Horror describes his impressions of life in Europe, escaped from a Russian liberal activist
A few years ago, Oleg Vorotnikov, infamous first in Russia under the nickname “the Thief”, the leader no less scandalous art group “War” with curses left the country, declaring that escapes from the dictatorial and repressive regime. But now, knocked about in the vastness of the “civilized Europe”, he was horrified, and announced that he is “a fan of Putin”, and in Europe feels “like hell”.
In such an unbelievable seemed to be a pirouette, of course, hard to believe. But because of his former liberal friends, having heard about what their former idol is now broadcasting, went to Europe, hoping to prove that this is just “Putin propaganda”. And suddenly – a miracle! It turned out that all it really is – pure truth. A Dmitry Volchek published on the website of the American “Radio Liberty report on the meeting with Vorotnikova, and such that involuntarily the question arises and was not recruited Lee and his “Putin’s propagandists”?
With a phallus on the bridge
But let’s start in order. At first Volchek with undisguised sympathy describes the old, cute his liberal heart the scandalous acts of the art-group “War”, famous for more than just a picture of a divorced woman in St. Petersburg, the bridge of a giant phallus. For this, they were raised to shield the liberal media and is crowned with numerous awards.
“The last event of the art-group “War” took place on 31 December 2011, – says Volchek – new year’s eve was handily burned a police paddy wagon in St. Petersburg. For “Mento-Auto-Da-Fe “War” has received from fans of the award “Russian activist art”, and from the state criminal case under article 213 (“Hooliganism”). After that, Oleg Vorotnikov and his wife Natalia Sokol (known as Koza) crossed the border and ended up in Europe, where their life was not the best way: tedious information about scandals, arrests, beatings and other incidents can be found on the website of the group.
“The campaign in support of the actionists, organized by the philologist Alexei Plutser-Sarno, who calls himself a “media artist “War,” continues povestovanie Volchek, took place in Europe, America and even the Philippines. I myself participated in one of the actions, when a huge portrait of Oleg Vorotnikov with the inscription Voina Wanted is posted on the Charles bridge in Prague. When the same poster hung on the tower bridge, interfered with the Metropolitan police and the Bucharest defenders of Oleg Vorotnikova and does beat and detained.
In 2014 reports surfaced that the Collar supported the seizure of the Crimea and became a supporter of Putin. It was hard for me to believe this: how such a metamorphosis could happen to the city “partisan”?
He was up the shares, raising a laugh Putinism – the role of Mandopop went to the supermarket, drawing a huge dick on razvodnom bridge opposite the FSB building in St. Petersburg, overturned police cars, projected a skull and crossbones on the building of the Russian government and sat in prison for this”.
Annoyed Vouchak went “into Europe”, as can be seen, with the laudable aim to expose false accusations, which built on his liberal idol. “And now,” he writes, ” in one of the European cities I meet with Oleg and his wife. They have three children, the youngest sleeping, senior Casper, whom I remember as a baby, grew up and had to go to school. But where is it? Parents are in an irregular situation, undocumented and especially health insurance, and a daughter named Mother, born in St. Petersburg, when her parents were hiding from arrest, are generally not registered. When the Goat went to the antenatal clinic for examination, it identified the doctors wanted to call the police, as if repeating the story from the series about Stirlitz. The goat ran away, and wisely had a home birth without the involvement of midwives in uniform.
Oleg immediately warns that he will not give me an interview, because you don’t want to deal with the “liberal” media. Yes, it’s true, – with astonishment makes a helpless gesture Volchek, he now “Putinists”. And not just a supporter of the seizure of the Crimea: Oleg believes that Putin is “delightfully completed the work of salvation of the Russian state”, Vyacheslav Volodin – “a brilliant Manager” Sergei Lavrov – an outstanding diplomat, who can win in a hostile environment, “the law of Dima Yakovlev” fair and even “there is nothing better than national unity”… He believes that Western propaganda is worse than Russian, as the taxi driver in Europe can say that he likes Putin, and intellectual fears.
“Good Russian propaganda is a ray of sunshine on the last page of “pioneers of truth” July day”, – says Oleg, and I suspect that this is a quote from the article Prokhanov.
Nothing worse than Switzerland, it is not seen
After spending a few years in Europe and visited many cities – Venice, Rome, Zurich, Basel, Vienna and even in český Krumlov, where a hundred years ago languished Egon Schiele), Oleg irrevocably disillusioned with the West. “I spent years of my life and have not found anything interesting.” The people here are intimidated by the system, make the “positive rate at the hypocrisy”, left helpless and no art there. Most of all he don’t like Switzerland: “Nothing worse in this country I have not seen”… out of all this conflict with squatters, which Oleg has described in an interview with Furfur:
“We managed to capture the carnage, but when he said to the police, then snatched the camera from his hands and hid. Then we visited a human rights organisation that helps victims of violence. Provided four hours of a lawyer – so they are willing to pay a lawyer, and here they are expensive. In immigration jail, I had a conversation with the police, they drew two possibilities: either to the camp and ask for political asylum, or we will be separated from children and separately’re deported as illegal immigrants. Plus in my case, at the request of Interpol. Began the usual police manipulation of children, and we succumbed to a shelter. We are not immigrants, not refugees, it was not a gesture of our friends. Arrived on time, and then the channel returns shut. Traditionally Swiss authorities urged to leave the country by a certain date. If not, that included repressive mechanisms. We arrived in camp, paperwork and literally left lying on the floor in the aisle. We were told that this is the best camp for families with children.”
Refugee camp Oleg describes as hell under the earth, to death frightened the inhabitants who were allowed to walk on a schedule, like prisoners. According to Oleg, to help them agree only with the lawyer, famous for his defense of Roman Polanski, but also failed to do anything due to bureaucratic resistance.
Had been a similar conflict with its neighbors in a squat in Venice… Oleg vividly describes how in front of bemused Japanese tourists snapping their cameras, in handcuffs, with a bandaged head, the police carried on a boat on the Grand canal. In jail he stayed for a few days, and from Venice is not a city, and a cemetery, what is there to do?” – moved to Rome. “The best years of our children were in hell, he now bitterly complains. – I am Russian man, why do I value them?”
“I basically refuse here to hold shares, participate in the artistic life. To criticize Russia is possible only from the inside, rather than sitting in the West,” – says Oleg. All that is happening in European art, he doesn’t like…
The disappointment in the West has led to what is happening in Russia began to think Oleg and his wife are wonderful. “Most of all, – says Volchek, they dream of returning home. “If I said – sit in a taxi and go to the airport, I would not even thing to collect.”
But it is impossible to return: Oleg is in the international wanted list, the Goat in the Federal. And what to do with three small children? Relatives of their fate is not interested, a significant part of the friends turned away, have nowhere to live.
“Such freedom as in Russia, nowhere”
“Oleg, – grieving Volchek – praises the wisdom of Putin, “perfect beat” liberals in 2013. In his opinion, Putin acted with their enemies softly, “as much paternal care were in these decisions!”. A reminder about the fate of Udaltsov (also supported the annexation of Crimea), Oleg Navalny and Boris Nemtsov not make impression on him – all this Western propaganda. About his time in prison in Russia Oleg says with enthusiasm. “This is one of the best experiences of my life. I have three or four radiant memories, and one of them is a prison”. Over the years spent in European hell, the homeland began to seem to him the promised land. He is convinced that such freedom, as in Russia, nowhere. “When I was wanted, each day passing by on a Bicycle past the main entrance to the Prosecutor’s office, where we waited, and nothing.
“But what do you do now? Vorotnikova really desperate… How to help people without documents are wanted? In Europe they are not wanted…” – writes in conclusion, Volchek and finds to his questions answer.
Especially for Centuries: Andrey Sokolov
