Putin’s and Medvedev’s Worst Nightmare
The art collective Voina (meaning “War” is Russian), is currently one of the most controversial phenomena on the world art scene. It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact reason for this, whether it’s because they’re targeting the very core of political hypocrisy or the fact that these enfants terribles (no one is over 30) don’t shy away from provocation as their mode of expression, it’s hard to say. In any case, the group at hand was founded four years ago by philosophy students from the University of Moscow, and since then their every move and performance has been monitored by the Russian top political echelons. A case in point is their 2008 Zagreb performance where they presented their work at the same time requesting special protection!
The Voina members walk a fine line between political activism and interventionism, having become the center of attention by organizing orgies in Moscow’s Botanical Gardens the day before presidential elections were set to take place (which included a pregnant woman just a few days shy of giving birth!). They also went on to paint a skull on the building of Vladimir Putin’s office. Another one of Voina’s ad hoc interventions includes throwing a live cat at McDonald’s staff as part of May Day festivities.
Their most recent project was in 2010 when they staged a street action of painting a huge penis on the St. Petersburg Bridge, which would direct the penis straight towards the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) every time it was erected. A few weeks later, the Voina’s overturned police vehicles, which ultimately led to the arrest of two of the main organizers, Leonid Nikolayev and Oleg Vorotnikov, who were charged with violent behavior and hooliganism. The duo were released from prison just a couple of days ago having been there from last November, when 20 thousand dollars bail was posted by their spiritual guide and soul mate (at least expression-wise) – Banksy. Banksy was first rejected by the Russian government as he didn’t want to reveal his identity prompting the radicals to file an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. The bail was ultimately posted, with additional publicity for Banksy. Upon leaving prison on the streets of St. Petersburg the police brutally beat Nikolayev, Vorotnikov and a fellow Voina member Natalya Sokol.
Still, proof that things often take on a(n) (un)predictable path is the fact that the Voina has been nominated for “Innovation” Award by the National Center for Contemporary Art (NCCA), sponsored by the Russian Minister of Culture. Ironically, the nomination was for the “Penis on the St. Petersburg Bridge.” However, the NCCA is currently reviewing the nomination, due to “untimely registration of group members who participated in staging the action of painting the bridge” (namely, without clear identification of members, the institution doesn’t know to whom specifically to bestow the award upon). Regardless of the NCCA’s red tape, along with the controversy surrounding the nomination itself, it seems that it all boils down to a political “trap” so the police can obtain identities of all the members. So much for artistic freedom.
Click here for more info on Voina.
