Robert
J.
Seidman
THE POLITICS OF ART IN RUSSIA:
AN INTERVIEW WITH ERNST NEIZVESTNY
Abstract art had not been seen in the Soviet Union for thirty
years when the Soviet sculptor Ernst Neizvestny and a Moscow art
instructor named Bilyutin organized the first nonconformist art
exhibition in 1962.
The exhibition opened and caused a sensation. Enormous excited
crowds attended; the queues surpassed everybody's expectations. After a
few days the exhibition was abruptly closed down and the artists were
ordered to move their works
to
the Manege building, an old riding
stable next to the Kremlin.
The next morning an entourage of about seventy men entered the
building. Heading the group was the premier himself. Khrushchev had
no sooner reached the top of the stairs than he began to shout: "Dog
shitl Filth! Disgrace I Who is responsible for this? Who is the leader?"
Bilyutin responded, but a government functionary said: "He's not
the real leader. We don't want him. That's the real leader!" and
pointed at Neizvestny.
Khrushchev continued to shout. But this time Neizvestny shouted
back: "You may be premier and chairman but not here in front of my
works. Here
I
am premier and we shall discuss as equals."
A minister re ponded: "Who are you talking to? This is the prime
minister.
As
for you, we are going to have you sent to the uranium
mines."
Two security men seized Neizvestny's arms. He ignored the
minister and spoke straight
to
Khrushchev: "You are talking to a man
who is perfectly capable of killing himself at any moment. Your threats
mean nothing to me."
The formality of the statement made it entirely convincing. At a
sign from the minister, the security men released Neizvestny's arms.
Neizvestny turned his back on the crowd and began to walk towards his
works. He continued to walk slowly, straining his ears. The entire hall
wa absolutely silent. At last he heard heavy slow breathing behind
him. Khrushchev was following.
