How Russia enjoyed “blue and yellow values”

The Day has already informed (see the issues of May 20, 21, 2010) of the eclectic festival in the Russian city of Perm, which has made some serious claims to the title of one of Russia’s cultural centers. The fest comprised theater, music, and fine arts on equal standing.

The dominance of Ukrainian artists (in the framework of the joint exhibit YAKSHCHO (“If”) at the local Museum of Contemporary Art PERMM), musicians, and theater actors became a trademark of this art forum. The Russian audience was impressed by what they had seen and heard. Neither did the media remain indifferent:

“The Permites’ reaction was boundless, sincere, and explicable: it is way too seldom that projects of this class are shown here. One is inclined to believe the logic of the organizers, according to which such inoculations of culture will raise the state of the local art to a proper level faster than the construction of roads, or the development of businesses.” (Kirill Shamsutdinov. GogolFest toured Perm. – Commersant, May 26, 2010).

Over the past weekend, Perm turned into a Kyiv of the Urals: the local theaters were vibrant with Ukrainian speech, Ukrainian songs, and Ukrainian plays. The PERMM Museum opened an exhibit of Ukrainian art, YAKSHCHO. On the whole, it was difficult not to get involved in the “blue-and-yellow values.”

With each day, GogolFest was gaining momentum.” (Marina Kuznetsova. GogolFest in Perm: Vodka,  Music and Drive. – Komsomolskaia Pravda, May 24, 2010).

Vladyslav Troitsky, director of the Modern Art Center and the festival GogolFest, shared some impressions of his trip to Perm with The Day.

So, you had a guest performance at GogolFest?

“It was not quite in the framework of GogolFest, it was rather a joint project by Marat Gelman, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art PERMM, and Kateryna Diohot, the curator. So it became an exhibit of modern Ukrainian art. As a result, we had the biggest and the most conspicuous forum of Ukrainian art outside the country. We showed the best alternative music, theater, and fine arts. It is essentially a perfect format for Ukraine to present itself abroad.”

What kind of welcome did you get?

“A very warm one. We performed for an audience of one thousand spectators, at the main theater of the Perm region called Teatr-Teatr. Performances and concerts were also held on the minor stage. DakhaBrakha, VV, Haidamaky, Perkalaba, Boombox, and Katia Chilly – all of them impressed the Russian spectators immensely.”

Are you going to continue similar actions like GogolFest or Dakh abroad?

“I think so, everything was a great success, and it was much fun. I’m convinced that GogolFest in Perm will become a regular event.

“Speaking of our international plans, we are going to travel to Omsk in October, and next year, to France, Poland, and Hungary. GogolFest is going to tour countries, cities, and villages.”