On Nomeda & Gediminas Urbonas’ Split nik
Tracey Warr
Introduction
In June 2011 I travelled to Russia for the first time, carrying preconceptions largely formed from Martin Cruz Smith novels.
I joined Lithuanian artists Nomeda and Gediminas Urbonas and their Russian assistant, Anna Kotova, in an attempt to track down Alexander Kukarkin, an elusive Russian writer from the Cold War era. Our researches became as contorted as the Helter Skelter in Sokolniki Park where Nixon and Khrushchev had their famous 1959 Kitchen Debate.[i] This text is an account of our research, looking for Kukarkin.
Our resulting art project, Split nik, is showing at the Moscow Biennale
23 Sept – 30 Oct 2011
at the Tsum Art Foundation, Tsum Department Store, 2 Petrovka str., Moscow
Open Mon–Fri: 10:00–22:00, Sat–Sun: 11:00–22:00
Nearest Metro Stations: Tverskaya, Teatral’naya.
http://4th.moscowbiennale.ru/en/
We are inviting participation in dialogues about the Cold War and its legacies now, particularly in relation to the role of artists, writers and books. We invite your Future Casts. You can participate in person in the Split nik installation in the Moscow Biennale, or participate by commenting online:
Split nik on Facebook: http://vkontakte.ru/splitnik2011 [Russian]
Or comment here on http://www.vilma.cc/splitnik [English]
Or comment on http://traceywarr.wordpress.com [English]
pdf account of our research so far to download here: LOOKING FOR KUKARKIN
Hello Tracey Here is that quote – “Real artists are needed. There have to be those people in our life that take the risk. It is a very dangerous road to go down and it’s a tough walk, often accompanied by the black dog. But those people that put everything on the line to tell the stories are a necessity. They have to carry the cost of that themselves because at every turn there are stonewalls and obstructions”. – playwright Wendy Richardson.
I think you would also be interested to look at my recent Exhibition which is in the process of being developed to the next stage for touring which you can find here
September 12, 2011 @ 10:45 amhttp://www.galerijalkatraz.org/?p=3507
all the best Deej