THE ANATOMY OF POWER
the Moscow premiere of Alexandr Sokurov's
film Taurus
By G. Avdeyeva
The well-known Russian movie director Alexandr Sokurov has premiered
his new film Taurus at the Central House of Cinematographers in Moscow.
The film highlights the decline of Russia's revolutionary leader Vladimir
Lenin.
Even though the names of Lenin, his wife Nadezhda Krupskaya and other
members of his family are not mentioned in Taurus, there is no mistaking
who is who. Outward resemblance is amazing. Besides, Sokurov's films are
not for the ignorant, but for people with a certain intellectual potential
and keen interest in history.
Taurus is about a statesman who changed the course of history and found
himself in complete isolation at the end of his life. We see Lenin recovering
from a severe stroke on a summer day of 1922, secluded together with his
family in the Gorky residence near Moscow. Barred from any activity, Lenin
feels desperately unhappy - a price he has to pay for experimenting on
history. The sole lyrical moment in the film is when his wife puts her
head on his shoulder...
Taurus has no ideological or political lining. Sokurov neither sympathizes
with or justifies anyone. There is no history as such, although the costumes
and pieces of entourage have been reproduced with the documentary accuracy.
What interests Sokurov is the personal life of a man who swayed the destinies
of millions.
"The most destructive 20th-century ideologies such as Nazism,
fascism and bolshevism were generated by the ambitious goals of their leaders",
says Sokurov. "I have toured many former socialist countries. Everywhere
the socialist experiment was a complete failure, and this is a great tragedy
for mankind. Regrettably, even countries with a powerful intellectual potential
had not escaped it. Personified power is the source of danger. The higher
one climbs the stairs of power, the deeper his moral and even intellectual
degradation".
Taurus continues Sokurov's series about 20th-century rulers. His earlier
film, Moloch, shows one day from the life of Adolf Hitler. Remarkably,
both films star Leonid Mozgovoi - as Hitler and Lenin. Sokurov announced
that the main character of his next film will be an Asian, but refused
to give his name. Some believe, however, that it will be Mao Zedong.
In May Taurus will be shown in Cannes. Sokurov says that it's the best
picture he has ever made. The filming involved unique technologies and
optical devices having no analogues in the world.
"I work in ideal conditions, or to be more exact, in conditions
of ideal freedom. How I make a film is my problem, but as regards the general
situation, I am free. In my opinion, it's very important. Generally speaking,
cinematograph is a purely Russian business, the same as automobile-making
for Americans. Russian cinema has a fundamental and highly artistic legacy
that no other nation has. Many things were pioneered here, in Russia. The
problem is how many talented people will be able to realize themselves
in modern conditions. At present 99% of domestic film-makers are commercially-minded
entrepreneurs with no artistic talent. And yet, under any circumstances,
cinema will always thrive in Russia" .
ILYA OSTROUKHOV - A PAINTER AND
COLLECTOR
By I. Beratova
The Moscow Tretiakov Gallery has launched an exhibition devoted to
the outstanding Russian painter and collector Ilya Ostroukhov. 70 years
ago some 800 works from his collection were handed over to the Gallery.
These included icons, paintings and more than 600 drawings.
Ostroukhov's house in Moscow was a true museum. Photos of the house's
interior displayed at the exhibition show walls covered with canvases by
Brullov, Kiprensky, Repin, Vrubel, Serov, Degas, Matisse, Goya, Daumier,
Renoir and other domestic and foreign masters. Ostroukhov corresponded
with many art collectors in Europe. He bought paintings of all genres,
styles and epochs.
Says art expert Olga Ptitsyna: "Ostroukhov didn't like chronology
in his house museum. His collection has a special "aura" because
his method of arranging canvases on a wall was based exclusively on his
artistic taste. He applied the same principle to the Tretiakov Gallery
after being elected President of The Trusteeship Board. Later the Gallery
was reorganized and all paintings were arranged in chronological order.
Ostroukhov was one of those collectors who perceived icon as a work of
art that must be exhibited. He insisted that the Gallery should have special
icon halls and commissioned the well-known art expert Pavel Muratov to
write a book on Russian icon-painting.
That book is also on display along with documents featuring Ostroukhov's
activity as a public leader and collector, photographs, letters, illustrated
catalogues of the Gallery's treasures, compiled by Ostroukhov, and a book
presented to him by the famous Polish harpsichord player Vanda Lamdovska.
Ostroukhov was a good pianist".
"In the 19th century collectors were mostly concerned in painting.
Few, like Ostroukhov, collected graphics. He bought water-colours, drawings,
sepias, pastels and sketches", says Olga Ptitsyna. "In many of
them we can se Ostroukhov himself with an album and pencil or at an easel".
Ostroukhov was a member of various art societies, including the Abramtsevo
and Mir Iskusstva groups. Some of his paintings were acquired by Pavel
Tretiakov who said that Ostroukhov's Siverko was the best landscape in
his gallery .
THE ANCIENT
MAPS OF RUSSIA
By L. Korotun
The State Historical Museum in Moscow has launched an exhibition, titled
"History And Maps. Three Centuries of Russian Cartography. The 18th
Century". This is the first exhibit in a series devoted to national
cartography. It marks the tricentennial of the release in Moscow of the
first geographical map drawn up on a mathematical basis. The earlier maps
were traced from memory and distances were measured by the eye. The current
exhibition features the development of Russian cartography in the 18th
century. On display are unique hand-drawn and engraved maps, atlases and
globuses bearing the signatures of outstanding figures. Says the head of
the Russian State Library Cartographic Department Natalia Kotelnikova:
"Only the State Historical Museum boasts such a wonderful collection
of maps. These include the first ethnographic map of Russia, the first
printed atlases dating back to 1745. The first printed map and national
atlas of Russia appeared 3 centuries ago. The atlas, a true masterpiece
of its kind, consists of 19 maps of the Russian Empire and bordering countries.
The founder of Russian cartography, Emperor Peter The Great, regarded it
as the main pre-requisite for successful internal and external policies.
He took an active part in the creation of the first engraved map of the
Sea of Azov".
"Providing the Russian Empire with a full map of its territory
became a top priority", says the Historical Museum's Director Alexander
Shkurko. "Comparing it with similar modern maps, one can see that
there are very few discrepancies. From the historical point of view, it
was a very accurate map. Emperor Peter gave Russian cartography a powerful
boost. That extraordinary man could challenge experts in land-surveying
and map engraving".
In the end of 18th century it was fashionable to decorate snuff-boxes,
ceramics and all sorts of knick-knacks, as well as commemorative medals
with cartographic patterns. Some of these are also on view at the State
Historical Museum .
4 April 2001
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