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Article by Ambassador Anatoly Antonov for the Russian newspaper "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" (February 28, 2023)
"Russophobia as a malignant tumor in the United States"
The anti-Russian āhate virusā is giving metastases and continues to affect the United States. It has also infected the leading U.S. art galleries that are now trying to outdo each other in their efforts to ācancelā Russian culture.
āļøThe Metropolitan Museum of Art has reclassified great Russian painters Arkhip Kuindzhi, Ivan Aivazovsky and Ilya Repin as Ukrainians guided by the fact that they were born in Mariupol, Feodosia and Chuguev, which is nothing short of a complete absurdity. This does not withstand any criticism at least because the artists considered themselves Russians. Just in case: ethnically, Ilya Repin was Russian, Ivan Aivazovsky was Armenian and Arkhip Kuindzhi was Greek. All three were born in the Russian Empire ā when Ukrainian statehood did not exist.
Another example of ignorance by the Met is the renaming of Edgar Degasās āRussian Dancersā to āDancers in Ukrainian Dressā. Moreover, a comment added beneath the picture now reads: "The subject reflects the surge of French interest in the art and culture of Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire, following France's political alliance with that Empire in 1894".
āThose who came up with this idea did not bother to figure out that it was dancers of the Russian Imperial Ballet on tour in Paris who inspired the French impressionist to create the masterpiece. It is naĆÆve to imagine that the artist was familiar with āthe great Ukrainian choreographic schoolā.
The American Museum of Modern Art has also yielded to the derangement, dedicating a permanent-collection gallery to works by Ā«ethnic UkraniansĀ». Titled āIn Solidarityā, it features pieces by Kazimir Malevich, Leonid Berlyavsky-Nevelson, Sonia Delaunay-Terk and Ilya Kabakov.
Judging by the rhetoric of the American art beau monde, Vasily Kandinsky, a native of Moscow, and his works are next in line to be "ukrainized". There is a heated discussion on whether the fact that he studied in Odessa is a good reason to treat him as a Ukrainian artist.
āHere arises the question for the museum innovators who until recently admired Russian culture: why they has set about perverting historical reality only now? Isnāt this sudden ārevelationā just a banal tribute to political fashion? Anyway, the time will come for the U.S. cultural elite to sober up and be embarrassed of its doings.
It was hard to believe that xenophobia could take roots in a state which is supposed to be resting on the principles of cultural and ethnical diversity and tolerance to different peoples. Nevertheless, U.S. politicians not only encourage hatred of everything Russian, but actively implant it in the minds of citizens. In recent years, they have never stopped fabricating baseless accusations to justify tougher sanctions.
ā¼ļøRussia has always venerated and respected the rich cultural traditions of all countries. This is the core of our national identity, mentality and statehood. Culture must always remain the bridge for strengthening trust between the peoples, however complicated the relations between the states may be.
šThere was no ācancellation of cultureā even during the Cold War. A lesser-known fact is that the first Tchaikovsky International Competition in 1958 was won by Van Cliburn, an outstanding pianist and U.S. national. His sensational performance in Moscow at the height of the Cold War helped break down barriers and gave hope for finding mutual understanding based on love for classical music.
Cultural cooperation helped melt the ice then. Its significance cannot be overestimated also in our days because the universal language of art unites people of different nationalities, whatever is going on in the realm of big politics.
The competition was excluded from the World Federation of International Music Competitions in 2022 amidst indiscriminate Russophobia. And yet, despite that, representatives of the United States still seek to become laureates and winners of this prestigious contest. The 2023 Tchaikovsky International Youth Competition, by the way, was attended by 128 gifted performers from 14 countries, including the United States.
āļøRussian culture does not belong only to Russia. It is the worldās treasure. We know the Americans as appreciative connoisseurs of true art. Not so long ago tours of the troupes of the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres as well as our renowned musicians drew packed houses and were always greeted with a storm of applause. The local audience is apparently longing for Russian performers and art exhibitions. Isnāt it time to stop the Russophobic madness?
Read in Russian: https://is.gd/aQs6lf