“Agroglamour” chair by Pushkin removed from exhibition (Photo)

An piece of art in “agroglamour” style was declared an unwanted object at Postulate 2012 exhibition that is due to open in October Square of Minsk.  

The event opens in University of Culture art gallery on October 19. Artist Pushkin is at a loss: it was a proposal of organizers and curators to participate in the exhibition, but Pushkin was later recommended not to exhibit his work after he showed a photo of it.

“The Union of Designers of Belarus offered me to take part in Postulate 2012 project and to make a chair a piece of art,” the artist tells Salidarnast. “As a result, I created a chair in the style which I call agroglamour.”

Pushkin made a photo of the agricultural town as the background for the chair.

The artist says he sent a photo of his work for the exhibition catalogue and organizers called him and said they would hardly accept his artwork in the current situation.

“I then decided to deliver my chair to University of Culture art gallery in October Square. I wanted to hand it in for the exhibition. Let it be a decision of organizers if they choose to remove my work from the exhibition,” Ales Pushkin stresses. “The most awful thing for an artist is self-censorship. Organizers started it on the stage of preparation for the exhibition. By the way, there is a list of project participants on the website of the Union of Designers. Artist Ales Pushkin is still on the list.”

Dzmitry Surski, the head of the Union of designers of Belarus, thinks the chair by Ales Pushkin posed no threat to the established order.

“Ales sent a photo for the catalogue. I don't see anything terrible or provocative in this piece of art,” he notes. “The other matter is that we have banned artists, whose works, whatever they are, are unwanted at exhibitions of all kinds. Such a controversial person as revolutionist Ales Pushkin seems to have attracted attention by the very fact of his participation in the project.”

Surski noted the organizers, who propose exhibition areas, can set their conditions for the Union of Designers.

“They choose whom they want to see at the exhibition,” the head of the Union of Designers says. “Unwillingness to see Ales Pushkin's work in this gallery might be connected with its location – October Square, which is often visited by officials. What will happen if they see it?”

Dzmitry Surski does not rule out the possibility of leaving Ales Pushkin's chair for the exhibition.

“The opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday. Representatives of the gallery will probably change their mind,” he concluded.

As exhibition organizers note, the aim of Postulate 2012 exhibition is to reveal the most interesting professional projects and show them to possible manufacturers and investors for commercial purposes. The most exciting works will be shown at Furniture 2013 Expo.