Russians have long been accustomed to this expression: “Saint Petersburg is the cultural capital of Russia”. No one knows who the author of this statement. Many products of art are concentrated in St. Petersburg. But the culture, cultured people, this is something else.
7 April 2011 art-group “Voina” (War) was awarded the State Prize of the “Innovation” for the best work of visual art in 2010. What a piece of art they created and how this is combined with the word “culture”?
On the night of 15 June 2010 at the “Liteiny” Bridge in St. Petersburg had drawn a huge phallus image. Every night in the summer this bridge (moveable bridge, bascule bridge) is moved and bridge span rises. When span the bridge raised up, it stood up with a picture in front of the windows of the local FSB (Federal Security Service building, before the KGB, near the bridge). The action was impressed upon the inhabitants of the city. Is it art or disorderly conduct?
The award ceremony was held 7 April in the Moscow Exhibition Center “Garage”. Innovation - the All Russian competition in the field of contemporary visual art was established in 2005. The winner in the main category “The work of visual art” will receive 400,000 rubles.
Art group “Voina” is a left-radical group, operating since early 2007. It gained fame through a series of controversial and radical performances. It is known for its actions which can be classified more to protest than to art.
What works of art can we expect in the future?