el primer cuadro)
Hoguera del "Mundo ruso" 1985
~~:+:'----..1'-=.' ,'s~ ----1--:..-I

'i'
.
"~
En el c la ro
2002
'.'
"
,1,
A.M. ESQUEMA "CAI...tPO DE LA COMEDIA Y LINEA DE CUADROS EN LAS ACCIONES DE A.C.

(i.e. el grupo de artistas ''Acciones Co/eclillas"] 2001
(los espectadores esttin subrayados en amarillo)
S~~
f la>
1 ~
..........
,iD'
,..
....
,i!~
i:
riiiiil
.H~
{f
.
.... +
H=;
"~i
~~~~.~:"","
..
! .
.... .......... ...

~
.........
LNEA DE CUADROS
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI 1/ "CAMPO
CAMPO DE LA COMEDIA Y LNEA
CUADROS"
yendo y modelando las puestas en escena de Acciones Colectivas, y estuvo funcionando durante bastante tiempo.
En la accin inicial de "lnea de cuadros" en Cuadros, del ao 1979 (La tienda
de campaa es la "protoaccin" de esta lnea, pero nosotros no la analizaremos
aqu, puesto que est relacionada con un espectador annimo), cada espectador
reciba su propio cuadro. Nosotros ideamos esos cuadros como una especie de
"objetos engaosos", que sirvieran de maniobra de diversin a fin de que los espectadores no prestaran atencin a lo que ocurra en el campo. Lo que ocurra en el
campo era el "alejamiento" del espectador de las figuras de los tres organizadores
de la accin y su "desaparicin en la nieve". Por culpa de estos cuadros, por el hecho de que los espectadores estaban ocupados con los cuadros y no prestaban
atencin al "alejamiento" como suceso central de la accin, este alejamiento se
pudo reflejar como tal tan slo en el texto. El texto (y no el campo real de la accin)
f iguras de
era recitado en este "espacio", en el que se desarrollaban todas estas figuras
accin: "aparicin", "alejamiento", "desaparicin", etc. Pero, al mismo tiempo,
tambin eran contempladas en las zonas "laterales" de la percepcin del espectador. Precisamente por medio de estas figuras se produca el despliegue o desarrollo
espacio-temporal de la "sucesin de acontecimientos", al mismo tiempo que los
espectadores se afanaban con las capas simblicas de los acontecimientos ("cuadros" con distintas leyendas, incluida la inscripcin que apareca en la envoltura
de uno de ellos, donde se produce el "alejamiento"). Desarrollndose desde algn
lugar, "a un costado", de un modo imperceptible para los espectadores, la "sucesin de aconte.cimientos" de las acciones era como "casi nula", transcurra en una
tnica de un "no ocurre nada", a excepcin del propio transcurrir del tiempo y del
desarrollo del espacio, que se mostraban con cambios simples y elementales: disminucin de figuras en el campo a medida que sus movimientos se alejaban del
horizonte , quedando el campo vaco. Es decir: es
espectador o desaparecan en el horizonte,
importante subrayar que estas acciones elementales no narraban ningn acontecer especial, con un fin determinado, sino que conformaban una especie de pausa,
de intervalo entre posibles "sucesiones de acontecimientos", unos cambios espacio-temporales prcticamente imperceptibles, que no hablaban de nada salvo de s
mismos.
Hasta la accin Cuadros, los espectadores contemplaban libremente lo que les
mostraban los autores u organizadores: eso ocurra tanto en Comedia como en
come Tercera variante. Desde el punto de vista de la metatrama del "campo de la comedia", en la instalacin Cuadros los espectadores comenzaron a hacer algo por primera vez, esto es, fueron atrados o incorporados a una determinada accin fsica:
la nieve,
nieve , a encolarlos, a leer sus leyendas
comenzaron a colocar los cuadros sobre la
Y, simultneamente, los organizadores o autores utilizaron esta
explicativas, etc. V,
Fundacin Juan March
346 1/ 347
misma accin para abrir una especie de "camino" en ese espacio y tiempo "entre
acciones" donde "nada ocurre" y as abrir una especie de ruta de transicin a la
siguiente instalacin -Escenario-, una transicin hacia el campo, a lo lejos. En
Escenario, los espectadores hacan lo mismo que haban hecho los organizadores en
Yan
an ms: uno tras otro iban desapareciendo
Cuadros: es decir, cruzar el campo. Y
en el foso de esta instalacin, es decir, lo mismo que haban hecho los organizadores en las instalaciones Comedia y Tercera variante.
Al contemplar por primera vez este retablo de figuras "que se alejan", "desaparecen" o "aparecen" en Escenario, al recorrer la secuencia de diapositivas que
conforman esta instalacin, los espectadores "aparecen" de nuevo en Diez apariciones, pero ya en un nivel nuevo de "reproductibilidad", cuando en el transcurrir
de esta accin les entregan directamente unas fotografas que parecen represensi bien en Escenario se haba construdo
Ysi
tar sus figuras surgiendo del bosque. Y
una especie de "franja de imperceptibilidad" expositiva -en la que se produca una
sustitucin de figuras con ayuda de un mecanismo (un foso detrs de un teln color
violeta)-, desde el punto de vista de la esttica del discurso, la autenticidad de las
figuras en esas fotografas de Diez apariciones es una cuestin que prcticamente
carece de importancia: lo real y lo significativo se han separado, se han disociado,
quedando perfectamente claro que la "trascendentalizacin" y la "reproduccin"
guardan una relacin exclusiva con la parte significativa de nuestros espectadores.
El argumento o la temtica existencialista permaneci siempre en el marco de una
u otra accin concreta, mientras que la metatrama, que es lo que aqu analizamos,
se desarroll nicamente en esta parte "ausente" de los espectadores.
Caminando a travs de los "eidos" de la sucesiva "trascendentalizacin" de "la
pintura animada" de los tres grupos en las instalaciones Parada, Salida y Grup'<
Grup~ 3,
los espectadores, como parte demostrativa del modelo, terminaron conformando
"un cuarto grupo" en la instalacin plstica Producto de las Artes FigurativasCuadro. Sin entrar en detalles, dir tan slo que esta instalacin y toda la metatrama esttica de la historia previa fue ideada de tal manera que este cuarto grupo
pr'opio
de espectadores acab en este cuadro en el mismo nivel esttico que el propio
cuadro, en la misma zona "expositiva", por decirlo as. Es decir: el grupo fue un
elemento tan configurador del acto esttico como el propio cuadro, conformando
con ste un todo nico en el espacio expositivo ms amplio de la instalacin, al
mismo tiempo que, en una situacin normal (un espectador ante un cuadro) no
sucede nada parecido: el espectador se encuentra en su espacio esttico y el
cuadro en el suyo. A nivel expositivo, estn unidos quiz tan slo P?r el espacio
etc ... Sin embargo, en nuestro caso,
(convencional) del museo, la galera de arte, etc...
exagerando un tanto, se puede decir que los espectadores interiorizaron en s mismos este espacio expositivo (por ejemplo, el museo): el museo, como espacio est-
Fundacin Juan March
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI
MONASTYRSKI 1/ "CAMPO
CAMPO DE
DE LA
LA COMEDIA
COMEDIA Y
Y LNEA
LNEA DE
DE CUADROS
CUADROS"
ANDREI
tico, estaba
estaba "dentro"
"dentro" de
de este
este "cuarto
"cuarto grupo"
grupo" de
de espectadores,
espectadores, yy no
no fuera,
fuera, como
como
tico,
suele ocurrir
ocurrir en
en la
la vida
vida corriente.
corriente. No
No olvidemos
olvidemos que
que todas
todas estas
estas meditaciones
meditaciones se
se
suele
refieren tan
tan slo
slo aa la
la parte
parte "ausente"
"ausente" de
de nuestros
nuestros espectadores
espectadores (y,
(y, naturalmente,
naturalmente,
refieren
en este
este calambur),
calambur), que
que sufri
sufri una
una "sublimacin"
"sublimacin" de
de muchos
muchos aos
aos
hacemos hincapi
hincapi en
hacemos
por los
los firmamentos
firmamentos estticos
estticos de
de la
la "reproduccin"
"reproduccin" del
del "campo
"campo de
de la
la comedia".
comedia".
por
Desde el
el punto
punto de
de vista
vista de
de los
los espectadores,
espectadores, la
la instalacin
instalacin Primer
Primer cuadro
cuadro ocup
ocup
Desde
,
ejemplo
Por
un puesto
puesto crtico
crtico en
en la
la metatrama
metatrama de
de los
los "cuadros
"cuadros colectivos".
colectivos". Por ejemplo, para
para
un
ia",
e del
Kabakov, como
como activo
activo yy constahte
constante espectador-partcip
espectador-partcipe
del "campo
"campo de
de la
la comed
comedia",
Kabakov,
este campo
campo result
result suficiente
suficiente yy determinante:
determinante: el
el espacio
espacio "interior"
"interior" del
del museo
museo se
se
este
Occidente
a
marcha
(su
"exterior"
transform de
de una
una manera
manera natural
natural en
en espacio
espacio "exterior" (su marcha Occidente yy
transform
sus instalaciones totasu estudio de los espacios musesticos occidentales "con sus
les"). Sin entrar aqu en detalles
detalles del significado y el papel interpretativo de
de cada
puesto
cabo,
a
llevada
ser
de nuestros espectadores -tarea que merecera
uno .de
que, desde el punto de vista de la metatrama de las Acciones Colectivas, los espectadores son tambin, y al mismo tiempo, nuestros coautores involuntario~-.
involuntario~-, dir
todo este proceso
en
tan slo que, despus de Primer cuadro, el "apoyo" discursivo
(aproximadamente,, hasta la instalacin Nenos lo siguieron prestando Liderman (aproximadamente
gativos, de 1996) y Riklin (hasta la instalacin Shviedagn, de 1999), al cual se le
ial en la instalacin Primer
crucial
atribuye un papel especial y, en cierto sentido, cruc
cuadro.
La despresurizacin/de
despresurizacin/deshermetizacin
comedia"" se
shermetizacin definitiva de la "lnea de la comedia
produjo en el ao 1989 con la instalacin Gente paseando a lo lejos-Elemento
superfluo de la accin. En esta instalacin dej de funcionar (literalmente, de "sonar") el foso, como uno de los mecanismos de sublimacin de las relaciones expositivas. El cuadro, como cualquier otro mecanismo, fue "desmontado" al cabo de un
ao con la instalacin Segundo cuadro.
cuadro.
Lo que ocurri despus (desde el ao 1990 hasta el da de hoy) resulta algo
difcil de explicar ahora. O bien nosotros y nuestros espectadores (en su mayor
parte, ya otros, diferentes) comenzamos a trabajar sobre escarpaduras o barrizaCuadro, etc.), o bien
(Comedia , Lublij, Cuadro,
les del "campo de la comedia" y varias lneas (Comedia,
las relaciones expositivas construidas para instalaciones posteriores fueron ms
complejas. Es algo que no est del todo claro. En cualquier caso, en la instalacin
"sE( descubrieron" representados en el
En el claro, del ao 2002, los espectadores "s~
sotobosque) . Pero
cuadro y contemplando el trabajo de los "leadores" (tala del sotobosque).
en qu consista
consista el trabajo demostrativo (o expositivo?) de la figura del pescador
camel camen el
lejos, en
lo lejos,
all a lo
pie, all
de pie,
apareca de
~n
que apareca
2000, que
de 2000,
pescador, de
El pescador,
instalacin El
la instalacin
~n la
entre
deslizaban entre
se deslizaban
que se
trineos que
los trineos
de los
el de
po
espectadores, yy el
los espectadores,
frente aa los
nevado, frente
po nevado,
del
Pescador yy del
del Pescador
hablaba del
se hablaba
dnde se
y dnde
ellos,
pescador? y
el pescador?
espectadores yy el
los espectadores
entre los
ellos, entre
Leador?
Leador?
Fundacin Juan March
348 1
/ 349
la que me incit a escribir este texto y a

P. D.: La instalacin En el claro, que fue laque
dibujar este esquema, puede parecer una instalacin tipo "callejn sin salida", bien
desde el punto de vista de algn espectador desagradable que quiera vengarse o
sacarse la espina, bien por el simple motivo de que est compuesta, literaria e
ilustrativamente, pr la pareja china, tradicional y hermtica, Pescador-Leador, y
nada ms. Sin embargo, en mi opinin, en ella hay cierta singularidad que abre la
instalacin a un discurso futuro. Y es que los espectadores-personajes de nuestro
cuadro son maniqus. Su naturaleza profesional (reproductora o imitativa) es tal,
que no son ellos los que miran (o visualizan), sino que son ellos los visualizados.
Muestran lo justificado que est mirar y contemplar a los espectadores y no al contrario, tal y cmo se representa en nuestra instalacin. Sencillamente, los colocamos en tal emplazamiento de observacin en el espacio de la instalacin, y estn
situados de tal modo y aparecen reflejados en el cuadro con tal expresin facial de
"mirones", que en un primer momento representan realmente el papel de espectador-personaje del "paraguas caliente". Pero su naturaleza es completamente
diferente, de manera que pertenece a otro modelo expositivo. Adems, en la topografa accidentada y montaraz del campo de Kiev, estn emplazados prcticamente
en el lugar exacto donde se situaban los espectadores de la instalacin Comedia,
de 1977. En una palabra: es del todo plausible que todas estas extraas circunstancias puedan ser objeto de un estudio o debate futuro, desde el punto de vista de la
transformacin de los campos demostrativos y expositivos significativos. A m me
result curioso descubrir en ciertos frames de las grabaciones de vdeo de esta
instalacin a tres de sus organizadores que, de pie, miran al paraguas ardiendo,
exactamente con la misma pose y la misma ubicacin espacial que las figuras de los
y a un lado de ellos. La similitud e~ tan
maniqus, emplazados ligeramente detrs ya
sorprendente que entre dos figuras de la izquierda y una de la derecha existe
exactamente la misma brecha, o "claro", que entre las tres figuras en el cuadro.
2002
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
350 1/ 351
''THE
"THE FIELD
FIELDOF
COMEDV AND THE
COMEDY
PICTURE8":
LINE OF PICTURES'':
COMMENTARV
COMMENTARY
ON THE DIAGRAM
Andrei Monastyrski
Line of Pictures" represents an optional

The diagram "The Field of Comedy and the Une
and purely hypothetical interpretation of one of the metasubjects of the CA Group's
actions, taken as a single whole, as one large "dumbbell diagram" consisting of the
organizers of and audiences at actions between 1976 and 2002.
The CA Group has always had two kinds of audience members. The first are
acquaintances who were specifically invited to the actions. The second are ac-
Fundacin Juan March
ANO THE LINE OF PICTURES

ANDREI MONASTYRSKI 1I THE FIELD OF COMEDY AND
cidental, anonymous audience members, for example those who happened to be

in the forest near the "tents" we had left there, and so on. The three recent "externa!" actions-625-520 in Berlin, Adventures of the Blind in Frankfurt, and 51 at
ternal"
who 'had bought a ticket
the Pompidou Center in Paris-were attended by people who'had
for the action, or who had been invited to it (but not by us).
The diagram shows a group of audience participants of our acquaintance whom
invitad to the actions, and the process of their gradual, phased "transcendence"
we invited
and "reproduction" from being free viewers of the action The Comedy to their subfigure.s portrayed in the picture of audience members at the acstitution by the figure.s
tion In the Clearing.
The tools of this "transcendence and reproduction" were the pits and pictures
shown on the diagram, which we used during the actions as a technical means to
derrionstrate certain relations.
demonstrate
In general, this is the long and gradual process by which the audience memmodal. The space in which this
bers "disappear" as elements of the demonstrative model.
callad the "field of comedy."
process unfolded can be called
In the action The Comedy in 1977, I1 "vanished," quickly and suddenly, as if "in
a flash," but the group of audience members passed through a multitude of "transcendence" and "reproduction" phases before "disappearing" in the reproduction
of watching "audience members" (figures) in the "flash" of the burning umbrella
in the action In the Clearing (it burned up in little more than an instant).
lndeed, it may be conjectured that the aesthetic-existential intensity of this
Indeed,
endurad for many years dueto
due to the fact that I1 "vanished" into a
"field of comedy" endured
pit in the action The Comedy, and in all the years that followed, the metasubject
unfolded in the field around this "disappearance" like an unfinished "empty action."
1
I myself (as one of the organizers of the action, but playing the role of "absentee"
metasubject) was always positively removed from what happened subsein the metasubjectJ
quently in that field. But from a discourse and depth-psychology point of view, the
field itself was not removed from me as the figure who "vanished" in it many years
ago in a certain subject with an unknown outcome. This hermetic line (the "line of
endurad for ten years, until the action An Artwork-Painting (more precomedy") endured
cisely: The First Picture), when an audience member uninitiated into the subject of
the action (Sorokin) was located next to me in a pit, and, consequently, the hermetic "empty action" begun in the action The Comedy was ended on one audience
"line of Comedy" had taken place.
de-hermetici;zation of the "Iine
level. A partial de-hermeticization
Until that moment, however, the "line of comedy" worked as a kind of mechacontemplativa sense, as
nism of "hermetic sublimation" for the audience-both in a contemplative
an observation of the "strange" in various actions, e.g., The Third Variant, M, The
Russian World, and so on, and in the event-related, active sense of the various
Fundacin Juan March
352 1
/ 353
spatio-temporal displacements of the audience (distances, appearances, disappearances) in the demonstrational "field of comedy" -for example, in the actions
Acton, where each audience member realTen Appearances and The Scene of the Action,
izad the demonstrational figures and relations in the field, including "Iying
"lying in a pit"
ized
(The Scene of the Acton).
ActionJ.
contemplativa journey through CA's actions during those ten years
In their contemplative
and longer, our audience members somehow could not but end up in that speculative space of "absence" (which can undeniably also be called "reproductional"),
the knowledge of which was expressed by that part of me, as one of the organizers
of the action, that was "absent" on the level of the metasubject, which vanished
in The Comedy, to reappear from time to time in a strange form, for example in
the guise of the human figure with a balloon for a head (The Thrd
Third Varant)
VariantJ or the
Pctures, retreating and disappearing into the snow, which
figure in the action The Pictures,
representad certain Iiterary
literary characters (for example, a scene from the novel
also represented
The Dream ofthe Red Chamber: Baoyu's disappearance, accompanied by Buddhist
etc.).
ard Taoist monks, etc,).
This figure of lasting absence developed the metasubject of the actions in such
a way that even the audience members gradually "crossed over" to somewhere "on
the other side" into that same "positive
"positiva absence," disappearing from the "field of
comedy" both by gradual aesthetic "transcendence" and simply by dint of historical necessity (everything and every story must come
to an end sooner or later),
cometo
later).
lt is important to stress that this metasubject was not constructed by us on purIt
pose, but rather developed of its own accord, following its own rules-whatever
they may be-which, incidentally, both we and our audiences have tried to unearth
and understand in all these years in numerous interpretations, descriptions, and
narrativas. Let me mention in passing (this thread is not dealt with here) that in
narratives.
Perspectves of the Vocal Space, the same "disappearance"
the series of actions Perspectives
of the audience took place both on the textual, and, most importantly, spoken level,
in various figures of repetition and silence.
But what, in essence, is the meaning of this "disappear:ance" and "absence";
what kind of an experience does it refer to? The tenor of this "absence" is very
important. In the context of our action The Comedy, "disappearance" and "absence" are not symbolic in character, but exclusively instrumental. This is not disappearance into any kind of great metaphysical vacuum, it is not the "dissolving
into white" or into "the otherworldly" of the modernists. On the contrary, the tenor
of this absence and "disappearance" was conceived to be more like that heard
in a children's game of hide-and-seek. Only this game of hide-and-seek took place
narrativas, discourses, documentations,
in texts of various kinds-descriptions, narratives,
factual accounts, etc. The audience was torced
"lead," Le.,
i.e., to search for hidden
forced to "Iead,"
Fundacin Juan March
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI
MDNASTYRSKI 1/ THE
THE FIELD
FIELD OF
DF COMEDY
COMEDY AND
AND THE
THE LINE
LINE OF
OF PICTURES
PICTURES
ANDREI
meanings (which,
(which, in
in fact,
fact, never
never existed,
existed, of
of course)
course) from
from action
action to
to action,
action, from
from text
text
meanings
the
for
themselves,
for
search
to
forced
to
text;
and
most
importantly,
they
were
forced
to
search
for
themselves,
for
the
to text; and most importantly, they were
"hidden" layers
layers in
in their
their own
own consciousness,
consciousness, since
since itit was
was always
always the
the consciousness
consciousness
"hidden"
of our
our audience
audience members
members that
that was
was representad
represented by
by our
our actions.
actions. And
And ifif our
our premise
premise
of
of
game
children's
a
was
of
"hiddenness,"
"disappearance,"
and
"absence"
was
a
children's
game
of hidehideof "hiddenness," "disappearance," and "absence"
in the
the process
process of
of searching
searching their
their own
own consciousness,
consciousness, our
our audience
audience
and-seek"then
then in
and-seek,
this "absence,"
members could
could and
and did
did come
come upon
upon any
any interpretation
interpretation of
ofthis
"absence," up
up to
to and
and
members
into
"going
world,"
another
into
over
including
a
"dissolving
into
white,"
"crossing
over
into
another
world,"
"going
into
"crossing
including "dissolving into white,"
the beyond,"
beyond," etc.
etc.
the
In each
each subsequent
subsequent action,
action, our
our task,
task, the
the task
task of
of the
the organizers,
organizers, consisted
consisted
In
only in casting
casting doubt on a subsequent interpretation "by the authors," and thus
returning the audience
audience
also on the "raised" direction of these searches, each time returning
an "incomprehensible sphere of events." The aim was to ensure that these
to ari
searches would continue on the physical level of experiences in time and spacefrom pit to pit, from picture to picture, rather than suddenly ending with some
texto That means that "between the
kind of "definitive," all-clarifying, concluding text.
actions," the text always functioned like that heard in a game of hide-and-seek:
I come!" This mechanism con"one, two, three, four, five ... ready or not, here 1
metasubject of CA's actions and continued to function for a long
structed the .metasubject
time.
In the 1979 action The Pictures, which was the beginning of the "line of pictures" (the "proto-action" of this line was The Tent, which will not be discussed
here since it is connected to the anonymous viewer), each audience member received a picture of his or her own. We intended these pictures to be "sham objects"
that served as a diversionary maneuver to draw the audience's attention away
from what was happening in the field. What was in fact happening in the field was
that the figures of the three action organizers were retreating away from the
audience and disappearing "into the snow." Because of these pictures, and because
of the fact that the audience for the "retreat" was busy with the pictures and not
paying attention to the "retreat" -the central event of the action-it, that is, the
text. The text (and not the real field of
retreat, could become central only in the texto
action) was declared to be the "space" where all the figures in the action-"aptime,
pearance," "retreat," "disappearance,"
"disappearance," etc.-took place. But at the same time,
they could be reflected upon in the "lateral" zones of the audience's perception.
Strictly speaking, it was through these figures that the spatio-temporal develthe
with the
occupied with
was occupied
audience was
the audience
while the
opment
place while
too k place
events took
of events
chain of
the chain
of the
opment of
an
including
inscriptions,
various
with
symbolic
layers
of
the
event
(the
"pictures"
with
various
inscriptions,
including
an
symbolic layers of the event (the "pictures"
was
"retreat" was
indicating aa "retreat"
"pictures" indicating
inscription
the "pictures"
of the
one of
of one
envelope of
the envelope
on the
inscription on
the
audience, the
the audience,
by the
unnoticed by
and unnoticed
si de" and
going
the side"
"to the
somewhere "to
Unfolding somewhere
on). Unfolding
going on).
Fundacin Juan March
.... ...............
LIEBLICH LINE
panel plan
...
...
S hot
84
................. ...
.;.............;
:79
Location of : action
............................. ...
disoppearances
Third vari a ni
78
',
..
".
-.
.
';-
,.
,..... ...... ... .. ..... .. . .....
Du'~''.~.~:~ ......
'
89
89
Movement
of the audi ence
'Q-
.. . .,!
... people in the di stancc .
............
0-'
On the
mountain
90
---
The clearing
2002
;;~~
''forest "
..
campftre of the flrst picture
89
Te nt no .2
.......
. ... .. 83 ..
.....,....
,': ~"
H
.
Spherc
77
Comedy
77
Ten
appe~rtnccs ~-
Ir@
x;
E
8
..~
",,, _,.,..... _
I,..
.,
Group no. 3
83
first : picrure
third
Fundacin Juan March
----l--""-J
':;;,;.;;;;.: .,;;;
W-j'
;;,i
,,
.!~
.... ~ ....
:
".
".
",
,.
:t
o .
~_~:':::---,i...- '. ,
! ~
-JI
S~~p
cnmpfi re ..The Russian World" 1985
: !
,.
1! "~
:i:
!i
11.,
.......f"'::!:c"'"
Andrei Mon o.sty rski, plan "Theftcld ofcomedy ond the line ojpict11res in the
performances of the Co flective Actions group," 2002
(the audience is markcd in hatched orea)
!.t
(ringing sounds on the tape recorder in thefirst picture)
~',f
/in e of Appearance (76) and Deparlllre (79)
) i'
ir
..
!j~
,!
:;;: ~
1111
;;~
...............
,' +
t :
.t~
! ,;
::
il:
""
o:
~.
:-
~~,.
ij
.. d
~
~ !"
...............
....... .... .
'"
,
!f
i~! 1i* ,i
i: .. ~
. ...........
7:....
Tent 76
:~
.:i.~
iP
~t~ ;~
ll"l
ll"l
ll"l
...
"'
JI.~i-~-t-[,--====l-_~I~
"'
354 I 355
ANDREI MDNASTYRSKI
MONASTYRSKI 1/ THE
THE FIELD
FIELD OF
OF COMEDY
COMEDY ANO
AND THE
THE LINE
LINE OF
OF PICTURES
PICTURES
ANDREI
events of
of the
the action
action were
were in
in aa way
way "clase
"close to
to zero"
zero" and
and imbued
imbued with
with aa connotation
connotation
events
expansion
the
and
itself
time
of
passing
of
"nothing
is
happening"
apart
from
the
passing
of
time
itself
and
the
expansion
the
from
apart
happening"
is
of "nothing
the
of
shrinking
of space
space by
by means
means of
of the
the simplest
simplest elemental
elemental changes:
changes: the
the shrinking of the figures
figures
of
in the
the field
field as
as they
they moved
moved away
away from
from the
the audience,
audience, their
their disappearance
disappearance below
below the
the
in
purposive
no
is
there
that
underline
to
horizon,
the
empty
field.
It
is
important
to
underline
that
there
is
no
purposive
important
is
lt
field.
empty
horizon, the
chain of
of events
events at
at all
all in
in these
these elementary
elementary actions;
actions; they
they are
are like
like aa pause,
pause, an
an interinterchain
val between
between possible
possible chains
chains of
of events
events and
and those
those almost
almost unnoticed
unnoticed changes
changes in
in space
space
val
themselves.
and
time
that
speak
of
nothing
other
than
themselves.
than
other
nothing
of
speak
that
and time
Before the
the action
action The
The Pictures,
Pictures, the
the audience
audience was
was able
able to
to contemplate
contemplate freely
freely
Befare
what the
the organizers
organizers had
had shown
shown them,
them, for
for example
example in
in The
The Comedy
Comedy or
or The
The Third
Third VarVarwhat
the
in
something,
do
to
had
they
ime
t
iant.
However,
The
Pictures
the
first
time
they
to
do
in
the
first
the
was
Pictures
The
iant. However,
kind
sorne
into
comedy" metasubject-that they were drawn
some
sense of the "field of comedy"
readof physical action: arranging the pictures in the snow, pasting them together, reading the inscriptions, etc. And, at the same time, with this action the organizers laid
path" for them toward the time and space "between actions," where "nothing
a ""path"
ene of
also,
Scene
o[ the Action, was set
so, the route to the next action, The Se
is happening"; al
out and led across the fiel
field.
o[ the Action, the audience did what the
d. In The Scene of
ield. Furthermore, they disorganizers had done in The Pictures: they crossed a ffield.
just as the organizers had done
appeared one after the other into this action's pit, justas
in the actions The Comedy and The Third Variant.
Having gone through the initial hypostasis of the "retreated," the "disapo[ the
peared," and the "reproduced" in the slide film of the action The Scene of
Action, the audience "appeared" once again in Ten Appearances, now on a new
level of "reproducedness," when during the action they were handed photographs
forest. Since the demshowing what seemed to be themselves emerging from the foresto
onstrational "thread of indistinguishability" had already been spun in The Scene
o[
others using the mechanism of
of the Action when figures were substituted for others
the pit behind a purple curtain,
curta in , the authenticity of the figures in the photographs
for Ten Appearances was wholly unimportant from the point of view of the aesthetic discourse: the real and the emblematic were separated, and it was clear
that "transcendence" and "reproduction" referred only to the emblematic part
of our audience. The existential subject always remained within the framework of
only with
here developed only
a concrete action, while the metasubject that concerns us here
the "absent" part of our audience.
Having gone through the eidos of consistent transcendence to the "representhe
Group'-3, the
and Group'-3,
Exit, and
The Exit,
Halt, The
The Halt,
tativeness"
actions The
of actions
groups of
three groups
the three
of the
tativeness" of
"fourth
a
formed
eventually
model,
the
of
audience,
as
the
demonstrational
part
of
the
model,
eventually
formed
a
"fourth
part
audience, as the demonstrational
Without
Artwork-Painting. Without
An Artwork-Painting.
action An
the action
in the
group"
picture in
of aa picture
front of
in front
standing in
group" standing
prehisaesthetic prehisentire aesthetic
the entire
and the
action and
this action
going
that this
say that
simply say
will simply
detail, I1will
into detail,
going into
Fundacin Juan March
356 1
/ 357
tory of its metasubject was set up in such a way that this fourth group of audileve! as the
ence members appeared in front of the picture on the same aesthetic level
picture itself and in the same demonstrational zone. In other words, they, that is
the group, were just as much a constituent of a single aesthetic act as the picture itself; together, they constituted a single whole in the wider expositional space
of the action, while in the usual situation of "the observer in front of a picture"
nothing of the sort occurs-the observer and the picture each occupy their own
aesthetic space. They are united (on the expositionallevel) only by the space (conventions) of the museum, gallery, etc. In our case, to ovf?rstate
ov~rstate it somewhat, the
audience can be said to have carried the expositional space (for example, the museum)
seu m) within themselves: the "museum," asan
as an expositional space, was "within"
~'fourth group" of audience members, and not outside it, as it is in normallife.
this ~'fourth
Let us not forget that all these contemplations refer only to the "absent" part of
her_e), who have undergone years
our audience (and, of course, we notice the pun her.e),
of "sublimation" through the aesthetic heavens of the "reproduction" of the "field
of comedy."
Picture) was to be a critical
critica! moment in CA's metasubThis action (The First PictureJ
ject, from the point of view of the "audience." Kabakov, for example, who had been
a constant and active audience member-participant in the "field of comedy," saw
itas
"interna!" space of the "museum"
it
as a conclusion: via a natural process, the "internal"
beca me "external"
"externa!" (viz. his departure for the West and his reworking of Western
became
museum spaces as "total installations"). Without going into detail here about
the significance and role of each of our audience members (which in fact would be
appropriate, since from the point of view of CA's metasubject, the audience memsaying that after
bers are also our involuntary co-authors), 1
I will restrict myself to saving
discursiva support throughout
The First Picture, those who continued to offer us discursive
Negatives) and Ryklin
were Leiderman (approximately up to the 1996 action The NegativesJ
(up to the 1999 action Shvedagon),
ShvedagonJ, who had played a special and key role in the
action The First Picture.
"line of comedy" came
carne in 1989 with the
The final de-hermeticization of the "Iine
of the Action..
Action ..ln this
action Strolling People in the Distance Are the Odd Element oi
(literally, to be heard) as one of the mechanisms
action, the pit ceased to be used (Iiterally,
of the "sublimation" of demonstrational relations. The picture, as the other mechanism, h,ad been "dismantled" ayear before in the action The Second Picture.
lt is difficult now to say what happened subsequently (from 1990 to the present
It
lt is not quite clear whether we ourselves and our audience (mostly different
day). It
people now) worked on the remnants or scraps of the "field of comedy" and its
Pictures), or whether the demonstrational
line (of The Comedy, of Lieblich, of The PicturesJ,
relations constructed in subsequent actions have become more complicated. In
Fundacin Juan March
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI
MONASTYRSKI 1/ THE
THE FIELD
FIELD OF
OF COMEDY
COMEDY ANO
AND THE
THE LINE
LINE OF
OF PICTURES
PICTURES
ANDREI
any case,
case, in
in the
the 2002
2002 action
action In
In the
the Clearing,
Clearing, the
the audience
audience "found
"found themselves"
themselves"
any
portrayed in
in aa picture
picture and
and in
in the
the contemplativa
contemplative work
work of
of "woodcutters"
"woodcutters" (cutting
(cutting
portrayed
back undergrowth). But what then was the demonstrational (or expositional?)
"task" of the small fisherman figure in the 2000 action Fisherman, which was
at a distance from the audience, while between the fisherplaced in a snowy field ata
man and the audience "sledges" ran, carrying "conversations" about the fisherman and the woodcutter?
me to write this text and draw the
P.S. The action In the Clearing, which stirred meto
diagram, may turn out to have been a dead-end action, on the one hand because of
the emotionally unpleasant "elimination" of the audience, and on the other hand
beca use it is simply an illustrative literary constituent of the hermetic Chinese
because
"fisherman-woodcutter" pairing, and nothing more. However, as 1I see it, there is
a certain oddness that "opens up" this action to further discourse, .since the audience figures in our picture are in fact mannequin dolls. Their professional (and
reproductional) nature is such that they do not do the looking, but are looked upon
themselves. They demonstrate what the audience should look at and not the other
presented in our action. We simply placed them in the position
way around, as was presentad
of the audience within the space of the action, and having been positioned in that
way and with "watching" expressions on their faces in the picture, they do appear
at first glance to be playing the role of audience figures for the "burning of the
toaa different
umbrella." However, their real nature is very different and belongs to
demonstrational model. Furthermore, within the topography of the field at Kyevy
Gorky, they were placed on more or less the exact same spot where the audience
for The Comedy
Comedy stood in 1977. These strange circumstances could certainly form
the subject of further considerations from the point of view of the transformation of symbolic demonstrational and expositional fields. I1was very interested to
discover the three organizers in a few frames of the video recordings of this action, standing and watching the burning umbrella in exactly the same poses and in
si de of them
exactly the same composition as the mannequin figures placed to one side
a short distance away. The Iikeness
is
so
uncanny
that
between
the
two
figures on
likeness
the left and the one on the right, there is even the same gap, a "clearing," as there
is between the three figures in the picture.
2002
Fundacin Juan March
358 1
/ 359
YACIO
SOBRE EL VACIO
lli Kabakov
lIi
Yo estaba en Checoslovaquia en la primavera del ao 1981; yY entre otras interesantsimas impresiones e imgenes, destac una, ligada a la posibilidad de mirar
"nuestro lugar" desde otra parte, desde el punto de vista del que se ha ido, desde
"otro lugar". Qu aspecto tiene "por fuera"? Es como si viajramos, por un
tiempo interminablemente largo, en el compartimento de un tren, sentados duran-
Fundacin Juan March
ILI KABAKOV
KABAKOV 1/ SOBRE
SOBRE EL
EL VACO
VAco
ILI
te todo
todo el
el trayecto,
trayecto, sin
sin salir
salir de
de l
l para
para nada,
nada, yy de
de pronto,
pronto, en
en una
una parada,
parada, saliramos
saliramos
te
al andn
andn de
de una
una estacin,
estacin, diramos
diramos unos
unos pasos,
pasos, yy desde
desde ese
ese andn,
andn, desde
desde fuera,
fuera,
al
mirsemos aa travs
travs del cristal
cristal al
al interior
interior de
de ese
ese compartimento
compartimento en
en el
el que
que haca
haca un
un
mirsemos
instante estbamos sentados.
Enseguida se apodera de nosotros la principal vivencia que lo une todo, lo define
todo y le da a todo su lugar: es una visin clara, definitiva, del vaco, de la vacuidad
de ese lugar en el que permanentemente vivimos.
Ese concepto encierra, ante todo, una representacin espacial, como si se tratara de algo propio del artista: es una vivencia del espacio, es para l como una
ngulo...
actitud profesional, l ve desde ese ngulo
... Pero ese concepto del vaco del que se
trata aqu, no es slo espacial, o, dicho de otro modo, ptico. Su contenido es de un
gnero completamente distinto.
El gigantesco depsito, el volumen de vaco del que hablamos y que es "nuestro
lugar", no es en absoluto un vaco, un lugar vacante, en la acepcin europea de esa
vaco como un
palabra. Ese enfoque, esa conciencia, se caracteriza por entender el vaco
lugar todava desierto, un espacio del que nadie se ha apropiado an, un espacio no
o insuficientemente ocupado por
malo
ocupado por construcciones o, en todo caso, mal
ellas. En pocas palabras, se trata de una comprensin del vaco como una mesa
sobre la que todava no se ha puesto nada o un terreno an no sembrado, pero una
terreno en el que es posible sembrar. Esa
mesa en la que se puede poner algo y un terren~
idea europea, racionalista, del vaco como un campo susceptible de ser transforese
mado por la accin humana -mediante la cual alguien podra apropiarse de ese
"lugar que espera el trabajo del hombre"
- no es, a todas luces, en absoluto aplihombre"cable a nuestro fenmeno del vaco. El vaco de nuestro lugar, sobre el que quisiera
Y no puede ser descrito en trminos
hablar, es de una ndole radicalmente distinta. Yno
de apropiacin, de poblacin, de empleo de trabajo o de economa, es decir, en trminos de la conciencia racionalista europea.
Este vaco se presenta como un volumen extraordinariamente activo, como un
depsito de vaco, como una especial
"onticidad" [bytiistvennost'] vaca, extraordiespecial"onticidad"
nariamente activa, pero contrapuesta al autntico ser, a la autntica vida, y que es
la antpoda absoluta de toda existencia viva. "La Naturaleza no soporta el vaco".
Pero deseara agregar que, igualmente, "el vaco no soporta la Naturaleza". El vaco
del que hablo, no es el cero,
c~ro, no es simplemente "nada"; el vaco del que hablo no es
El"vaco"
. una frontera nula, neutralmente cargada, pasiva. En absoluto. El
"vaco" es tremendamente activo, su actividad es igual a la del ser positivo, ya se trate de la
actividad de la Naturaleza, de la del hombre o de la de fuerzas superiores. Pero su
actividad presenta un signo contrario, est dirigida en sentido opuesto, y acta
con la misma energa y fuerza que la aspiracin de la existencia viva, la aspiracin
indestructible actividad,
de ser,
crecer, construir, existir. Con la misma indestructible
ser, devenir, crecer,
Fundacin Juan March
360 1/ 361
fuerza y constancia, el vaco "vive", convirtiendo el ser en su contrario, destruyendo la construccin, mistificando la realidad, convirtiendo todo en polvo y oquedad.
El vaco, repito, es la conversin del ser activo en no-ser activo y, lo ms importante y sobre lo que quisiramos llamar la atencin en especial, ese vaco vive, existe,
no en s mismo, sino con la vida, con el ser, a su alrededor; vida que l elabora, que
muele, que hace caer dentro de s. En eso veo una funcin, una propiedad especial
del vaco, fatal para la vida. Se ha pegado, se ha unido indisolublemente a ella y le
succiona el ser; su poderosa, pegajosa, nauseabunda antienerga la adquiere el vaque le resta, le sustrae, al
co apropindose -como en el vampirismo- de la energa quele
ser que lo rodea. Buscando una metfora para lo que quiero decir, veo una mesa
cubierta con un mantel, a la que hay gente sentada conversando; una mesa toda
cubierta de vajilla y comida, en la que estn almorzando, y sobre la que el ama pone
Y veo cmo alguien, constante, furtiva e implacablecontinuamente nuevos platos. Yveo
mente, tira de ese mantel, arrojando al suelo todo lo que hay sobre l, con el
para qu?
constante estruendo y tintineo de platos, fuentes y vasos que caen ... Para
Qu objetivo tiene? Esa pregunta se le puede hacer slo a lo vivo, racional, natural,
pero no al vaco. El vaco es precisamente el otro lado, lo opuesto, de toda pregunta,
es el forro, el contrario, el "no" constante que se halla bajo todo, lo pequeo y lo
grande, lo total y lo particular, lo racional y lo insensato, todo lo que no podemos
nombrar y lo que tiene sentido y nombre.
He aqu que en realidad este vaco mora, se ha instalado precisamente en el
lugar en que vivimos, desde Brno [Repblica Checa] al Ocano Pacfico. Es, por grandilocuente que resulte la expresin, un agujero en el espacio, en el mundo, en el
tejido del ser; un agujero que tiene sede real, que, como depsito de vaco, se
contrapone al mundo, que cumple su terrible tarea de vaco con respecto a todo el
mundo restante: arrastrar a ste dentro de s, extraer de l su ser, su vitalidad y, en
Y eso, repito, no es un designio
el lmite, sumirlo en la carencia de ser del vaco mismo. Yeso,
metafsico, la mala voluntad de alguien, sino, como dije antes, la condicin misma de
la existencia del vaco, su vampirismo energtico con respecto al ser y el mundo.
Pero, en el territorio en que vive el vaco, en su, por as decir, superficie fsica
-que es dura, compacta, y est cubierta de bosque, de tierra, de montaas- viven personas, animales. Est habitado en el sentido fsico. Sobre l, sobre su superficie, viven casi 300 millones de personas con sus ciudades, casas, etctera. Qu
vida es sa? We
iDe qu modo interactan con el vaco los habitantes de este lugar?
Precisamente eso es lo que quisiramos examinar.
Ante todo, quisiera hablar de la especial constitucin psquica, del especial estado psicolgico de las personas que nacieron y viven en el vaco. Es como si este
vaco penetrara completamente cada vivencia, cada sensacin suya. Est incluido
en cada reaccin, en cada acto; est combinado con cada asunto, palabra o deseo.
Fundacin Juan March
ILI KABAKOV 1/ SOBRE El VAco

VACO
IlI
plaCada ser humano que vive aqu, vive, consciente o inconscientemente, en dos pianos: en el de sus relaciones con otros seres humanos, con su quehacer, con la
Naturaleza, y en el de su relacin con el vaco. Adems, como ya he dicho, esos dos
planos son opuestos entre s. El primero es la "construccin", la organizacin; el
segundo, el agotamiento, la aniquilacin del primero. En el nivel del rgimen de vida,
de la vida cotidiana, esa condicin divorciada, desdoblada, esa desconexin fatal de
ambos planos, es experimentada como una sensacin de destruccin universal, de
inutilidad, de falta de fundamento, de carencia de sentido de todo aquello que .el
'el
hombre haga, construya o emprenda: en todo hay una sensacin de caducidad, absurdo y falta de solidez. Esa vida en dos planos crea una especial condicin neurtica, psicoptica, de todos -sin excepcin- los habitantes que viven en el vaco.
El vaco crea una especial atmsfera de estrs, excitacin, impotencia, apata, de
constante miedo sin causa, tan caracterstica de la psique de las personas que
viven en el lugar donde habita el vaco.
El estatus psquico de stas se parece al estrs psquico del hombre primitivo o
de las pequeas tribus del centro de frica, que esperan cualquier cosa del temible
mundo infinito y vivo de la jungla que ha rodeado su pequeo poblado y avanza sobre
l. Pero hay tambin una gran diferencia entre la conciencia del neurtico rodeado
por la jungla y la conciencia del hombre que vive en el vaco. Tarde o temprano, el
habitante de la jungla sabr relacionarse con los espritus del bosque, nombrarlos,
elaborar una suma de conjuros y prohibiciones; y es que las fuerzas de la jungla
son para l reales, nticas, y por grandes y terribles que sean, se puede vivir con
ellas, entrar en contacto con ellas, ganrselas, luchar contra ellas, apartarse o huir
de ellas. Pero no ocurre as en el caso de los moradores del vaco. En ellos la sensacin de la presencia del vaco es de un gnero completamente distinto; ante todo,
est la imposibilidad, por definicin, de reconocerlo, nombrarlo o designarlo de
algn modo. Y es que el vaco no es natural o sobrenatural: es ANTINATURAL, y
vivir con l es como si constantemente no se viviera, es algo imposible y superior
a sus fuerzas. La sensacin del morador del vaco es el miedo nauseabundo de un
donante al que interminable y constantemente le extrajeran sangre. Pero los moradores del vaco tienen su tcnica, su psicotcnica de vida en el vaco. Han elaborado su propia denominacin del vaco, y con ello lo han personificado, confirindole un nombre. El vaco tiene, para ellos, una fisonoma completamente firme,
un aspecto fantstico, pero definido. Volver ms adelante sobre esto. Ahora quiTopo siera hablar de la forma, por decir as, topogrfica, de morar en el vaco. Topogrficamente, esta forma de poblamiento del vaco se manifiesta, existe con un
carcter esencialmente insular.
Podemos hablar claramente de una peculiar Oceana, de un archipilago de
poblados, pequeos y grandes, perdidos, dispersos por el espacio del vaco a seme-
Fundacin Juan March
362 1
/ 363
janza de unas Filipinas, pero no de islas en un ocano clido, sino en un ocano de lo

caso , la imagen, la esencia del vaco
ignoto, en un ocano de vaco. Aqu, en nuestro caso,
la asume el espacio mismo, esto es, la propia dimensin del territorio, su inmensiinmensurabil idad; no es simplemente un espacio
dad, infinitud, inabarcabilidad, inmensurabilidad;
"grande", que se puede calcular, comprender y apropiar, sino, por lo contrario, un
espacio sin fondo, sin fin, y que precisamente en ese lmite se funde fsicamente con
el vaco, se convierte en vaco. Estas islas de habitacin tienden a apretarse, a apiarse en s, sobre s, conservndose, guardndose del vaco que las rodea; esto
concierne tanto a la configuracin de las aldeas, donde parece que las casas se
apretaran unas contra otras, como a la de las gigantescas ciudades, cuya dimensin misma habla de la multitud de personas que afluyeron a ellas en tropel, que se
amontonaron en ellas, que huyen, que se salvan del vaco.
Esas islas de habitacin estn unidas, como se supone en la cultura insular, por
sistemas de comunicacin, puentes a travs del vaco. Pero esas comunicaciones,
todos esos caminos, veredas, carreteras, ros, ferrocarriles, pertenecen a una forma un tanto distinta de vaco, son, en cierto sentido, lo contrario de la vida de las
islas. Pero sobre esto volver ms tarde. Ahora quisiera subrayar una singular perconoc imiento
cepcin de los moradores de esas islas, que consiste en un especial conocimiento
de que el vaco, el no-ser, comienza inmediatamente despus de la frontera de la
isla, detrs de su ltima casa. No importa ;;i se trata de una aldea, una ciudad o un
poblado.
Pasemos al examen de la isla misma -el lugar en que se amontonaron los "cogeneraciones-.
lonos del vaco", sus moradores permanentes, isleos por muchas generaciones-o
qu
Qu es esa vida en comn, esa comunidad de personas "que nadan en el vaco", esa
que podramos llamar "sociedad .en canoa"? Es esa comunidad una unidad, una
fusin, en resumen, una nica sociedad humana interactuante ante el vaco?
En absoluto.
Al examinar la isla en la que se hallan desde cien hasta miles de personas, como
en las aldeas, o de uno a siete millones, como en las grandes ciudades, s~ descubre
lo principal en ella: el hombre en esa isla, en esa aldea, en esa ciudad, en esa gran
ciudad, se comporta igual que en el vaco, sin percatarse de las decenas, cientos y
millones de sus semejantes que se han amontonado a su lado. En l, en su interior,
el sentimiento del vaco, el miedo a la vivencia del vaco es tan grande, que experimenta tambin como vaco a las personas circundantes. El mar de gente alrededor
de l no conduce a la formacin de vnculos entre l y los otros, no lleva a la aceptacin voluntaria del otro. Todo a su alrededor es igualmente indiferente y hostil a
l, todo para l es iguaJmente ajeno -las calles, las casas, los asuntos de hoy y los
pasados, las cosas que lo rodean-, todo para l es vacuo, todo es encarnacin del
vaco. Todo lo circundante se le opone como vaco. Dentro de la isla, la salvacin del
Fundacin Juan March
VAco
ILI KABAKOV 1/ SOBRE EL VACO
vaco sigue siendo el propio vaco, y, as, para cada habitante de esa isla, todo lo que
est fuera y dentro de la isla -todo sin excepcin- es nada, vaco.
Pasemos al siguiente nivel de la topografa: la topografa dentro de la isla.
Todos los habitantes de las islas que tambin se sienten rodeados por el vaco
dentro de la isla se esconden en madrigueras.
-madrigueras. Precisamente esas madrigueras
constituyen la clula principal, el tomo bsico, por decirlo as, en la construccin
atomista de la isla. Precisamente la madriguera es el nico lugar de habitacin del
hombre del vaco, un refugio relativamente fiable contra el vaco y su portador -el
hombre-o Y
Yas
as como la propia isla es un refugio del vaco del espacio, la madriotro hombre-.
guera es el refugio del hombre individual contra los dems habitantes de la isla. Esa
es
estructura es, por principio, asocial, antisocial, y precisamente as debe ser, yyes
que el vaco es la arena donde todo eso sucede, es omnipresente, acta en cada
clula, penetra todo lo que est situado sobre ella. Los otros habitantes que rodean
al "hombre de la madriguera" representan para l un peligro potencial, son hostiles
mej9r de los casos, neutrales, inofensivos, indiferentes. Los desplazamieno, en el mejor
tos del "habitante de la madriguera" repiten la estructura comunicacional de toda
la cultura insular en su totalidad. Al igual que all, ste se desplaza por la isla como
a travs del vaco, se desplaza a otra madriguera, donde vive uno de los pocos
habitantes allegados a l, uno de aquellos en los que confa, esforzndose por evitar, por cruzar lo ms rpidamente posible la zona peligrosa entre las dos madrigueras, una zona que se halla inmediatamente detrs de la lnea de entrada de su
madriguera, una lnea donde termina su seguridad y comienza el vaco. Todas las
calles, caminos, aceras, de esas islas, de esas aldeas, ciudades o poblados, estn
repletas de miles de "habitantes de madrigueras"
madri~ueras" que corretean de una madriguera
a otra, y que, una vez fuera de ellas, no ven: temen; y no notan a nadie, aunque caminan en medio de la muchedumbre y chocan con gran nmero de sus semejantes.
Casi no existe ninguna interaccin, ninguna relacin entre los habitantes de una
madriguera y los habitantes de otras, excepto con los conocidos. Aqu la socialidad
es an menor que en los animales que viven en el bosque, donde existen reas de
influencia de cada especie, una autonoma de los senderos propios, una comprobada disposicin en niveles del ser espacial.
Hemos hablado arr:-iba de la personificacin, la nominacin de ese sentimiento
de vaco por los habitantes de esas islas. Entre los moradores de las madrigueras
dicha nominacin est ligada al concepto de "estatalidad". Este concepto se halla al
mismo nivel que conceptos tambin capitales de nuestro lugar, como vaco, isla,
comunicacin, madriguera.
La estatalidad en la topografa de ese lugar es lo que se halla, lo que existe
realmente al margen de los moradores de las madrigueras y entre ellos; lo que se
halla entre todo pero no se relaciona con nada en particular; lo que pertenece a la
Fundacin Juan March
364 1
/ 365
inmensa impersonalidad, al elemento del espacio; aquello a lo que pertenecen y de

lo que estn llenos todos los intervalos entre las madrigueras y las comunicaciones
entre ellas; en sntesis, todo lo que es encarnacin del vaco se funde con l y lo
expresa. Lo que ms armoniza con la definicin de la estatalidad es una metfora: la
imagen del viento que sopla sin cesar por el lado de las casas y entre ellas, que lo
atraviesa todo; del viento helado que siembra fro y ruina, que ruge y empuja siempre con la misma presin.
Al igual que el viento, su objetivo, su sentido, su rugido y la presin constante
de la estatalidad son incomprensibles para los "moradores de las madrigueras";
son incomprensibles sus temibles rfagas, sus cambios de direccin, su movimiento. La constante y feroz presin, sus terribles y siniestras rfagas justo tras la
puerta de la madriguera infunden horror en el alma del que se ha guarecido, lo
llenan de un temor constante. Y no sin razn. En esas rfagas, en esos terribles
estrpitos y golpes, en ese movimiento incesante, incontenible, inaccesible a la
comprensin y a las splicas, el temeroso morador de esos lugares reconoce la voz
de quien verdaderamente es el amo, el jefe de esos lugares: la voz del vaco. La
estatalidad es precisamente ese mismo vaco, no dado material, sensorialmente, al
morador de esos territorios, y por eso infunde horror, temor, se presenta como
castigo infligido a ste. Ante todo, la estatalidad es una actividad inconcebible para
el hombre, contraria e inaccesible a l por su sentido. Exige de l el cumplimiento de
"objetivos estatales", de tareas slo conocidas por ella, prometiendo a cambio slo
Qu objetivos se plantea ese viento, esa estatalidad, si es que se planclemencia. qu
tea alguno? Esos objetivos incluyen siempre el abarcamiento, la apropiacin de todo
n ico. Eso es, ante todo, el rpido
el territorio ocupado por el vaco, como un todo nico.
~ntendido como una nica todesplazamiento por todo el territorio de ese lugar, ~ntendido
torren talidad plana indivisa. Los moradores de ese lugar estn sumidos en ese torrente en torbellino, devienen una partcula impotente de ese torbellino.
Por eso, entre las acciones autnticamente estatales figuran proyectos y construcciones megalticos y sobrehumanos: los canales de Pedro 1, que cortan todo el
pas de norte a sur; los cantones militarizados dispuestos regularmente por toda la
frontera del imperio de Nicols 1; las franjas de proteccin forestal de Stalin; la
nivelacin de montaas y la inversin del curso de ros, tambin de Stalin; los recorridos para esquiadores entre Jabrovsk y Mosc, de ida y vuelta; la roturacin de
tierras vrgenes en tiempos de Jrushchov y los vuelos csmicos, el Sevmorput 1 y
otras acciones que tienen significado estatal. Pero todas esas construcciones y
proyectos, sucedindose como las temibles rfagas del viento, no cambian nada
ni en el territorio de ese lugar, ni en la situacin de los moradores de esas madrigueras ni en cmo se sienten, aunque todas esas construcciones y proyectos se
realizan con la ayuda de estos. Siempre se sienten sumidos en esos desplazamien-
Fundacin Juan March
VACO
ILI KABAKOV 1/ SOBRE EL VAco
tos, rfagas, grandes acciones, los sienten como algo que ofusca, como violencia o
loca embriaguez.
Ni que decir tiene que, como se sigue de lo expuesto, todas las comunicaciones,
los vnculos, tanto entre las madrigueras como entre las islas, pertenecen tambin
a ese viento, a esa estatalidad.
Werien historia esos lugares, ese archipilago situado en el vaco? NO la tienen.
rienen
Sus islas se van al pasado como al vaco, se disuelven en l a manera de nubes,
perdiendo su forma y configuracin. La memoria de islas pasadas desaparece, se
interrumpe con la desaparicin de unas y la aparicin de otras, y ms all del borde
del da de hoy, como ms all del borde de la isla, sigue abrindose el mismo vaco.
No existe la historia, ni la superposicin de capas, ni la continuidad, sino que se
mantiene slo un ligero recuerdo potico: hubo monasterios como focos de cultura,
cu.ndo ... dnde...
dnde ... todo como
hubo ciudades, hubo alguna vida en algn momento, cu'ndo...
humo se disip en el vaco. Nada dimana de nada, nada est ligado a nada, nada
significa nada, todo est suspendido y desaparece en el vaco, se aleja velozmente
con el viento helado del vaco.
Adems, uno de los principales rasgos de la vida de todos los moradores locales
es la fuga, el desplazamiento, el ser llevado. El viento del vaco saca a los moradores
de sus madrigueras, los arrastra como hojas por la montona faz de la inmensa
superficie de este pas, sin permitirles detenerse, sin dejarlos arraigar. Cada cual,
aqu, es como si estuviera presente temporalmente; lleg de ninguna parte y hace
poco tiempo, extrao en una tierra de nadie.
Qu actitw;l toman los moradores mismos de esos lugares hacia ese sentimiento de vaco, hacia ese desasosiego?
Se pueden distinguir cuatro tipos de actitudes. La primera es, en general, esforzarse por no percibir con la conciencia, vivir en el vaco "de manera natural" y
considerar todos los acontecimientos, causas y vnculos de la vida en l como algo
que es "simplemente as", como naturales y debidos.
La segunda es considerar esa vacuidad como algo indigno, inaceptable para el
hombre, para su vida humana. Por eso son necesarios toda clase de proyectos y
cambios, desde los econmicos hasta los jurdicos, para transformar ese lugar y
las condiciones de vida de la gente por la va de las construcciones, los desplazamientos, el trabajo y nuevas reformas.
La tercera actitud es la mstico-religiosa, segn la cual, para el alma del hombre, ese lugar de vaco, de desarraigo, es muy til. Precisamente aqu, en un lugar
carente de ser, un lugar "del mal, la mentira y el no-ser", es ms fcil salvarse,
sentir las "alturas de las montaas", desear y hallar la verdad suprema.
Norte ".
1 N. del T.: Sevmorput es la abreviatura de "Severnyi Morskoi Put", es decir, la "Ruta del Mar del Norte".
Fundacin Juan March
366 /1 367
La cuarta es simplemente verlo como es en realidad y describir ese lugar como

puede describir un mdico la historia de una enfermedad a consecuencia de la cual
l mismo se halla desahuciado.
Regresando al inicio del presente artculo, a la mencin de que ese espectculo
de vaco fue visto desde Checoslovaquia, se puede decir que el lugar desde el que se
present esa vista tiene un aspecto totalmente distinto como estructura espacial.
Si se vuelve a la imagen del vaco como un ocano en el que estn situadas las
islas de un archipilago, Checoslovaquia, al igual que todo el espacio europeo, puede
ser representada como una enorme cantidad de puentes construidos, tendidos
sobre el ocano, de isla a isla, en diversas intersecciones y niveles, construidos,
reforzados durante aos, y que, al fin y al cabo, han cubierto el ocano bajo ellos.
En cierto sentido, esto recuerda una especie de bazar sobre el agua en Hong Kong,
donde las aguas no se ven en absoluto a causa de la multitud de barcas, construcciones y cobertizos.
O el mar por sus dimensiones era pequeo en Europa, o se construan y tendan
Oel
de manera tupida, constante y enrgica puentes por encima de l entre las islas; el
resultado es que el hombre logr crear su monoltica y continua comunidad humana, su propio, ininterrumpido mundo humano, su sociedad humana.
En cambio, aqu, donde estamos nosotros -como fue, como es y como probablemente ser siempre-, la vida recuerda a la vida de los cientficos en tiendas de
campaa en la Antrtida inhabitada y glida. Desde luego, se puede ir de visita, a
tomar el t o a bailar, de una tienda de campaa a otra, de la sovitica a la estadounidense y viceversa; es posible entusiasmarse locamente con esa ocupacin, pero
las relaciones verdaderas, autnticas consistirn en la sensacin del lugar donde
estn esas tiendas de campaa: sern relaciones con la capa de hielo de cinco
kilmetros de espesor, de la que se puede esperar todo lo que se quiera; ante todo
todo,,
la ru
ina y la muerte.
ruina
1990
Fundacin Juan March
32
Kaba kov , abril/April 1979

32 Ili Kabakov,
Fundacin Juan March
368 1
/ 369
ON THE SUBJECT
Of
OF "THE
''THE VOID"
VOID''
llya Kabakov
lIya
In the spring of 1981 1I was in Czechoslovakia, and 1I remember that among all the
interesting impressions and ideas, 1I was struck by the experience of looking at
"our place" from the outside, from the vantage point of someone who has left, of
loo k when viewed from "the
seeing it from another place. How does our place look
outside"? The situation might be compared
comparad with a long train journey when, after
Fundacin Juan March
VOID"
ILVA KABAKOV 1/ ON THE SUBJECT OF "THE VOIO"
travelling an interminable distance sitting cooped up in a compartment, you suddenly pull into a station. You go outside onto the platform and walk alongside the
loo k through the glass into the
train, and from the platform, from the outside, you look
very compartment where you had just been sitting.
You are immediately gripped by an intense sensation, which brings everything
together and makes everything fall into place-this is the clear, final vision of the
void, of the absurdity of the place where we live all the time.
The void is, of course, primarily a spatial notion, and indeed, for the artist this
so to speak, his prosense is the familiar one-it is the way he experiences space, soto
fessional sense, the viewpoint from which he sees, and so on. The sense of the void
lt
under discussion here, though, is not just the spatial sense, the optical sense. It
is something quite different.
lt is a gigantic reservoir of emptiness. This gigantic reservoir, this volume of
It
.s nota
emptiness we are talking about here and which represents our place, ii.s
not a void
at all, at least not in the European sense of that word. The understanding of the
void as an (as yet) unoccupied space-a space that has not yet been built on or is
shoddily or scantily built on-is an understanding which is peculiar to that approach
and perception. To put it simply: we are talking about an understanding of emptia bare table that has not yet been set but which
ness that is like the emptiness of abare
can be set, or the emptiness of land that has not yet been sown but which can be
lt seems that this European, rationalistic conception of emptiness as a field
sown. It
order to gain mastery over
where potentially we need only apply human force in arder
it, as a place which is "awaiting man's labor," is just not applicable. The emptiness
of our place that 1
I would like to talk about is something of a completely different
cultivating,_in other words,
nature. Terms like opening up, colonizing, working, or cultivating,
rationalistic European terms, can never be used to describe it.
. This void is an extraordinarily active volume, like a reservoir of emptiness, like
lite, tremendously activated but contrary to authentic
an especially hollow type of life,
lite; it presents itself as the absolute antithesis of every
existence and authentic Iife;
living thing. "Nature does not tlerate a vacuum."-"But neither does a vacuum
tolerate nature," one might add. The void of which 1
I speak js not zero, it is not
notaa neutral charge ora
"nothing," it is not
or a passive zero line. Absolutely not.
noto The void
lts activity is equal to the activity of positive existence-be
is exceptionally active. Its
activiti cit
it the activity of nature, the positive activity
of man, or of higher powers. But its
activity exists with a contrary force, pointing in the opposite direction, possessing
the same energy and strength as the striving of a living being to become, to grow,
exist. With the saine indestructible activity, strength, and permato build, orto
or to existo
"lives," reducing existence to its antithesis, destroying construcnence, the void "Iives,"
lt is,
tion, mystifying reality, transforming everything into dust and nothingness. It
Fundacin Juan March
370 1/ 371
1I repeat, the transformation of active existence into active non-existence and,

most importantly-and 1I particularly wish to draw attention to this-it lives and exIife and existence that surrounds
ists, not of its own accord, but feeds off all the life
I see this as the
it, digesting it and pulverizing it, making it disappear into itself. 1
It sticks to, grows off, and sucks dry exessence of the void, its fatal role for life. lt
istence, the void derives its mighty cloying nauseating anti-energy by sapping
energy from the existence surrounding it, like a vampire.
I want to say, 1
I see atable, covered by a
In searching for a metaphor for what 1
table-cloth, at which people sit, conversing. On the table there are dishes of food,
I watch as someand the lady of the house keeps putting new dishes on the table. 1
one, almost unnoticed, keeps tugging at the tablecloth and everything on it, the
plates, vases, and glasses crash to the floor with a uniform clatter. Why? What is
It's no use asking. Such a question can only be addressed to living,
his purpose? lt's
to a void. The void is the other, contrary side of every
reasonable things but not toa
question, it is the foil, the contradiction, the ubiquitous "no" to everything small
and large, to each and everything, to the reasonable and the insane, in other words,
to the unnameable and to things which have meanings and names.
So this void is what has settled in the place where we live, from Brno to the
lt is a special hole in space, in the world, in the fabric of existence,
Pacific Ocean. It
like a reservoir of
which has its own reallocation, poised in opposition to the world Iike
emptiness going about its horrific, emptying business in relation to the whole of
the rest of the world-drawing that world into itself, extractig from it its existence and its vitality, and in the end reducing it to its own non-existence. And this,
I1repeat, is not some
sorne metaphysical design, it is not someone's evil will, but, as I1
va mpire energy
said before, this is the very condition on which the void exists, its vampire
in relation to existence and the world.
But in the territory which the void inhabits-on its, let us say, physical surface
lt is, in
hills)-live people and animals. It
(which is c1osed,
closed, covered by woods, earth, and hills)-Iive
the physical sense, inhabitable. On its surface live almost 300 mil!ion people with
their towns, houses, etc. What sort of life is this, how do the inhabitants of this
place interact with the void? This is what we wish to examine here.
First I1would Iike
like to say something about the psychological constitution of the
lt is as if the void penetrates every
people who were born in the void and live there. It
lt is part of their every action and deed; it is
one of their sensations and emotions. It
lives here
mixed up in all their affairs, words, and aspirations. Every person who Iives
lives, whether consciously or not, on two planes: on the plane of his relations with
other people and nature, and on the plane of his relations with the void. These two
planes are in opposition, as I1have already said. The first is "construction," the
second is the destruction, the elimination of the first. On the level of daily life, this
Fundacin Juan March
VOID"
ILVA KABAKOV 1/ ON THE SUBJECT OF "THE VOIO"
split, this bifurcation, this fatallack of connection between the first and second
planes is experienced as a feeling of general destruction, uselessness, dislocation,
and hopelessness in everything, no matter what a person does, whether he is building or performing sorne other task, he senses in everything a feeling of impermanence, absurdity, and fragility. This life on two planes causes a particular neurosis
and psychosis in every inhabitant of the void, without exception. The void creates a
particular atmosphere of stress, edginess, debility, apathy, permanent groundless
terror: that is the state of the people who live in the place where the void dwells.
primitiva
Their psychological condition is akin to the psychological stress of primitive
men or of small tribes in Central Africa who are constantly awaiting whatever danjungla to befall their
ger may come from the boundless, frightening world of the jungle
little village. But there is a big difference between the mind of the neurotic man who
jungla and the mind of a
aman
is surrounded by the jungle
man living in the void. Sooner or later,
jungla, will be able
the jungle-dweller will know how to deal with the spirits of the jungle,
to give them names,
na mes, make up spells and interdictions. After all, the forces of the
jungla are real for him, part of daily life, and however big and frightening they are,
jungle
live with them, make contact with them, make pea
peace
he can Iive
ce with them, fight them,
avoid them, or run away from them. Not so for the inhabitant of the void. The sensation of the presence of the void is a quite different kind of sensation; essentially
i.i.tt is the impossibility of definitively knowing it, naming it, or even distinguishing it.
For the void is neither natural nor supernatural-the void is ANTINATURAL and to
live with it is impossible and beyond one's strength-to live with it is not to live at
al l. The sensation of living in the void is like the fear felt by a blood donor
donar from whom
al!.
blood is continuously drawn. But the inhabitants of the void do have their methods,
their psychological techniques, for dealing with life in the void. They have worked
out their terminology for the void, they have personified it, and they have given it
names.
na
mes. For them, the void has a definite form and its own fantastic but defined
appearance-but more of that later. First 1
I would like to say something about the
topographical form of life in the void. Topographically, it is a very defined form; the
settlement in the void is principally insular in character.
We can really talk about a type of ocean, about an archipelago with both large
and small settlements, lost, scattered about the area of the void, like a kind of Philippines; not like islands in a warm ocean, but in the ocean of the unknown, in the
ocean of the void.
In our case, the form and essence of the void takes over the territory itself. It
lt
is itself, shall we say, a measure ofterritory, in its vastness, its infinity, incomprejustaa big area which can be calculated, understood,
hensible immeasurableness, not just
and mastered, but an unfathomable unending one, and just at the bordar
border where physically the void should have ended, the territory fades back into the void.
Fundacin Juan March
372 1/ 373
These inhabited islands have a tendency to come together, to huddle towards

one another and onto one another, protecting themselves, separating themselves
Iike this too, where
from the void around them. The villages and settlements are like
the houses are crowded together, and gigantic cities the size of which bears witness to the multitudes of fugitives gathered there, crowd together, fleeing, saving
themselves from the void.
These islands of the settlement are connected (as befits an island culture) by
a system of communicating bridges across the void. But these communications,
all these roads, paths, chaussees, rivers, and railroads belong to a different form
life of these
of the void, which emerges, in a certain sense, in opposition to the Iife
islands (but more of that later).
Iike to emphasize at this point the peculiar feelings of the inhabitants
I would like
1
Theirr feelings are formed in a very peculiar consciousness, in the
of these islands. Thei
knowledge that the void, non-existence, begins just beyond the boundaries of the
island, just beyond the last house, no matter whether this is a village, town, or
settlement.
Let us move on to examine the island itself, the place where the "colonists of
the void" are gathered together, its permanent residents, islanders for generaity of people, "floating in the
community
tions back. What is this settlement like, this commun
formed a perfect intervoid,
the
void"? Has this community united in the face of
dependent social network?
Nothing of the sort.
live between one hundred and one
If
lf you examine an island on whicn there Iive
thousand people (as in the villages) or between one and seven million people (as in
LIKE
the large cities), you will notice that each person on this island behaves JUST LlKE
others, just like
IN THE VOIO,
VOID, never noticing the tens, hundreds, and millions of others,
him, who have gathered nearby. The feeling of terror of the void is so great in him
that he sees and experiences those around him as he would experience the void.
under~tanding of the
toan
The great sea of people around him does not lead him to
an under~tanding
orto
to a concord of goodwill between himself
Iinks
links between himself and his neighbor or
exception , is his enemy. To him, evand others. No, everyone around him, without exception,
erything is equally alien,
alen, streets, houses, today's affairs and those of the past, the
objects around him-everything is emptiness, everything is the embodiment of the
void.
void . Everything around him is in opposition to him as the void is. The interior of
the island-sanctuary from the void-is
vo id-is also the void, and so it is for every inhabitant of the whole island; whatever is inside or outside this island is all, without
exception, nothingness, void.
We move now to the next level of topography, the topography of the interior
of the island.
Fundacin Juan March
ILYA KABAKOV 1/ ON THE SUBJECT Of

OF "THE VOIO"
VOID"
IlYA
All the inhabitants of the islands and the interior of the islands who feel themAII
selves in danger take refuge in burrows.
These burrows are the basic cell structure, the basic atoms in the atomic struclive-a
ture of the island. The burrow is the only place where the void dweller can Iive-a
representativas of the void,
relatively secure refuge from the void and from the representatives
justas
as the island itself is a refuge from the emptiness of space,
other people. And just
so the burrow is the refuge of the individual from the other inhabitants of the
not a social one-it is antisocial and so it must
island. This structure is basically nota
be; after all, all this is taking place in the arena of the void, and the void is active
in every cell, penetrating everything that is situated there. Around the burrow man,
other inhabitants appear as a potential danger, as enemies or at best neutral,
unthreatening, indifferent. The movements of the "burrow-dwellers" mirror exactly the communications structure of the whole insular culture. Here, as there,
the burrow-dweller moves across the island as though through the void, moving to
another burrow where one of his neighbor burrow-dwellers lives-one he truststrying to get across as quickly as possible, to cross the danger-zone between the
two burrows, immediately getting himself across the line of the entrance to the
All the streets, roads,
burrow-the line where his security ends and the void begins. AII
and pavements of these islands, the settlements, towns, and villages are filled with
thousands of people dashing from one burrow to another. On leaving these burrows
they see nothing, they are frightened and notice no one, although they bang into
and knock against a multitude of people
people" like themselves as they scurry along.
Except for acquaintances, almost no interaction or interrelations exist between
the inhabitants of one burrow and the inhabitants of another. There is less sociability here than between animals who live in the forest, where each has its own
territ(!ry, its own paths, and there is an established pecking order.
arder.
territC1ry,
above, of how the inhabitants of these islands personify and give
We talked, aboye,
na mesto
names
to this experience of the void. For the inhabitants of the burrows, this naming
is connected with the idea of "the state system," and this conception is on a par
with and equal in importance to the main conceptions of the place such as void,
island, communications, and burrow.
"The state system" in the topography of this place is what exists beside and
between the inhabitants of the burrows; it is between everyone, but does not relate to anything in particular, and it belongs to the boundless impersonality of the
lt is an element of the place, and it is what all the spaces between the burplace. It
rows and all the communications between them are filled with. In short, everything
that is an embodiment of the void, that blends with it and expresses it.
The metaphor that is most apt for defining the state system is the wind, ceasebefare t,
it, an icy
lessly blowing through and between houses, blowing everything before
Fundacin Juan March
374 1/ 375
wind, bringing cold and ruin, howling and smothering, always with the same continuous pressure.
Just as the aim, purpose, roar, and continuous pressure of the wind are inJustas
comprehensible to the "burrow-dwellers," so too is the state system incomprehensible, the state system with all its gusts and sudden changes of direction. The
permanently fierce pressure, thunderous gusts, and howling sounds, just at the
entrance to their burrows, bring horror to the souls of those sheltering there, filling
them with permanent fear. And not without good reason. In these gusts, terrible
rolls and peals and blows and uncontrollable, incomprehensible unstoppable movements the timid inhabitant of this place recognizes the voice of the real master,
it is the voice of the void. The state system is the void itself, which the people of
these parts cannot feel materially or tangibly with their senses and which therefore inspires fear and horror in them and is perceived like a punishment. More than
anything, the state system expresses itself in actions whose purpose remains into a person, contrary to and inaccessible to his mind. The state
comprehensible toa
system demands from each person that he fulfill the state's own secret aims and
tasks and in return promises only merey.
mercy. What aims has this wind, this state system
set for itself, if indeed it has any at all? The aims are always concerned with acquiring for itself all the territory that can be occupied by the void as a single entity. This
is, above
aboye all, a territorial expansion over the whole area of this place, understood
as a single, incalculable, smooth whole. The inhabitants of this place are plunged
into this cyclone, becoming, themselves, helpless particles in the cyclone.
For this reason, megalithic, inhuman projects and constructions are among the
great works of the state system: the canals of Peter the Great, slicing through the
militarizad cantons along the entire borcountry from north to south; the regular militarized
der of the empire of Nicholas 1; the forestry protection belts of Stalin, his schemes
to
tear down mountains and change the course of rivers, skiers crossing the countotear
try from Khabarovsk and back again; the cultivation of the Virgin Soil under Khrusu eh
shchev and the flights into the cosmos; the Arctic shipping route-and other such
activities all have a "state" meaning. But all these projects and constructions, all
mixed up together like awesome gusts of wind, change nothing, neither in the territory of the place nor in the situation or state of mind of the inhabitants of the
completad with their
burrows (despite the fact that all the projects have been completed
helpJ.
help). The inhabitants always feel as if they have been dragged into these displacements, departures, and mighty works. They experience them as a frenzy, like mindless violence or intoxication.
After all that has been said already it is hardly necessary to point out that all
communications and links between burrows and between the islands belong to this
wind, to this state system.
Fundacin Juan March
ILYA KABAKOV 1/ ON THE SUBJECT OF "THE VOIO"
Does this place, this island archipelago scattered in the void, have a history?
No, the islands have no history. They disappear into the pastas
past as into the void, dismemorias of
solving into it like clouds, losing their form and configuration. The memories
islands past disappear, severed by the disappearance of old islands and the appearance of new ones. The same void gapes at the edge of today as gapes beyond
the limits of the island. There is no history, no legacy, no continuity, the only thing
that sticks is a dim poetic memory-once there were monasteries as centers of
sorne
culture, there were towns, there was 50
me kind of ... life ... sometime, but when
lt all blows away like smoke in the void. Nothing is begotten of anyand where? It
else, nothing signifies anything, every;5 connected with anything e/se,
thing, nothing is
thing is suspended in and disappears into the void, it is blown away on the icy wind
of the void.
Among the most important features of life for all the local inhabitants are
flight, displacement, and pursuit. The wind of the void flushes out, blows away the
inhabitants from their burrows, like identicalleaves from the huge surface of the
lt is as if everycountry, not allowing any tarrying or any putting down of roots. It
one here exists temporarily, they have come from nowhere in particular not long
;~re strangers in a land that belongs to no one.
ago and i;tre
How do the inhabitants relate to this feeling of the void and to this rootlessness?
lt is possible to distinguish four different types of attitude. The first is trying
It
notto consciously notice anything-one tries to live in the void "naturally," and
to regard all occurrences, reasons, and links to life in the void as "just the way
things are."
The second is to consider the void to be unworthy and unacceptable for a human
being. Thus, what is needed are projects and reforms in every sphere, economic
and legal reforms in order to change this place and the living conditions of those
who live here by means of resettlement, hard work, and more reforms.
The third way is the mystical-religious way, according to which the void and
the lack of worldly attachments is very good for the human sou!.
soul. Here in this
place, dedicated to non-existence, this place "of evil, deceit, and non-being," it is
easier to find salvation, to attain the "heights of ecstasy," to search for and to
.find higher truth.
The fourth way is simply to see everything as it really is and to describe ths
place as a doctor might describe the history of a disease that he is suffering from
himself.
Returning to the start of this article, to the recollection that the void first
became
beca
me visible from Czechoslovakia, we must say that the place which afforded
us this view has a completely different spatial structure.
Fundacin Juan March
376 1/ 377
lf we return to the analogy of the void as

asan
If
an ocean in which the islands of the
scattered, then Czechoslovakia, like the whole European area, can
archipelago are scaUered,
imaginad as a vast collection of bridges and constructions, built aboye
above the ocean,
be imagined
from island to island in various trajectories and at varying levels, built up over
generations and now completely covering the ocean below. In a sense this is reminiscent of the view of a floating market on the water in Hong Kong, where the water
itself is completely invisible beca use of the multitude of boats, constructions, and
awnings.
1
m not sure whether the dimensions of the ocean were smaller in Europe
Euro pe or
Ia
am
close together, with
whether the bridges between the islands were simply built so c10se
such persistence and energy. Whichever it was, man was able to create his own
uninterrupted, human world, his human society.
Here, on the other hand, life remains today as is was in the past and how it will
lt is alife
a life that reminds us of the life of scientists in the
most likely always be. It
uninhabited icy wastes of the Antarctic. Of course, ene
one can go and visit friends,
frien~s,
toaa tea party ora
tent to another, from the Soviet tent to
go to
or a dance, go from ene
one tent
the American ene
one and back again, and ene
one can forget oneself in these activities,
but one's real relationship to the place where these tents stand will be expressed
in the feeling that what ene
one encounters here is a five-kilometer-thick ice floe,
above all ruin and death.
from which we can expect anything, but aboye
1990
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
378 1
/ 379
APROBADA!
iAPROBADA!
(EN UNA PURGA
DEL PARTIDO)
ALIOJIN, 1981, 260 X 80 CM, ESMALTE SOBRE ORTOLlT
ORTOLIT
DE ALlOJIN,
lli Kabakov
lIi
"Yo soy como un nuevo bardo,

que atrapa al vuelo una
cancin ajena y, acto seguido,
la canta como propia"
-Osip Mandelstam
Recuerdos de aclaraciones que di al ensear este cuadro:
SURGI EL CUADRO
CMO SURGi
Me parece recordar que fue en la primavera de 1981 cuando Vladimir Sorokin me
trajo dos lbumes de Pintura Sovitica. 1938. Uno de los lbumes era en color y all
aparecan Efnov, Mdorov, Guersimov y dems. El otro lbum era en blanco y
negro. Entre otras reproducciones, estaba el cuadro iAprobada!, del pintor Aliojin
Nunca me haba encontrado este cuadro entre las obras cannicas (quiz ms bien
Fundacin Juan March
ILI KABAKOV 1
/
iAPROBADA! (EN UNA PURGA DEL PARTIDO)

APROBADA!
en los "libros de difuntos") de la pintura sovitica, a pesar de que, creo recordar, se

nos mostraba cuando recibamos enseanza primaria y secundaria. La reproduccin
me sorprendi tanto por la extrema pobreza de su ejecucin -que no resulta fcil de
obs~rvar ni en las mejores obras de arte de Deineka o Pmenov -,
-,como
obs~rvar
como por su sincera, bonachona y casi servil -"qu
_" qu desea el seor?"seor?" - observancia de las "exigencias del momento". Un tipo de ejecucin artstica que no es fcil descubrir en
los "cclopes" citados por el "gran nivel de plasticidad y riqueza artstica" que
muestran.
Fue precisamente por esa "bonachonera", por esa especial candidez del artista
al aceptar y ejecutar el encargo, por lo que esta reproduccin de pequeas dimensiones supuso el germen -o quiz fuera mejor decir el cristal- del que comenz a
derivarse, a irradiar en todas direcciones, ese interminable flujo de sensaciones y
argumentos que me asalt nada ms comenzar a copiar esta reproduccin pictrica.
Mientras tanto, me dediqu a aumentar sus dimensiones y a aplicarle una coloracin,
a mi parecer, bastante similar a la que tena el original, ya que yo mismo fui "entrenado", tanto en la escuela como en el Instituto, precisamente para la elaboracin y
ejecucin de "esos cuadros", "esas obras pictricas".
YO DE LOS "DOCUMENTOS" RELACIONADOS CON EL CUADRO?

1. QU SE va
Hasta el momento, muy poco. A decir verdad, no he averiguado absolutamente nada
sobre este asunto, sino que por los espectadores que vieron "mi" cuadro supe, en
primer lugar, que nadie haba visto el original de ese cuadro y que, por tanto,
nadie poda informarme sobre si ese original exista an en algn sitio o haba desaparecido sin remisin para siempre. En segundo lugar, que el autor del cuadro
haba enseado e impartido clases en el Instituto Estatal de Bellas Artes de Mosc V. 1.l. Surikov hasta el estallido de la guerra, llegando a ser incluso su director
durante aquellos trgicos aos (entonces, antes de que lo fuera Mdorov?). Nadie
recordaba ningn otro cuadro de este pintor. En tercer lugar, que el escenario del
cuadro es de carcter estrictamente documental (L. Bliaj). El acontecimiento que
en l se narra tuvo lugar en la sala de un edificio que no se encuentra muy lejos
de mi domicilio; ms concretamente, en la sala Dzerzhinski de ese edificio de la
plaza Lubinka 1
2. EL CUADRO "HISTRICO"
Sin duda alguna, tenemos ante nosotros una muestra, un ejemplar entre otros muchos, de pintura "histrica". Pero la peculiaridad de este cuadro radica en que es
"doblemente histrico", y ahora les explico por qu.
1 N. del T.: sede de las temidas OGPU y KGB soviticas.
Fundacin Juan March
380 /1 381
Por lo general, todos los cuadros "histricos" fueron pintados cierto tiempo
despus de que tuvieran lugar los acontecimientos que "reflejan": a veces, el momento en que ocurri el suceso "histrico" est separado por dcadas, incluso por
siglos, del momento de su ejecucin sobre el lienzo. En cierto sentido, esta distancia
temporal se convierte precisamente en una condicin para rescatar del pasado un
acontecimiento concreto, que, con el paso del tiempo, es reconocido como histrico
por las generaciones posteriores. Es decir, que esta separacin temporal es una
condicin necesaria para la formacin de la "historia". V
y cmo podra ser de otro
modo? La misma aparicin del gnero de la "pintura histrica" es un acto de elevacin de un acontecimiento al rango que ocupa la diosa "de la Historia": Clo y la Historia. Pero esta posibilidad slo la pueden juzgar las generaciones futuras y sus
"pintores" historicistas.
En el plano estrictamente artstico, estos cuadros, si bien ganan en carcter
histrico, pierden sin embargo en carcter documental. V
Y no es extrao que esto
ocurra. Se puede decir que en todo cuadro histrico hacen acto de presencia dos
tiempos distintos: el tiempo en que ocurri el hecho histrico y el tiempo en que vive
el pintor que representa el acontecimiento.
acontecimiento . V,
Y, por regla general, este segundo
"tiempo" oculta, solapa al primero; la atmsfera que envuelve la ejecucin del cuadro enrarece, enturbia la atmsfera que envolva el acontecimiento representado.
S, se puede decir que este defecto no lo sufren los cuadros histricos ejecutados en el mismo momento en que sucede el acontecimiento representado, es decir,
los cuadros pintados "cuando las cenizas del suceso an estn calientes". Mcaso
no estn ejecutados casi a bocajarro, uncidos a la cola de los acontecimientos, los
cuadros de Vereshaguin, la Tachanka de Grikov o los Lienzos blicos de Mentzel?
Fuera como fuese, el hecho de que los propios contemporneos, incluidos los artistas, considerasen ciertos acontecimientos concretos cruciales o decisivos desde el
punto de vista histrico no era suficiente para que las generaciones futuras los
elevaran al rango de "Su Majestad la Historia" y, mientras esto no ocurriera, esos
acontecimientos estaban condenados a ser tan slo testigos documentales o, en el
mejor de los casos, material para futuros cuadros "histricos".
Pero, por otro lado, nosotros sabemos de multitud de cuadros que, con su ejecucin, con su nfasis artstico, pretenden otorgar una vida intemporal, eterna,
"histrica", a los acontecimientos por ellos representados. Eso es lo que ocurre con
esos innumerables retratos de zares y emperadores, en los que esos hroes y esas
excelsas Excelencias conducen sus batallones y escuadrones a la guerra. Sus poses
solemnes y marciales, sus atributos eternos e histricos, estn llamados a testificar, a lo largo de siglos, sobre cualquiera de los acontecimientos representados e
insertos en la Historia.
Fundacin Juan March
ILI KABAKOV
KABAKOV 1/ iAPROBADA!
APROBADA! (EN
(EN UNA
UNA PURGA
PURGA DEL
DEL PARTIDO)
PARTIDO)
ILI
Pero puede
puede que
que Clo
Clo no
no reconozca
reconozca como
como "histricos"
"histricos" ni
ni el
el primero
primero ni
ni el
el segundo
segundo
Pero
de estos
estos casos.
casos. En
En el
el primer
primer caso,
caso, en
en presencia
presencia de
de una
una superabundancia
superabundancia de
de elemenelemende
tos documentales,
documentales, por
por una
una ausencia
ausencia de
de significacin
significacin oo relevancia
relevancia histrica
histrica yy pictripictritos
ca; y en el segundo caso, al contrario, pese a la sensacin de darse esa "relevancia
histrica", la base documental resulta abstracta o queda en tinieblas, como si pareciera inventada.
el cuadro iAprobada!
Aprobada! del pintor Aliojin parece evitar felizmente
Sin embargo, el
igual que en el segundo caso, referido un
un poco
todas esas imperfecciones. Aqu, al igual
ms arriba, vemos el esquema clsico de un cuadro "histrico" como superpuesto al
material documental existente. Como si, desde este punto de vista, hubiera adquirido un autntico "tono histrico". Al mismo tiempo, y como ocurra en el primer caso
antes referido, podemos advertir el uso exacto del material documental disponible.
Pero aqu, en este cuadro, ni lo primero ni lo segundo se ocultan entre s.
010 digo sin sombra de
Ante nosotros se encuentra un ejemplo nico y autntico (ilo
irona!) de creacin histrica, que, sin duda alguna, merece conservarse con este
valor intrnseco por los siglos de los siglos y, adems, con la cualidad aadida de que
fue engendrado en sincrona con el propio acontecimiento, en el instante preciso en
que aquel tena lugar, por decirlo de alguna manera.
Pero por qu razn, merced a qu circunstancia, resulta eso posible? Naturalmente, en primer lugar, gracias a que el propio acontecimiento, el que se representa en el cuadro, es real y extraordinariamente importante y significativo, resulta
clave y decisivo en el conjunto de acontecimientos que han tenido lugar en nuestro
siglo. Pero no slo por eso. La especial atmsfera de "historicismo" de esa poca
penetraba, imprima su sello en todos los acontecimientos de su tiempo histrico: al
final de los aos 30, en nuestro pas, el historicismo lo alzaba "todo" -lo grande y
lo pequeo- a un rango o a un nivel histrico. "Histrico" lo era todo: el primer
tractor, el primer embalse, los primeros vuelos a la estratosfera, los primeros vuelos transatlnticos, etc...
etc ... Pues bien, este aire "histrico" se refleja por completo
en el cuadro que analizamos, informndole de aquel "rgimen histrico" tan especial, de su solemnidad e importancia.
3. EL TEMA DEL CUADRO

En la base de la composicin subyace la tradicional escena catlica del milagro de la
aparicin de la Virgen a los oficiantes religiosos y al pueblo. En un cuadro cannico de
ese gnero, la Virgen, completamente inundada de luz, bendice con gesto amoroso a
los religiosos que se inclinan ante ella, estupefactos por su contemplacin, ante el
iAprobada! se nos
el cuadro Aprobada!
asombro arrobado de los all presentes. En esencia, en el
presenta ese mismo tema, slo que, por as decirlo, en un sentido totalmente
de una "misa negra".
opuesto: como si lo que se representara fuera la celebracin de
Fundacin Juan March
382 1/ 383
La Virgen ni insufla vida y nimo en los oficiantes, ni los bendice; al contrario, es

el viejo oficiante el que le da vida a la Virgen o, ms exactamente, se la devuelve.
(El procedimiento de "depuracin" o "limpieza ideolgica" transcurra as: la persona sometida al proceso de limpieza deba salir a la tribuna ante toda la asamblea y,
dejando sobre la mesa el carn de afiliado al partido, deba "limpiar su imagen ante
sus camaradas", es decir, hablar de sus padres, de su trabajo y, antes que nada,
etc...
... Si resultaba que el interfecto no estaba "limdemostrar sus orgenes obreros, etc
pio", y para ello bastaba con un solo voto de los presentes en la sala, entonces
bajaba de la tribuna como un lishnietz, es decir, "una persona expulsada de la
militancia comunista", que en adelante quedaba privada de su derecho al trabajo. Su
carnet de partido ya nunca ms le sera devuelto. Todo esto me lo cont mi madre,
que ms de una vez fue sometida a este procedimiento de depuracin ideolgica, y
eso a pesar de no estar afiliada al partido comunista).
La mujer representada en el cuadro super satisfactoriamente el proceso de
"limpieza ideolgica", fue "aprobada" y, por tanto, recibe de vuelta su carn de
afiliada al partido, es decir, la vida. De esta manera, en este cuadro, no es la Mado.devuelve
viejoo preboste del partido quien
quien.devuelve
nna la que da la existencia, sino que es el viej
a la Madonna a la vida.
4. UN NIVEL MS PROFUNDO
Analizando el cuadro a un nivel ms profundo, ese que subyace bajo el significado
inmediato de la representacin, descubriremos sin esfuerzo alguno la escena del
sacrificio pblico. Esa mujer, una de las muchas que se sientan habitualmente en
la sala, ha sido llevada hasta el primer plano de la realidad y ahora debe subir al altar
(a
Ca la tribuna) para su inmolacin. Sonriendo, Dios la observa desde las alturas,
mientras que ms abajo, aliado de ella, hacen lo mismo los sacerdotes que reciben
a la vctima. (Resulta sorprendente el parecido entre el sacerdote-preboste del
partido con el Dios representado en el pedestal rojo, en el ngulo superior izquierdo
del cuadro). Pero lo que aqu se ha representado grficamente, en ese tono sepia
tan caracterstico, no es el momento cumbre del sacrificio, con todos sus horribles
detalles (un sacrificio similar a los siniestros procedimientos msticos de los aztecas u otras tribus antiguas), sino precisamente todo lo contrario: lo que se representa es el estado de iluminacin y xtasis, la recuperacin por parte de la vctima
de su limpieza e integridad personales ante Dios y el pueblo congregado en el templo.
Ante nosotros no se desarrolla solamente un rito sublime, misterioso y sacramental, sino el fenmeno culminante de este proceso: la luminiscencia y fosforescencia de la propia vctima junto al altar, como una especie de sattori. Tambin
resulta interesante comprobar que el autor de este cuadro ha reservado de antemano un lugar para nosotros, los espectadores. Un puesto para un espectador de
Fundacin Juan March
ILI KABAKOV 1I APROBADA!

iAPROBADA! (EN UNA PURGA DEL PARTIDO)
este clarificador momento, de este instante, un espectador cuya mirada no es la

de un cientfico distante, la de un etngrafo que ha podido introducirse y presenciar
de manera subrepticia un ritual ajeno, inaccesible y nunca visto antes, sino precisamente lo contrario: es la mirada de un espectador que experimenta en sus propias
carnes lo que sucede; no como simple espectador, sino como verdadero partcipe
de un santo ritual, para el que lo que sucede resulta tan significativo, nico e irrepetible como para todos los dems participantes representados en el cuadro.
Ah radica el sentido sacramental de esta obra, que excluye y prohbe cualquier
mirada "ajena" a lo que all ocurre. De ah se deriva un punto de observacin mvil
y deslizante, una escena, donde el ojo que observa ve, simultnea y sucesivamente,
a todos los dioses, a los sacerdotes, a la vctima, el altar y al mismo pueblo all
congregado.
5. UN NIVEL MS TODAVA
TODAVA
del .
Sin duda alguna, los dos personajes centrales del cuadro Verificada son el busto del
2
"lder"
, en el ngulo superior izquierdo, y la figura de la herona principal. Entre
"lder"2,'
ellos existe una relacin, si bien mnima: la cabeza y el rostro del viejo sacerdotefuncionario que devuelve a la herona su carn de partido son de un color y tienen
una expresin muy similar a los del "lder". Y esto, ya de por s, genera profundas
etc ...
asociaciones mentales con el papel del "Vice", del "Sustituto", etc...
Sin embargo, durante mi preparacin del cuadro, de la instalacin, no haba
manera de que yo captara la "clave" principal de la int
int7rrelacin
7rrelacin entre esos dos
personajes-actores y, sin esta circunstancia, el cuadro, la instalacin, no comenzaba a "funcionar" de manera efectiva. Esta situacin dur un tiempo bastante
largo, hasta que, de pronto, me vino a la cabeza una solucin, que coloc todo en su
sitio. Todo el meollo de la cuestin radicaba en esto: hacia dnde diriga su mirada el
Y la diriga, de una manera directa y permanente, hacia
busto de piedra del "lder". Yla
la derecha, hacia el pecho firme de la "verificada", iluminado y proyectado hacia
adelante, aunque oculto bajo el vestido. En cuanto comprend la trayectoria de esa
mirada constante y levemente entornada, todos los dems elementos del cuadro
encajaron ...
... Pero, acaso no nos transporta inmediatamente el amor y la atraccin de un
...Pero,
cuerpo vivo hacia una escultura de piedra, sin brazos ni piernas, hacia la visin de
las antiguas "bacanales", donde el frenes y el xtasis irracional en el fondo de la
espesura del bosque, bajo el retumbar de los panderos de las "bacantes", se diriga
hacia los stiros de mrmol, tambin ellos sin piernas ni brazos, emplazados sobre
sus pedestales marmreos?
l. Lenin.
Lenin .
2 N. del T.: V. 1.
Fundacin Juan March
384 1/ 385
385
384
6. V,
Y, POR
POR LTIMO
LTIMO...
...
6.
POR
QU,
A
PESAR
DE TODO,
TODO, ERA
ERA NECESARIO
NECESARIO HACER
HACER
lPOR QU, A PESAR DE
ESTA ESPECIE
ESPECIE DE
DE PSEUDOCOPIA?
PSEUDOCOPIA?
ESTA
La historia
historia existe
existe all
all donde
donde se
se es
es receptivo
receptivo aa ella
ella.. La
La imbricacin
imbricacin de
de la
la "cultura"
"cultura"
La
ms
manera
la
de
consigue
se
vivos
los
de
local de
de los
los apcrifos
apcrifos en
en los
los sueos
sueos de los vivos se consigue de la manera ms sensenlocal
de la
la repeticin.
repeticin. Incluso
Incluso con
con el
el esfuerzo
esfuerzo recordatorio
recordatorio que
que se
se hace
hace
cilla: por
por medio
medio de
cilla:
de vez
vez de
de lo
lo que
que "existi"
"existi" uu "ocurri"
"ocurri" una
una sola
sola vez
vez yy en
en cierta
cierta ocasin,
ocasin,
por segunda
segunda de
por
impres"es
que
lo
entre
todo
dividirlo
a
nuestro sensible
sensible odo,
odo, tan
tan acostumbrado
acostumbrado a dividirlo todo entre lo que "es impresnuestro
ransporta inmediatamente
cindible recordar"
recordar" yy lo
lo que
que "hay
"hay que
que olvidar",
olvidar", ttransporta
inmediatamente lo
lo repetido
repetido
cindible
al mundo
mundo de
de lo
lo "que
"que es
es imprescindible
imprescindible recordar"
recordar"...
...
al
Rigindonos por esta
esta regla
regla yy tenindola
tenindola presente,
presente, confiamos
confiamos en que, recordan- .
aremos un estatus de
este cuadro hoy ya desaparecido, le d_
daremos
do por segunda vez este
existencia real o, ms todava, de existencia para siempre, es decir, eterna. De
Aprobada! en
este modo, y por los siglos de los siglos, introduciremos el cuadro iAprobada!
el panten de nuestras "sagradas reliquias artsticas", an no demasiado amplio
ni excelso.
Ss..
ff..
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March
386 1I 387
TESTED!
TESTEO!
(AT A PARTY PURGE)
(ATA
ORGALYTE, 260 x 80 CM
BY l.1. ALEKHIN, JUNE 1981, ENAMEL ON ORGALVTE,
lIya Kabakov
llya
"A new bard will

else's song,
compase someone e/se's
wi/1 compose
/ike his own, he will
And, like
wi/1 sing it ... "
Osip Mande/shtam
Mandelshtam
Recollections of the explanations which accompanied the display of this painting:
HOW THIS PAINTlNG

E:
AROSE:
PAINTING AROS
Sorokin brought me two books about Soviet
It
lt must have been in spring of 1981. V. Sorokin
painting of 1938. One of the books was in color-including works by Efanov, Modorov, Gerasimov, and others. The second one was black and white. Among similar
reproductions, there was the reproduction of the painting Tested! by Alekhin. I1had
befare,
never encountered this painting in the "canon books" of Soviet painting before,
Fundacin Juan March
TESTEO! CAT
(AT A PARTY PURGE)
ILYA KABAKOV I1 TESTED!
even though they should have entirely been demonstrated to us during our school
and institute education. The reproduction immediately astounded me by its pathetic wretchedness, which is not that easy to find in the masterpieces of Daineka and
Pimenov, as well as by its special, sincere, servile, almost open-hearted "as you
wish" execution of the "demand of the moment," the fulfillment of which is not that
easy to discern behind the "high artistic imagery" of the above-mentioned "big
shots."
Precisely by the strength of this "open-heartedness," by the special naivet of
representad the heart,
receiving and executing an order, this small reproduction represented
better to say, the crystal from which infinite streams of thoughts rushed, began to
emanate in various directions as soon as I1began to copy this reproduction [pp .114. 11415]. Having enlarged it and added color to it, it seemed to me very close to the
original, for I1 myself had been "trained" both in school and in
in the institute for
producing precisely such "paintings."
1. WHAT DO I1 KNOW ABOUT THE "DOCUMENTS" CONNECTED

WITH THIS PAINTING?
much. In essence, I1myself didn't strive to find out, but from the viewers
So far, not mucho
llearned that in the first place, no one had ever seen the
who saw "my" painting, Ilearned
original of this painting, and no one could say whether it existed somewhere or
whether it had disappeared irretrievably.
In the second place, its author had taught at the Moscow State Art Institute
lnstitute
named after Surikov until the war; and it seems even during the war, he was the
director of the Institute
lnstitute (does that mean it was before Modorov?). No one could
recall any other painting"
painting of his.
In the third place, the painting's place of action is strictly documentary
(L.
Blyakh). The event takes place in the hall of a building not far away from me,
(L.-Blyakh).
precisely in Dzerzhinsky Hall, in the building on Lubyanka Square.
2. "HISTORICAL" PAINTING:
Before us, without a doubt, is one type of "historical" painting. But the characteristic feature of this painting is that it is "twice historical," and this is the crux of
the matter.
Usually, "historical" paintings are made when sorne
some time has gone by after the
actual event that they "describe," sometimes the moment of the "historical" event
was decades and sometimes centurias
centuries ago from the time of its depiction. In a certain sen
se, such a temporal distance is the condition for the acquisition of an event
sense,
in the past, which over the course of years descendants come to recognize as
historical, i.e., as being central for the formation of "history."
Fundacin Juan March
388 /1 389
But how could it be otherwise?

The very emergence of the genre of "historical" painting is an act elevating
sorne event to the rank of the "historical" by the muse of history, Clio. But only
some
descendants and their historical "painters" can judge about this potential.
sen se, winning in historicism means nonetheless for such paintIn the artistic sense,
ings to lose in documentarism. And this is not surprising. In any historical painting,
two periods of time are present-the time of the actual event and the time of the
event. And normally, this second "time" covers the first
artist who depicts that evento
one, the atmosphere "when the painting was done" muddles the atmosphere of the
event being depicted.
Okay, you might say, but such a flaw is not shown by a historical painting done
of the occurring event, so
soto
at the time ofthe
to speak "in hot pursuit." Aren't the paintings
by Vereshchagin, Tachanka by Grekov, and the War Canvases by Menzel executed at
lt seems as if that is the case,
point blank range, right up against the very moment? It
but what the contemporaries of these events and the artists themselves considerad to be determining in the "historical" aspect did not mean at all that it would be
ered
elevated to the rank of "His Majesty of History" by their descendants, and until the
beca me such, they were doomed to be merely documentary evidence, at
paintings became
best material for future "historical" paintings.
On the other hand, we know many paintings which in their execution, in their
pathos want to impart to their subject a sort of non-transient, eternal "historical"
life. Such are the innumerable Tsarist imperial portraits, where 10ft
y, titled heroes
lofty,
send regiments, squadrons, and others off to battle, where the solemnity of poses,
the historical, "eternal" attributes are invoked to show that the depicted events
are being inserted
insertad forever into history.
But it should be said that Clio can also neither recognize the first nor the
second instance as "historical" ones.
In the first case, given an abundance of documentarism dueto
due to the absence of
"historical" artistic generalization, and in the second, just the opposite, given the
feeling of "historical significance," the documentary basis remains in the shadows
or abstract or inventad.
invented. lt
It seems tome
to me that the painting Tested! by Alekhin cheerily avoids all of these flaws.
Here, just like in the second case referred to above,
aboye, we see the classical
c1assical scheme
of the "historical" painting superimposed by documentary material. In this sense
it is full of "historical pathos." Just like in the second case, we see almost an exact use of documentary material. But neither the features of the first nor those
of the second case suppress one another, they do not cover each other.
Before us is a unique example of a genuina
genuine (1 am speaking without any joking
whatsoever!) historical work which, without a doubt, is to be preservad
preserved in this
Fundacin Juan March
ILYA KABAKOV
KABAKOV I1 TESTED!
TESTEO! CAT
(AT AA PARTY
PARTY PURGE)
PURGE)
ILYA
capacity for
for centuries,
centurias, regardless
regardless of
of the
the fact
fact that
that it
capacity
it was
was made
made synchronically
synchronically with
with
the actual
actual event,
event, so
soto
speak, at
at the
the moment
moment of
of the
the event
the
to speak,
event itself.
itself.
Thanks to
to what
what does
does it
it turn
turn out
out like
like that?
that?
Thanks
Primarily, of course, thanks to the fact that the event which is depicted is
extraordinarily important, significant, it is highly important among other events
of our century.
only reason. The special atmosphere of "historicism" penBut that's n'Ot the onry
etrated all of the events of that time-at the end of the 1930s, "everything," great
and small, was raised to
toaa historicallevel in our country. Everything was "historical" -the first tractor, the first dams, the first flights into the stratosphere and
air of the "historical" is perfectly included in this
across the Atlantic, etc. This very air
painting, imparting a special "historical mood" to it, pathos and significance.
But the most important thing, and this is why the painting is "doubly historical,"
is that we do not only see the event that was actually occurring at
ataa specific time
and in a specific place, but also the very depiction of this event made at the same
time and in the same place! Thus we get a so-called double "historicism," we simultaneously see both what occurred and the interpretation provided by the depiction at the very same historical second, the "historical instant"!
OF THE PAINTING:
3. THE STRUCTURE Of
A traditional Catholic image about the miracle of the Madonna's appearance to the
clergy and the people underlies this composition. In such a canonical painting, the
Madonna, radiating light, blesses the elders who remain bent over and frozen, contemplating the miracl_e
miracl.e just like those surrounding them in a state of ecstatic amazement.
mento In the painting Tested!, in essence, the same plot is presentad,
presented, but with a
reversed significance, soto
so to speak, a "black mass" is depicted here. lt
It is not the Madonna who gives life to the elders and blesses them, but on the contrary, an elder
gives, or more precisely, returns life to her. (The
(lhe procedure of a "purge" is as follows: whoever is being cleansed in front of the entire gathering goes up to the podi
um and has to render account "in front of the comrades," i. e., has to tell about
dium
his parents and his work, etc., and before this, he puts his Party membership card on
the table. lf
If someone turns out not to be pure-and for this, a single voice from the
audience is sufficient-he will step down from the podium forever "a disenfranchised
person," and moreover, his Party membership card will not be returned to him. My
mother told me all of this, she went through a similar "purge" more than once.)
The woman depicted in the painting passed the "purge." She has been "tested"
and her Party membership card, i .e., her life, is being returned to her. Hence, in
this painting, it is not the
the Madonna who gives life,
Iife, but the elder who gives life
Iife back
to her.
Fundacin Juan March
390 1/ 391
391
390
4. THE
THE DEEPER
DEEPER LAVER:
LAYER:
4.
Examining
the
painting
on aa deeper
deeper level,
level, underlying
underlying the
the depicted
depicted plot,
plot, we
we can
can easeason
painting
the
Examining
public
sacrifice. This woman, one of many sitting in the hall,
ic sacrifica.
ily discover a scene of publ
has been brought here, to the fore, and now she is standing there, having ascended
to the altar (podium)
CpodiumJ for immolation. Gods look at her from above,
aboye, smiling, and
sacrifice. (There
(lhere is a
down below, next to her, there are the priests accepting the sacrifica.
hgh priest and the god on the red pedestal in the
striking similarity between the high
is is not a depiction of the culminating
corner of the painting.)
painting.J But th
this
upper left cerner
sacrifice with terrifying details (e.g.
Ce.g. similar to the Aztecs' descripmoment of a sacrifica
proceduresJ, but quite the contrary-a state of ecstatic enlightention of mystical procedures),
represented, the victim's attainment of lucid clarity in the face of the gods
ment is representad,
Before us is not only the highest and most secret
and the people in the temple. Befare
sacred action, but the peak moment of this event-the illumination and luminosity
of the victim herself at the altar-a unique sort of "satori." Our place as viewers
prepared by the artist is interesting. lt
It is the place of a contemplaof the painting preparad
tor of this enlightenment, of this "instant," but not with the view of a cold scholarter
an ethnographer, secretly having enterad
entered this ritual that is unseen and inaccessible to outsiders-but precisely the opposite, a viewer whb is co-experiencing what
is happening, not even a viewer, but a fully authorized participant in the ritual, for
whom what is placed befare
before him is as significant, natural, and unique as for all the
acto
depicted participants of this holy act.
Herein lies the sacred meaning of this painting-it excludes an "outsider's" view
of the events.
From this comes both the "roaming," "roving" point of view of the scene in
which the eye of the viewer can see simultaneously and one after the other all the
gods and the clergy and the victim and the altar and the people.
5. ONE MORE LAYER:
LAVER:
Without a doubt, the two main characters of the painting Tested! are the bust of
Lenin in the upper left corner
cerner and the figure of the main heroine. Between them,
there is a connection, even if it was only by the fact that the old priest who returns the Party membership card to the heroine has the head and face of the
and expression. This already provokes a
leader, in approximately the same color and
strong association with a "substitute."
"substituta."
But while preparing the painting, I1couldn't grasp the main "key" of interrelalt
tions between the two characters, and without this, the painting didn't "work." It
continued
like
this
for
a
rather
long
time
until
suddenly
a
resolution
was
revealed
continuad
genuina interaction was revealed which I1
to me which put everything in place. A genuine
of the look
was the direction of
hadn't been able to grasp until then. The crucial point was
Fundacin Juan March
ILVA KABAKOV 1/ TESTEO!

TESTED! (AT
CAT A PARTY PURGE)
ILYA
busto lt
It was aiming directly and steadily at the right hip of the
of Lenin's stone bust.
i1luminated and which was hidden
"tested" one, which was slightly protruding and illuminated
asl1understood this steady, slightly squinted look,
underneath her dress. As soon as
came
love and attraction of
me together. Doesn't the leve
all the elements of the painting ca
vis ion
live flesh to the armless and legless stone statue momentarily take us to a vision
of pagan "Bacchanalia" where the Bacchanites merged in the fury and insane
frenzy with marble Satyrs, in the deep thicket, to the thunder of tambourines, the
Satyrs also lacking hands and legs and standing on short marble pedestals?
AND THE FINAL THING ...

6. ANO
WHV WAS IT NECESSARV TO MAKE THIS "PSEUDO-COPV" AT ALL?
History exists where borrowing exists. The introduction of living Apochrypha for
local "culture" is achieved va the simplest method: the method of repetition. Even
in simply referring a second time to what has already "been" once before, our sensitive ear, accustomed to dividing everything into what "must be remembered"
immedately transfers it to the world of "what must
and what "must be forgotten," immediately
be remembered."
Remembering and being guided by this rule, we hope that by copying a painting
that has disappeared, we can somehow impart the status of actually existing to it
and moreover, the status of existing forever, i.e., eternally, and hence, we introduce the painting Tested! into our yet not that large pantheon of "Holy Artistic
Relics" for all time.
n. d.
d.
Fundacin Juan March
392 1
/ 393
CRONOLOG[A
CRONOLOGfA
1970
lli Kabakov comienza a trabajar en la serie de
lIi
lbumes Diez personajes.
Primeros cuadros conceptuales de Kabakov: serie
de cuadros blancos (La lengua de tierra "Berdianskaia" y otros).
Otros sucesos
Aparece La estructura del texto artstico de luri
Lotman, uno de los libros fundamentales del Estructuralismo ruso.
1971
lli Kabakov pinta el cuadro Respuestas del grupo
lIi
bulldozers " porque, al

llamada "exposicin de los bulldozers"
no ser aprobada, fue disuelta por las autoridades
con ayuda de bulldozers.
septiembre : segunda exposicin al aire libre,
29 de septiembre:
lzmilovski. La exposicin fue auto-rizada.
Parque Izmilovski.
Participaron ms de 70 artistas.
El Congreso de EE.UU. adopta la enmienda JacksonVanik , que vincula el rgimen del comercio entre la
Vanik,
EE .UU . a la libre emigracin de judos de la
URSS y EE.UU.
URSS.
A partir de mediados de los aos 70, en los estudios
lli Kabakov e Igor
lgor Makrevich con Elena Elguina
de lIi
se efectuaron peridicamente
perid icamente diferentes acciones
artfsticas, lecturas poticas, muestras de lbumes
de lli Kabakov, de diapositivas de otros artistas,
de pelculas.
experimental.
rik Bultov crea Sin entrada, su primer cuadro
conceptual.
1975
lli Kabakov concluye la serie de lbumes Diez
lIi
personajes.
Otros sucesos
PCUS . Se proclama la construcXXIV Congreso del PCUS.
cin del "socialismo desarrollado" en la URSS.
1972
Inicio del trabajo conjunto de Vitali Komar y
Aleksandr Melamid.
Invencin del trmino Sots-Art y primeras obras
sots-artsticos: la serie Eslogans, Cita, Retrato de
la esposa e hijo de Komar Orina Degtiareva con

Petia).
Otros sucesos
Decreto del PCUS "Sobre la crtica artsticoliteraria " , en el cual se expres la necesidad de
literaria",
luchar con el inconformismo.
Emigracin forzada de lsif Brodski.
Vitali Komar y Aleksandr Melamid llevan a cabo la

performance Escritura musicalmusical - Pasaporte ...
(lectura del texto de un pasaporte sovitico, traspuesto por ellos a msica).
msica) .
Vktor Pivovrov: serie de cuadros Proyectos para
un hombre solitario.
Otros sucesos
ofic iales en la
Febrero: exposicin de artistas no oficiales
CVDNJ) ,
Exposicin de Logros Cientfico-Econmicos (VDNJ),
en el pabelln de Apicultura.
Septiembre: segunda exposicin en VDNJ, en el pabelln Casa de la Cultura, en la que participaron
145 artistas; el grupo Nido (Mijal Roshal, Guennadii
Donskoi y Vktor Skersis) realiz la accin Empolle
de un huevo.
En Helsinki tuvo lugar la Reunin para la Seguridad
y la Colaboracin en Europa.
1973
Proyectos conceptuales Nikolai Bujmov y Apelles
Ziblov de Komar & Melamid.
Otros sucesos
EE .UU. Se firma el
Visita de Leonid Brezhnev a EE.UU.
acuerdo sobre la prevencin de la guerra nuclear.
1974
lli Kabakov termina de trabajar en Seis pequeos
lIi
lbumes.
Otros sucesos
15 de septiembre: primera exposicin al aire libre
cerca de la estacin de metro en Believo (Mosc),
1976
Exposicin de Komar & Melamid El color es una
fuerza en la galera de Ronald Feldman en
gran tuerza
Nueva York.
ac~in
El da de la inauguracin tuvo lugar la ac~in
Escritura musical - Pasaporte ... en Mosc (por
segunda vez), Londres, Nueva York, Florencia,
Berln y otras ciudades. En la galera de Feldman
toc la violonchelista Charlotte Moorman, y en
Mosc, la pianista Natalia llikova.
Primeras acciones de Andrei Monastyrski, Nikita
Aleksev, Nikolai Pnitkov y otros: Aparicin (con la
participacin de Lev Rubinshtein, marzo), Lieblich
(abril), Tienda de campaa (octubre).
Fundacin Juan March
BOBRNSKAIA 1
CRONOLOGA
/ CRONOLOGA
Otros sucesos
En el Gorkom Grafikov (Comit Unido de Artistas
pintura .
Grficos de Mosc) se crea la seccin de pintura.
La sala de exposiciones de la seccin en la calle
Mlaia Gruznskaia result la primera plataforma
expositiva para muchos artistas no oficiales.
En Mosc se crea el Grupo de Cooperacin para el
Cumplimiento de los Acuerdos de Helsinki, que se
plante como objetivo la vigilancia del cumplimiento por parte de la URSS de sus obligaciones en
cuanto a la observancia de los derechos del hombre.
1977
En la revista Samizdat 37 (n.O
(n.o 12) de Leningrad se
public el artculo "Jorge Luis Borges y las premisas
existenciales del arte conceptual", de Bors Groys.
Creacin del grupo Acciones Colectivas, formado por
Andrei Monastyrski, Nikita Aleksev, Gueorgui
Kizeval'ter, Nikolai Pnitkov; en 1979 entraron a
lgor Makrevich, Elena Elguina y
formar parte Igor
Serguei Romashko.
Otros sucesos
En el marco de la Bienal de Venecia, como muestra
alternativa , en el pabelln sovitico se realiz la
alternativa,
exposicin La nuova arte sovietica. Una prospettiMonva non ufficiale (comisarios: E. Crispolti y G. Maneada). Se presentaron todas las orientaciones del
cada).
arte sovitico no oficial. Por primera vez se mosKabakov ,
traron muchas obras conceptuales de lli Kabakov,
Komar & Melamid y del grupo Acciones Colectivas.
Se adopt la nueva Constitucin de la URSS.
1978
Seminarios celebrados inicialmente en casa de Lev
Rupinshtein en la Plaza Maiakovka y poco despus
en casa de Aleksandr Chachk en el callejn
Starosadski, donde se efectuaron regularmente
Groys , rik
tri k
hasta 1985. En ellos participaban Bors Groys,
lli Kabakov, Vsvolod Nekrsov, Dmitri
Bultov, lIi
lvn Chuikov y otros.
Prgov, Lev Rubinshtein, Ivn
Comienzo del trabajo conjunto de Vadim Zajrov e
gor Lutz.
gor
Otros sucesos
Emigraron de la URSS Komar & Melamid.
1979
A-Ja,
Comienza a publicarse en Pars la revista A-Jo,
dedicada al arte sovitico no oficial. En el primer
nmero se publica el artculo "El Conceptualismo
romntico moscovita
moscovita"" de Bors Groys.
Color-forma-espacio en la sala
Febrero: exposicin Color-formo-espacio
de exposiciones del Gorkom Grafikov. En la exposicin

lli Kabakov,
toman parte artistas conceptualistas: lIi
Chu ikov .
lvn Chuikov.
Eduard Gorojovski, Vktor Pivovrov, Ivn
Komar & Melamid realizaron en Nueva York la accin
Venta de almas, que fue realizada paralelamente en
Mosc. Diciembre: exposicin en el estudio de
luri Albert de obras de luri Albert, del grupo Nido
(Gnezdo), Vadim Zajrov, gor
gor Lutz y Nadezhda
[GnezdoJ,
Stolpvskaia. Emigra Leonid Skov.
Otros sucesos
Afganistn . En resEntrada de tropas soviticas en Afganistn.
puesta, EE.UU. anuncia un embargo a los suministros
de granos y tecnologas actuales a la URSS, y llaman
a boicotear los Juegos Olmpicos en Mosc.
1980
Serie de cuadros-tablas iPor la limpieza! Horario de
sacar el cubo de basura, Domingo por la tarde y
lli Kabakov.
otros, de lIi
Creacin del grupo S-Z (Vktor Skersis y Vadim
Zajrov). Primeras obras del grupo: Inscripciones,
Regulacin de la actividad evacuatoria urinaria de

/os perros, la serie Llenado de nichos, Anatoma de
los
/os fsforos.
los
luri Albert comienza a crear cuadros-textos concepco'mo regalo ...,
..., etc.
tuales Aceptar co'mo
Otros sucesos
Mosc . En seal de protesta
Juegos Olmpicos en Mosc.
contra la entrada de tropas soviticas en
Afganistn, EE.UU., la RFA, Inglaterra y otros pases
boicotean los juegos.
Dis.turbios obreros en Polonia.
1981
Febrero: primera entrega del Archivo Moscovita
(MANI) . En total hubo cuatro entregas
del Nuevo Arte (MANI).
de archivadores del MANI. Cada archivador inclua
obras conceptuales originales, fotografas de obras
y textos tericos.
Junio: segunda entrega del MANI.
Diciembre: tercera entrega del MANI.
Instituto Cientfico y de Investigacin de Esttica
(VNIITE) : exposicin
Tcnica de toda la Unin (VNIITE):
Posibilidades de la fotografa (comisario:
(comisario : Leonid
trik Bultov, lli
lIi Kabakov
Kabakov;;
Bazhanov). Participan rik
lvn Chuikov.
Vktor Skersis e Ivn
S-Z
S-Z:: proyecto artstico Cursos de auto-defensa
/as cosas.
contra las
Komar & Melamid comienzan a trabajar en Nueva
York en la serie de cuadros Sotsrealismo nostlgico.
Diciembre: Bors Groys emigra de la Unin Sovitica.
Fundacin Juan March
394 1
/ 395
Otros sucesos
Junio: exposicin Mosc-Pars en el Museo Estatal
de Artes Plsticas A. S. Pushkin. Por vez primera se
muestran muchas ~bras clave de la Vanguardia rusa.
1982
Cuarta entrega de archivadores del MANI.
Primera exposicin de la galera no comercial AptApt
en el apartamento de Nikita Aleksev. En la exposicin participan Andrei Monastyrski,
Monastyrski , Nikolai Panitkov
y otros.
Vadim Zajrov hace una serie de obras conceptuales: Elefantitose Inscripciones en la mano.
Emigra a Praga Vktor Pivovrov.
Otros sucesos
Muere el Secretario General del Comit Central del
PCUS, Leonid Brezhnev. En el pleno extraordinario
eligen a luri Andrpov como nuevo Secretario
General.
En Polonia se implanta el estado de excepcin y se
prohbe la actividad del sindicato Solidaridad.
ltima exposicin en la galera AptApt MoscOdessa; en ella participan Serguei Anfriev e luri
Liderman, entre otros.
Otros sucesos
Muere luri Andrpov. Konstantn Chernenko es
elegido Secretario General del CC del PCUS.
1985
Sept iembre: exposicin
exposic in individual de lIi
lli Kabakov en
Septiembre:
la Kunsthalle de Berna.
lli Kabakov en la galera de Di
na Verni
Cina
Exposicin de lIi
en Pars.
Otros sucesos
Tras la muerte de Konstantn Chernenko, Mijal
del Comit
Generaldel
Gorbachov es elegido Secretario General
Centra
Centrall del PCUS.
Encuentro de Mijal Gorbachov y Ronald Reagan en
Ginebra . Restablecimiento del dilogo poltico
Ginebra.
sovitico-estadounidense.
1986
1983
Galera AptApt: exposicin de obras de Serguei
Anfriev .
Anfriev.
Exposicin AptArt al aire libre, en la aldea Calistovo,
regin de Mosc. Participan Nikita Aleksev, luri
Albert, Serguei Anfriev, S-Z, Andrei Filppov,
Acciones Colectivas.
Galera AptApt: exposicin colectiva Victoria sobre
el Sol. Participan Dmitri Prgov, Mijal Roshal, S-Z,
luri Liderman, Andrei Monastyrski, Nikita Aleksev
y otros.
Serie de Exposiciones individuales de S-Z
S-Z.. La
primera , en la galera AptApt, fue
f.ue destruida por
primera,
miembros de la KGB.
lli Kabakov, Hombrecitos
Primera instalacin de lIi
blancos,
Srtenskl.
.blancos, en su estudio del bulevar Srtenski.
lns~alacin El hombre que vol al espacio desde su

Instalacin
lli Kabakov, estudio en el bulevar
apartamento de lIi
Srtenski .
Srtenskl.
Accin-exposicin El arte contra el comercio (Mosc,
estacin de metro Parque Bittsevski), en la que
participaron Nikita Aleksev, luri Albert, Serguei
Anfriev, Vadim Zajrov, Andrei Filppov y otros.
Creacin de una colonia de artistas en el callejn
Furmannyi, entre otros estaban: Vadim Zajrov,
Anfriev , Pvel
luri Albert, Andrei Filppov, Serguei Anfriev,
Peppershtein e luri Liderman.
17' Exposicin de artistas jvenes moscovitas en la
17"
sala de exposiciones del MOSJ en el puente
Kuznietskii. En esta muestra se legaliza por vez
primera el "arte no oficial".
1984
Otros sucesos
PCUS . Se proclama que se pone
XXVI Congreso del PCUS.
rumbo hacia la perestroika y la glsnost. Se
iento" al perodo en
denomina "poca del estancam
estancamiento"
que gobern Leonid Brezhnev.
Avera en la Central Elctrica Atmica de Chernbyl
cerca de Kiev.
Kiev .
Ley sobre la actividad laboral individual: se autorizan
cooperativas .
la actividad privada y la creacin de cooperativas.
En la galera AptApt tiene lugar la exposicin Para el

alma y el cuerpo (Nikita Aleksev y Konstantn Zvezdochitov) y una exposicin individual de Vadim
lli Kabakov
Zajrov. Instalacin de 16 cuerdas de lIi
Zajrov.
Srtenski.
en su estudio del bulevar Srtenskl.
Formacin del Club de los Vanguardistas (KLAVA),

del que muchos artistas conceptualistas se hicieron
miembros.
Otros sucesos
Septiembre: un avin de caza sovitico derriba un
avin de pasajeros surcoreano con 269 pasajeros a
bordo . La URSS acusa a EE.UU.
EE .UU . de desviarse intenbordo.
cionalmente de su ruta para realizar tareas de
espionaje.
esp ionaje.
1987
Fundacin Juan March
BOBRNSKAIA 1
I CRONOLOGA
CRONOLOGA
Primera exposicin del Club de los Vanguardistas

(comisario:: Serguei Anfriev).
Anfriev). Entre los participan(comisario
se encontraban lli
lIi Kabakov, Serguei Anfriev,
tes se
luri Albert, Vadim Zajrov, luri Liderman,
Liderman, Andrei
otros.
os. Con la exposicin se hicieron
Monastyrski y otr
coincidir veladas creadoras de los conceptualistas
de la generacin mayor.
Se crea el grupo Inspeccin Hermenutica Mdica.
Sus miembros fueron Pvel Peppershtein, Serguei
Anfriev, luri Liderman.
Aleksev..
Emigra Nikita Aleksev
lIi Kabakov viaja por primera vez a Occidente para
lli
preparar una exposicin individual en el Museo de
Gratz.
1989
lIi Kabakov se traslada a Occidente.
lli
de artistas conceptualistas Arte Caro en
Exposicin de
Bakshtein).
el Palacio de la Juventud (comisario: lsif Bakshtein).
Exposicin Perspectivas del Conceptualismo del
Club de los Vanguardistas.
Otros sucesos
8erln.
Cae el muro de Berln.
Concluye la retirada de las tropas soviticas de
Afganistn.
Mayo: se abre Galera Primera, la primera sala
privada en Mosc, cuyos fundadores fueron Evgueni
Mitt, Aleksandr lakut y Aidn Saljov.
Otros sucesos
(ayuntamiento)
iento) de Mosc aprob regulaEl Sviet (ayuntam
ciones temporales para la realizacin de manifestaciones y mtines. Por vez primera aparece un
mecanismo jurdico para realizar manifestaciones
no iniciadas por las autoridades.
Intervencin de Bors leltsin en el pleno del CC del
PCUS con una crtica de la lenta marcha de la
perestroika. Comienzo del enfrentamiento entre
leltsin y Gorbachov.
1988
Creacin del museo suburbano del MANI, sobre la
base de donativos privados, en la dacha de Nikolai
Panitkov.
El Club de los Vanguardistas crea la accin
Exposicin en el bao pblico en los baos pblicos
Sandunovskie (comisario: lsif Bakshtein).
Instalacin Diez personajes, realizada por lli
Kabakov en la galera Ronald Feldman, Nueva York.
Hermenutica Mdica: comienzo de las acciones
de los inspectores (Inspeccin compleja de Odessa,
Ddessa,
abril-mayo;
abril-mayo ; Inspeccin compleja de Berln
Occidental, octubre-noviembre).
Otros sucesos
En su intervencin en la ONU, Mijal Gorbachov
anuncia la reduccin de las Fuerzas Armadas
soviticas y la retirada de las tropas de Europa
Central y Mongolia.
Comienza la retirada de las tropas soviticas de,
de,
Afganistn.
Subasta de arte ruso y sovitico en Sotheby's en
Mosc.
Mosc . Se venden con xito obras de artistas no
oficiales, en particular de Grisha Bruskin, lIi
lli
Kabakov, 19or
lgor Kopystianski, Vladmir Nemujin, Dmitri
Krasnopvtsev y otros.
otros.
Fundacin Juan March
396 1
/ 397
CHRONOLOGV
CHRONOLOGY
1970
llya Kabakov begins work on his Ten Characters
lIya
ot albums. He produces his tirst
series of
first Conceptual
pictures-a series ot
of white pictures (The Berdyanskaya Spit and others).
Other Events
Yuri Lotman's book The Structure of the Artistic
ot the fundamental works of
ot Russian
Text-one of
published .
Structuralism-is published.
29 , the second
unauthorized show. On September 29,
outdoor exhibition is held
he Id in lzmailovsky Park with
ot the authorities. More than
the permission of
seventy artists participate.
The US Congress passes the Jackson-Vanik
Amendment linking trade relations between the USSR
ot Jews trom
and the USA to the free emigration of
from
the USSR.
Beginning in the mid-1970s, lIya
llya Kabakov and Igor
lgor
Makarevich periodically host various artistic events
at their studios together with Elena Elagina-poetry
ot the albums of
ot lIya
llya
readings, presentations of
Kabakov, slideshows by other artists, and tilms.
films.
1971
llya Kabakov paints the picture Answers of the
lIya
Experimental Group.
Erik Bulatov creates his tirst
first Conceptual picture
No Entrance.
Other Events
ot the Communist Party of
ot the
The 24th Congress of
ot
Soviet Un ion (CPSU) declares the construction of
USSR .
"developed socialism" in the USSR.
1972
Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid begin their
collaboration . The term Sots Art is coined and the
collaboration.
tirst
first Sots Art works appear-the series Slogans,
The Quotation, and Portrait of Komar's Wife and
Son (trina Degtyareva with Petya).
PetyaJ.
Other Events
In its resolution "On Literary-Artistic Criticism,"
the CPSU Central Committee declares the necessity
ot the struggle against non-contormism.
of
non-conformismo
The writer Joseph Brodsky is torced
forced to emigrate.
1975
llya Kabakov completes the Ten Characters album
lIya
series.
Komar & Melamid perform
pertorm their Musicwriting:
Passport-a reading of
ot the text of
ot a Soviet passport
set to music.
Viktor Pivovarov presents his Projects for a Lonely
Man picture series.
Other Events
ot unofficial
unotticial artists is
In February, an exhibition of
Apicultura Pavilion of
ot the Exhibition ot
held at the Apiculture
of
(VDNKh) .
National Economic Achievements (VDNKh).
A second exhibition takes place at the VDNKh in
ot Culture PavilSeptember, this time at the House of
participating . The "Gnezdo"
ion, with 145 artists participating.
(Nest) group-Mikhail Roshal, Gennadi Donskoi, and
Viktor Skersis-stage the action Hatching Eggs at
exhibition .
the exhibition.
Conterence on Security and Cooperation in
The Conference
Europe is held in Helsinki.
1976
1973
Komar & Melamid present their Conceptual projects
Nikolai Buchumov and Apelles Ziablov.
Other Events
Leonid Brezhnev visits the USA. An agreement is
ot nuclear war.
for the prevention of
signed tor
1974
llya Kabakov tinishes
lIya
finishes work on Six Sma/1
Small Albums.
Other Events
On September 15, the tirst
first outdoor exhibition near
lt
the Moscow metro station Belyaevo is held. It
atter
becomes known as the "bulldozer exhibition" after
the authorities bring in bulldozers to destroy the
Komar & Melamid's exhibition Color ls

Is a Mighty
Power is shown at the Ronald Feldman Fine Arts
Gallery in New York.
York . Musicwriting: Passport is
pertormed on the opening day in Moscow (for
(tor the
performed
Floren ce, Berlin,
second time), London, New York, Florence,
and other cities. The cellist Charlotte Moorman
plays at the Feldman Gallery, the pianist Natalia
Yulikova in Moscow.
The tirst
first events involving Andrei Monastyrski, Nikita
Alexeev , and Nikolai Panitkov take placeAlexeev,
Appearance (featuring
(teaturing Lev Rubinstein, in March),
March) ,
Lieblich (Aprii),
(April), and The Tent (October).
Other Events
Gorkom Grafikov (the Moscow United Committee ot
of
Graphic Artists) sets up a painting section. For
Fundacin Juan March
EKATERINA BOBRINSKAYA I1 CHRONOLOGY
many unofficial artists, the section's exhibition hall

many
in Malaya Gruzinskaya Seet will be the first
exhibition space.
space .
exhibition
Pro mote Fulfillment of
of the Helsinki
The Group to Pro
lts goal is to monitor
Accords is founded in Moscow. Its
t he USSR's implementation of its human-rights
the
commitments .
commitments.
Komar & Melamid hold their Soul

Sou/ Sale event in
in New
York; it takes place in parallel
paralle l in Moscow.
York;
exhib ition oi
of the works of Yuri Albert, the group
An exhibition
"Gnezdo," Vadim Zakharov, Igor
lgor Luts,
Luts, and
and Nadezhda
Stolpovskaya is held at Yuri
Yuri Albert's
Albe r t ' s studio in
in
December.
Leonid Sokov emigrates.
1977
Other Events
Soviet troops intervene in Afghanistan. The USA
declar ing an embargo on deliveries of
responds by declaring
gra in and modern technology to the USSR and calls
grain
ca lis
for a boycott of the Olympic Games in Moscow.
Moscow.
" Jorge Luis Borges and the

Boris Groys's article "Jorge
Pr econd itions of Conceptual Art" is
Existential Preconditions
published in the Leningrad samizdat journal 37
(no. 12).
lts members
The group Collective Actions is formed. Its
Andre i Monastyrski, Nikita Alexeev,
Alexeev , Georgi
are Andrei
Panitkov. (In 1979, the
Kiesewalter, and Nikolai Panitkov.
lgor Makarevich,
Makarevich , Elena Elagina,
Elagina ,
group is joined by Igor
and Sergei Romashko.)
Other Events
The exhibition La nuova arte sovietica. Una prospettiva non ufficiale (curated by E. Crispolti and
Moneada) takes place within the scope of the
G. Moncada)
alternativa exhibition at the
Ven ice Biennale as an alternative
Soviet Pavilion. The exhibition presents all the trends
art. Many Conceptual works
wor ks by
in unofficial Soviet arto
llya Kabakov,
Kabakov , Komar & Melamid, and the Collective
Ilya
Actions group are shown for the first time.
The USSR adopts a new constitution.
constitution .
1978
Seminars are held, tirst
first at Lev Rubinstein's on
Mayakovsky Square, shortly afterward at Ale
xander
Alexander
Chachko's in Starosadsky Lane-the regular venue
until
1985. The participants are Boris Groys
until1985.
Groys,, Erik
Bu
latov, lIya
llya Kabakov, Vsevolod Nekrasov
Bulatov,
Nekrasov,, Dmitri
Prigov, Lev Rubinste
in, lvan
Rubinstein,
Ivan Chuikov, and others
others..
Vadim Zakharov and lgor
Igor Luts begin their
collaboration
collaboration..
Other Event
Eventss
Komar & Mela
mid em
igrate to the USA.
Melamid
emigrate
1979
The journal A-Ya devoted to unofficial Soviet art
begins publication in Paris. Boris Groys
's article
Groys's
"Moscow Romantic Conceptualism
Conceptualism"" is published in
the first issue.
In February, the exhibition Color-FormSpace is
Color-Form-Space
held at Gorkom Grafikov
's exhibition hall in Moscow.
Grafikov's
The Conceptualist artists llya
lIya Kabakov, Eduard
Gorokhovsky, Viktor Pivovarov, and lvan
ikov
Ivan Chu
Chuikov
partic
ipate in the exhibition
participate
exhibition..
1980
llya Kabakov presents a series of picture panels,
Ilya
C/eanliness! Roster
including For Cleanliness!
Raster for Taking
Ta king out the
Stop Pail and Sunday Evening.
Slop
Viktor Skersis and Vadim Zakharov form the
t he group
S-Z. Its
lts first works are Inscriptions,
lnscriptions, Regulating the
of Dogs, the series Fil/ing
Urination Activity olOogs,
Filling in the
Niches, and The Anatomy of Matches.
Niches,
Yuri Albert begins to create Conceptual picturesu eh as 1
Wi/1 Accept as Gifts ....
texts such
I Wil/
Other Events
The Olympic Games take place in Moscow.
Moscow . Athletes
States , West Germany, Britain,
from the United States,
Britain ,
and other countries boycott
boycot t the Games in protest
at the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Afghanistan..
Workers
Poland..
Workers'' unrest shakes Poland
1981
The first folder of the Moscow Archive of New Art
(MANI)
(MANO appears in February. Material is collected for
a total of four editions
editions.. Each folder includes
orig
inal conceptual works, photographs of the
original
works, and theoretica
theoreticall texts. The second edition of
MANI comes out in June, the th
third
ird in December.
The AII-Union Scientific Research lnstitute
Institute of
Technical Aesthetics (VNIITE)
(VNIlTE) stages the exh
exhibition
ibition
The Possibilities of
01 Photography showing wor
works
ks by
the artists Erik Bulatov, llya
lIya Kaba
Kabakov,
kov, Viktor
Skersis, and lvan
Ivan Chuikov.
The S-Z group presents its artistic project Lessons
Self-Oelense from
from Things
Things..
in Se/f-Defense
In New York
York,, Komar & Melamid begin work on the
picture series Nostalgic Socia/ist
Socialist Realism.
In December, Bo
r is Groys emigrates.
Boris
Other Events
The Moscow-Paris exhibition opens at the Pushkin
State Museum of the Fine Arts (GMIIl
(GMII) in June
June.. Many
Fundacin Juan March
398 1/ 399
works of the Russian Avant-garde go on show
key works
ime.
irst ttime.
for the ffirst
The
The AptArt gallery holds its last exhibition, MoscowOdessa, with the participation of Sergei Anufriev,
Yuri Leiderman, and
and others.
1982
The fourth edition of the MNI folders comes out.
The first exhibition of the non-commercial gallery
Alexeev's
' s apartment.
AptArt is held in Nikita Alexeev
Participants in the exhibition include Andrei Monastyrski and Nikolai Panitkov.
Vadim Zakharov does a series of Conceptual worksLittle Elephants and lnscriptions
Inscriptions on the Hand.
Litt/e
Viktor Pivovarov emigrates to Prague.
Other Events
General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee
Leonid Brezhnev dies. At an extraordinary plenary
session,
ion, Yuri Andropov is elected to be the new
sess
General Secretary.
In Poland, the authorities introduce a state of emergency and ban the activities of the trade union
Solidarity.
Other Events
Yuri Andropov dies. Konstantin Chernenko is elected
General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee
Committee..
1985
A solo exhibition of llya
Ilya Kabakov's works is held at
the Kunsthalle Bern in September.
na Vierny's gallery in Paris also puts on an exhibiDi
Dina
tion of Kabakov's works
works..
Other Events
After the death of Konstantin Chernenko, Mikhail
Gorbachev is elected
efected General Secretary of the CPSU
Central Committee.
Gorbachev meets with Ronald Reagan in Geneva.
Political dialogue between the USSR and the USA is
reestablished
reestablished..
1983
1986
An exhibition of the works of Sergei Anufriev is

staged at the AptArt gallery.
The AptArt in Nature exhibition is held in Kalistovo
(Moscow Region), with contributions by Nikita
Alexeev, Yuri Albert, Sergei Anufriev, S-Z, Andrei
Actions .
Filippov, and Collective Actions.
The AptArt gallery holds the Victory
aver the Sun
Victary over
group exhibition.
exh ibition. Participants include Dmitri Prigov,
Mikhail Roshal, S-Z, Yuri Leiderman, Andrei
Monastyrski, and Nikita Alexeev.
Alexeev .
The S-Z group presents its Solo
Exhibitians series.
So/o Exhibitions
The first of these in the AptArt gallery is destroyed
by the KGB.
lIya
llya Kabakov shows his first installation, Little White
Men,
Men , in his studio on Sretensky Boulevard.
llya
lIya Kabakov shows his installation The Man Wha
Who Flew
int
intoo Space fram
from His Apartment in his Sretensky
Boulevard studio
studio..
The action exhibition Art Against Cammerce
Commerce is held
at Moscow's Bitsevsky Park metro station. The
Yur i Albert,
participants include
includ~ Nikita Alexeev, Yuri
Zakharov , and Andre
Sergei Anufriev, Vadim Zakharov,
Andreii
Fil ippov.
Filippov.
An artists' colony is set up on Furmanny Lane.
include Vadim Zakharov, Yuri
The artists involved inelude
Albert, Andrei Filippov, Sergei Anufriev, Pavel
Leiderman .
Pepperstein, and Yuri Leiderman.
The seventeenth exhibition of young Moscow artists
takes place at the exhibition hall of the Moscow
Union of Soviet Artists (MOSKh) at Kuznetsky Bridge.
legalizad for
exhibition , "unofficial art" is legalized
At this exhibition,
time .
the first time.
Other Events
In September,
September, Soviet fighters shoot down a South
Korean airliner with 269 passengers on board.
board . The
USSR accuses the USA of intentionally making the
plane deviate from its course as part of a spying
mission.
1984
The exhibition For
Sau/ by Nikita Alexeev
Bady and Soul
Far Body
and Konstantin Zvezdochetov is held at the AptArt
gallery.
gallery. The AptArt gallery hosts a solo exhibition by
Vadim Zakharov.
Zakharov.
lIya
Rapes can be seen in
llya Kabakov's installation 16 Ropes
his studio on Sretensky Boulevard.
Boulevard .
Other Events
The policy of perestroika and glasnost is announced
CPSU . The
at the Twenty-sixth Congress of the CPSU.
Brezhnev 's rule is referred to as "the era
period of Brezhnev's
stagnation . "
of stagnation."
A serious accident occurs at the Chernobyl atomic
power station near Kiev.
legalizas
The Law on Individual Labor Activity legalizes
private economic activity and the _establishment of
cooperatives.
.
cooperativas.
Fundacin Juan March
EKATERINA BOBRINSKAYA
BOBRINSKAYA /1 CHRONOLOGY
CHRONOLOGY
EKATERINA
1987
1987
1989
1989
The Club
Club of
of Avant-Gardists
Avant-Gardists (KLAVA)
CKLAVA) is
is formed.
formed. Many
Many
The
Conceptualist artists
artists join
join the
the Club.
Club.
Conceptualist
The Club
Club of
of Avant-Gardists
Avant-Gardists holds
holds its
its first
first exhibition,
exhibition,
The
the curator
curator is
is Sergei
Sergei Anufriev.
Anufriev. Participants
Participants include
include
the
llya Kabakov,
Kabalcov, Sergei
Sergei Anufriev,
Anufriev, Yuri
Yuri Albert,
Albert, Vadim
Vadim
lIya
Zalcharov, Yuri
Yuri Leiderman,
Leiderman, and
and Andrei
Andrei Monastyrski.
Monastyrslci.
Zakharov,
Creative evenings
evenings with
with the
the older
older generation
generation
Creative
of Conceptualists
Conceptualists are
are timed
timed to
to coincide
coincide with
with the
the
of
exhibition.
exhibition.
The Inspection
lnspection Medical
Medica! Hermeneutics
Hermeneutics group
group is
The
created, comprising Pavel Pepperstein, Sergei
Leiderman .
Anufriev, and Yuri Leiderman.
Nilcita Alexeev emigrates.
Nikita
llya Kabakov
Kabalcov travels to the West for the first timeti melIya
to prepare a solo exhibition at the Kunstverein
to
Graz.
llya Kabakov
Kabalcov emigrates
lIya
emigrates to
to the
the West.
West.
The Expensive
Expensive Art
The
Art exhibition
exhibition of
of Conceptualist
Conceptualist artists
artists
is held
held at
at the
the Palace
is
Palace of
of Youth,
Youth , curated
curated by
by losif
losif
Balcshtein .
Bakshtein.
The Club
Club of
of Avant-Gardists
The
Avant-Gardists holds
holds the
the exhibition
exhibition
Perspectivas 01
of Conceptualism.
Conceptua/ism.
Perspectives
Other Events
Events
Other
The- Berlin
Berlin Wall
Wall comes
The
comes down.
down .
The withdrawal
withdrawal of Soviet
The
Soviet troops
troops from Afghanistan
Afghanistan
completad.
is completed.
Mitta , Alexander Yakut,
Evgeni Mitta,
Ya !cut, and Aidan Salakhova
Salalchova
found the First
First Gallery. It
lt opens in May and
and is the
first private gallery
first
gallery in Moscow.
Moscow.
Other Events
The Moscow City Council (Mossovet) issues provisional rules for conducting demonstrations and
meetings, thus for the first time creating a
public meetings,
legal mechanism for holding demonstrations not
initiated by the authorities.
Boris Yeltsin speaks
spealcs out at the plenary session of
the CPSU Central Committee criticizing the slow
perestroilca. Confrontation begins between
pace of perestroika.
Yeltsin and Gorbachev.
1988
The museum MANI is established on the basis of
private donations iri
in Nilcolai
Nikolai Panitlcov's
Panitkov's dacha
dacha..
The Club of Avant-Gardists holds its action
Exhibition in the Bathhouse (Sandunovslcy
(Sandunovsky Baths)
with losif Balcshtein
Bakshtein as curator.
The Ten Characters installation by llya
lIya Kabalcov
Kabakov
goes on show at the Feldman Gallery, New York.
T~e
The Medica!
Medical Hermeneutics inspectors begin worlc
work
with their Complex lnspection
Odessa (ApriiInspection of
olOdessa
(AprilMay) and Complex lnspection
Inspection of
01 West Berlin
(October-November).
Other Events
In a speech at
at the UN, Gorbachev announces a
reduction of Soviet armed forces and the withdrawal of troops from Central Europa
Europe and Mongolia.
The withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghan
istan
Afghanistan
begins.
Sotheby's
an auction
auction of
of Russian
Russian and
and Soviet
Soviet
Sotheby's holds
holds an
art
art and
and successfully
successfully sells
sells worlcs
works by
by unofficial
unofficial
artists,
artists, including
including Grisha
Grisha Bruslcin,
Bruskin, llya
lIya Kabalcov,
Kabakov, lgor
Igor
Kopystyanslcy,
Kopystyansky, Vladimir
Vladimir Nemulchin,
Nemukhin, Dmitri
Dmitri KrasnoKrasnopevtsev.
pevtsev.
Fundacin Juan March
400 1I 401
401
400
BIOGRAFIAS DE
DE ARTISTAS/
ARTISTASIARTISTS'
ARTISTS' BIOGRAPHIES
BIOGRAPHIES
BIOGRAFIAS
Nota ed
editorial
itorial
Nota
La transliteracin
transliteracin alal castellano
castellano de
de los
los nombres
nombres rusos
rusos
La
en este
este catlogo
catlogo se
se ha
ha efectuado
efectuado directamente
directamente
en
desde el
el ruso
ruso,, at
atendiendo
su fontica
fontica yy aa la
la
endiendo aa su
desde
acentuacin ortogrfica.
ortogrfica. Por
Por lo
lo que
que respeta
respeta alal elenco
elenco
acentuacin
de exposic
exposiciones
individuales yy colect
colectivas
de los
los
ivas de
iones individuales
de
artistas en
en exposic
exposicin,
hemos optado
optado -tanto
-tanto en
en
in, hemos
artistas
alem"n/ingls como
como en
en la
la edicin
edicin espaol/inglsespaol/inglsalemn/ingls
or
por unificarlas
unificarlas en
en una
una sola
sola lista.
lista. Ofrecemos
Ofrecemos al
al lect
lector
por
los nombres
nombres de
de las
las instituciones
instituciones con
con denominacin
denominacin
los
original rusa
rusa en
en ingls,
ingls, as
as como
como los
los de
de todas
todas las
las
original
ciudades citadas
citadas;; en
en el
el caso
caso de
de las
las instituciones
instituciones de
de
ciudades
otros pases
pases,, respetamos
respetamos su
su nombre
nombre ee id
idioma
ioma
otros
originales.
iginales.
or
1I
Editorial Note
Note
Editorial
names in
r anscription of the Russian names
The Spanish ttranscription
been
directly from the
en done directly
this catalogue has be
Russian, in accordance with their phonetics and orthographic accentuation
accentuation.. With regard to the listings
he individual and group exhibitions of the artists
of tthe
in th
this
Geris exhibition, we have opted - in both the German/English as well as the Spanish/English editions
- to maintain one sole list. We offer the reader the
names of Russian institutions, as well as all cited city
names, in English. In the case of other international
respected their original name
na me
institutions, we have respectad
and language.
I Exhibition catalogue
,' Catlogo de exposicin 1
ACCIONES COLECTIVAS/COLLECTIVE ACTIONS
Andrei Monastyrski, Nikolai Pantkov y Gueorgui Kize'ter fundan este grupo de performance (1976) al
val
va l'ter
gor
que poco despus se incorporan Elena Elguina, gor
Makrevich, Serguei Romashko, Sabine Haensgen y
Nikita Aleksev. Participan en "acciones"
" acciones " en las que
implican
invitado. Su obra ha sido docuimpli can a un pblico invitado.
mentada en diez tomos en los que se describen cada
una de sus 111 "acciones" que datan
datan de 1976. Continuan
actuando en Rusia yy en el extrantinuan creando yy actuando
jero.
jer o.
I1
Andrei
Georgi
and Georgi
Panitkov, and
Nikolai Panitkov,
Mona styrski, Nikolai
Andre i Monastyrski,
and
Kiesewalter
(1976) and
group (1976)
performance group
the performance
found the
Kiesewalter found
are
Makarevich,
lgor Makarevich,
Elagina, Igor
Elena Elagina,
by Elena
joined by
later joined
are later
AleSergei
Ni kita Aleand Nikita
Haensgen, and
Sabine Haensgen,
Romashko, Sabine
Sergei Romashko,
xeev.
participation
the participation
involve the
which involve
" actions" which
Stage "actions"
xeev. Stage
docuof
been docuhas been
oeuvre has
Their oeuvre
audience. Their
invitad audience.
an invited
of an
111
mented
the 111
of the
each of
describing each
volumes describing
ten volumes
in ten
ment ad in
They
"actions"
1976. They
since 1976.
place since
taken place
ha ve taken
that have
" actions" that
continua
to create
create and
and perform
perform both
both in
in Russia
Russia and
and
continue to
abroad
abroad..
SELECCIN
SELECCiN DE
DE EXPOSICIONES
EXPOSICIONES INDIVIDUALES/
INDIVIDUALESI
SOLO
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED)
(SELECTED)
1987
1987 Sadovniki
Sadovniki Exhibition
Exhibition Center,
Center, Moscow
Moscow
1997
1997 Exit
Exit Art
Art Gallery,
Gallery, NY,
NY, NY'
NY'
SELECCIN
SELECCiN DE
DE EXPOSICIONES
EXPOSICIONES COLECTIVAS/
COLECTIVASI
GROUP
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
EXHIBITIONS (SELECTEDJ
(SELECTED)
1977
1977 La
La nuova
nuova arte
arte Sovietica:
Sovietica: una
una prospettiva
prospettiva non
non
ufficiale,
ufficiale, Biennale
Biennale di
di Venezia
Venezia''
1980
1980 Nonconformists:
Nonconformists: Contemporary
Contemporary Commentary
Commentary
y
from
from the
the Soviet
Soviet Union
Union,, Art
Art Gallery,
Gallery, Universit
University
of
of Maryland
Maryland,, College
College Park'
Park'
1981
1981 1I AptArt
AptArt Exhibition,
Exhibition, AptArt
AptArt Gallery,
Gallery, Moscow
Moscow
1981
1981 Russian
Russian New
New Wave,
Wave, Contemporary
Contemporary Russian
Russian Art
Art
r ica, NY,
82 Center
--82
Center of
of Ame
America,
NY, NY'
NY'
/1 Be
1983 Come
Come Yesterday
Yesterday and
and You'
You'/I
Be First,
First, City
City Without Walls Gallery, Newark, NJ
NJ;; y otras salas'
1987 1I Exhibition of Avantgardists'
Avantgardists' Club (KLAVAJ
(KLAVAJ,,
Exhibition Hall at Avtozavodskaya, Moscow
1988 /eh
Ich lebe-lch
lebe-Ich sehe, Knstler der achtziger
Jahre in Moskau
Moskau,, Kunstmuseum Bern'
11
/1 Exhibition of Avantgardists' Club (KLAVAJ,
Expensive Art, Palace of Youth
Youth,, Moscow
it Art, NY, NY; Dunlop Art
1989 The Green Show, Ex
Exit
ina, Canada; Mendel Art Gallery,
-91 Gallery, Reg
Regina,
Saskatoon, Canada'
1991 No vaco. Artistas rusos contemporneos
contemporneos,,
Audito r io de Galicia,
Sala de Exposicins, Auditorio
Santiago de Compostela'
Art,
Muse um of Contemporary Art,
1998 Out of Actions, Museum
Kunst , Vienna'
f r Angewandte Kunst,
Muse um fr
LA; Museum
LA;
1999 Global Conceptualism: Points of Origin,
NY;
Art, NY;
1950s-1980s, Queens Museum of Art,
1950s-19BOs,
y otras salas'
Coflection: The Art of Eastern
2000 2000 + Arteast Co/lection:
West , Moderna
-02 Europe in Dialogue with the West,
salas '
Galerija, Ljubljana; yy otras salas'
Berlin-Moskau / Moskau-Berlin 1950-20002003 Berlin-Moskau/Moskau-Berlin
2003
Berlin;
Martin - Gropius-Bau, Berlin;
aus, Martin-Gropius-Bau,
-04 von heute aus,
Moscow'
Gallery, Moscow'
Tretya kov Gallery,
State Tretyakov
State
Moderna
Ljub/jana-Moscow, Moderna
Sins: Ljubljana-Moscow,
Seven Sins:
2004 Seven
2004
Ljubljana'
Galerija , Ljubljana'
Galerija,
Conceptua/ism
History. Moscow
of History.
Angels of
2005 Angels
2005
Hedendaagse
van Hedendaagse
Museum van
/nf/uence, Museum
lts Influence,
and Its
and
Antwerp '
Antwerpen, Antwerp'
Kunst Antwerpen,
Kunst
Perestroika
State: Peres
the State:
Against the
Artists Against
2006 Artists
2006
troika
NY
Arts, NY
Fine Arts,
Feldman Fine
Ronald Feldman
Revisited, Ronald
Revisited,
Exit
at Exit
Performance at
of Performance
Years of
25 Years
Renegadas: 25
Renegades:
NY
NY, NY
Art , NY,
Exit Art,
Art, Exit
Art,
Fundacin Juan March
BIOGRAFAS
BIOGRAFAS OE ARTISTAS 1
I ARTISTS' BIOGRAPHIES
Konzeptua/ismus/Romantic
2007 Romantischer KonzeptualismuslRomantic
Conceptualism, Kunsthalle Nrnberg; Bawag
Foundation, Vienna'
1988
IURI ALBERT
,' 1959 en Mosc 1
I Moscow
Vive y trabaja en Mosc y Colonia 1
I Uves and works
in Moscow and Cologne
Asiste a la facultad de arte del Instituto de Arquitectura de Mosc (1974-76)
(1974-76).. Acude al estudio de
Komar & Melamid (1975-76) antes de empezar sus
estudios de pintura en el Instituto Politcnico de
Mosc (1977). Empieza a exponer en apartamentos
privados (1978-82) y en las exposiciones de AptArt
(1983). Se une a la comunidad artstica del callejn
Furmannyi (1986)
(1986).. Es miembro fundador de KLAVA
(Club de vanguardistas) y participa en sus exposiciones colectivas (1987-88).
1
I
lnstitute
Attends the College of Art at the Moscow Institute
Arch itecture (1974-76). Studies in Komar &
of Architecture
befare studying painting
Melamid's studio (1975-76) before
lnstitute (1977). Begins
at the Moscow Polygraphic Institute
exhibiting in private apartments (1978-82) and at
AptArt exhibitions (1983). Joins the artistic community on Furmanny Lane (1986). Becomes founding
member of KLAVA (Avantgardists' Club) and participates in their group exhibitions (1987-88)
(1987-88)..
1989
1990
1992
1996
1998
1999
2004
SELECCIN DE EXPOSICIONES INDIVIDUALESI

INDIVIDUALES/
SELECCiN
CSELECTEDl
SOLO EXHIBITINS (SELECTED)
Galerie Hlavnho Mesta Prahy, Prague
Galerie Krings-Ernst, Cologne
0.1 Gallery, Moscow'
L Gailery,
Gaflery, Moscow
Center for Contemporary Art, Moscow
Overcoat Gallery, Moscow
Haus der Niederlande, Mnster
Guelman Gallery, Moscow'
SELECCIN DE EXPOSICIONES COLECTIVASI

COLECTIVAS/
SELECCiN
CSELECTED)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED)
1983 AptArt in the Open-Air, Kalistovo, Moscow
You'/1 8e
Be First, City WithCome Yesterday and You'l/
out Walls Gallery, Newark, NJ; y otras salas'
1986 Art Against Commerce, Bittsevskiy Park,
Moscow
17th Youth Exhibition, MDKh, Moscow
1987 KLAVA "1, State Exhibition Hall Peresvetov
pereulok, Moscow
of Moscow Artists,
Retrospective Exhibion 01
1957-1987, Hermitage Society, Moscow
1989
1989
-90
1989
-92
1991
1992
1994
1995
1995
-96
1996
1997
1998
-01
1
of Avantgardists' Club [KLAVAJ,
I Exhibition 01
11, House of Artists,
Creative Association 1/,
Exhibition Hall, Kuznetsky Most, Moscow
Klava Sauna, Sandunovsky Baths, Moscow
11, State Exhibition Hall Peresvetov
KLAVA 1/,
pereulok, Moscow
-Labyrinth, Palace of Youth, Moscow
{abyrinth,
Science ,
New Russians, Palace of Culture and Science,
Warsaw
Expensive Art, Palace of Youth, Moscow
Jerusa/em, Oblast' Moscow
KLAVA New Jerusalem,
(performance)
zau/ek, Dawne Zaklady Norblina and
Furmanny zaulek,
Novicki Gallery, Warsaw
Revo/ution zur Peres
Perestroika,
Von der Revolution
troika ,
Kunstmuseum Luzern; Palau de la Virreina,
Barcelona; y otras salas'
lnstead 01
of Art-7 Artists Irom
from Moscow,
Art Instead
Mcsarnok Exhibition Palace, Budapest'
10 + 10: Contemporary Soviet and American
Painters, Modern Art Museum, Fort Worth, TX;
y otras salas'
of Conceptualism, State
Perspectives 01
Exhibition Hall Peresvetov pereulok, Moscow;
y otras salas'
No vaco.
vaco . Artistas rusos contemporneos,
contemporneos ,
Sala de Exposicins, Auditorio de Galicia
Galicia,,
MANJ- Museum. 40 Moskauer Knstler
Knst/er im
MANI-Museum.
Frankfurter Karmeliterk/oster,
Karme/iterkloster, Frankfurt'
Franklurter
Ostkunst-Westkunst, Ludwig-Forum, Aachen'
Campolieto ,
A Mosca ...
oo. a Mosca, Villa Campolieto,
Ercolano; Gallera
Galleria Comunale d'Arte Moderna,
Bologna'
Fluchtpunkt Moskau, Ludwig-Forum, Aachen'
Dry Water, Palace Museum, Bakhchisarai,
Crimea'
Einblicke, Akademie der Knste
Knste,, Berlin
Kriftemessen . Privatisierungen,
Privatisierungen , KnstlerKriiltemessen.
werkstatt Lothringer Stral3e 13, Mnich'
Kunst im Verborgenen, Wilhelm-HackMuseum, Ludwigshafen; y otras salas'
Flug-Entfernung-Verschwinden.
Flug-Entlernung-Verschwinden.
Konzeptuel/e Moskauer Kunst, Galerie Hlavnho
Mesta Prahy, Prague; y otras salas'
KLAVA , Institute
lnstitute of Contemporary
10 Years KLAVA,
Art , Moscow
Art,
Eco/ogy 01
of Emptiness,
Emptiness , Institute
lnstitute of ContempoEcology
rary Art, Moscow'
Priprintium: Moskauer 8cher
Bcher aus dem
Priiprintium:
Samizdat, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; y otras
salas'
Fundacin Juan March
/ 403
403
402 1
2000 Bons baisers de Russie, Espace EDF Bazacle,

Toulouse'
Toulouse'
Collection: The Art of
01 Eastern
2000 2000 + Arteast Col/ection:
Europe in Dialogue with
with the West, Moderna
-02 Europe
Galerija, Ljubljana; y otras salas'
VII-Forty Years of
01 Non2002 Art Manege V/1-Forty
Conlormist Art, Central Exhibition Hall
Conformist
Manege, Moscow
2003 Alphabeticon, Stanford Univ., Palo Alto, CA'
Berlin-Moskau, Moskau-Berlin 1950-20002003 Ber/in-Moskau,
-04 von heute aus, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin;
Galler'y, Moscow'
State Tretyakov Gallery,
Moskauer Konzeptualismus/Moscow
Conceptualism, Kupferstichkabinett,
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin'
2004 Seven Sins: Ljubljana-Moscow, Moderna
Galerija, Ljubljana'
Collective and lnteractive
Interactive Works
2005 Accessories: Col/ective
in Russian Art, 1960-2000, State Tretyakov
Gallery, Moscow
Allusive Form, Painting as Idea, Jane
Al/usive
Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers
University, Rutgers, NJ'
01 History. Moscow Conceptualism and
Angels of
Its lnfluence,
Inlluence, Museum van Hedendaagse
lts
Kunst Antwerpen, Antwerp'
01 Life-Essence
Lile-Essence of
01 Art, LudwigEssence of
Mzeum, Budapest; y otras salas'
2006 Artists Against the Sta te: Perestroika
Revisited, Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, NY, NY
2007 Biennial, Thessaloniki
SERGUEI ANFRIEV
,'1964
1964 en/in Odessa
Vive y trabaja en Mosc 1
/ Uves
lives and works in Moscow
Empieza a participar en las exposiciones AptArt
(1983). Empieza a colaborar con Pvel Pppershtein
y luri Liderman (1987); es miembro fundador de
KLAVA (Club de vanguardistas). Es elegido primer
presidente de KLAVA (1988).
(1988). Junto con Pppershtein
y Liderman funda el grupo artstico Inspeccin
Hermenutica Mdica (1989).
/
1
Begins taking part in AptArt exhibitions (1983).
Begins collaborating with Pavel Pepperstein and
Yuri Leiderman (1987); beco
mes a founding membecomes
ber of KLAVA (Avantgardists' Club). Elected first
president of KLAVA (1988). Founds Inspection
lnspection
Medical
Medica! Hermeneutics together with Pepperstein
and Leiderman
Le iderman (1989).
SELECCIN
SELECCiN DE EXPOSICIONES INDIVIDUALES/
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED)
1983 Exhibition at Nikita Alexeev's apartment,
AptArt, Moscow
Moscow
1991 Gallery 1.0, Moscow (con A. Gnilitsky)
1995 Blank Gallery, Kiev
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1990
1993
1995
1998
2001
2003
2003
-04
2006
2007
SELECCIN
SELECCiN DE EXPOSICIONES COLECTIVAS/
AptArt in the Open-Air, Kalistovo, Moscow
AptArt, Museum of Contemporary Art, NY, NY'
beca. Project for
AptArt in Tri
Tribeca.
lor the Arts,
Washington, OC'
DC'
Art Today 11, Budapest
1I Exhibition of
01 Avantgardists' Club (KLAVA),
(KLAVAJ,
lsskustvo:
Isskustvo: Moskva-Berlin, Berlin-Moskau,
Bahnhof Westend, Berlin (West)'
KLAVA 1/,
pereulok, Moscow
The New Soviet Art, lnstitute
Institute of Contemporary
Art, Sosten,
Boston, MA
11 Exhibition of
01 Avantgardists' Club (KLAVAJ,
Aqua Vita, Contemporary Art Museum, Odessa
(with O. Ziangirova and M. Chuikova)
From Gulag to Glasnost, Jan
Janee Voorhees
Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick, NJ'
A Great Nobody's, L Gallery, Moscow (with
l. Dmitriev)
A. Nasonov and 1.
Biennial, Valencia
Alphabeticon, Stanford Univ., Palo Alto, CA'
Conceptualism, Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche
Museen zu Berlin'
Artists Against the State: Perestroika
Biennial, Moscow
GRISHA BRUSKIN
, 1945 en Mosc 1
/ in Moscow
lives and works in NY
Vive y trabaja en Nueva York/ Uves
Se incorpora a la seccin de pintura del Sindicato
de artistas soviticos (1968). Intentan excluirle del
sindicato (1983). Se traslada a Nueva York; su obra
destaca en la primera subasta de Sotheby's en
al/es
Mosc (1988). Realiza el trptico Leben ber alles
para el Reichstag de Berln (1999).
/1
Joins painting section of the Union of Soviet Artists
tobar
(1968). Attempt to
bar him from the Union (1983).
Fundacin Juan March
BIOGRAFAS DE ARTISTAS 1
BIOGRAFAS
/ ARTISTS' BIOGRAPHIES
te New York; work features at first Sotheby's
Moves to
auction in Moscow (1988). Creates the triptych
afies for the Reichstag in Berlin (1999).
Leben ber alles
1976
1984
1991
1992
1995
2001
2002
2003
2004
2006
SELECCIN DE EXPOSICIONES INDIVIDUALES/

SELECCiN
One-day exhibition, House of Artists,
Kuznetsky Most, Moscow
Central House of Artists, Moscow
Erika Meyerovich Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Galerie Alex Lachmann, Cologne
Museo National de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires
Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow;
State Russian Museum, St.
Sto Petersburg'
Kunsthalle in Emden'
Judengasse ; Frankfurt'
Museum Judengasse;
Marlborough Gallery, NY, NY'
Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow
SELECCIN DE EXPOSICIONES COLECTIVAS/
SELECCiN
1966 Seventh Exhibition 01

of Young Artists 01
of
Moscow, House of Artists, Kuznetsky Most,
Moseow,
Moscow
1976 Numerus
Numerus one-day exhibitions, House of
Artists , Kuznetsky Most, Moscow
-83 Artists,
1987 Artist and Present, "Na Kashirke" State Art
Gallery, Moscow
Object, Malaya Gruzinskaya Gallery,
The Objeet,
Moscow
1988 leh
/eh lebe-Ieh
/ebe-lch sehe, Knstler der aehtziger
achtziger
Jahre in Moskau, Kunstmuseum Bern'
Sowjetkunst heute, Museum Ludwig, Cologne'
of Russian Art-1889-1989. From
1989 100 Years 01
Privt;zte Colleetions
Col/ections in the USSR, Barbican Art
Privt;lte
Gallery, London'
Perestroika ,
Von der Revolution zur Perestroika,
1992
Virreina ,
Diaspora, House of Artists, Kuznetsky Most,
Moscow
Malewitsch bis Kabakov, Museum Ludwig
Von Malewitseh
in der Josef-Haubrich-Kunsthalle, Cologne'
1993
-94
1995 Russian Jewish Artists in a Century 01
of Change
-96 1880-1990, The Jewish Museum, NY, NY'
G/asnost, Jane Voorhees
From Gu/ag
Gulag to Glasnost,
1997 Noneonlormist
Nonconformist Art Irom
from the Soviet Union,
Mcsarnok, Budapest'
1998 Forbidden Art, A.R. Williamson Gallery,
-99 College of Design, Pasadena, CA; y otras salas'
Revo/utions: Generations 01
of Russian
2002 Russian Revolutions:
.,Jewish Avant-Garde Artists, Singer Gallery,
Mizel Center for Arts and Culture, Denver, CO'

2003 Remembranee:
Remembrance: Russian Post-Modern
Nostalgia, Yeshiva University Museum, Center
NY, NY'
for Jewish History, 'NY,
2006 Territories 01
of Terror, Boston University
-07 Art Gallery, MA'
2007 Thaw, State Russian Museum, St.
Sto Petersburg
po/itique en Russie de 1972 iz
2007 Sots Art. Art politique
-08 aujourd'hui, La Maison Rouge, Paris'
RIK BULTOV
, 1933 en 1
/ in Sverdlovsk
Pars/Uves and works in Paris
Vive y trabaja en Pars/Lives
(1936) . Asiste a la Escuela de
Se traslada a Mosc (1936).
arte de Mosc (1947-52). Estudia pintura en la
(1952-58) . Se une al
Universidad Surikov de Arte (1952-58).
sindicato de artistas soviticos como ilustrador de
(1967) . Primer cuadro
libros infantiles y revistas (1967).
conceptualista, Entrada (1971). Estancia en Nueva
York (1990). Se traslada a Pars (1991).
1
/
Moves to Moscow (1936). Attends Moscow Art
School (1947-52). Studies painting at Moscow's
Surikov College of Art (1952-58). Joins the Union
of Soviet Artists as an illustrator of children's books
and magazines (1967). First Conceptual painting,
Entrance (1971). Sojourn in New York (1990). Moves
Entranee
to Pars
Paris (1991).
1965
1967
1968
1986
1988
-89
1989
1991
1992
1995

SELECCiN
lnstitute of Nuclear Physics,
Kurchatov Institute
Moscow
(Biuebird Caf), Moscow
Caf Sinyaya Ptitsa (Bluebird
(una noche con 1.l. Kabakov)
(una noche)
lnternational Center Art Exhibition
Chicago International
Kunsthalle Zrich; Portikus, Frankfurt;
Kunstverein Bonn; De Appel Foundation,
Amsterdam; Kunstverein Freiburg; Centre
lnstitute of
Georges Pompidou, Paris; Institute
Contemporary Art, London; List Visual Art
Bastan, MA; The Newport Harbor
Harbar Art
Center, Boston,
Museum, Newport Beach, CA; The University
IL
of Chicago, IL'
lnstitute of Contemporary Art, London
Institute
Dany Keller Galerie, Mnich'
Galera Fernando Duran, Madrid'
Phyllis Kind Gallery, NY, NY'
Galerie Dina Vierny, Paris'
GalerieRene Ziegler, Zrich'
Galerie'Rene
Fundacin Juan March
404 1/ 405
405
404
2003 State
State Tretyakov
Tretyakov Gallery,
Gallery, Moscow
Moscow
2003
2006 kestnergesellschaft,
kestnergesellschaft, Hannover
Hannover
2006
d'art moderne
moderne de
de la
la ville
ville de
de Pars
Paris
2007 Muse
Muse d'art
2007
1956
1956
1957
1957
1973
1973
1977
1977
1984
1986
-87
1987
1988
1989
1990
1990
-91
1991
1992
1993
-94
-94
1995
SELECCiN DE
OE EXPOSICIONES
COLECTIVAS/
SELECCIN
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
(SELECTEO)
GROUP
School of
of Young
Young Moscow
Moscow Artists,
Artists, Moscow
Moscow
School
International Festival
Festival of
ot Young
Young Artists,
Artists,
lnternational
Moscow
Moscow
Avant-garde Russe.
Russe. Moscou
Moscou 1973,
1973, Galerie
Galerie
Avant-garde
Paris
Dina Vierny, Pars"
La nuova arte Sovietica:
Sovietica: una
una prospettiva
prospettiva non
La
Biennale di Venezia"
Venezia
ufficiale, Bienna/e
Institute of ContempoUnotticial Soviet
Soviet Art, lnstitute
Unofficia/
rary Art, London
London
NY
Sots Art, Semaphore Gallery, NY, NY"
Sots Art, New Museum of Contemporary Art,
salas
NY, NY; y otras salas
Era,, "Na Kashirke" State
The Artist and His Era
Art Gallery, Moscow
trom Moscow!,
Moscowl, Phyllis Kind Gallery,
Direct from
NY, NY
Venezia
Ich lebe-/ch
lebe-Ich sehe, Knstler der achtziger
/eh
Bern
Jahre in Moskau, Kunstmuseum Bern
Erik Bulatov, Vladimir Janki/evski,
Jankilevski, lija
Oleg Vassilyev, KupferstichKabakov, 0/eg
Kabinett, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen
Dresden
Dresden
Magiciens de la terre, Centre Georges
Pompidou, Paris
Pars"
Von
Van der Revolution zur Perestroika,
Barcelona; y otras salas
salas
U.S.S.R. Today, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Another Art: Moscow 1956-76, State
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow;
Moscow; State Russian
Museum, Sto
Petersburg
St. Petersburg
The Quest tor
Self-Expression: Painting in
for Selt-Expression:
Moscow and Leningrad 1965-1990, Columbus
Museum of Art, OH; yy otras salas
salas
Ostkunst-Westkunst, Ludwig-Forum, Aachen
Aachen
A Mosca ... a Mosca, Villa Campoleto,
Campolieto,
Ercolano;
Moderna,
Gallera Comunale d'Arte Moderna,
Ercolano; Galleria
Bologna
Bologna
Von
Ma/ewitsch bis Kabakov, Museum Ludwig
Van Malewitsch
in der Josef-Haubrich-Kunsthalle, Cologne
Cologne
From Gulag to Glasnost,
Voorhees
Jane Voorhees
G/asnost, Jane
Zimmerli
NJ"
Brunswick, NJ
New Brunswick,
Museum, New
Art Museum,
Zimmerli Art
Kunst im
Wilhelm-HackVerborgenen, Wilhelm-Hackim Verborgenen,
Museum,
salas
otras salas
Ludwigshafen; yy otras
Museum, Ludwigshafen;
1995
1995 Flug-Entternung-Verschwinden.
-96
Hlavnho
Galerie Hlavnho
Kunst, Galerie
Moskauer Kunst,
Konzeptuelle Moskauer
-96 Konzeptuelle
Mesta
Mesta Prahy,
Prahy, Prague;
Prague; yy otras
otras salas
salas
1998
Forbidden Art,
Art, A.R.
A.R. Williamson
Willamson Gallery,
Gallery,
199B Forbidden
-99
-99 College
College of
of Design,
Design, Pasadena,
Pasadena, CA;
CA; y otras
otras salas
salas
2003
2003 Berlin-Moskau/Moskau-Berlin
Berlin-Moskau/Moskau-Berlin 1950-20001950-2000-04
-04 van
von heute
heute aus,
Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berln;
Berln;
2005
2005
2005
-06
2007
-08
State
State Tretyakov
Tretyakov Gallery,
Gallery, Moscow
Moscow
Traumfabrik
Traumtabrik Kommunismus.
Kommunismus. Die
Die visuel/e
visuelle Kultur
Kultur
der
der Stalinzeit,
Stalinzeit, Schirn
Schirn Kunsthalle
Kunsthalle Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Angels
Angels of
ot History.
History. Moscow
Moscow Conceptua/ism
Conceptualism
and
Museum van
van Hedendaagse
Hedendaagse
and lts
Its lnfluence,
'nt'uence, Museum
Kunst Antwerpen, Antwerp
Antwerp
Essence
Essence of
ot Life-Essence
Lite-Essence of
ot Art,
Art, LudwigLudwigMzeum, Budapest; y otras salas
salas
Russia!,
Russial, Saloman
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum,
NY, NY; Museo Guggenheim Bilbao
Bilbao
Sots Art. Art politiqueen
politique en Russie de 1972
1972
Paris
aujourd'hui, La Maison Rouge, Pars"
IVN CHUIKOV
1935 en Mosc 1/ in Moscow
Vive y trabaja en Colonia y Mosc 1/ Uves and works
in Cologne and Moscow
Estudia en la Universidad Surikov de Arte (Mosc)
(Mosc),,
antes de hacerse profesor en Vladivostok. Desarrolla un estilo pictrico analtico (1962)
(1962).. Empieza a
participar en exposiciones en apartamentos pr.ivados (1967). Se incorpora al Sindicato de artistas
ere su ciclo
soviticos y empieza a trabajar so
sobre
Ventanas. Desde 1969 adopta un estilo expresionista
Ventanas.
a travs del trabajo continuo en series, como
Panoramas (1977) y Fragmentos (1982). Participa
en un taller internacional en Pays de la Loire,
Francia (1988) y es artista residente del Washington
Project for the Arts (1989).
1
/
befare
Studies at Surikov College of Art, Moscow, befo
re
becoming a teacher in Vladivostok. Develops analytical style of painting (1962). Begins taking part
Iytical
(1967) . Joins the
prvate apartment exhibitions (1967).
in private
Union of Soviet Artists and begins working on his
Expressionist
Windows cycle. By 1969, has adopted Expressionist
series, Panoramas
th r ough sustained work in series,
style through
Takes
(1982) among them. Takes
(1977) and Fragments (19B2)
la
an international workshop in Pays de la
part in an
(1988), and is Artist in Residence at
France (198B),
Loire, France
(1989).
the Washington Project for the Arts (1989).
INDIVIDUALES/
DE EXPOSICIONES
SELECCIN DE
SELECCiN
(SELECTED)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
SOLO
Moscow
Society, Moscow
Hermitage Society,
1987 Hermitage
1987
Base!
Gegenwartskunst, Basel
fr Gegenwartskunst,
Museum fr
Museum
Kabakov)
(con 1.l. Kabakov)
(con
Fundacin Juan March
BIOGRAFAS DE ARTISTAS /1 ARTISTS' BIOGRAPHIES

BIOGRAFAS
1989 Westfiilischer Kunstverein, Mnster;
Bielefeld"
Kunstverein, Bielefeld
lnge Baecker, Cologne
1990 Galerie Inge
Galera Ynguanzo, Madrid
1992 L Gallery, Moscow
1993 Galleria Paolo Sprovieri, Rome
lnge Baecker, Cologne
1994 Galerie Inge
1995 XL Gallery, Moscow
Vienna
en na
1997 Galerie Karenina, Vi
lnstitute of Contemporary Art, Moscow;
1998 Institute
Center of Contemporary Art, Nizhny Novgorod
2002 National Center of Contemporary Art, Moscow
St. Gereon, Cologne
2003 Sto
2004 Regina Gallery, Moscow

SELECCiN
1957 . /nternationa/ Festival o[

of Young Artists,
1957.lnternational
Moscow
1/1, Moscow
Young Artists 111,
1967 Seven Young Artists, Lev Solokov Workshop,
Moscow
Moscow
1974 Bulldozer Exhibition, Belyaevo Park
Mo~cow; Ismailovsky
lsmailovsky Park,
(15 de sept.), Mo~cow;
Moscow (29 de sept.)
1977 La nuova arte Sovietica: una prospettiva non
Venezia"
ufficiale, Biennale di Venezia
1978 Science and Art, Palace
Pala ce of Science, Moscow
1979 Photographes sovitiques, Centre Georges
Pompidou, Paris
1981 25 Years of
o[ Soviet Unofficial Art 1956-1981,
Museum of Soviet Unofficial Art, Jersey City;
Muse d'art russe contemporain en exil,
Montgeron
1983 Come.
Be First, City WithCome Yesterday and You'/1
You'II 8e
out Walls Gallery, Newark, NJ; y otras salas
salas
1986 18 Artists, Malaya Gruzinskaya Gallery,
Moscow
1987 Retrospectiva
Retrospective Exhibition of
o[ Moscow Artists,
1988 /eh
Ich /ebe-lch
lebe-Ich sehe: Knstler der BOer
80er Jahre in
Moskau, Kunstmuseum Bern
Bern
1991 No vaco. Artistas rusos contemporneos,
Sala de Exposicins, Auditorio de Galicia,
Santiago de Compostela"
Compostela
1995 From Gulag to G/asnost,
Glasnost, Jane Voorhees
Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick, NJ"
NJ
1998 Forbidden Art, A.R. Williamson Gallery,
-99 College of Design, Pasadena, CA; y otras salas
salas
2003 Berlin-Moskau, Moskau-Berlin 1950-2000-04 van
von heute aus, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin;
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Moscow
Staatliche Museen
Museen zu Berlin
Berlin"
Untergrund. Russische
2005 Avantgarde im Untergrund.
Nonkonformisten aus der Sammlung
Nonkon[ormisten
Bar-Gera, Kunstmuseum Bern
Bern
of Li[e-Essence
Life-Essence o[
Essence o[
of Art, LudwigMzeum, Budapest; y otras salas
salas
2005 Russia!, Solomon R.

R. Guggenheim Museum,
-06 NY, NY; Museo Guggenheim Bilbao
Bilbao
ELENA ELGUINA
1949 en Mosc/in
Mosc 1 in Moscow
1949
/ Uves and works in Moscow
Asiste a la Escuela de Arte de Mosc y trabaja en el
estudio de Ernst Neizwestni (1962-67) mientras
estudia con Alisa Poret (1964-67). Estudia literatura
en el Instituto Estatal de Pedagoga de Mosc (196772). Se une al grupo moscovita Acciones Colectivas
poco despus de su fundacin (1976). Su matrimonio
gor Makrevich (1990) marca el princon el artista gor
cipio de sus exposiciones conjuntas.
1
/
Attends the Moscow Art School and works in Ernst
Neizwestny's studio (1962-67) while studying with
Alisa Poret (1964-67). Studies literature
literatura at the
Moscow State Pedagogicallnstitute (1967-72). Joins
the Moscow Collective Actions group shortly after it
is founded (1976). Marriage to artist Igor
lgor Makarevich
(1990) marks the start of their joint exhibitions.
1990
1992
1993
1994
1995
1997
SELECCIN
MANI Museum, Moscow (con .. Makrevich)
XL Gallery, Moscow (con .. Makrevich)
Central Army Club (Velta
CVelta Gallery), Moscow
(con .. Makrevich)
Cologne
(con .. Makrevich)
Sto Petersburg;
Galerie Krings-E'rnst, Cologne
Obscuri Viri Gallery, Moscow
(con .. Makrevich)
Moscow
Peresvetov Lane, Moscow
Moscow
ROSIZO, Moscow
University Museum
Museum,, Amsterdam
Russian Humanitarian University, Moscow
Moscow
Hemistyle Gallery, Washington, DC
OC
Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow
Diana Hohenthal Gallery, Berlin
Fundacin Juan March
406 1/ 407
407
406
Cultural-Historical Center,
Center,
1998 Slavyansky
Slavyansky Culturai-Historical
1998
Moscow
Moscow
2007 XL
XL Gallery,
Gallery, Moscow
Moscow (con
(con .. Makrevich)
Makrevich)
2007
ANDREI
ANDREI FILfPPOV
FIL!PPDV
y, tt 2005
1959 en/in
1959
en/in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsk
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky,
2005 en
en
Mosc/in
Mosc/in Moscow
Moscow
SELECCiN DE
OE EXPOSICIONES
COLECTIVAS/
SELECCIN
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
EXHI81TIONS (SELECTEDJ
(SELECTED)
GROUP
1989 Perspectivas
Perspectives of
01 Conceptua/ism,
Conceptualism, State
State
1989
-92 Exhibition
Exhibition Hall
Hall Peresvetov
Peresvetov pereulok,
pereulok, Moscow;
Moscow;
-92
otras salas
salas
yy otras
1990 Naar
Naar het
het object,
object, "Na
"Na Kashirke"
Kashirke" State
State Art
Art
1990
Gallery, Moscow;
Moscow; yy otras
otras salas
salas
Gallery,
Su
Su familia
familia se
se traslada
traslada aa Mosc
Mosc (1960).
(1960). Estudia
Estudia teatro
teatro
yy escenografa
en el
el Teatro
Teatro Acadmico
Acadmico de
de Mosc
Mosc
escenografa en
(1976-81).
(1976-81). Empieza
Empieza aa participar
participar en
en las
las exposiciones
exposiciones
de
de AptArt
AptArt (1983)
(1983).. Se
Se incorpora
incorpora aa KLAVA
KLAVA (Club
(Club de
de
vanguardistas)
vanguardistas) yy aa la
la Asociacin
Asociacin Creativa
Creativa Hermitage
Hermitage
(1986),
trabajar en
en el
el estudio
estudio del
del callecalle(1986), yy empieza
empieza aa trabajar
jn
jn Furmannyi
Furmannyi (Mosc).
(Mosc). Empieza
Empieza aa participar
participar en
en las
las
exposiciones
de KLAVA
KLAVA (1987).
(1987).
exposiciones de
1/
Family
Family moves
moves to
to Moscow
Moscow (1960).
(1960). Studies
Studies theater
theater
and
and set
set design
design at
at Moscow's
Moscow's Academic
Academic Theater
Theater
(1976-81).
(1976-81). Begins
Begins taking
taking part
part in
in AptArt
AptArt exhibitions
exhibitions
(1983).
(1983). Joins
Joins KLAVA
KLAVA (Avantgardists'
(Avantgardists' Club)
Club) and
and
Creative
starts
Creative Association
Association Hermitage
Hermitage (1986)
(1986) and
and starts
working
working in
in aa studio
studio on
on Furmanny
Furmanny Lane,
Lane, Moscow.
Moscow.
Begins participating in KLAVA exhibitions (1987).
KLAVA SchizoChina
SchizoChina (Hal/ucinations
(Hal/ucinations of
01 Power),
Power),
KLAVA
AII-Russian Exhibition
Exhibition Center,
Center, Moscow
Moscow
AII-Russian
Workers, Exhibition
Exhibition of
of Female
Female Artists,
Artists, Moscow
Moscow
Workers,
1990 Between
8etween Spring
Spring and
and Summer:
Summer: Soviet
Soviet
1990
-91 Conceptual
Conceptual Art
Art in
in the
the Era
Era of
01 Late
Late Communism,
Communism,
-91
Tacoma Art
Art Museum,
Museum, WA;
WA; yy otras
otras salas
salas
Tacoma
1991
Sala de
de Exposicins,
Exposicins, Auditorio
Auditorio de
de Galicia,
Galicia,
Sala
Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
MANI-Museum. 40 Moskauer Knstler im

MAN/-Museum.
Frankfurt
Franklurter Karmeliterkloster, Frankfurt
Frankfurter
1993 Adresse provisoire pour /'l' art contemporain
Paris
russe, Muse de la Poste, Pars
Translormation lor
for the Future,
Monuments: Transformation
Institute of Contemporary Art, NY, NY; y otras
lnstitute
salas
salas
Alter Perestroika: Kitchenmaids or

1993 After
-94 Stateswomen, Centre international d'art
salas
contemporain de Montral; y otras salas
Von Ma/ewitsch
Malewitsch bis Kabakov, Museum Ludwig
in der Josef-Haubrich-Kunsthall
Josef-Haubrich-Kunsthalle,
Cologne
e, Cologne
(con .. Makrevich)
1994 8iennial,
Biennial, Cetinje, Montenegro
1995 Kunst im Verborgenen, Wilhelm-HackMuseum, Ludwigshafen; y otras salas
salas
The Art 01
of Dying, Yakut Gallery, Manege,
Moscow
As 8est
Best We Can, Kunstverein, Mnich
Woman-Worker 1/,
11, L Gallery, Moscow
1995 Flug-EntlernpngFlug-Entfern_ung- Verschwinden.
-96 Konzeptuel/e Moskauer Kunst,
Kunst, Galerie Hlavnho
Mesta Prahy, Prague; y otras salas
salas
2003
Kunst aus
Ansatze-leitgeniissische Kunst
2003 Neue Ansiitze-leitgeniissische
Moskau,
Dsseldorf
Kunsthalle , Dsseldorf
Moskau, Kunsthalle,
2003
Konzeptualismus/Moscow
2003 Moskauer
-04
Staatliche
Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche
Conceptua/ism, Kupferstichkabinett,
-04 Conceptualism,
Museen
Makrevich)
(con .. Makrevich)
Berln (con
zu 8erlin
Museen zu
2005
Prague
Biennial, Prague
2005 8iennial,
LudwigArt, Ludwigof Art,
Essence
Life-Essence 01
of Lile-Essence
Essence 01
Mzeum,
salas
otras salas
Budapest; yy otras
Mzeum, 8udapest;
2006
Perestroika
te: Perestroika
State:
the Sta
Against the
Artists Against
2006 Artists
NY
NY, NY
Revisited,
Arts, NY,
Fine Arts,
Feldman Fine
Ronald Feldman
Revisited, Ronald
1988
1990
2000
2001
2003
SELECCIN
Hermitage Society, Moscow
Moscow Fine Art Gallery, Moscow
State Historical Museum, St.
Sto Petersburg
Art Office, Moscow
SELECCIN
COLECTlVAS/
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTEDJ
(SELECTED)
1982 One-Day Exhibition, MDKh, Moscow
Be First, City WithYou'/1 8e
1983 Come Yesterday and You'I/
salas
out Walls Gallery, Newark, NJ; y otras salas
AptArt al aire libre /1AptArt in the Open-Air;

AptArj: Gallery,
Beyond the Fence, AptArt
AptArt 8eyond
Moscow
1986 17th Youth Exhibition, MDKh, Moscow

Art Against Commerce, Bittsevskiy Park,
Moscow
of Avantgardists' Club (KLAVA),

1987 I1Exhibition 01
1987
Exhibition Hall at Avotzavodskaya, Moscow
Representation, State Exhibition Hall

Moscow
Belyaevo, Moscow
Belyaevo,
Hall
Exhibition Hall
State Exhibition
Visual Culture, State
Visual
Moscow
Belyaevo, Moscow
Belyaevo,
Artists,
Moscow Artists,
of Moscow
Exhibition 01
Retrospectiva Exhibition
Retrospective
Moscow
Society, Moscow
Hermitage Society,
1957-1987, Hermitage
1957-1987,
(KLAVAJ,
Club (KLAVA),
Avantgardists' Club
ofAvantgardists'
Exhibition 01
1988 1/11 Exhibition
1988
Moscow
Avotzavodskaya, Moscow
at Avotzavodskaya,
Hall at
Exhibition Hall
Exhibition
Artists,
Qf Artists,
House 'of
11, House
Association 1/,
Creativa Assoeiation
Creative
Moscow
Most, Moscow
Kuznetsky Most,
Hall, Kuznetsky
Exhibition Hall,
Exhibition
achtziger
der aehtziger
Knstler der
sehe, Knstler
lebe-lch sehe,
/eh lebe-/ch
leh
Fundacin Juan March
BIOGRAFAS DE
DE ARTISTAS
ARTISTAS I1 ARTISTS'
BIOGRAPHIES
BIOGRAFAS
Jahre in
in Moskau,
Moskau, Kunstmuseum
Kunstmuseum Bern'
Bern'
Jahre
Labyrinth, Palace
Palace of
of Youth,
Youth, Moscow
Moscow
Labyrinth,
New Russians,
Russians, Palace
Palace of
of Culture
Culture and
and Science,
Science,
New
Warsaw
Warsaw
1989 Expensive
Expensive Art,
Art, Palace
Palace of
of Youth,
Youth , Moscow
Moscow
19B9
Van der
der Revolution
Revolution zur
zur Perestroika,
Perestroika,
Von
Kunstmuseum luzern;
luzern; Palau
Palau de
de la
la Virreina,
Virreina,
Kunstmuseum
Barcelona; yy otras
otras salas'
salas'
Barcelona;
Furmanny zaulek,
zau/ek, Dawne
Dawne Zaklady
Zaklady Norblina
Norblina and
and
Furmanny
Novicki Gallery,
Gallery, Warsaw
Warsaw
Novicki
Momentaufnahme - Junge
Junge Kunst aus Moskau,
Moskau,
Momentaulnahme
Altes Stadtmuseum Mnster; y otras salas'
Mosca : Terza Roma, Sala 1, Rome'
Reme'
Mosca:
of the Century, National Gallery of
1990 The End 01
lceland, Reykjavk'
Iceland,
1990 Between Spring and Summer: Soviet
of Late Communism,
-91 Conceptual Art in the Era 01
Tacoma Art Museum, WA; y otras salas'
Drugoe iskusstvo: Moskva 1956-76, State
. Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow; y otras salas'
.Tretyakov
1991 From Thaw to Perestroika: Contemporary
Soviet Art, Setagaya Art Museum, Tokyo'
1992 A Mosca ... a Mosca, Villa Campolieto,
Ercolano; y otras salas'
Biennial, Istanbul
lstanbul
l'art contemporain
1993 Adresse provisoire pour I'art
russe, Muse de la Poste, Paris'
1994 Fluchtpunkt Moskau, ludwig-Forum, Aachen'
1995 Kunst im Verborgenen, Wilhelm-HackMuseum, ludwigshafen; y otras salas'
2000 KLAVA's Lovers, Central Exhibition Hall,
Moscow
2003 Neue Ansiitze-Zeitgenossische Kunst aus
Moskau, Kunsthalle, Dsseldorf
2003 Berlin~Moskau,
Berlin~Moskau, Moskau-Berlin 1950-2000-04 van
y otras salas'
Conceptua/ism,
2005 AptArt 1956-1979, Museum Drugoe
iskusstvo, Museum Center
Moscow'
Center RGU, Moscow'
2006 Artists
Artists Against the State: Perestroika
2007 Sots Art. Art politiqueen
politique en Russie
Russie de 1972
1972
--08
08 aujourd'hui, la Maison Rouge, Paris'
INSPECCIN
INSPECCiN HERMENUTICA MDICA/
MDICAI
INSPECTION
INSPECTION MEDICAL
MEDICAl HERMENEUTICS
HERMENEUTlCS
Fundada
Fundada en
en 1989
1989 por
por Pvel
Pvel Pppershtein,
Pppershtein, Serguei
Serguei
Anfriev
e luri
Anfrieve
luri liderman,
liderman, miembros
miembros de
de la
la generageneracin
de conceptualistas
conceptualistas rusos.
rusos. Inspirados
Inspirados
cin ms
ms joven
joven de
por
por Kabakov,
Kabakov, utilizan
utilizan motivos
motivos de
de la
la cultura
cultura popular
popular
en sus
sus incursiones
incursiones en
en
en lo
lo sagrado.
sagrado. Cuando
Cuando tratan
tratan la
la
religin,
religin, la
la poltica
poltica oo la
la filosofa,
filosofa, pretenden
pretenden diseccdiseccionar yy cuestionar
cuestionar su
ionar
su relevancia
relevancia en
en la
la vida
vida cotidiana.
cotidiana.
Durante ese
ese proceso
Durante
proceso desarrollan
desarrollan un
un "Conceptualis" Conceptualismo infantil"
infantil" que
que permite
mo
permite la
la visualizacin
visualizacin inmediata
inmediata
de estos
estos temas
temas intelectuales
de
intelectuales yy serios
serios mediante
mediante
aproximaciones que
aproximaciones
que aa menudo
menudo combinan
combinan estticas
estticas
hollywoodenses yy dibujos
hollywoodenses
dibujos animados
animados japoneses.
japoneses.
I1
Founded in
in 1989
1989 by
Founded
by Pavel
Pavel Pepperstein,
Pepperstein, Sergei
Sergei
Anufriev, and Yuri
Yuri leiderman,
leiderman, who belong
belong to
to the
younger generation of Russian Conceptualists.
Inspirad by Kabakov, they use motifs from
Inspired
from popular
in their infiltration of
culture in
of all
all things
th ings sacred.
Whether dealing with religion, politics,
politics, or philosophy, they seek to dissect and question the
phy,
the
relevance of these themes for daily Iife.
life. In the
process, they develop an "infantile Conceptualism"
that allows the immediate visualization of these
intellectual and grave subjects with approaches
that often combine Hollywood aesthetics and
Japanese animation.
SELECCIN DE EXPOSICIONES INDIVIDUAlESI
SELECCiN
INDIVIDUALES/
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (SElECTED)
(SELECTEDJ
1990 Galerie Krings-Ernst, Cologne
Galerie Mladych, Prague'
Kunsthalle, Dsseldorf'
1991 Galerie Krings-Ernst, Cologne
1992 Galerie Grita Insam,
lnsam, Vienna'
Shedhalle, Zrich
. Galerie Walcheturm, Zrich
1993 Swiss lnstitute,
Institute, NY, NY
l Gallery, Moscow
Kunstverein Hamburg'
1994 Galerie lnge
Inge Baecker, Cologne'
Human Space Modern Art Center, Milan'
1995 Center for Contemporary Art, Kiev
1997 State Russian Museum, St.
Sto Petersburg
1998 Kunsthaus Zug
SELECCIN
COlECTIVASI
GROUP
(SElECTED)
1988
198B KLAVA 11,
pereulok, Moscow
1989 Expensive
Expensive Art, Pala
Palace
ce of Youth, Moscow
Van
Von der
der Revolution
Revolution zur
zur Perestroika
Perestroika,,
Kunstmuseum
Kunstmuseum luzern; Palau
Palau de
de la
la Virreina,
Barcelona;
Barcelona; yy otras
otras salas'
salas'
Moscow
Moscow Vienna
Vienna New
New York,
York, Messepalast,
Messepalast, Vienna
Vienna
KLAVA
KLAVA New
New Jerusa/em,
Jerusalem, Oblast'
Oblast' Moscow
Moscow
Furmanny
Furmanny zau/ek,
zaulek, Dawne
Dawne Zaklady
Zaklady Norblina
Norblina and
and
Novicki
Novicki Gallery,
Gallery, Warsaw
Warsaw
Fundacin Juan March
408 1/ 409
409
408
Su
The Green
Green Show,
Show, Exit
Exit Art,
Art, NY,
NY, NY;
NY;
Su familia
familia se
se traslada
traslada aa Mosc.
Mosc. Empieza
Empieza aa estudiar
estudiar
1989 The
1989
en
-91 yy otras
otras salas
salas
en lala Universidad
Universidad Surikov
Surikov de
de Arte
Arte (1945)
(1945) donde
donde concon-91
tina
tina estudiando
estudiando arte
arte grfico
grfico (1951-57).
(1951-57). Empieza
Empieza
ofConceptua/ism,
State
1989 Perspectivas
Perspectives of
1989
su carrera
carrera como
como artista
artista independiente
independiente (1955),
(1955), yy
-92 Exhibition
Exhibition Hall
Hall Peresvetov
Peresvetov pereulok,
pereulok, Moscow;
Moscow; yy su
-92
como
otras salas
salas
ilustrador de
de libros
libros infantiles
infantiles yy revistas
revistas.. EmEmcomo ilustrador
otras
pieza
trabajar sobre
sobre sus
sus Albmes
Albmes (1970)
(1970) yy realiza
realiza
pieza aatrabajar
The Work
Work of
ofArt
Art in
in the
the Age
Age of
ofPerestroika,
Perestroika,
1990 The
1990
unos
Phyllis Kind
Kind Gallery,
Gallery, NY,
NY, NY"
NY
la siguiente
siguiente dcada.
dcada.
unos cincuenta
cincuenta yy cinco
cinco durante
durante la
Phyllis
Viaja
Viaja por
por primera
primera vez
vez al
al extranjero
extranjero (1988).
(1988). Recibe
Recibe
Artisti rus
russi
contemporanei1/ Contemporary
Contemporary
si contemporanei
Artisti
numerosos
Russian Artists,
Artists, Centro
Centro per
per !'Arte
I'Arte ContempoContemponumerosos premios,
premios, entre
entre ellos
ellos la
la Beca
Beca DAAD,
DAAD, Berln
Berln
Russian
(1989);
ranea Luigi
Luigi Pecci,
Pecci, Prato;
Prato; Centro
Centro Atlntico
Atlntico de
(1989); el
de
el 4
4 Premio
Premio Artstico
Artstico de
de Aquisgrn
Aquisgrn (1990);
(1990);
ranea
el
Arte Moderno,
Moderno, Gran
Gran Canaria"
Canaria
el Premio
Premio de
de la
la Fundacin
Fundacin Joseph
Joseph Beuys,
Beuys, Basilea;
Basilea; yy el
el
Arte
Premio
Premio Max
Max Beckmann,
Beckmann, Frncfort
Frncfort (1993)
(1993)..
KLAVA SchizoChina
SchizoChina (Hallucinations
(Hal/ucinations of
of Power),
Power),
KLAVA
1/
AII-Russian Exhibition
Exhibition Center,
Center, Moscow
Moscow
AII-Russian
Family
1990 Between
Between Spring
Spring and
and Summer:
Summer: Soviet
Soviet
Family moves
moves to
to Moscow,
Moscow, begins
begins studying
studying at
at MosMos1990
cow's Surikov
Surikov College
College of
of Art
Art (1945),
(1945), where
where he
he goes
goes
Art in
in the
the Era
Era of
of Late
Late Communism,
Communism, cow's
-91 Conceptual
Conceptual Art
-91
on
Tacoma Art
Art Museum,
Museum, WA
WA;; yy otras
otras salas
salas
on to
to study
study graphic
graphic art
art (1951-57).
(1951-57). Starts
Starts career
career
Tacoma
as
to Perestroika:
Perestroika: Contemporary
Contemporary
as aa freelance
freelance artist
artist (1955),
(1955), illustrator
illustrator of
of children's
children's
1991 From
From Thaw
Thaw to
1991
books
Soviet Art,
Art, Setagaya
Seta gaya Art
Art Museum,
Museum, Tokyo
Tokyo
and magazines.
magazines. Begins
Begins working
working on
on his
his Albums
Albums
books and
Soviet
(1970)
(1970),, creating sorne
some fifty-five
40 Moskauer
Moskauer Knstler im
im
fifty-five in
in the course
course of
of the
MANI-Museum. 40
following decade. Takes his first trip abroad (1988).
Frankfurt
Frankfurter Karmeliterkloster, Frankfurt
Numerous awards, including a DAAD Scholarship,
Nul/. Kunsteis, Kiilte
Kalte und Kultur,
Unter Nu/1.
Centrum lndustriekultur,
Industriekultur, Nrnberg; Mnchner Berln
Berlin (1989); the Fourth Aachen Art Prize (1990);
the Joseph
Stadtmuseum
Joseph Beuys Foundation Award, Base!;
Basel; and the
Stadtmuseum
Max Beckmann Award, Frankfurt (1993).
1991 Sowjetische Kunst um 1990, Kunsthalle,
salas
-92 Dsseldorf; y otras salas
SELECCIN
1992 A Mosca ... a Mosca, Villa Campolieto,
salas
Ercolano; y otras salas
1985 Kunsthalle Bern
Venezia
1993,2001
Bern;; Centre de la Vieille Charit,
2001 Bienna/e
1993,
Marseille; Kunstverein, Dsseldorf; Centre
Biennial, Centije, Montenegro
national des arts plastiques, Pars;
I'art contemporain
Paris; Museum
Adresse provisoire pour l'art
Bochum
russe, Muse de la Poste, Pars"
Paris
Base!; Centre
Aachen
1994 Fluchtpunkt Moskau, Ludwig-Forum, Aachen
1987 Museum fr Gegenwartskunst, Basel;
lnstitute of
Pars; Institute
Georges Pompidou, Paris;
2000 Le pole
lnspection Hermneutique
pote du froid: Inspection
London
Contemporary Art, London
Mdicale
l'art russe des annes 90, cole
Mdica/e et I'art
Pars;
Nationale Suprieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris;
1988 Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, NY, NY;
lnstitute of Contemporary Art, London;
Moscow
-90 Institute
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden,
Berlin-Moskau / Moskau-Berlin 1950-2000oc
Berln;
Washington, DC
-04 von
haute aus, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin;
van heute
Zrich"
Moscow
1989 Kunsthalle Zrich
Moskauer Konzeptualismus /1 Moscow
1992 Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, NY, NY; Museum
-94 of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Hessisches
Darmstadt"
Staatliche Museen
Landesmuseum Darmstadt
Berln"
Museen zu Berlin
Amsterdam
ven Sins: Ljubljana-Moscow,
2004
1993 Stedeljik Museum, Amsterdam
Ljub/jana-Moscow, Moderna
Seven
2004 Se
Kunsthalle"
Hamburger Kunsthalle
Hamburger
Galerija,
Ljubljana
Galerija, Ljubljana
Pars"
Pompidou, Paris
Georges Pompidou,
Centre Georges
1995 Centre
Pavel
1995
Giiste/Pavel
und Gaste/Pavel
Pepperstein und
Pavel Pepperstein
Br.emen
Kunsthalle Br.emen
1998 Kunsthalle
Zug
Pepperstein
1998
Kunsthaus Zug
Guests, Kunsthaus
and Guests,
Pepperstein and
Bern
Kunstmuseum Bern
2000 "Kunstmuseum
and
2005
2000
Conceptua/ism and
History. Moscow
of History.
Angels of
2005 Angels
Bard
Museum, Bard
Studies Museum,
Curatorial Studies
for Curatorial
Center for
Its
2001 Center
Hedendaagse
2001
van Hedendaagse
Museum van
/nf/uence, Museum
/ts Influence,
NY"
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
Kunst
College, Annandale-on-Hudson,
College,
Antwerp
Antwerpen, Antwerp
Kunst Antwerpen,
Goppingen
Kunsthalle Goppingen
2002 Kunsthalle
2002
Petersburg
St. Petersburg
Museum, Sto
Hermitage Museum,
ILl
State Hermitage
2004 State
2004
KABAKOV
ILI KABAKOV
Kabakov)"
E. Kabakov)
(con E.
1933
(con
Dnepropetrovsk
in Dnepropetrovsk
en /1in
1933 en
Kabakov)"
E. Kabakov)
(con E.
Tokyo (con
Museum, Tokyo
Art Museum,
NY
Mor Art
in NY
Vive
works in
and works
Mori
York/Lives and
Nueva York/Lives
en Nueva
trabaja en
Vive yy trabaja
Fundacin Juan March
BIOGRAFAS
I ARTISTS' BIOGRAPHIES
2004 Kunsthalle Bielefeld;
Bielefeld ; Kunsthaus Zug
Kabakov)
-05 (con E. KabakovJ"
Kabakov)
Serpentine Gallery, London (con E. Kabakov)'
2007 Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art;
Setagaya
Seta
gaya Art Museum, Tokyo; Museum of
Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama
Kabakov)
(con E. Kabakov)'
2007 Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund; Sara Hildn
-09 Art Museum, Tampere; Centro de Arte
Malaga
Contemporneo, Malaga'
1967
1968
1969
SELECCIN DE EXPOSICIONES COLECTlVASI

COLECTIVAS/
SELECCiN
One Evening, Caf Sinyaya Ptitsa (Bluebird
CBiuebird
Caf), Moscow
Exhibition together with Erik Bulatov at the
(con . Bultov)
Nueva scuola di Mosca, Galleria
Gallera Pananti,
Nuova
salas
Florence; y otras salas'

Venezia
ufficiale, Biennale di Venezia'
ulliciale,
non-officiel, Muse du Vieux
1978 L'art russe non-olliciel,
Chteau de Laval, Muse des Beaux-Arts,
Mse des Beaux-Arts, Chartres'
Chartres
Tours; Mse
Venezia
1988,1993, 2007 Biennale di Venezia'
Sotheby's: Russian Avant-garde and Soviet
1988 Sotheby's:
Moscow
Contemporary Art, Moscow'
1989 Magiciens de la terre, Centre Georges
Pars
Pompidou, Paris'
1989
-92
1990
1991
Luzern ; Palau de la Virreina,

Kunstmuseum Luzern;
salas
Perspeptives 01
of Conceptualism,
Conceptua/ism, State
Perspe.ctives
salas'
y otras salas
Kashirke " State Art
Naar het object, "Na Kashirke"
Gallery, Moscow; y otras salas
salas'
Carnegie lnternational,
International, Carnegie Museum of
PA
Art, Pittsburgh, PA'
Nv
Dislocations, Museum of Modern Art, NY; NY'
2003 Remembrance: Russian Post-Modern

Museum , Center
Nostalgia , Yeshiva University Museum,
Nostalgia,
Nv
for Jewish History, NY, NY'
2003 Berlin-Moskau, Moskau-Berlin 1950-2000-04 von heute aus, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin;
Berlin ;
salas
y otras salas'
Traumfabrik Kommunismus. Oie

visuel/e
Traumlabrik
Die visuelle
Kultur der Sta/inzeit,
Stalinzeit, Schirn Kunsthalle
Frankfurt
Frankfurt'
2005 AptArt 1956-1979, Museum Drugoe iskusstvo,
Moscow
Museum Center RGU, Moscow'
of Lile-Essence
Life-Essence 01
of Art, LudwigEssence 01
salas
Mzeum, Budapest; y otras salas'
2005 Russia!, Solomon
Saloman R. Guggenheim Museum,
Museum ,
Bilbao
-06 NY, NY; Museo Guggenheim Bilbao'
2007 Sots Art. Art politique en Russie de 1972 a
Rouge , Paris'
Pars
aujourd'hui, La Maison Rouge,
GUEORGUI KIZEVAL'TER
in Moscow
, 1955 en Mosc 1
/in
I Uves and works in
Moscow
Artista , fotgrafo y ensayista.
ensayista . Se gradua en el InstArtista,
ituto Lenn de Pedagoga en Mosc (1977). Participa
en algunos de los ms importantes movimientos arMosc , entre ellos AptArt y KLAVA (Club
tsticos de Mosc,
Ca-fundador de Acciones Colecde vanguardistas). Co-fundador
tivas (1976). Miembro de la Federacin Internacional
de Artistas (1988-93) y del Sindicato de Artistas
Moscovitas (1993-98). Estancia en Canad (19982006).
1
I
Artist, photographer, and essayist. Graduates from
the Lenin Pedagogicallnstitute in Moscow (1977).
Participates in several of the most important Moscow art movements, including AptArt and KLAVA
(Avantgardists' Club). Co-founds Collective Actions
(1976) . Member of the International
lnternational Federation of
(1976).
Artists (1988-93) and of the Union of Moscow Artists
(1993-98). Uves in Ganada
Canada (1998-2006).
No vaco. Artistas rusos contemporneos,
1992
1993
1995
1998
-99
Galicia ,
Compostela
documenta, Kassel'
Kassel
Lyon
Biennial, Lyon'
of Social Realism,
Rea/ism, P.S.1, NY, NY
The Art 01
From Gulag to Glasnost, Jane Voorhees
NJ
Kunst im Verborgenen, Wilhelm-Hacksalas
Museum, Ludwigshafen; y otras salas'
A.R . Williamson Gallery,
Forbidden Art, A.R.
College of Design, Pasadena, CA; y otras salas'
salas
Coliege
1983
1990
1991
1993
1996
1998

INDIVIDUALES/
SELECCiN
AptArt exhibition in private
prvate apartment,
Moscow
Galera Fernando Duran, Madrid
Sadovniki Gallery, Moscow
Sadov'niki
Velta Gallery, Moscow
A. Petrelli Gallery, Moscow
Bryansk Art Museum
lnstitute of Contemporary Art, Moscow
Institute
Fundacin Juan March
410 1/ 411
CDLECTIVAS/
SELECCIN
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1976 Unofficial Apartment Shows,
Moscow
-83 Moscow
Venezia'
ufficiale, Biennale di Venezia"
1986 17th Youth Exhibition, MDKh, Moscow
Artists,, Moscow
1987 The Object, Union of Graphic Artists
o[ Moscow Artists,
Retrospective Exhibition of
o[ Avantgardists' Club (KLAVA)
(KLAVAJ,,
1I Exhibition of
ladan a Jerusaln (1977) y despus a Nueva York

(1978)
(1978).. Se nacionalizan estadounidenses (1988)
(1988).. Fin
de
de su colaboracin (2004).
1/
Meet in 1963 at the Stroganov lnstitute
Institute of
of Arts and
lndustry
Industry in Moscow (MVKhPU) during a lesson in anatomical drawing at the margue
morgue.. Begin collaborating
(1965), coining the term Sots Art in the early seventies. Barred from the Artists' Union (1973). Move
to Jerusalem (1977)
(1977),, then to New York (1978).
Become US citizens (1988). End their collaboration
(2004).
1/, Young Artists Club, Budapest

Art Today 11,
1/ Exhibition of
o[ Avantgardists' Club (KLAVA),
(KLAVAJ,
19B8 11
1988
1989
1989
1989
-92
Exhibition
ion Hall at Avtozavodskaya, Moscow
Exhibit
Youth,, Moscow
Labyrinth, Palace of Youth
The Green Show, Exit Art, NY, NY; y otras
salas'
salas
KLAVA
Oblast'' Moscow
LAVA New Jerusalem, Oblast
K
(performance)
Perspectives of
o[ Conceptualism, State
Perspectivas
salas'
y otras salas

Compostela'
Santiago de Compostela"
1992 Moscow Romanticism, Central House of
Artists, Moscow
1995 From Gulag to Glasnost
Glasnost,, Jane Voorhees
NJ"
1995 Flug-Ent[ernung-Verschwinden.
-96 Konzeptuel/e
HJavnho
Konzeptuelle Moskauer Kunst, Galerie Hlavnho
salas
1999 Visual Poetry, Centre of Culture, Bruges
2003 40 Years o[
Unofficial Art, Central Exhibition
of Uno[[icial
Hall Manege, Moscow
2006 Artists Against the State:
Sta te: Perestroika
KOMAR & MELAMID

Vitali Komar
1943 en Mosc 1
/ in Moscow
Vive y trabaja
York/Lives and works in NY
t rabaja en Nueva York/Uves
Aleksandr Melamid
/ in Moscow
1945 en Mosc 1
Vive y trabaja en Nueva York /1Uves and works in NY
1965
1967
1968
1976
1978
1979
1980
1981
1985
1986
1987
-88
1988
1995
1996
1997
2003
2006
Se conocen en 1963 en el Instituto Stroganov de Arte

e Industria, en Mosc (MVKhPU),
(MVKhPU) , durante una clase
de dibujo anatmico impartida en un depsito de cadveres. Empiezan a colaborar (1965) e inventan el
trmino "Arte
70 . Son
" Arte Soz" a principios de los aos 70.
excluidos
t r as(1973) . Se trasArtist as (1973).
exclu idos del Sindicato de Artistas
SELECCIN
SOLO EXHIBITIONS CSELECTED)
(SELECTED)
Academy of Art, Vilnius; Stroganov lnstitute
Institute
of Arts and lndustry,
Industry, Moscow
Caf Sinyaya Ptitsa (Biuebird
(Bluebird Caf)
Caf),, Moscow
Gorodok Academy
Academy,, Pushchino, Oblast Moscow
Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, NY, NY
Hartford Athenaeum, Hartford, CT
White Gallery, Tel Aviv
Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, NY, NY
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Garden,,
on, OC
Washingt
Washington,
University of lowa City
in A. Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita, KA"
Edw
KA'
Edwin
icago, IL
Museum of Contemporary Art, Ch
Chicago,
Metropolitan Museum and Art Center, NY, NY
Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh
Muse des arts dcoratifs, Paris
Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia
lnstitute for Modern Art,
Artspace, Sidney; Institute
Brisbane; School of Art Gallery, University of
Tasmania, Hobart; Australian Centre of
Prax is, Perth;
Melbourne;, Praxis,
Contemporary Art, Melbourne;
Exper imental Art Foundation, Adelaide
Experimental
Madr id"
Galera Moriarty, Madrid'
Neue Gesellschaft fr Bildende Kunst, Berlin
Arts , NY, NY
Di a Center for the Arts,
Dia
Ukrainian State Museum, Kiev
Museum , Reykjavk
Reykjavk Municipal Art Museum,
Rotterdam
Kiiln ; Kunsthal, Rotterdam'
Museum Ludwig, Kiiln;
Wien
Kunsthalle Wien'
Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art, Chiba,
Japan
Artpool Art Research Centre, Budapest

SELECCiN
1967 Caf Sinyaya Ptitsa (Bluebird
1974 Bulldozer Exhibition, Belyaevo Park
Par k,
lsmailovsky Park,'
Moscow; Ismailovsky
sept.) , Moscow;
(15 de sept.),
Fundacin Juan March
BIOGRAFAS DE
DE ARTISTAS
ARTISTAS /1 ARTISTS'
BIOGRAPHIES
BIOGRAFAS
Moscow (29
(29 de
de sept.)
sept.)
Moscow
1977 La
La nuova
nuova arte
arte Sovietica:
Sovietica: una
una prospettiva
prospettiva non
non
1977
ufficiale, BiennaJe
Biennale di
di Venezia
Venezia'
ufficiale,
1979 20
20 Jahre
Jahre unabhingige
unabhiingige Kunst
Kunst aus
aus der
der SowjetSowjet1979
union, Museum
Museum Bochum;
Bochum; yy otras
otras salas
salas'
union,
1982 Sots
Sots Art,
Art, Ronald
Ronald Feldman
Feldman Fine
Fine Arts,
Arts, NY,
NY', NY
NY
1982
1984 Sots
Sots Art,
Art, Semaphore
Semaphore Gallery,
Gallery, NY,
NY, NY
NY'
1984
1985 Synaesthetics.
Synaesthetics. Collaboration
Col/aboration between
between Artists
Artists
1985
and Writers,
Writers, The
The Institute
lnstitute for
for Contemporary
Contemporary
and
Art, P.S.1,
P.S.1 , Long
Long Island
lsland City,
City, NY
NY'
Art,
1986 Sots
Sots Art,
Art, New
New Museum
Museum of
of Contemporary
Contemporary Art,
Art ,
1986
NY; yy otras salas
salas'
-87 NY, NY;
1987 documenta,
documenta , Kassel
Kassel'
1987
1990 The New
New Soviet
Soviet Art, Institute
lnstitui:e of Contemporary
1990
Art, Boston, MA
Art,
U.S.S.R. Today,
Today, Stedelijk Museum,
Museum, Amsterdam
Amsterdam'
U.S.S.R.
1993 Stalin's Choice: Soviet Socialist Realism
lnstitute for Contemporary
-94 1932-1956, The Institute
lsland City, NY
Art, P.S.1, Long Island
Cologne'
1995 Unser Jahrhundert, Museum Ludwig, Cologne
Kunst im Verborgenen, Wilhelm-Hacksalas'
Museum, Ludwigshafen; y otras salas
l'histoire 1933-1996, Centre Pompidou,
1996 Face I'histoire
-97 Paris
Paris'
Center, IL
1998 Heroic Painting, Chicago Cultural Center,
1999 8iennale
Biennale di Venezia, Russian Pavilion
Pavilion'
lconoclash, ZKM Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe'
2002 Iconoclash,
2003 8erlin-Moskau,
Berlin-Moskau, Mosku-8erlin
Moskiw-Berlin 1950-2000van heute aus, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin;
Berlin ;
-04 von
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow'
Moscow
Kommunismus. Die visuelle
visuel/e
Traumfabrik Kommunismus.
Kultur der Stalinzeit, Schirn Kunsthalle
Frankfurt'
Frankfurt
2006 Territories of Terror, Boston University
-07 Art G
.allery, MA
G.allery,
MA
Sto Petersburg
politique en Russie de 1972
-08 aujourd'hui, La Ma
ison Rouge, Paris'
Maison
Paris
ALEKSANDR KOSOLPOV
1943 en Mosc/ in Moscow
Vive y ttrabaja
r abaja en
en Nueva York/Lives
York/Uves and works
works in NY
Estudia en el Instituto Stroganov de Arte e Industria
CMVKhPU)
(MVKhPU) (1962-68). Miembro de la seccin de
escultura del Sindicato Ruso de Artistas (1968-75).
Emigra a Nueva York (1975). Ce-edita
Co-edita y representa la
revista
revista A- Ya en
en los
los EE.UU. Ce-fundador
Co-fundador del
del Arte
Arte Soz.
Soz.
1/
Studies
Studies at
at Moscow's
Moscow's Stroganov
Stroganov lnstitute
Institute of
of Arts
Arts
and
and lndustry
Industry (MVKhPU)
(MVKhPU) (1962-68).
(1962-68). Member
Member of
of the
the
sculpture
sculpture section
section of
of the
the Russian
Russian Union
Un ion of
of Artists
Artists
(1968-75).
(1968-75). Emigrates
Emigrates to
to New
New York
York (1975).
(1975). Ce-editor
Co-editor
and representative
representativa of
and
of the
the magazine
magazine A-Ya
A- Ya in
in the
the USo
US.
Co-founder of
Co-founder
of Sots
Sots Art.
Art.
1974
1974
1985
1985
1987
1987
1990
1990
1994
1994
1997
2000
2000
SELECCIN DE
SELECCiN
DE EXPOSICIONES
INDIVIDUALES/
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
SOLO
(SELECTED)
House of Artists,
House
Artists, Kuznetsky
Kuznetsky Most,
Most, Moscow
Moscow
Semaphore Gallery,
Semaphore
Gallery, NY,
NY, NY
NY
Galerie
Galerie Anna
Anna Friebe,
Frie be, Cologne
Cologne'
Eduard Nakhamkin
Eduard
Nakhamkin Fine
Fine Arts,
Arts, NY,
NY, NY
NY'
Galerie Vorsetzen,
Galerie
Vorsetzen, Hamburg
Hamburg
Galerie Karenina, Vienna
Vienna
Museum of
of Art,
Art , The Duke University,
Durham, NC

SELECCiN
1978 New Art from
from the USSR, Pratt Institute
lnstitute
Gallery, NY, NY
Gallery,
1979 20 Jahre unabhiingige Kunst aus der
Sowjetunion, Museum Bochum; y otras salas
salas'
1981 Russian New Wave, Contemporary Russian Art
-82 Center of America,
America , NY, NY
NY'
1982 Visual Politics,
Politics, Alternative
Alternativa Museum, NY, NY
NY'
Russian Samizdat Art, Franklin Furnace, NY,
NY; y otras salas
1983 Russian Art, Western Front, Vancouver
1984 Sots Art, Semaphore Gallery, NY, NY
NY'
1986 Sots Art, New Museum of Contemporary Art,
-87 NY; y otras salas
salas'
1987 Retrospektiva: Soviet Avantgarde 1970-1980,
Moscow Council of the Arts, Moscow
Russian and Soviet Political
Po/itical Art, Baruch
College Gallery, NY, NY
1988 Hommage-Demontage, Neue Galerie-Samm-89 lung Ludwig
Ludwig,, Aachen
Aachen;; y otras salas'
salas
1989 Transit: Russian Artists between the East
-90 and West, Russian Arts Museum of Long lsland
Island,,
salas
Hempstead, NY; y otras salas'
1990 The Objects, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
KLAVA SchizoChina (Hal/ucinations
(Hallucinations of Power),
AII-Russian Exhibition Center, Moscow
1990 Drugoe iskusstvo: Moskva 1956-76, State
-91 Tretyakov
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow; State Russian
Sto Petersburg'
Petersburg
Museum, St.
1992
1992 Sots Art, Len
Lenin
in Museum, Moscow
1994,
1997 Biennial,
1994,1997
8iennial, Cetinje, Montenegro
1995 Kunst im Verborgenen, Wilhelm-Hackotras salas'
salas
Museum,, Ludwigshafen;
Museum
1995
1995 Russian Jewish
Jewish Artists in
in a Century
Century of Change
Change
-96 1880-1990, The
The Jewish
Jewish Museum,
Museum, NY,
NY, NY'
NY
-96
1998
1998 lt'
It's the
the Real Thing
Thing:: Soviet
Soviet and
and Post-soviet
-99
-99 Sots
Sots Art
Art and
and American
American Pop
Pop Art,
Art, Weisman
Weisman Art
Art
Museum,, Minneapolis,
Minneapolis, MN'
MN
Museum
Fundacin Juan March
412 1/ 413
413
412
1999 Kunst
Kunst im
im Untergrund.
Untergrund. Nonkonformistische
Nonkonlormistische
1999
-00 Knstler
Knstler aus
aus der
der Sowjetu.nion,
Sowjetunion, Albertina
Albertina im
im
-00
Akademiehof, Vienna'
Vienna'
Akademiehof,
2003 Berlin-Moskau
Berlin-Moskau/Moskau-Berlin
1950-2000/ Moskau-Berlin 1950-20002003
-04 von
von heute
heute aus,
Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin;
BerJin;
-04
State Tretyakov
Tretyakov Gallery,
Gallery, Moscow'
Moscow'
State
01 Life-Essence
Lile-Essence of
01 Art, ludwigludwigEssence of
Essence
Mzeum, Budapest;
Budapest; yy otras
otras salas'
salas'
Mzeum,
Artists Against the Sta
State: Perestroika
2006 Artists
NY, NY
NY
Revisited, Ronald
Ronald Feldman
Feldman Fine
Fine Arts,
Arts, NY,
Sto Petersburg
Art politique en Russie de
de 1972
1972 iz
2007 Sots Art. Art
-08 aujourd'hui, la Maison Rouge, Paris'
lIDERMAN
IURI LIDERMAN
, 1963 en 1/ in Odessa
Uves and works in Mosc 1/ lives
Uves and works in
lives
Moscow
Con 19 aos empieza a participar en exposiciones
Mosc.. Termina sus estudios
no-oficiales de arte en Mosc
Instituto Mendeleev de Ingeniera Qumica
en el instituto
(1987) y comienza a participar en las exposiciones
KlAVA, y a co
colaborar
Pppershtein..
laborar con Anfriev y Pppershtein
de KLAVA,
Juntos forman el grupo artstico Inspeccin Hermepernutica Mdica (1989), aunque liderman slo parmecer en l hasta 1991, cuando abandona el grupo
Vladimir
imir Fedorov.
y es sustituido por Vlad
/
1
Begins
Beg ins taking part at nineteen in unofficial art exhibitions in Moscow. Completes studies at Mendeleev
Institute
lnstitute of Chemical Engineering (1987), and begins
participating in KlAVA
KLAVA exhibitions and collaborating
with Anufriev and Pepperstein. Together they form
Inspection
(1989) , though
Medica! Hermeneutics (1989),
lnspection Medical
leiderman will only remain
1991 ,
rema in with them until 1991,
when he leaves the group and is replaced by Vladimir
Fedorov.
1989
1991
1992
1994
1996
1996
1998
1998
-99
-99
SElECCiN
INDIVIDUALES/
SELECCIN DE EXPOSICIONES INDIVIDUAlES/
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (SElECTED)
(SELECTED)
Museum
of Fine Arts, Warsaw'
Muse um of the Academy of
Baykonur Cosmodrom (con A. Andora)'
Andera)'
Skola Gallery, Moscow;
gallery, Moscow'
Moscow; 1.0 gallery,
Vita Nova "Gallery,
Gallery, Minsk
Skola Gallery, Moscow
Galerie
Cologne
Baecker, Cologne
lnge Baecker,
Galerie Inge
Galerie
Tours'
Rein, Tours'
Michel Rein,
Galerie Michel
FRAC
Reims
Champagne-Ardennes, Reims
FRAC Champagne-Ardennes,
ludwig-Mzeum,
- Center
Center
LAZNIABudapest; LAZNIA
ludwig-Mzeum, Budapest;
for
Galerija
Gdansk; Galerija
Art, Gdansk;
Contemporary Art,
for Contemporary
Miroslav
Sugr)
J. Sugr)
(con J.
Zagreb (con
Kraljevic, Zagreb
Miroslav Kraljevic,
2002
2002 Gesellschaft
Gesellschaft fr
fr Aktuelle
Aktuelle Kunst,
Kunst, Bremen
Bremen
2003
2003 Cornerhouse,
Cornerhouse, Manchester
Manchester (con
(con V.
V. Fishkin)
Fishkin)
2005
d'art contemporain,
contemporain, Marseille
Marseille
2005 Muse
Muse d'art
Galerie
Galerie Elisabeth
EJisabeth Kaufmann,
Kaufmann, Zrich
Zrich
2007
2007 Galerie
Galerie Traverse,
Traverse, Mnich
Mnich
lkon
Ikon Gallery,
Gallery, Birmingham
Birmingham
1983
1984
1986
1987
1988
1998
1999
1999
-01
2000
2002
2003
2003
-04
2004
2004
2005
2006
2007
2007
SELECCIN
SElECCiN DE
DE EXPOSICIONES
COlECTIVAS/
GROUP
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
EXHIBITIONS CSELECTED)
(SElECTED)
AptArt in the Open-Air, Kalistovo,
Kalistovo, Moscow
Moscow
AptArt Beyond the Fence, AptArt Gallery,
Moscow
Moscow
Odessa-Moscow,
Odessa-Moscow, AptArt Gallery, Moscow
1I Exhibition of
(KLAVAJ,
KLAVA 11,
1/, State Exhibition Hall Peresvetov
pereulok, Moscow
111/ Exhibition of
(KLAVAJ,
Exhibition Hall at Avtozavodskaya
Avtozavodskaya,, Moscow
New Russians, Palace of Culture and Science,
Warsaw
Biennial, Sydney
Fauna, National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
After
Afier the Wa/1-Art
Wal/-Art and Culture in PostCommunist Europe, Moderna Museet,
Stockholm; y otras salas'
Cooperativ.
Cooperativo Kunstdialoge Ost-West,
Stadthaus Ulm'
Pop / Art, Zverev Center of Modern Arts,
Pop/Art,
Moscow
Biennale di Venezia'
Alphabeticon , Stanford Univ., Palo Alto, CA'
Alphabeticon,
Berlin-Moskau/ Moskau-Berlin 1950-2000Berlin-Moskau/Moskau-Berlin
Gallery, Moscow'
Kupferstichkabinett,
Biennial, Shanghai
Sins: Ljubljana-Moscow, Moderna
Seven Sins:
Galerija , ljubljana'
Galerija,
Works on the Edge, ludwig-Mzeum, Budapest
Destination, The Drawing Center, NY, NY' ".
Common Oestination,
Silence, Herzliya Museum of
of Si/ence,
Voices 01
Contemporary Art
Perestroika
te: Perestroika
Sta te:
the Sta
Against the
Artists Against
NY
NY, NY
Arts, NY,
Fine Arts,
Feldman Fine
Ronald Feldman
Revisited, Ronald
Revisited,
Moscow
Biennial, Moscow
Biennial,
ludwigFocus, ludwigin Focus,
Col/ection in
The Col/ection
1-2-3: The
1-2-3:
Budapest
Mzeum,
Mzeum, Budapest
Russia,
from Russia,
Art Irom
Memory-New Art
of Memory-New
Return 01
Return
Tallinn
Museum , Tallinn
Art Museum,
Kumu Art
Kumu
Fundacin Juan March
BIOGRAF AS OE ARTISTAS /1 ARTISTS' BIOGRAPHIES

BIOGRAPHIES
BIOGRAFAS
fGOR MAKREVICH
rGOR
1943 en Trpoli/in
Trpoli 1 in Tripoli
Trpoli
,' 1943
Lives and works
works in Moscow
Vive y trabaja en Mosc /1Lives
1982
famil ia se traslada a Mosc (1951).

(1951) . Asiste a la UniSu familia
contina sus
versidad Surikov de Arte (1955-62) y contina
estudios de pintura con luri Pimenov en el Instituto
(1962-68) . Se
Gerasimov de Cinematografa (Mosc) (1962-6B).
em une al Sindicato de Artistas Soviticos (1970) y empieza a disear las escenografas de series de teleteatro . Se incorpora a Acciones
Acc iones
visin y de obras de teatro.
(1976). Realiza sus primeras instalaciones
Colectivas (1976).
(1979). Despus de casarse con la
la artista Elena
(1990), ambos empiezan a trabajar en
Elguina (1990),
instalaciones conjuntas.
conjuntas .
1
/
(1951) . Attends Moscow's
Moscow' s
Family moves to Moscow (1951).
Surikov College of Art (1955-62) and goes on to
study painting with Yuri Pimenov at the Gerasimoy
Gerasimov
lnstitute of Cinematography,
Cinematography , Moscow (1962-68).
(1962-68) .
Institute
Joins Union of Soviet Artists (1970) and begins designing sets for TV series and theater productions.
Joins Collective Actions (1976). Produces his first
installations (1979). Atter marriage to artist Elena
t ogether on joint
Elagina (1990), they begin working together
installations .
installations.
1983
1983
1987
1987
1988
1989
1989
-92
1990
1990
- 91
-91
199 1
1991
1979
1990
1992
1993
1994
2000
2001
2002
2005

SELECCiN
Vavilova Street, Moscow
MANI Museum, Moscow (con E. Elgu
ina)
Elguina)
Phyllis Kind Gallery, NY, NY
XL Gallery
Gallery,, Moscow (con E. Elguina)
Central Army Club (Velta Gallery), Moscow
(con E. Elguina)
Galerie Krings-Ernst, Cologne'
(con E. Elguina)
XL Gallery, Moscow
Mor
bid Anat
omy Museum at Vete
ri nary
Veterinary
Morbid
Anatomy
Academy
Academy,, St.
Sto Petersburg (con E. Elguina)
Art-Moscow Studio, Centra
Centrall House of Artists,
Moscow
XL Gallery, Moscow (con E. Elgu
ina)
Elguina)
S
tate Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow'
State
(con E. Elguina)
SELECCIN
1964 Young Artists, State Museum, Vilnius
1974 Soviet Book Graphics, Cuba'
1979 Phot
ographes sovitiques: Abramov, Chuikov,
Photographes
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1998
-99
2000
2003
-04
Makarevich , Centre Georges Pompidou,

Makarevich,
Pompidou , Paris
Pa r s
20 Jahre unabhingige Kunst aus der SowjetSo wjetBochum ; y otras
union, Museum Bochum;
otra s salas'
sa las'
Russian Samizdat Art,
Art, Franklin
Franklin Furnace, NY,
NY; y otras salas'
NY;
Come Yesterday and You'lI
You' /1 Be First, City Without Walls Gallery, Newark,
Newark, NJ; y otras salas'
KLAVA 1, State Exhibition Hall Peresvetov
pereulok, Moscow
haute, Museum Ludwig,
Sowjetkunst heute,
Ludwig , Cologne'
Expensive Art, Palace of Youth, Moscow
Expensive
Perspecti vas 01
of Conceptualism,
Perspectives
Exh ibition Hall Peresvetov pereulok,
Exhibition
pereulo k, Moscow;
Moscow;
Clocktower Gallery, NY,
NY, NY; University Art
Gallery, Honolulu, HI;
Gallery,
Hl; North
Nor th Carolina Museum
Museum
of Art, Raleigh
object , "Na
Nap.r het object,
" Na Kashirke"
Kash ir ke" State
St ate Art
Moscow; y otras salas'
Gallery, Moscow;
Between Spring and Summer: Soviet
Conceptual Art in the Era 01
of Late Communism,
Communism ,
Tacoma Art Museum, WA; Institute
lnstitute of ConArt , Boston, MA;
temporary Art,
MA; Des Moines Art
Center, lA'
Center,
Drugoe iskusstvo: Moskva 1956-76, State
Orugoe
Tretya kov Gallery, Moscow; State Russian
Tretyakov
St. Petersburg'
Pet ersburg'
Museum, Sto
MANI-Museum. 40 Moskauer
Mos kauer Knstler im
Frankfurter Karmeliterkloster, Frankfurt'
Franklurter
Frankf urt'
vac o. Artistas
Art ist as rusos contemporneos,
No vaco.
Sala de Exposicins, Auditorio
Aud itorio de Galicia,
A Mosca ... a Mosca
Mosca,, Villa Campol
Campolieto,
ieto,
Ercolano
Moderna,,
Ercolano;; Gallera
Galleria Comunale d'Arte Moderna
Bologna'
Monuments: Transformation
Future,,
Translormation lor
for the Futura
lnstitute
Institute of Contemporary Art
Art,, NY, NY;
Central House of
of Arti
Artists,
sts , Moscow
Fluchtpun
kt Moskau, Ludwig-Forum
Fluchtpunkt
Ludwig-Forum,, Aachen'
From Gulag to Glasnost
Glasnost,, Jane Voorhees
Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick, NJ
NJ''
Kunst im Verborgenen, Wilhelm-HackMuseum
Museum,, Ludwigshafen
Ludwigshafen;; y otras salas'
Fluxus Yesterday, Today, Tomorro
Tomorrow,
Centrall
w, Centra
House of Artists
Artists,, Moscow
Forbidden Art
Art,, A.R. Will
Williamson
iamson Gallery,
College of Design, Pasadena, CA; y otras salas'
KLAVA's Lovers, Centr
Central
al Exhibition Hall,
Moscow
Berlin-Moskau
/ Moskau-Berlin 1950-2000von haute
heute aus, MartinMartin-Gropius-Bau,
Berlin;;
Gropius-Bau , Berln
Moskauer Konzeptua/ismus
Konzeptualismus/Moscow
/ Mosco w
Conceptua/ism,
Conceptualism, Kupf
Kupferstichkabinett,
erstich kabinett,
Fundacin Juan March
414 1I 415
415
414
Staatliche Museen
Museen zu
zu Berlin'
Berlin (con
(con E.E. Elguinal
Elguina]
Staatliche
2005 Essence
Essence of
01 Life-Essence
Lile-Essence of
01Art,
Art, LudwigLudwig2005
Mzeum, Budapest;
Budapest; yy otras
otras salas'
salas
Mzeum,
2005
2005
-06
-06
2007
2007
2006 Bereznitsky
Bereznitsky Galerie,
Galerie, Berlin
Berlin
2006
NY, NY;
NY; Museo
Museo Guggenheim
Guggenheim Bilbao'
Bilbao
NY,
Bare Life,
Lile, Museum
Museum on
on the
the Seam,
Seam, Jerusalem'
Jerusalem
Bare
2007
2007 Galerie
Galerie Barbara
Barbara Weiss,
Weiss, Berlin
Berlin
Fundador de
de "fotografa
"fotografa no-oficial".
no-oficial". Recibe
Recibe la
la Beca
Beca
Fundador
OAAO (Berln)
(Berln] (1996-97),
(1996-97], el
el Premio
Premio de
de la
la Coutts
Coutts ConConDAAD
Art Foundation
Foundation (Zrichl
(Zrich] (1996)
(1996] yy el
el Premio
Premio
temporary Art
temporary
de Essen
Essen (1997).
(1997]. Profesor
Profesor
"Albert Renger
Renger Patzsch"
Patzsch" de
"Albert
en la
la Universidad
Universidad de
de Harvard,
Harvard, Cambridge,
Cambridge, MA
MA
invitado en
invitado
(2000],, recibe
recibe el
el Premio
Premio Internacional
Internacional de
de Fotografa
Fotografa
(2000)
io
de la
la Hasselblad
Hasselblad Foundation
Foundation (Gotenburgo)
(Gotenburgo] yy el
el Prem
Premio
de
de Fotografa del Citybank Private Bank (Londres)
(Londres]
(2001]. Profesor invitado en la Academia de Artes
(2001).
Visuales de Leipzig (2002-03)
(2002-03]..
1I
Founder of "unofficial photography." Holder of DAAD
(1996-97]. Receives the
Scholarship in Berlin (1996-97).
Coutts Contemporary Art Foundation Award, Zurich
(1996], and the Albert Renger Patzsch Award, Essen
(1996),
(1997].. Visiting lecturer
lecturer at Harvard University,
(1997)
Cambridge, MA (2000],
(2000), and recipient of the HasselInternational Award in Photography,
blad Foundation lnternational
Gothenburg. Awarded the Citybank Private Bank
Photography Prize, London (2001].
(2001). Visiting lecturer
at the Academy of Visual Arts Leipzig (2002-03].
(2002-03).
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1996
1997
1997
199B
1998
1999
1999
2000
2000
lnstitute
Institute of
of Contemporary
Contemporary Art,
Art, Bastan,
Boston, MA
MA
R. Guggenheim
Guggenheim Museum,
Museum,
Russia!, Saloman
Solomon R.
Russia!,
BDRs MIJILOV
MIJILDV
BORS
193B en
en1I in
in Kharkov
Kharkov
' 1938
Vive yy trabaja
trabaja en
en Kharkov
Kharkov yy Berln
Berln1I Uves
Uves and
and works
works
Vive
and Berlin
Berlin
in Kharkov
Kharkov and
in
1990
2003
Winterthur
2003 Fotomuseum
Fotomuseum Winterthur'
2004
2004 Galera
Galera Helga
Helga de
de Alvear,
Alvear, Madrid
Madrid
SELECCiN
INDIVIDUALES/
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED]
(SELECTED)
Museum of Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv
Aviv'
Central House of Cinematographers, Moscow
Forum Stadtpark, Graz
Museum of Applied Art, Kharkov
Photo-Postscriptum Gallery, Sto
St. Petersburg;
Up
I Down Gallery, Kharkov
Up/Down
XL
Moscow'
XL Gallery, Moscow
The
Art,
Contemporary Art,
of Contemporary
lnstitute of
The Institute
Philadelphia
Philadelphia'
Portikus,
Frankfurt'
Portikus, Frankfurt
Kunsthalle
Zrich'
Kunsthalle Zrich
DAAD
Berlin
Galerie, Berlin
DAAD Galerie,
Stedelijk
Amsterdam'
Museum, Amsterdam
Stedelijk Museum,
Sprengel
Hannover
Museum Hannover
Sprengel Museum
Moderna
Ljubljana
Galerija, Ljubljana
Moderna Galerija,
Centre
Paris
photographie, Paris
la photographie,
de la
national de
Centre national
The
London
Gallery, London
Photographers' Gallery,
The Photographers'
Shugoarts
Shugoarts,, Tokyo
Tokyo
Sprengel
Sprengel Museum
Museum Hannover
Hannover
Barbara
Barbara Gross
Gross Galerie,
Galerie, Mnich
Mnich
SELECCIN
SELECCiN DE
DE EXPOSICIONES
COLECTIVASI
GROUP
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
(SELECTED]
1984
19B4 A/1-Union
AII-Union Exhibition
Exhibition of
01 Photography,
Photography, Central
Central
Exhibition
Hall Manege,
Manege, Moscow
Moscow
Exhibition Hall
1987
Another Russia,
Russia, Museum
Museum of
of Modern
Modern Art,
Art,
19B7 Another
Oxford
Oxford
1988
1988 Contemporary
Contemporary Photography
Photography from
Irom the
the Soviet
Soviet
Union,
Union, muse
muse de
de I'Eiyse,
l'Elyse, Lausanne'
Lausanne
1989
1989 Contemporary Soviet Photography,
Kunsthuset,
Kunsthuset, Stockholm'
Stockholm
Panorama Association, "Na Kashirke" State
Art Gallery, Moscow
1990 lnternational
International Biennial of
01 Photography, Turin'
Turin
Contemporary Photography from

Irom
t~e
t~e
USSR,
Walker, Ursitti & McGinnis Gallery, NY, NY'

NY
The Missing Picture: Alternative Contempofrom the Soviet Union,

rary Photography Irom
List
Ust Visual Arts Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA'
MA
1991 Photo Manifesto,

Manilesto, Museum of Contemporary
Ar.ts
Arts,, Baltimore, MD; y otras salas'
salas
1992 Herbarium. Die photographische Reflexion

Rellexion in
der zeitgenossischen russischen Kunst
Kunst,,
Fotogalerie Wien 1
I Kunsthalle Exnergasse,
Vienna'
Vienna
1993 New Photography 9, MOMA, NY, NY
of Contemporary Photography: Russia,
1994 Art 01
Ukraine, Belorus, Central House of Artists,
Moscow'
Moscow
Russia ,
of Contemporary Photography: Russia,
1994 Art 01
Belorus, Central House of Artists,
Ukraine, Belorus,
Moscow'
Moscow
from Moscow
Photo-reclamation: New Art Irom
1994 Photo-reclamation:
-95 and Saint Petersburg, Photographers Gallery,
salas'
London; y otras salas
Fotografie,
Russische Fotogralie,
1995 Zetgenossische Russische
Berliner
Neuer Berliner
Berlin; Neuer
Knste, Berlin;
der Knste,
Akademie der
Akademie
Kunstverein
Kunstverein
Sydney
of Sydney
Biennial 01
1996 , 2000 Biennial
1996,2000
of Origin,
Points olOrigin,
Conceptualism: Points
Global Conceptualism:
1999 Global
1999
NY;
NY, NY;
Art, NY,
of Art,
Museum of
Queens Museum
1950s-1980s, Queens
-00 1950s-19BOs,
-00
salas'
otras salas
yy otras
Postin PostCulture in
and Culture
Wa/1-Art and
the Wall-Art
After the
1999 Alter
1999
Museet,
Moderna Museet,
Europe, Moderna
Communist Europe,
-01 Communist
-01
salas'
otras salas
Stockholm ; yy otras
Stockholm;
Fundacin Juan March
BIOGRAFAS DE ARTISTAS /1 ARTISTS' BIOGRAPHIES

BIOGRAFAS
2000 Positions Attitudes Actions, Social and
2000
Politica/ Commitment in Photography, Foto
Political
Biennale Rotterdam'
until now ...,
..., Museum of Modern
Modern
2001 From the 60s unti/
NY, NY
Art, NY,
2003 Warum! Bilder diesseits und jenseits des
Menschen, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin'
2003 Berlin-Moskau/Moskau-Berlin 1950-2000-04 von heute aus, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin;
Cruel+
Cruel
+ Tender, The Real in the TwentiethLondon ;
Century Photograph, Tate Modern, London;
Museum Ludwig, Cologne'
visuel/e
Traumfabrik Kommunismus. Die visuelle
Kultur der Stalinzeit, Schirn Kunsthalle
Frankfurt'
Zeitgeniissische Kunst aus
2004 Privatisierungen. Zeitgen6ssische
Osteuropa, KW Institute
Art, Berlin'
Art,
2006 In the Face of History: European
Photographers in the 20th Century,
Barbican Art Gallery, London'
Twilight: Photography in the Magic Hour,
Museum , London'
Victoria and Albert Museum,
2007 Biennale di Venezia, Ukrainian Pavilion'
ANDREI MONASTYRSKI
,' 1949 en 1
/ in Pechenga
Lives and works in Moscow
/ Uves
Miembro fundador de Acciones Colectivas. Figura
clave del Conceptualismo moscovita de los aos 80.
Estudi filologa. Su obra est orientada hacia la
performance y sus primeras obras datan de mediados de los aos 70
70.. Tambin hace instalaciones y
vdeos
vdeos.. Sus obras tratan de las dicotomas e interrelaciones entre palabra e imagen, objeto de arte
y performance, prctica y crtica artsticas, y arte
y vida cotidiana.
1/
Founding member of Collective Actions. Key figure in
Moscow Conceptualism in the eighties. Studied
philology. Work is oriented toward performance, with
earliest works dating from the mid-seventies. Has
also done installations and videos. His works address
dichotomies of and interrelationships between
word and image,
mage, art object and performance
performance,, artistic practica
practice and art criticism, art and everyday life.
SELECCIN
2007 Moderna Galerija, Ljubljana

SELECCiN
1977
utficiale, Biennale di Venezia'
ufficiale,
1982 AptArt exhibitions held in private
prvate
-87 apartments
/eh lebe-Ich
lebe-lch sehe, Knstler der achtziger
1988 Ich
lsskustvo: Moskva-Berlin, Berlin-Moskau,
Isskustvo:
Bahnhof Westend, Berlin (West)'
1989 Expensive Art, Palace of Youth, Moscow
1989 The Green Show, Exit
Ex it Art, NY, NY;
NY; y otras
salas'
1990 KLAVA SchizoChina (Hallucinations
(Hal/ucinations of Power),
AII-Russian Exhibition Center, Moscow
1990 Between Spring and Summer: Soviet
-91 Conceptual Art in the Era of Late Communism,
... a Mosca, Villa Campolieto,
1992 A Mosca oo.
Ercolano ; Galleria
Gallera Comunale d'Arte Moderna,
Ercolano;
Bologna'
Gu/ag to Glasnost,
1995 From Gulag
G/asnost, Jane Voorhees
Zimmerli Art Museum, New Br.unswick, NJ'
capita/letters, Kunsthalle Basel'
2002 in capitalletters,
Base!'
The Music in Me, Chapter 1, Gesellschaft fr
Aktuelle Kunst, Bremen
2003, 2007 Biennale di Venezia'
2003,2007
2003 Alphabeticon, Stanford Univ.,
Univ. , Palo Alto, CA'
2003 Berlin-Moskau/Moskau-Berlin 1950-2000-04 von heute aus, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin;
Berlin ;
Moskauer Konzeptua/ismus/Moscow
Konzeptualismus / Moscow
Kupfe rstichkabinett,
2005 Angels
Ange/s of History. Moscow Conceptualism
and lts
Its lnfluence,
Influence, Museum van Hedendaagse
Biennial, Prague
Earthworks, Stella Art Gallery, Moscow'
Essence of Life-Essence of Art, LudwigMzeum, Budapest; y otras salas'
2005 Russia!, Saloman
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum,
-06 NY, NY; Museo Guggenheim.
Guggenheim Bilbao'
2006 Arteast Col/ection
Collection 2000 + 23, Moderna
Galerija, Ljubljana
Renegad
es: 25 Years of Performance at Exit
Renegades:
Art, Exit Art, NY, NY
The Vincent 2006, Stedelijk Museum,
Amsterdam'
Trajectory 1-The Sun on the Wa/1,
Wall, Latvian
Center for Contemporary Art, Riga;
Pavelhaus, Radkersburg-Umgebung
2007 documenta, Kassel
Fundacin Juan March
416 1
/ 417
Big Picture, Museum van

Who's Got the 8ig
Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen, Antwerp
NIKOLAI PNITKOV
,' 1952 en Viena 1
/ in Vienna
Mosc 1 Lives and works in Moscow
Vive y trabaja en Mosc/Lives
Desde 1976 es miembro del grupo Acciones Colectivas . Desde 1979 realiza objetos, collages y libros
tivas.
artsticos. Funda el Museo MANI en su casa de campo
(1989).
1
/
From 1976, member of the Collective Action group.
Has produced objects, collages, and authors books
since 1979. Founds Museum MANI at his weekend
(1989) .
house (1989).
SELECCiN
ufficiale, 8iennale
Nouvelles tenden
tendences
1981 Nouvel/es
ces de l'art
I'art russe nonofficiel1970-1980, Centre culturel
culture! de la
officieI1970-1980,
Villedieu, lancourt
25 Years of Soviet Unofficial Art 1956-1981,
Museum of Soviet Unofficial Art, Jersey City;
Montgeron
-82 Center of America,
America , NY, NY'
You'/1 8e
Be First, City With1983 Come Yesterday and You'l/
. out Walls Gallery, Newark, NJ;
NJ ; y otras salas'
AptAr t Gallery, Moscow
1984 Odessa-Moscow, AptArt
Exhib ition of Avantgardists' Club (KLAVAJ,
(KLAVA) ,
1987 1
I Exhibition
Retrospectiva Exhibition of Moscow Artists,
Retrospective
Sauna , Sandunovsky Baths, Moscow
1988 Klava Sauna,
11 Exhibition of Avantgardists' Club (KLAVAJ,
1/
Pala ce of Youth,
Youth , Moscow
1989 Expensive Art, Palace
Kashirke "
Research of Oocumentation, "Na Kashirke"
State Art Gallery, Moscow
State
1989 Perspectives
Perspectivas of Conceptualism, State
-92 Exhibition Hall Peresvetov pereulok, Moscow; y
sa las '
otras salas'
1990 To Object, Gallery Sadovniki, Exhibition Hall of
Krasnogvardeisky district, Moscow
(Hallucinations of PowerJ,
Power) ,
KLAVA SchizoChina (Hal/ucinations
Atlntico de Arte Moderno, Gran Canaria'

Between Spring and Summer: Soviet
1990 8etween
-91
1991 MANI-Museum. 40 Moskauer Knstler im
Jerusalem ; Central
-92 Dsseldorf; Israel Museum, Jerusalem;
Artists , Moscow'
House of Artists,
-9 2 Dsseldorf;
Osseldorf; Israel Museum,
Museum , Jerusalem;
Jerusalem ; Central
-92
House of Artists, Moscow'
Biennial, Cetinje, Montenegro
1994 8iennial,
1995 Kunst im Verborgenen, Wilhelm-HackMuseum, Ludwigshafen; y otras salas'
1998 Fauna, Novy Manezh, Moscow'
Berlin-Moskau/ Moskau-Berlin 1950-20002003 8erlin-MoskauIMoskau-8erlin
-04 von
van heute aus, Martin-Gropius-Bau,
Martin-Gropius-Bau , Berlin;
Berln;
2004 Objects "Col/ective Actions", Gallery E. K. Art
Bureau, Moscow
2005 Moskwa-Warszawa, Ujazdowsky zamiek, WarMqscow
saw; State Tretyakov Gallery, MQscow
State
Literatura ,
2007 Woe from Wit, Sta
te Museum of Literature,
Moscow
PVEL PPPERSHTEIN
,' 1966 en Mosc 1
/ in Moscow
/ Lives and works in Moscow
Participa en exposiciones desde 1983 antes de
asistir a la Academia de Bellas Artes de Praga (1985emp ieza a trabajar con
87). Despus de graduarse empieza
Anfriev y Liderman, con los que funda la Inspeccin
Hermenutica Mdica en 1989.
1
/
exh ibitions in 1983 before goBegins
8egins taking part in exhibitions
ing on to study at Prague's Academy of Fine Arts
(1985-87)
(1985-87).. After graduating he begins working with
Le iderman before founding Inspection
lnspection
Anufriev and Leiderman
Medica!
Medical Hermeneutics with them in 1989.
1996
1999
2000
AII - Russian Exhibition Center, Moscow

AII-Russian
rus si contemporaneiI
contemporanei 1 Contemporary
Artisti russi
Russian Artists, Centro per 1'J' Arte
Luig i Pecci,
Pecci , Prato; Centro
Contemporanea Luigi
2001
2002

SELECCiN
Museum;. Art Gallery of Ontario,
Pori Art Museum;.Art
Toronto (con l. Kabakov)
Kunsthaus Zug
Solitude , Stuttgart
Akademie Schloss Solitude,
l. Kabakov)
Sprovieri Gallery, London (con 1.
Karmelitenkloster, Graz (con V. Pivovrov)
Regina Gallery, Moscow
Galerie Elisabeth Kaufmann, Zrich
Neuer Aachener Kunstverein
Fundacin Juan March
BIOGRAFAS DE
DE ARTISTAS
BIOGRAPHIES
BIOGRAFAS
Kunsthaus Zug
Zug
Kunsthaus
2003 Kunsthalle,
Kunsthalle , Dsseldorf
Dsseldorf
2003
Sutton Lane
Lane Gallery,
Gallery, London
London
Sutton
2004 Galerie
Galerie Iragui,
lragui, Paris
Paris
2004
2005 Galerie
Galerie Ursula
Ursula Walbroel,
Walbroel, Dsseldorf
Dsseldorf
2005
2006 Museum
Museum fr
fr Gegenwartskunst,
Gegenwartskunst, Basel
Basel
2006
Regina Gallery,
Gallery, Moscow
Moscow
Regina
2007 Sprovieri
Sprovieri Gallery,
Gallery, London
London
2007
Contemporary Art
Art Gallery,
Gallery, Vancouver
Vancouver
Contemporary
SELECCIN DE
DE EXPOSICIONES COLECTIVAS/
SELECCiN
1986 17th Youth Exhibition, MDKh,
MDKh, Moscow
1986
1987 I1Exhibition of Avantgardists' Club (KLAVAJ,
1987
1988 KLAVA 11, State Exhibition Hall Peresvetov
pereulok, Moscow
pereulok,
(KLAVAJ ,
1989 UdSSR heute. Sowjetische Kunst aus der
- 90 Sammlung Ludwig, Muse d'art moderne,
-90
Saint-Etienne ; Neue Galerie Sammlung
Saint-Etienne;
Ludwig, Aachen'
Glasnost , Jane Voorhees
1995 From Gulag to Glasnost,
2001 Biennial, Valencia
2003 Neue Ansitze - Zeitgenossische
leitgeni:issische Kunst aus
Mbskau, Kunsthalle, Dsseldorf
Moskau,
/ Moskau-Berlin 1950-20002003 Berlin-Moskau
-04 van
von heute aus, Martin-Gropius-Bau
Martin-Gropius-Bau,, Berlin;
Moskauer Konzeptualismus 1/ Moscow
Staatjiche
StaatJiche Museen zu Berlin'
2004 Biennial, Sao Paulo
Pavel Pepperstein und Giste
! Pavel
Giste/Pavel
Pepperstein and Guests, Kunsthaus Zug'
Privatisierungen-leitgeni:issische
Privatisierungen-Zeitgenossische Kunst aus
Osteuropa, KW lnstitute
Institute for Contemporary Art,
Berlin'
2005 Angels of
of History. Moscow Conceptualism
and lts
Its lnfluence,
Influence, Museum van Hedendaagse
Biennial, Moscow
2006 Artists Against the State: Perestroika
Perestroika
Revisited,
ts , NY,
Fine Ar
Arts,
NY, NY
NY
Revisited, Ronald
Ronald Feldman
Feldman Fine
lnertia,
Inertia, Freud's
Freud's Dream
Dream Museum
Museum,,
St.
Sto Petersburg
Petersburg
2007
2007 Sots
Sots Art.
Art. Art
Art politique
politique en
en Russie
Russie de
de 1972
1972
-08
-08 aujourd'hui,
aujourd'hui, La
La Maison
Maison Rouge,
Rouge, Paris'
Paris'
VfKTOR PIVOVROV
PIVOVROV
VfKTOR
1937 en
en Mosc
Mosc/in
, 1937
/ in Moscow
Moscow
Vive yy trabaja
trabaja en
Vive
en Praga/Uves
Praga/Lives and
and works
works in
in Prague
Prague
Alumno del
del Instituto
Instituto M.
Alumno
M. l.l. Kalinin
Kalinin de
de Artes
Artes Aplicadas
Aplicadas
(MIPiDI) en
en Mosc
Mosc (1951).
(MIPiDI)
(1951). Estudia
Estudia en
en el
el departamendepartamento de
de arte
arte del
del Instituto
Instituto Poligrfico
Poligrfico de
to
de Mosc
Mosc (MPll
(MPI)
(1957-62). En
En los
(1957-62).
los aos
aos 60
60 es
es miembro
miembro del
del grupo
grupo
inconformista de
inconformista
de artistas
artistas que
que surge
surge alrededor
alrededor del
del
bulevar Sretenski.
Sretenski. Es
bulevar
Es ilustrador
ilustrador de
de libros
libros infantiles,
infantiles,
pintor y artista
artista grfico y realiza
pintor
realiza lbumes
lbumes (desde
(desde
princ ipios de los aos
principios
aos 70 en colaboracin
colaborac in con KabaKaba exposiciones de
kov) y exposiciones
de instalaciones.
instalaciones. Se traslada a
Praga (1982).
Praga
/1
Student at the M.
M. 1.l. Kalinin
Kal inin Institute
lnstitute of Applied Art
CMIPiDI) in Moscow (1951).
(MIPiDI)
(1951) . Studies in the art departme:nt of the Moscow Polygraphic
partm~nt
Polygraph ic Insitute
lnsitute (M PI)
(1957-62). In the sixties,
sixties, member of non-conformist
group of artists around Sretenskij Boulevard.
lllustrates children's
children 's books, is a painter and graphic
IIlustrates
artist, and produces albums (from the onset of the
seventies in collaboration with Kabakov) and exhibiexhibi tion installations. Moves to Prague (1982).
1984
1987
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
-97
1998
1998
2000
2001
2004
2006

SELECCiN
(SELECTEDl
lnstitute for Macromolecular Chemistry,
Institute
Academy of Sciences, Prague
Museum of National Written Language, Prague
People's House
House,, Prague'
Brno House of Arts'
Washington Projects for the Art, Washington
Washington,, OC
Cultural Centre Opatov, Prague'
Gallery L, Moscow'
Obscuri Viri Gallery, Moscow
Grazer Kunstverein
Galerie Rudolfinum, Prag; Leopold HoeschMuseum, Dren; Muse d'art moderne,
Saint-Etienne'
Galerie
Galerie Vclava
Vclava Sply, Prague'
Kunsthaus Zug (con P. Pppersht
Pppershteinl
ein)
Kulturzentrum bei den Minoriten
Minoriten,, Graz
(con P. Pppershteinl
Pppershtein)
ifa-Galerie, Berlin'
XL Gallery, Moscow
Moscow Museum of
of Modern Art
SELECCIN
SELECCiN DE
DE EXPOSICIONES
COLECTIVAS/
GROUP
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
(SELECTED)
1977
La nuova
nuova arte
arte Sovietica: una
una prospettiva
prospettiva non
non
1977 La
ufficiale,
ufficiale, Biennale
Biennale di
di Venezia'
Venezia'
Fundacin Juan March
/ 419
418 1
Union, Arts Club of
New Art from the Soviet Unan,
8uilding,
Washington and Kiplinger Editors Building,
Washington, OC'
-82 Center of America, NY, NY'
1981,1984
1984 Baltic Triennal, Vilnius
1981,
1985 Russian Art. A Survey of Contemporary
Activities, Washington Project for the Arts,
Washington, OC
Retrospective Exhibition of Moscow Artists,
1987 Retrospectiva
Ich /ebe-lch
lebe-Ich sehe. Knstler der achtziger
/eh
8ern'
1989 Expensive Art, The Palace of Youth, Moscow'
KLAVA-Exhibitions, Moscow
1990 Ten Artists Which Came to My Mind
7:00 p.m. on May 3, 1990, Witte de With,
at 7:00p.m.
Rotterdam'
Orugoe iskusstvo: Moskva 1956-76, State
1990 Drugoe
-91 Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow; State Russian
Sto Petersburg'
Museum, St.
MANI-Museum. 40 Moskauer Knstler im
1991 MAN/-Museum.
1993 Von Malewitsch bis Kabakov, Museum Ludwig
-94 in der Josef-Haubrich-Kunsthalle, Cologne'
1994 Fluchtpunkt Moskau, Ludwig-Forum
Ludwig-Forum,, Aachen'
Kunst im Verborgenen, Wilhelm-HackMuseum, Ludwigshafen; y otras salas'
1995 Flug-Entfernung- Verschwinden.
-96 Konzeptuelle
Konzeptuel/e Moskauer Kunst, Galerie Hlavnho
1998 Priiprintium: Moskauer Bcher aus dem Samiz-01 dat, Staatsbibliothek zu 8erlin;
Berln; y otras salas'
1999 Kunst im Untergrund.
Untergrund. Nonkonformistische
-00 Knstler aus der Sowjetunion, Albertina im
Akademiehof, Wien'
2003 Berlin-Moskau/Moskau-Berlin 1950-2000-04 von heute aus, Martin-Gropius-8au,
Berln;
Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin;
State
Sta te Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow'
Conceptualism,
Conceptua/ism, Kupferstichkabinett,
Berln'
2006 Artists Against the State: Perestroika
DMITRI PRGOV
PRGOV
, 1940 en Mosc/in Moscow,
Moscow
t 2007 en Mosc/in
Estudia escultura en el Instituto Stroganov de Arte

e Industria de Mosc (MVKhPU)
(1959-66) . Desde
CMVKhPU) (1959-66).
principios de 1970
1970 empieza aa realizar numerosos
poemas, obras de teatro, novelas,
novelas, alfabetos yy
actuaciones musicales
musicales.. Se hace socio
socio del Sindicato
de Artistas Soviticos (1975) yy de KLAVA (Club de
Vanguardistas) (1989).
(1989). Recibe la Beca DAAD (Berln)
(Berln)
(1990-91) y el Premio Pushkin
Pushkin (1993).
1/
Studies sculpture at the Moscow Stroganov lnstiInstitute of Arts and lndustry
Industry (MVKhPU) (1959-66).
Beginning in 1970, produces numerous poems, plays,
novels, alphabets, and music performances. Joins
Union of Soviet Artists (1975) and KLAVA (Avantgardists' Club) (1989)
(1989).. Holder of DAAD Scholarship
Scholarship,,
Berln
Berlin (1990-91), and recipient of the Pushkin Prize
(1993).
1988
1989
1991
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2008
1987
1988
1989
1989
-90
SELECCIN
Struve Gallery, Chicago, IL
St.
Sto Louis Gallery of Contemporary Art
KW lnstitute
Institute for Contemporary Art, Berln
Kunstverein, Ludwigsburg
Sto Petersburg
Stadtisches Museum, Mlheim an der Ruhr
Ruhr;;
Ludwig-Mzeum, Budapest; Muse d'art
moderne, Saint-Etienne'
Guelman Gallery, Moscow
Mitki Gallery, St.
Sto Petersburg
Berln'
ifa-Galerie, Berlin'
Berln
Galerie Sandmann, Berlin
Moscow Museum of Modern Art
SELECCiN
CSELECTEDJ
Artist and Present, "Na Kashirke" State Art
Gallery, Moscow
(KLAVA),
1
I Exhibition of Avantgardists' Club (KLAVAJ,
documenta , Kassel'
documenta,
Pala ce of Youth, Moscow
Labyrinth, Palace
Exhbition
/ebe-/ch sehe. Knstler der achtziger
/eh lebe-Ich
Ich
Glasnost. Die neue Freiheit der sowjetischen
Glasnost.
Maler, Kunsthalle in Emden'
lnstitute of Contemporary Art,
Novastroika, Institute
London
UdSSR heute. Sowjetische Kunst aus der
Sammlung Ludwig, Muse d'art moderne,
Saint-Etienne; y otras salas'
Sant-Etienne;
Fundacin Juan March
/ ARTISTS' BIOGRAPHIES
BIOGRAFAS
8etween Spring and Summer:
Summer: Soviet
1990 Between
Tacoma
1991 MANI-Museum. 40 Moskauer Knstler im
-92 Dsseldorf; Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Central
House of Artists, Moscow'
1992 Ex USSR. Hedendaagse kunstenaars uit het
GOS, Groninger Museum'
Von Malewitsch bis Kabakov, Museum Ludwig
1993 Van
-94 in der Josef-Haubrich-Kunsthalle, Cologne'
Fluchtpunkt Moskau, Ludwig-Forum, Aachen'
1994 F/uchtpunkt
1995 Kunst im Verborgenen, Wilhelm-HackMuseum, Ludwigshafen; y otras salas'
8erlin-Moskau/Moskau-8erlin 1950-20002003 Berlin-Moskau/Moskau-Berlin
-04 van
2005 Essence of Life-Essence of Art, LudwigMzeum, Budapest; y otras salas'
2007 Sots Art. Art politique en Russie de 1972 ci
-08 aujourd'hui, La Maison Rouge, Paris'
LEV RUBINSHTEIN
, 1947 en Mosc/in Moscow
/ Uves and works in Moscow
Se dio a conocer como autor y poeta dentro de la
literatura rusa clandestina mientras trabajaba
como bibliotecario. En sus proprias palabras, sus
obras poticas "son un gnero hbrido que combina
la poesa, la prosa, el drama y las artes visuales y
escnicas". Escribe regularmente una columna
para el peridico online Grani.
of Foreign Service, Georgetown University,

Washington, OC
Dartmouth College
College,, NH
Pierre Menard Gallery,
Gallery, Cambridge, MA
Amherst College, MA
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
Brooklyn
8rooklyn Public Ubrary, NY
Prigov Memorial, Bowery
80wery Poetry Club, NY, NY
IX lnternational
International Book Fair, Central House of
Artists, Moscow
LEONID SKOV
enlin Mikhalevo
, 1941 en/in
Vive y trabaja en Nueva York/Uves and works in NY
Estudia en el Instituto Stroganov de Arte e Industria
(MVKhPU) (1964-69)
(1964-69).. Participa en varias exposicioCMVKhPU)
nes en apartamentos privados en Mosc en los aos
70.. Estrechamente vinculado al movimiento Arte
70
Soz. Se apropria del folklore tradicional y la mitologa
poltica sovitica y crea su propia mitologa, que
pone en prctica en sus creaciones, a la que se refiere como "skazki", o cuentos de hadas polticos.
.
(1980)..
Emigra a los EE.UU. (1980)
/
1
lnlnstitute of Arts and InStudies at the Stroganov Institute
(MVKhPU) (1964-69). Participates in various
dustry CMVKhPU)
exhibitions in Moscow private apartments in the
seventies. Closely associated with the Sots Art
movement. Borrowing
80rrowing from traditional folklore and
Soviet political mythmaking, he creates his own
working mythology, which he implements in his
" political skazki"
toas
as "political
creations, which he refers to
or fairytales. Emigrates to the USA (1980).
/
1
Made a na
me for himself as
an author and poet in
asan
name
the Russian literary underground while working as
a Iibrarian.
" are
librarian. In his own words, his poetic works "are
a hybrid genre that combines poetry, prose, drama,
and the visual and performing arts." He writes a
regular column for the online newspaper Grani.
Grani.
1997
1998
2003
2007
SELECCiN
/
SELECCIN DE LECTURAS 1
READINGS (SELECTED)
CSELECTED)
Shakespeare & Co. 800kshop,
Bookshop, Moscow
"Genius Loci" Russian Poetry Festival,
Pushkin's apartment, Sto
St. Petersburg
Uncoln Center, NY, NY
Festwochen 2003, Haus der 8erliner
Berliner
Festspiele, 8erlin
Berlin
John Carroll University, Chicago, IL
Intercultural
lntercultural Center, Edmund A. Walsh School

SELECCiN
EXHI81TIDNS (SELECTED)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
1983,1985 Storefront for Art and Architecture, NY, NY
1986 Semaphore Gallery, NY, NY
Zues-Trab ia Gallery, NY, NY'
Zues-Trabia
1988 Trabia-MacAfee Gallery, NY, NY
Arts , NY, NY'
1990 Eduard Nakhamkin Fine Arts,
1991 Galleria Cariny, Florence'
1992 Berman Gallery, NY, NY'
Farsettiarte, Prato'
1995 FarseUiarte,
Severiarte , Bologna
1997 Galleria Severiarte,
1999 Palais des Nations, Geneva
St. Petersburg'
Museum , Sto
2000 State Russian Museum,
SELECCiN
CSELECTED)
ufficiale, 8iennale
Fundacin Juan March
/ 421
420 1
Das
1978 Nonkonformistische russische Maler, Das
Saarland Museum
Museum,, Saarbrcken
unabhangige Kunst aus der Sowjet1979 20 Jahre unabhingige
80chum; State Museum of
of
union, Museum Bochum;
Moscow
Graphic Art, Moscow
1956-1981,
1981 ,
1981 25 Years of Soviet Unofficial Art 1956Museum of Soviet Unofficial Art, Jersey City;
Montgeron
Furnace,, NY,
Russian Samizdat Art, Franklin Furnace
otras
salas
as salas
NY; y otr
You'ff
'/1 Be First, City
1983 Come Yesterday and You
NJ;; y otras
Without Walls Gallery, Newark, NJ
salas
salas
NY
1984 Sots Art, Semaphore Gallery, NY, NY"
Museum
um of Contemporary Art,
1986 Sots Art, New Muse
salas
-87 NY, NY; y otras salas
1989 Transit: Russian Artists between the East
Russian
Museum
Island,,
um of Long lsland
ian Arts Muse
-90 and West, Russ
salas
Hempstead, NY; y otras salas
1956-76,
76, State
Drugoe iskusstvo: Moskva 19561990 Orugoe
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow; State Russian
-91 :rretyakov
Sto Petersburg
Petersburg
Museum, St.
Alter Perestroika: Kitchenmaids or States1993 After
d'art
art contempo-94 women, Centre international d'
rain
Montral;; y otras sa
salas
las
in de Montral
ra
Wilhelm-Hacklm-Hack1995 Kunst im Verborgenen, Wilhe
salas
Museum, Ludwigshafen; y otras salas
From Gulag to Glasnost, Jane Voorhees
Zimmerli Art Museum,
8runswick, NJ
NJ"
Muse um, New Brunswick,
2001 Biennale di Venezia
Venezia"
2003 Remembrance: Russian Post-Modern
Nostalgia,
Veshiva University Museum, Center
Nostalgia , Yeshiva
for Jewish History, NY, NY
NY"
Berlin-Moskau/ Moskau-Berlin 1950-2000-04 von
Berln ;
Martin-Gropius-Bau , Berlin;
van heute aus, Martin-Gropius-8au,
Moscow
2004 Biennial, Gwanju
Se
ven Sins: Ljubljana-Moscow,
Ljub/jana - Moscow, Moderna
Seven
Galerija, Ljubljana
Ljub ljana
2005 Essence of Life-Essence of Art,
Art, LudwigMzeum, Budapest; y otras salas
salas
Pop-Art Epoch in Russia, State Tretyakov
Gallery, Moscow
2005 Russia!, Solomon
R. Guggenheim Museum,
Saloman R.
-06 NY, NY;
Bilbao
NY; Museo Guggenheim Bilbao
2006 Artists Against the State:
Sta te: Perestroika
Revisited, Ronald Feldman Fine Arts,
Ar ts, NY, NY
Masters of Humor and Oesire,
Galler y
Oesire, Sloane Gallery
of Art,
Denver, CO
Art, Denver,
2006 Territories of Terror, Boston University
-07 Art Gallery,
MA"
Gallery, MA
2007 Bare Life,
Jerusalem
Life, Museum on the Seam, Jerusalem

pofitique en Russie de 1972 a
Rouge,, Pars"
Paris
-08 aujourd'hui, La Maison Rouge
VADIM ZAJROV
1959 en 1/ in Dushanbe
Vive y trabaja en Colonia y Mosc 1/ Lives
Uves and works
in Cologne and Moscow
Estudia arte y arte grfico en el Instituto Estatal de
Pedagoga de Mosc (1977-82)
(1977-82).. Desde entonces trabaja como artista grfico y performer, crea instalaciones y realiza libros artsticos y documentales
r ama del Arte Conceptual de Mosc.
sobre el pano
panorama
Empieza a colaborar con varios artistas como luri
Albert y miembros de la Inspeccin Hermenutica
Mdica (1978). Desde 1989 vive en Colonia y Mosc,
y desde 1992 es editor de la revista Pastor. Funda
la Editorial Pastor Zond. Monumento a Theodor W.
Adorno, Frncfort (2003)
(2003)..
1/
Studies art and graphic arts at the Moscow State
sin ce
Pedagogical lnstitute
Institute (1977 -82). Has worked since
then as a graphic and performance artist, created
installations, and produced artist's books and documentations of Moscow's Conceptual Art scene.
Begins collaborating with various artists, such as
lnspection Medica!
Yuri Albert and members of Inspection
Medical
(1978).. From 1989 onward, lives in
Hermeneutics (1978)
Cologne and Moscow. Since 1992, publisher of
Ed ition.
Pastor magazine. Founds Pastor Zond Edition.
(2003) .
Monument to Theodor W.
W. Adorno, Frankfurt (2003).
1983
1984
1989
1990
1991
1992
1995
1996
1997
1998
2001
2002
2004
2006

SELECCiN
AptArt Gallery, Moscow (con V. Skersis)
Gallery, Moscow
AptArt Gallery,
Breisgau
Kunstverein , Freiburg im Breisgau
Kunstverein,
Vienna
Galerie Peter Pakesch, Vienna
V. Skersis)
Galerie Sophia Ungers, Cologne (con V.
Galerie Walcheturm,
Zrich"
Walcheturm , Zrich
Gallery, Moscow
L Gallery,
Cologne
Kunstverein, Cologne
Kunsthalle Nrnberg
Holler)
C. H6l1er)
Kunstvere in (con C.
Bonner Kunstverein
Moscow
Obscuri Viri Gallery, Mosqow
Berln
Galerie Hohenthal und Bergen, Berlin
TV Gallery, Moscow
Knstlerhaus Schloss Wiepersdorf
A. Monastyrski)
Stella Art Gallery, Moscow (con A.
V. Skersis)
K. Art Bureau, Moscow (con V.
E. K.
Moscow
Gallery, Moscow
Stella Art Gallery, Moscow
Fundacin Juan March
BIOGRAFAS DE
DE ARTISTAS
BIOGRAPHIES
BIOGRAFAS
SELECCIN DE
DE EXPOSICIONES
EXPOSICIONES COLECTlVAS/
COLECTIVAS/
SELECCiN
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
(SELECTED)
GROUP
197B Exhibitions
Exhibitions in
in private
private apartments,
apartments,
1978
-82 Moscow
Moscow
-82
1982 AptArt
AptArt Gallery
Gallery exhibitions,
exhibitions, Moscow
Moscow
1982
Apt Art
Art in
in Nature,
Nature, Kalistovo
Kalistovo
Apt
1983 Come
Come Yesterday
Yesterday and
and You'lI
You'/1 Be
Be First,
First, City
City
1983
Without Walls
Walls Gallery,
Gallery, Newark,
Newark, NJ;
NJ; yy otras
otras
Without
salas'
salas
1984 Transportable
Transportable Exhibition
Exhibition o[
ofSl
SZ Group,
Group, Moscow
Moscow
1984
1986 Art
Art Against
Against Commerce,
Commerce, Bittsevskiy
Bittsevskiy Park,
Park,
1986
Moscow
Moscow
AptArt, New
New Museum
Museum of
of Contemporary
Contemporary Art,
Art, NY,
NY, NY
NY
AptArt,
1987 I1Exhibition
Exhibition o[
of Avantgardists'
Avantgardists' Club
Club (KLAVAJ,
(KLAVAJ ,
1987
Exhibition Hall
Hall at
at Avtozavodskaya,
Avtozavodskaya, Moscow
Moscow
Exhibition
Retrospective Exhibition
Exhibition o[
of Moscow
Moscow Artists,
Artists,
Retrospective
1957-1987, Hermitage
Hermitage Society,
Society, Moscow
Moscow
1957-1987,
1988 Ich
/eh lebe-Ich
/ebe-lch sehe.
sehe. Knstler
Knstler der
der achtziger
achtziger
1988
Jahre in Moskau,
Moskau, Kunstmuseum
Kunstmuseum Bern
Bern'
Jahre
Sowjetkunst heute, Museum
Museum Ludwig, Cologne
Cologne'
Sowjetkunst
1989 100
100 Years o[
of Russian
Russian Art-1889-1989. From
From
1989
Priva te Collections
Col/ections in the USSR, Barbican Art
London'
Gallery, London

salas'
Barcelona; y otras salas
10+
+ 10: Contemporary Soviet and American
1989 10
Museum , Fort Worth, TX;
-90 Painters, Modern Art Museum,
salas'
y otras salas
of Conceptualism,
Conceptualism , State
1989 Perspectives o[
-92 Exhibition Hall Peresvetov pereulok, Moscow; y
otras salas'
salas
1990 Artisti russi contemporanei/Contemporary
contemporanei/ Contemporary
1' Arte ContempoRussian Artists, Centro per l'Arte
ranea Luigi Pecci, Prato; Centro Atlntico de
Arte Moderno, Gran Canaria'
Canaria
In the USSR and 8eyond,
Beyond, Stedelijk Museum,
Amsterdam'
Amsterdam
1990 aetween
'Between Spring and Summer: Soviet
-91 Conceptual Art in the Era of
o[ Late Communism
Communism,,
salas
1991 MANI-Museum. 40 Moskauer Knst/er
Knstler im
Frankfurter
Frank[urter Karme/iterkloster,
Karmeliterkloster, Frankfurt'
Frankfurt"
Metropolis, Martin-Gropius-Bau
Martin-Gropius-Bau,, Berlin'
Berlin
1993 Pliitzlich ist
ist eine
eine Zeit
leit herangebrochen, in
in der
der
al/es
alles miiglich
moglich sein
sein sol/te,
sollte, Kunstverein
Kunstverein
Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg
Trade
The New
New Museum,
Museum, NY,
NY, NY
NY
Trade Routes,
Routes, The
1994
1994 Fluchtpunkt
Fluchtpunkt Moskau
Moskau,, Ludwig-Forum,
Ludwig-Forum, Aachen'
Aachen
1995
No Man's
Man's Land.
Land. Art
Art from
[rom the
the near
near Abroad,
Abroad,
1995 No
Copenhagen
Art Center
Center
Copenhagen Contemporary
Contemporary Art
Kunst
Kunst im
im Verborgenen,
Verborgenen, Wilhelm-HackWilhelm-HackMuseum,
Museum, Ludwigshafen;
otras salas'
salas
1995 Flug-Ent[ernungFlug-Entfernung-Verschwinden.
1995
Verschwinden .
-96 Konzeptuelle
-96
Konzeptuel/e Moskauer
MoskauerKunst,
Kunst, Galerie
GalerieHlavnho
Hlavnho
Mesta
Mesta Prahy,
Prahy, Prague;
Prague; yy otras
otras salas
salas'
1996 10
Contemporary
1996
10 Years
Years KLAVA,
KLAVA, Institute.of
lnstitute .ofContemporary
Art,
.
Art, Moscow
Moscow
1997 Ecology
Eco/ogy o[
of Emptiness,
1997
Emptiness, Institute
lnstitute of
of ContempoContemporary
rary Art,
Art, Moscow
Moscow'
Faces
Faces o[
of History,
History, Fine
Fine Art
Art Museum,
Museum, NovoNovosibirsk;
sibirsk; yy otras
otras salas
salas'
1998 Priiprintium:
Priiprintium: Moskauer
1998
Moskauer Bcher
8cher aus
aus dem
de m
-01 Samizdat,
-01
Samizdat, Staatsbiblothek
Staatsbibliothek zu
zu Berln;
Berlin; yy otras
otras
salas
salas'
2001 Biennale
2001
8iennale di
di Venezia
Venezia'
2002 Moscow
2002
Moscow Time,
Time, Contemporary
Contemporary Art
Art Center,
Center,
Vilnius
Vilnius
2003
8erlin-Moskau/Moskau-8e rlin 1950-20001950-2000-04 von
-04
von heute
heute aus,
Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berln;
Berlin;
State
State Tretyakov
Tretyakov Gallery,
Gallery, Moscow
Moscow'
Moskauer
Moskauer Konzeptualismus
Konzeptua/ismus /1Moscow
Moscow
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Berlin'
2004 Privatisierungen-leitgenossische
Privatisierungen-leitgen iissische Kunst aus
Osteuropa, KW Institute
Art, Berln
Berlin'
2005 Angels
Ange/s o[
of History.
History. Moscow Conceptualism
and Its
lts In[luence,
lnf/uence, Museum van Hedendaagse
Kunst Antwerpen,
Antwerpen , Antwerp
Antwerp'
Essence o[
of Li[e-Essence
Life-Essence o[
of Art, LudwigMzeum, Budapest; y otras salas
salas'
2005 Russiaf,
Russia!, Solomon
Saloman R. Guggenheim Museum,
-06 NY, NY; Museo Guggenheim Bilbao
Bilbao'
Biennial, Moscow
2007 11 8iennial,
2007 Sots Art. Art politique
en Russie de 1972 a
iz
politiqueen
-08 aujourd'hui, La Maison Rouge
Rouge,, Paris'
Paris
Fundacin Juan March
422 1/ 423
423
422
CRDITOS/CREDITS
CRDITOS/CREDITS
CATLOGO/CATALOGUE
CATLOGO/CATALOGUE
Este catlogo
catlogo se
se publica
publica con
con motivo
motivo de
de la
la exposicin
exposicin
Este
LA ILUSTRACIN
ILUSTRACiN TOTAL
TOTAL
LA
ARTE CONCEPTUAL
CONCEPTUAL
ARTE
DE MOSC
MOSC 1960-1990
1960-1990
DE
Editors:
Editores/
Editores/Editors:
Bors
80rs Groys,
Groys, Manuel
Manuel Fontn
Fontn del
del Junco,
Junco, Max
Max Hollein
Hollein
Coediting:
Redaccin/
Redaccin/Coediting:
Martina
Martina Weinhart
Weinhart
This catalogue
catalogue is
is published
published in
in conjunction
conjunction with
with the
the
This
exhibition
exhibition
TOTAL ENLIGHTENMENT
ENLlGHTENMENT
TOTAL
CONCEPTUAL ART
IN MOSCOW 1960-1990
IN
Assistance:
Coordinacin!
Coordinacin/Assistance:
Deborah
Deborah L.
L. Roldn,
Roldn, Sylvia
Sylvia Metz
Metz
Biographies:
Biografas/
Biografas/Biographies:
Deborah L. Roldn
Roldn,, Sylvia Metz
Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt

21 de junio-14 de septiembre 2008/
June 21-September 14, 2008
Fundacin Juan March, Madrid
10 de octubre de 2008-11 de enero de 2009/
October10,
11, 2009
10, 2008-January 11,2009
October
Revisin de textos/Copyediting:
Ins d'Ors Lois y/and Departamento de Exposiciones,
Fundacin Juan March, Uta Hasekamp
Hasekamp,, Melanie
Newton, Donna Stonecipher, Rebecca van Dyck
Translations:
Traducciones/
Traducciones/Translations:
Alemn-ingls/German-English:
Jeremy Gaines (Zwirner), Steven Lindberg
ist Conceptual Art;
(Foreword
(Foreword;; Groys, Commun
Communist
Weinhart)
ingls/Russian-English:
RusoRuso-ingls/Russian-English:
Will Firth (Bobrinskaya,
(8obrinskaya, Chronology; Works
exhibited), Cynthia Martin (Kabakov)
(Kabakov),, David Shaw
(Monastyrski, Field of Comedy), Richard Watts
Watts,, Graz
(Monastyrski, Preface to Trips Out of Town)
Espaol-ingls, espaol-alemn/Spanish-English,
Spanish-German :
Spanish-German:
Departamento de Exposiciones/Exhibitions
Department, Fundacin Juan March (Fontn del
Junco)
Ruso-espaol/Russian-Spanish :
Ruso-espaol/Russian-Spanish:
" iAprobada! "; Monastyrski,
Rafael Caete (Kabakov, "Aprobada!";
catl ogo de obras),
comed ia"; catlogo
" Campo de la comedia";
"Campo
Groys, "Conceptua(Bobrnskaia; Groys,
Desiderio Navarro (8obrnskaia;
moscovita" ; Kabakov, "Sobre
lismo romntico moscovita";
"Prlogo" ; sustantivos en
Monastyrski , "Prlogo";
vaco "; Monastyrski,
el vaco";
ruso ; catlogo de obras)
ruso;
Alemn-espaol :
Alemn-espaol:
Groys ,
(Presentacin; Groys,
Alejandro Martn Navarro (Presentacin;
We inhart;
"Arte conceptual del comunismo"; Weinhart;
Zwirner)
composicin/ Graphic design,

Diseo grfico y composicin/Graphic
typesetting:
~
A
BANCA MARCH
IBERIA~
IBERIA lA
Zurich
Reichenbach, Zurich
Kappeler/Markus Reichenbach,
Marc Kappeler/Markus
Moir, Marc
Moir,
Fischer
Sebastian Fischer
con/with Sebastian
con/with
Tipografa/Typeface:
Tipografa/Typeface:
Huber
Dominik Huber
and Dominik
Moir and
by Moir
M3,
Mono by
M3 Mono
M3 , M3
Fundacin Juan March
Fotomecnica/Reproduction:
Fotomecnica/Reproduction:
EXPOSICIN FUNDACiN
EXPOSICiN
FUNDAC IN JUAN
JUAN MARCH,
MARCH, MADRID
MADRID
Dr. Cantz'sche
Cantz'sche Druckerei,
Druckerei, Ostfildern
Ostfildern
Dr.
Director de
Director
de Exposiciones:
Exposiciones:
lmpresin/Printing:
Impresin/Printing:
Manuel Fontn
Manuel
Fontn del
del Junco
Junco
Offsetdruckerei Karl
Karl Grammlich,
Grammlich , Pliezhausen
Pliezhausen
Offsetdruckerei
Comisario/Curator:
Comisario/Curator:
Papei/Paper:
Papel/Paper:
Bors Groys
Bors
Groys
Munken Print
Print White,
White, 100
100 g/m',
g/m', Chromolux,
Chromolux, 135
135 g/m'
g/m'
Munken
Coordinacin
Coordinacin del
del proyecto/Project
proyecto/Projct management:
management:
Encuadernacin/Binding:
Encuadernacin/Binding:
Lachenmaier GmbH,
GmbH, Reutlingen
Reutlingen
lachenmaier
2008
2008 Fundacin
Fundacin Juan
Juan March,
March, Madrid;
Madrid; Cantz
Cantz
Verlag, Ostfildern,
Ostfildern, yy los
los autores/and
autores/and authors
authors
Verlag,
Martina Weinhart
Martina
Weinhart
Deborah lo
Deborah
L. Roldn
Roldn
Sylvia Metz
Sylvia
Metz
Departamento de
Departamento
de Exposiciones,
Exposiciones, Fundacin
Fundacin Juan
Juan
March, Madrid
March,
Madrid
2008
2008 para
para las
las obras
obras reproducidas
reproducidas de/for
de/for the
the
reproduced works
works by
liy Grisha
Grisha Bruskin,
Bruskin, rik
rik Bultov,
Bultov,
reproduced
lli Kabakov,
Kabakov, Emilia
Emilia Kabakov,
Kabakov, Aleksandr
Aleksandr Kosolpov,
Kosolpov,
lIi
Bors Mijilov,
Mijilov, Andrei
Andrei Monastyrski
Monastyrski y/and Dmitri
Bors
Prgov: VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn/VEGAP, Madrid 2008;
as como los artistas y sus herederos/as well as
the artists, and their legal successors
Editado por/Published
por/ Published by:
Hatje Cantz Verlag
Zeppelinstrasse 32
73760 Ostfildern
Alemania/Germany
4405-200.
Tel. +49 711 4405-200'
Fax +49 711 4405-220
www.hatjecantz.de
Los
los libros de Hatje Cantz estn disponibles
internacionalmente en libreras seleccionadas. Para
ms informacin sobre nuestros distribuidores,
visite por favor nuestra pgina web
web::
www.hatjecantz.com.
Hatje Cantz books are available internationally
at selected bookstores. For more information about
our distribution partners, please visit our
homepage at www.hatjecantz
.com .
www.hatjecantz.com.
Carton/Hardcover
Carton/Hardcover
ISBN
itorial de
ISBN 978-84-89935-83-9
978-84-89935-83-9 Ed
Editorial
de Arte
Arte yy Ciencia
Ciencia
ISBN
ISBN 978-84-7075-556-9
978-84-7075-556-9 Fundacin
Fundacin Juan
Juan March
March
(Espaolh)
Englis
ish)
(Espaol-ing
ingls/Spanishls/Spanish - Engl
Impreso
en Alemania/Printed
Alemania/Printed in
in Germany
Germany
Impreso en
Ilustracin
/lustracin de
de portada/Cover
portada/Cover il/ustration:
i/lustration:
Acciones
Acciones Colectivas/Collective
Colectivas/Collective Actions,
Actions,
El
El eslogan/The
es/ogan/The Slogan
Slogan,, 1977
1977
Fundacin Juan March
424
424
CRDITOS FOTOGRFICOS/PHO
FOTOGRFICOS/PHOTO
CREDITS
TO CREDITS
CRDITOS
Coleccin/Collection
Antonio Piccoli,
Piccoli, pp.
pp. 142,
142, 147,
147,
n Antonio
Coleccin/Collectio
151,162,163,170,171,194,250,254
162, 163, 170, 171, 194, 250, 254
151,
Coleccin/Collection
Dmitri Machabely,
Machabely, p.
p. 278
278
n Dmitri
Coleccin/Collectio
Art Museum
Museum Art4.RU,
Art4.RU, pp.
pp. 174,
174, 202
202
Contemporary Art
Contemporary
and Melamid
Melamid Art
Art Studio
Studio
Copyright Formar
Former Komar
Komar and
Copyright
Fine
Archive, Cortesa/Courtesy
Ronald Feldman
Feldman Fine
Archive,
Arts, New
New York,
York, pp.
pp. 49,
49, 68,
68, 158,
158, 162,
162, 163
163
Arts,
Cortesa/Courtesy.Krings-Ernst
,Krings-Ernst Galerie,
Galerie, Cologne,
Cologne,
Cortesa/Courtesy
pp. 26,
26, 194,
194, 198
198
pp.
Ronald Feldman
Feldman Fine
Fine Arts,
Arts,
Cortesa/Courtesy
New York,
York, pp.
pp. 48,
48, 82,
82, 103,
103, 154,
154, 155
155 (Foto/Photo:
(Foto/Photo:
New
D. James
James Dee)
Dee)
D.
E.K.Art8ureau, pp
pp.. 294,
294, 295
295
E.K.ArtBureau,
Elena Kuprina
Kuprina &
& Maxim
Maxim
Coleccin/Collection
n Elena
Coleccin/Collectio
p. 315
315
Lyakhovich, p.
Lyakhovich,
Russian Avantgarde
Avantgarde
Heritage
Foundation, pp
pp.. 143,
143, 203,
203, 226,
226, 259,
259, 279,
279, 298
298
Foundation,
Ludwig Museum
Museum in
in the
the State
State Russian
Russian Museum,
Museum,
Ludwig
Sto Petersburg,
Petersburg, pp
pp.. 27,49
27, 49
St.
Ludwigmuseum Koblenz, Sammlung Peter und Irene
Ludwig, p. 258
Moscow Archive of New Art (MANI), pp. 223, 227,
255,270,271,274,279
270, 271 , 274 , 279
255,
Coleccin/Collection
pp.. 230, 238
238,,
n Regina Gallery, pp
Coleccin/Collectio
255,262,263,315
262, 263, 315
255,
Archivo de imgenes/Rheinisch
imgenes/Rheinisches
K1iln,
es Bildarchiv Koln,
p. 167
State Tretyakov Gallery, pp. 122, 123
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, p. 26
(Foto/Photo: Jan Versnel)
FotgrafoslPhotographers:
Fotgrafos/Photog raphers:
JackAbraham, pp.
130, 131,
134, 135, 138,,139,
139,
131,134,135,138
pp.130,
159,171,175,178,179
159,171,175, 178,179
A.
A. Abramov, pp. 238, 239, 242, Portada/Cover
luri Albert, pp. 286, 287, 290
290
Nikita Aleksev, p.
p. 243
Karen
127
p. 127
Blindow, p.
Karen Blindow,
Hermann
151
146, 151
pp. 146,
Feldhaus, pp.
Hermann Feldhaus,
Anne
299, 302,,303
303
195,199,299,302
115, 195,199,
114, 115,
pp. 114,
Gold, pp.
Anne Gold,
Heidi
231
p. 231
Harsieber, p.
Heidi Harsieber,
Peggy
150
p. 150
Kaplan, p.
Peggy Kaplan,
Gueorgui
331
330, 331
291, 330,
pp. 291,
Kizeval'ter, pp.
Gueorgui Kizeval'ter,
J.
267
266 , 267
pp. 266,
Littkemann, pp.
J. Littkemann,
Natalia
27
p. 27
Nikitin, p.
Natalia Nikitin,
JzsefRosta,
251
143,251
pp. 143,
JzsefRosta, pp.
A.
247
246, 247
pp. 246,
Urusov, pp.
A. Urusov,
Vadim
85
84 , 85
pp. 84,
Zajrov, pp.
Vadim Zajrov,
FUENTES/SOURCES
FUENTES/SOURCES
Bors
Bors Groys,
Groys, "El
"El Conceptualismo
Conceptualismo romntico
romntico moscomosco", 1979.
vita"
vita"/"Moscow
I"Moscow Romantic
Romantic Conc;eptualism
Conceptualism",
1979.
icado en
Originalmente
en ruso
ruso en
en revista
revista Samizdat
Samizdat
Originalmente publ
publicado
37
37 (Leningrado)
(Leningrado) en
en 1979.
1979. Publicado
Publicado en
en ingls
ingls en
en lala
revista
revista A-Ja
A-Ja (Pars),
(Pars), 1979/First
1979/First published
published in
in
Russian
in Samizdat
Samizdat 37
37 magazine,
magazine, Leningrad,
Leningrad, in
in
Russian in
1979.
1979. First
First published
published in
in English
English in
in AA-Ya
Ya magazine,
magazine,
Paris,
in 1979.
1979. Primera
Primera traduccin
traduccin directa
directa del
del ruso
ruso
Paris, in
al
al espaol
espaol por/First
por/First direct
direct translation
translation from
from Russian
Russian
o Spanish
int
by Desiderio
Desiderio Navarro.
Navarro.
into
Spanish by
Traduccin
from:
Traduccin inglesa
inglesa de/English
de/English version
version from:
A-Ja/AA-JaIA-Ya,
Ya, Paris,
Paris, 1979.
1979.
lli
lIi Kabakov,
Kabakov, "iAprobada!
"iAprobada! [en
(en una
una purga
purga del
del
Partido)"
(At a Party
Party Purga)".
Purge)". Primera
Primera
Partido)" /"Testad!
I"Tested! [Ata
traduccin
traduccin directa
directa del
del ruso
ruso al
al espaol
espaol por/First
por/First
direct
direct translation
translation from
from Russian
Russian into
into Spanish
Spanish by
by
Rafael
Rafael Caete
Caete y al
al ingls
ingls por/and
por/and into
into English
English by
by
Cynthia
Cynthia Martin;
Martin; "Sobre
"Sobre el
el vaco,"
vaco," 1990.
1990. Primera
Primera
traduccin directa del ruso .al
.al espaol por/First
ect translation from Russian into Spanish by
dir
direct
by
Desiderio Navarro y al ingls por/and into English
English
by Cynthia Martin.
Andrei Monastyrski, "Prlogo al primer tomo de
de
Viajes a /as
las afueras de la ciudad" /"Preface
I"Preface to the
First Volume of Trips Out of Town", junio/June
1980. Primera traduccin directa del ruso al .'
espaol por/First direct translation from Russian
por/
into Spanish by Desiderio Navarro y al ingls PQrl
la
de la
and into English by Richard Watts; "Campo de
diciembre/Decemb er
comedia y lnea de cuadros," diciembre/December
2002. Primera traduccin directa del ruso al
espaol por/First direct translation from Russian
into Spanish by Rafael Caete y al ingls por/and
into English by David Shaw.
Fundacin Juan March
Fundacin Juan March

FJM Arte Conceptual Ruso PDF

Cargado por

Información del documento

Título original

Derechos de autor

Formatos disponibles

Compartir este documento

Compartir o incrustar documentos

Opciones para compartir

¿Le pareció útil este documento?

¿Este contenido es inapropiado?

Copyright:

Formatos disponibles

FJM Arte Conceptual Ruso PDF

Cargado por

Copyright:

Formatos disponibles

Todos nuestros catlogos de arte

All our art catalogues

El uso de esta base de datos de catlogos de exposiciones de la Fundacin

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Communist Conceptual Art

El Conceptualismo moscovita. Esttica e historia

"El hombre que vol al espacio desde su contexto".

Fundacin Juan March

El Conceptualismo romntico moscovita

Prlogo al primer tomo de Viajes a las afueras de la ciudad

"Campo de la comedia y lnea de cuadros".

iAprobada! (en una purga del Partido)

artistas/ Artists' Biographies

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

MANUEL FONTN DEL JUNCO Y MAX HOLLEIN 1/ PRESENTACIN

Coblenza (Coleccin Peter e Irene Ludwig) y el Museum Ludwig de Colonia (Coleccin

Fundacin Juan March

queremos destacar especialmente a Claudia Scholtz, su directora, y al Dr. Rolf-E.

Fundacin Juan March

MANUEL FONTN DEL JUNCO Y MAX HOLLEIN 1/ PRESENTACIN

rusos contemporneos, una exposicin pionera celebrada en Espaa en 1991, yY en

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

AND MAX HOLLEIN 1/ FOREWORD

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

As pues, eran de nuevo la casualidad y la intuicin personal las que indicaban el

Fundacin Juan March

BORS GROYS 1I EL ARTE CONCEPTUAL DEL COMUNISMO

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

_...,J'""' -- ?..r- ..-..:

~-;~E;:.~-:~ ,4:;:~:'~- _1~J.- --

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

BORIS GROYS 1/ COMMUNIST CONCEPTUAL ART

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

BORIS GROYS 1/ COMMUNIST CONCEPTUAL ART

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Fundacin Juan March

Los artistas a 105

Fundacin Juan March