Mikhail Shemyakin: about freaks and people. Mikhail Shemyakin: about freaks and people Sculptural composition of Shemyakin

"Children - Victims of Adult Vices" is a sculptural composition by the artist and sculptor Mikhail Shemyakin, staged in a public garden near Bolotnaya Square, staged in 2001. List of vices (from left to right): Addiction, Prostitution, Theft, Alcoholism, Ignorance, Pseudoscience (Irresponsible Science), Indifference (center), Propaganda of violence, Sadism, Pillory for those with no memory, Exploitation of child labor, Poverty and War ...
For some reason, I don’t want to speak about this monument in my own words, I’d rather give a few quotes from the artist himself and not only, about his life and how this composition appeared.

"Luzhkov summoned me and said that he was instructing me to create such a monument. And he gave me a piece of paper on which the vices were listed. The order was unexpected and strange. Luzhkov stunned me. Firstly, I knew that the consciousness of a post-Soviet person was accustomed to urban sculptures. And when they say: "Depict the vice of" child prostitution "or" sadism "(in total 13 vices were named!), you feel great doubts. At first I wanted to refuse, because I had a vague idea of ​​how to bring this composition to life . And only six months later I came to a decision ... "

In my opinion, this is not a monument to vices, and not a monument to "children - victims of vices", but a monument to us adults, what we become by committing vicious actions knowingly or accidentally - with donkey heads, fat bellies, closed eyes and money bags. This is a very powerful monument, serious, by no means entertaining and certainly not for children, but completely adult. Natalia Leonova, ethnographer.

The monument was erected not to children, but to vices ... This frightening symbolism is quite in the spirit of Masonic lodges, secret orders such as the Rosicrucians, occult sects ... Identifying ourselves with them (children from the sculptural composition), our living children will learn the psychology of the victim and will not be able resist violence, evil ...
The meaning (of the installation of the monument) is in the legalization of that satanic content, which has always been hidden, has not been pulled to the surface. They probably want to teach him, to this satanic element, to tame people, they want to show that this is not so scary, but very good ...
The main thing is not to come to terms with evil. You never know that the monument has been erected? How many monuments stood, and then they were demolished, and this happened even throughout our life. It is necessary to demand that the "monument to vices" be removed from the Russian land. Vera Avramenkova, Doctor of Psychology, one of the authors of the examination in the Pussy Riot case. Fragments from a 2001 interview.

Mikhail Shemyakin worked as a postman, watchman, rigger in the Hermitage. In the 60s, he was subjected to compulsory treatment in a psychiatric hospital, after which he lived in the Pskov-Pechersky monastery as a novice. In 1971 he was stripped of his Soviet citizenship and expelled from the country.

I was not engaged in any "dissidence", I was simply registered as a dissident. And I just painted pictures and tried to see the world with my own eyes.

Shemyakin lives in Paris, then moves to New York. In 1989, Shemyakin's work began to return to post-communist Russia.

“I serve Russia, but here today I still feel like a foreigner, an alien, because I do not fit into this society. ... I live in Russia, which is not here, but somewhere higher. But, as they say, relatives are not chosen, and I belong to this country with my heart and soul. I serve her and I will serve her - this is my duty, this is my duty, this is my love for her, for the people, which I feel very, very sorry for. "

It is better to watch Shemyakin not in Moscow, but in St. Petersburg, where his work is presented quite versatile: monuments (including the Peter and Paul Fortress), and window dressing for the Eliseevsky store, and ballets at the Mariinsky Theater. But in Moscow there is also an opportunity to get acquainted with one more facet of his work - in company stores.

In this article, we will consider the monument "Children - Victims of Adult Vices." This is a rather interesting sculptural composition that definitely deserves our attention. You can find it on Bolotnaya Square in Moscow.

Acquaintance

The monument was created by Mikhail Shemyakin. The author tried to translate into reality the image of the struggle between good and evil. The sculptor created his composition in order to draw the attention of all those who are not indifferent to the influence we have on the present and future of generations. It's never too late to start over.

Description

In the center of the sculptural composition "Children - Victims of Adult Vices" are depicted a boy and a girl who are trying to move forward blindfolded. Under the kids' feet are open books with fairy tales that have been read. They are surrounded by figures - those same vices. It depicts Addiction, Theft, Ignorance, Alcoholism, Pseudoscience, Prostitution and Indifference. The last vice rises above the rest and is the most important. There is also Sadism, Exploitation of Child Labor, War, Pillory for those who have lost their memory, Poverty and Propaganda of Violence.

Mikhail Shemyakin worked on this composition on the personal order of Yu. Luzhkov. The Moscow Mayor also took an active part in the process of creating the monument. The press wrote that during one of the meetings between the architect and the mayor, the latter jumped up briskly from his chair in order to personally demonstrate how the figure of Sadism should look like. As a result, this pose of Luzhkov was reflected in the metal.

After the sculptural creation was attacked by vandals, the city authorities decided to open the composition only at certain hours, to enclose it with a fence and set up security. The grate rises at 9 am and lowers at 9 pm.

Criticism

The sculpture "Children - Victims of Adult Vices" on Bolotnaya Square has been criticized many times. Most often these were statements by especially religious people. They do not like that vices are depicted too accented. V. Ambramenkova - Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences and Research Fellow of the Russian Academy of Education - believes that such a sculpture can negatively affect the child's psyche. She also focuses on the fact that it is rather a monument to vices, and not to children.

Addiction and Prostitution

We start with the figure of Drug Addiction in the description of "Children - Victims of Adult Vices". The author of the composition showed this image in the form of Count Dracula, clothed in a tailcoat - a kind of angel of death. In his hands is a small packet of heroin and a syringe. Dracula offers for an affordable price, as it were, to "fly away" from the problems of this world.

Shemyakin depicts prostitution in the image of a toad, and in this sense there are some coincidences with the image of the frog princess. The creature has curvaceous forms and a seductive body, but it is all covered with nasty warts, and snakes are visible on the belt. In a broader sense than just prostitution, this sculpture refers to the hypocrisy and complete immorality of a person who does not experience sincere feelings. One famous blogger wrote that hypocrisy should be understood as even the slightest of its manifestations: criticism behind the back, lies, insincere smile.

Theft

In the sculpture "Children - Victims of Adult Vices" in Moscow, theft is shown by the author in the form of an ugly and cunning pig, waving its nasty fingers, holding stolen money in its hand. Behind this creature are bank details and a bag signed with the word "offshore". In modern life, this flaw is manifested not only in the fact that people give and take bribes, but also in the fact that for many the goal of life is the accumulation of material wealth, and luxurious things begin to mean more than human feelings. A small child interprets all this in his own way, sees the picture in a different light and therefore takes a false picture of the world for a real one.

Alcoholism, Ignorance, Pseudoscience

In the monument Children - Victims of Adult Vices, alcoholism is portrayed as a cheerful mythical god, who sits on a barrel with a smug expression on his face. This is an ugly old man with a big belly and a double chin.

Ignorance is shown in the form of a carefree, stupid donkey holding a watch in one hand and a rattle in the other. This is an allegorical image of the fact that fun is given all the time, not the hour.

The image of Pseudoscience is denounced as a monastic robe. He holds in his hands a scroll with supposedly useful knowledge, but the eyes of the creature are closed, and it itself does not know what it is doing. The point is that some knowledge is harmful to humanity as a whole. This is the production of dangerous weapons, and genetic engineering, and an attempt to clone people, etc. To emphasize this, a mutated figure is depicted near the figure, which Pseudoscience leads like a puppet. To show all the horror of pseudoscience, Mikhail Shemyakin suggests recalling a story that happened in America. Popular sedatives, advertisements of which were at every step, served to ensure that women were born with babies without arms and legs.

War and Poverty

This skin is very similar to the droid from Star Wars. Represents the angel of death. The image of the war appears in which the gas mask is worn. He himself is in armor, and in his hands is a bomb sewn into Mickey Mouse. He offers it to children without a twinge of conscience.

In the monument "Children - Victims of Adult Vices" the image of Poverty is presented in the form of an old woman who stands leaning on a staff. She is barefoot and very skinny. Despite being almost completely powerless, she stretches out her hand, begging for alms. Here disputes arose between people over whether poverty could be considered a vice. Someone recalled Ostrovsky's play, and someone else did the words of Dostoevsky. The point is that you can live in poverty. You can and keep your dignity, not the name of an extra piece of bread. But in poverty, everyone is equal, and here you cannot remain special. But the one through whose fault others become beggars is definitely condemned.

Child Labor Exploitation, Unconsciousness and Sadism

The architect presented it in the form of a bird with a huge beak. She invites the onlookers to follow her to the factory, where there are prints of children's handprints on every wall. In a simpler sense, it means a poor childhood, routine at the most beautiful time in life, manipulation of a sense of duty.

Unconsciousness is depicted in the form of a pillar of shame on which snakes crawl. This means complete insensitivity to what happened in the past, to memory, respect. Snakes enveloped the insensible pillar, consciousness clouded.

Sadism is shown in the form of a terrible rhinoceros that looks at a person with open arms. Not sensitive to the pain and feelings of other people, he supports his huge sagging belly with a rope. In an allegorical sense, it conveys the desire of adults to exercise their power over children, to teach them according to their own convictions, even false ones. Many seek to dominate and suppress children, thus pouring out their complexes.

Violence propaganda is portrayed as Pinocchio, who offers a host of tools for causing harm. By the way, today the propaganda of violence is manifested most of all in games, cartoons and children's films.

Above all these monsters, the most important of them rises - Indifference. This is the worst of vices, because from it all others flow. It is a creature with an unfeeling body, closed eyes and plugged ears. It is insensitivity and unwillingness to understand the other that are the root of many troubles. The monument "Children - Victims of Adult Vices" carries the message that if, committing evil, a person changed his mind for at least 10 minutes, many sad events could have been avoided. After all, we all know how to "turn off" your inner voice and silently do what you need, even if it may harm someone else.

The unusual monument is located in the city of Moscow and was made by the sculptor Mikhail Mikhailovich Shemyakin. Its name is based on the very essence of the sculptural ensemble - “Children - Victims of Adult Vices”.

The complete installation work on the installation of the sculptures was completed in 2001.

In the center of the raised plinth, there are sculptures of a boy and a girl, whose eyes are covered with a bandage. The plasticity of the figures is made in such a way that it creates the impression that they seem to be moving forward to the touch with uncertain steps. Under the feet of the children is a book and an impromptu ball.

In a semicircle around the center of the composition, there are sculptures of human adult vices in an ominous amount - 13:

• Addictionpresented as a thin man dressed in a tailcoat and flaunting a bow tie. In one hand there is a sachet with a dose of the drug, and in the other a syringe is clamped.
• Prostitutionappears in the form of a kind of nasty toad with an elongated mouth, bulging eyes and a huge bust. Her decrepit body is dotted with warts, and venomous snakes curl around her waist.
• Theftrepresents a sly pig with its back to the children, hiding a bag with a tinkling coin in its paw.
• Alcoholismassociated with a half-naked man with a sugary physiognomy. He sits on a barrel of laughing wine, holding a snack and a beer goblet.
• Ignorance appears in the form of a donkey - a kind of merry fellow and a carefree person. There is a big rattle in his paws.
• Pseudoscience is represented by a sculpture of a woman in a robe and a blindfold over her eyes. In one hand she holds a scroll with some pseudo-knowledge, and in the other rests a two-headed dog - the product of a false idea of ​​science and its application.
• Indifference is the central figure of adult vices from which others are placed on either side. The sculpture has four arms, a pair of which covers the ears, and the other is crossed over the chest.
• Violence propaganda is somewhat reminiscent of Buratino, beloved by many children. Only this is not a kind fairytale hero, but a vice holding a shield with a weapon in his hand. Next to this figure is a pile of books, among which you can see Hitler's "Mein Kampf".
• Sadism represents a thick-skinned rhinoceros dressed in a butcher's uniform.
• Unconsciousness was sculpted in the form of a pillar of shame, perhaps not finding an animated image for it.
• Exploitation of child labor appears in the form of an ominous bird with a human face, luring children to its little factory.
• Poverty is represented by a withered old woman, in one hand of which is a staff, and the other is stretched out for mercy.
• War is a man in a gas mask, dressed in armor. He hands the children a Mickey Mouse doll chained to a bomb.

It should be noted that the monument "Children - Victims of Adult Vices" appeared in Moscow on the initiative of the then Moscow Mayor Yuri Mikhailovich Luzhkov. They say that he showed great interest in this work of Mikhail Shemyakin and even became a co-author of the image of Sadism (thick-skinned rhinoceros), spontaneously and emotionally at one of the discussions of the project, the appropriate pose, which the sculptor eventually performed in metal.

Previously, access to this unusual sculptural exposition was open around the clock, but after it was damaged by vandals, the pedestal was surrounded by a fence with a gate that opens at strictly defined hours.

A large, interesting and not very well-known monument is located in the very center of Moscow, in a public garden on Bolotnaya Square. It is called "Children - Victims of Adult Vices." Although a monument, in the classical sense of the word, probably it cannot be called. This is a whole sculptural composition, a whole story that cannot be told in two words.

He appeared in the capital on September 2, 2001, on the City Day. Its author is Mikhail Shemyakin. According to the artist, when he first conceived the composition, he wanted one thing - for people to think about saving today's and future generations. Many, by the way, at that time were against its installation near the Kremlin. They even assembled a special commission in the capital's Duma, and she also spoke out against. But the then mayor Yuri Luzhkov weighed everything and gave the go-ahead.

The monument really looks ambiguous and unusual. It is in the top 10 of the most scandalous monuments in Moscow. The composition consists of 15 figures, two of which are small children - a boy and a girl about 10 years old. They are located in the very center. Like everyone else at this age, they play ball, they have books of fairy tales under their feet. But the children are blindfolded, they do not see that 13 terrible tall figures are standing around, pulling tentacle arms towards them. Each statue personifies some kind of vice that can corrupt children's souls and take possession of them forever.

It is worth describing each in detail (from left to right):

• Addiction. A thin man in a tailcoat and a bow tie, somewhat reminiscent of Count Dracula. A syringe in one hand, and a packet of heroin in the other.
• Prostitution. This vice is presented in the form of a vile toad with bulging eyes, a deliberately elongated mouth and a magnificent bust. Her whole body is covered with warts, and snakes curl at her belt.
• Theft. A sly pig, which turned its back, obviously hiding something. She has a bag of money in one hand.
• Alcoholism. A fat, sugary half-naked man sitting on a barrel of wine. In one hand he has a jug with something "hot" in the other a beer goblet.
• Ignorance. A cheerful and carefree donkey with a big rattle in his hands. A living illustration of the saying "the less you know, the better you sleep." True, here it is better to say "no knowledge, no problems."
• Pseudoscience. A woman (probably) in a monk's cassock with her eyes closed. In one hand she has a scroll with pseudo-knowledge. Nearby is an incomprehensible mechanical device, and in the other hand is the result of misapplication of science - a two-headed dog, which is held like a puppet.
• Indifference.“Murderers and traitors are not so terrible, they can only kill and betray. The worst of all is the indifferent. With their tacit consent, the worst happens in this world. " Apparently, the author fully agrees with this saying. He placed Indifference at the very center of vices. The figure has four arms - two are crossed on the chest, and the other two cover its ears.
• Violence propaganda. The figure resembles Pinocchio. Only he has a shield in his hand, which depicts a weapon, and next to it is a stack of books, one of which is "Mein Kampf".
• Sadism. The thick-skinned rhino is great for illustrating this flaw, and it also wears a butcher's outfit.
• Unconsciousness. The pillar of shame is the only inanimate figure in the overall composition.
• Exploitation of child labor. Either an eagle or a raven. The bird-man invites everyone to the little factory where the children work.
• Poverty. A withered, barefoot old woman with a staff stretches out her hand, begging for alms.
• War. The last character on the list of vices. A man, clad in armor, and with gas masks on his face, holds out a toy to the children - everyone's favorite Mickey Mouse, but the mouse is chained in a bomb.

It is very difficult to unmistakably recognize a specific sin or vice in each figure, so the author signed each sculpture in Russian and English.

Initially, the monument was permanently inaugurated. But after those who like to profit from non-ferrous metal opened a hunt for it, the composition was fenced off, guards were put in place and visiting hours were introduced from 9 am to 9 pm.

People often come to the square on Bolotnaya Square. Newlyweds are photographed against the background of bizarre statues, not particularly attaching importance to the meaning hidden in the sculpture. Many criticize the composition, consider it absurd. Probably the most ardent opponent, Doctor of Psychology Vera Abramenkova. She believes that Mikhail Shemyakin erected a monument to giant vices, it is they, and not small children, who are the central characters. But most people treat the monument with understanding, they call it correct, to the place and to the time. The sculptor raised a problem that should not be talked about, but shouted about. Only Shemyakin did it not with the help of words, the author immortalized his views and beliefs in bronze.

Sculptural composition "Children - victims of adult vices" - a rather tough, but piercing monument, erected in a public garden on Bolotnaya Square in 2001. Since its installation, it has become one of the most famous and popular sculptural objects in Moscow.

The composition is dedicated to the influence of adult vices on the personality and life of children who are born completely pure, but then, getting into the adult world and finding themselves helpless in the face of its dangers, become their victims or grow up as vicious as their parents. The plot is conveyed through 15 sculptures located on a large semicircular pedestal.

In the center of the composition are depicted children - a little boy and a girl with blindfolds; they creep by touch with their hands out in front of them. Books and a ball lie under their feet. The figures of children with all their appearance show that they need an intelligent guide, but there is none - they are surrounded only by human vices inherent in adults. At the head of vices, Indifference rises above children, which does its best to ignore what is happening.

A lot of symbolism is embedded in the figures of vices, they are the living embodiment of the troubles and dangers that lie in wait for children. A total of 13 vices are depicted in the sculpture:

1. Addiction;
2. Prostitution;
3. Theft;
4. Alcoholism;
5. Ignorance;
6. Pseudo-scholarship;
7. Indifference;
8. Promotion of violence;
9. Sadism;
10. "For those who are without memory" (pillory);
11. Exploitation of child labor;
12. Poverty;
13. War.

The author of the sculptures did a good job, putting a lot of symbolism into them: for example, Drug Addiction and War, which begin and close the circle of vices, are made in the form of angels of death - the first, dressed in a tailcoat, offers a syringe with a courteous gesture, the second is chained in armor and is preparing to release it from hands of an aerial bomb. Prostitution is depicted as a vile toad with his arms outstretched in an inviting gesture, and Ignorance is represented as a kind of joker donkey with a jester's rod, which, judging by the clock in his hand, does not feel the frame and spends time on minor trifles. Pseudo-scholarship is shown in the form of a "guru" dressed in a robe and a closed hood, preaching false knowledge, Alcoholism - a disgusting pot-bellied man sitting on a barrel, and Theft looks like a richly dressed pig, stealthily moving aside with a small bag. Sadism demonstrates a rhino-man, at the same time a butcher and an executioner, Poverty - a withered old woman, the sculpture "For those without memory" is made in the form of a pillar of shame. The figure dedicated to the propaganda of violence, with a deceitful smile, offers children a wide selection of weapons, and symbolizing the exploitation of child labor, it is made in the form of a well-groomed crow inviting to its factory with imaginary goodwill.

At the head of the vices with closed eyes is Indifference: he was given as many as 4 hands, with two of which it covers its ears, the others folded on its chest, standing in a characteristic protective pose. The figure is trying with all its might to distance itself and not notice anything.

The space around the composition is never empty: crowds often gather to look at it. Some "Children - Victims of Adult Vices" arouse approval, others, on the contrary, say that the composition is too harsh, and the sculptures of vices are simply scary, and they need to be removed out of sight - one way or another, no one remains indifferent. Having made a lot of noise in the past, the composition remains rather ambiguous even now, thanks to which it does not lose its popularity and for the second decade has been considered one of the most significant informal sights of Moscow.

Sculpture "Children - victims of adult vices" located in the park on Bolotnaya Square (Repinsky Square). You can get to it on foot from metro stations "Kropotkinskaya" Sokolnicheskaya line, "Tretyakovskaya" Kaluga-Riga and "Novokuznetskaya" Zamoskvoretskaya.