A. Ter-Oganian. Open statement on the possible export of my work to the exhibition at the Louvre
Original / На русском
There was an extensive media coverage of the scandal around the exhibition. And yet, the question of Mavromatti was avoided by almost everyone.
This is not simply strange, it is hypocritical!
Just as hypocritical is the following. To create a fetish of the images. Маке such a fuss about the pictures, recognize them as most significant and valuable without even trying to understand what they are about.
If my art is good enough for the Louvre, why are you bypassing me, the author?!
Once again, all the fuss was not about me wanting to bring my pictures to France by any means, but about getting help in extending the passport to Oleg Mavromatti. I made it very clear in the letters to the Consular Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and to the Louvre Museum, that I refuse to participate in the exhibition until the problem with Mavromatti is solved. The work could be sent via e-mail with one click. Today, they say that the problem with the ban on my work is covered, hence the incident is settled. This is a lie!
Stop acting like potato heads!
Can't you see that Mavromatti is accused of the same "deeds" as my paintings?! What a panoptic obscurity! I demand an official export of my works because their ban is based upon the evidence just as absurd, as absurd are the charges with incitement of religious hatred against Maromatti, Erofeev, Samodurov and me.
As Deputy Culture Minister Andrei Busygin puts it: "These works from Radical Abstraction series by Avdei Ter-Oganian is an abstract paintings (...) with captions, which could be interpreted as appeal to violent change of constitutional system, inciting national and religious hatred. "
Therefore, the major obstacle is the solution to the situation with Maromatti!
And if you are able to resolve the problem with pictures, either officially or unofficially, you've got to be able to do the same with the extension of the passport. We are not talking the abstract things here.
The artist faces a real threat!
The life of a man is at stake!
I understand, that my boycott of the exhibition is not too strong of an argument for the MFA, and therefore, I have once again to appeal to my fellow artists to boycott the show until the problem around Mavromatti is solved.
I did not give Marat Guelman a written permission to exhibit these works in this show, and despite the fact that he is the owner, the Louvre does not have the right to exhibit them without my permission.
Avdei Ter-Oganian