Oleg, may 9, you have held an online broadcast of the tour of the exhibition “Remember”, came the congratulations of prominent figures of Russian culture and concert artists Volkovsky theater. Tell us about it and about the exhibition itself.
Oleg Zharov: For me the pride is that so many prominent people of Russia congratulated the residents of Vyatka with the Victory Day. I could not imagine that in two days will gather as many video greetings. With a theater named Volkov we came up with this project three months ago. 24 artists performed at us in Yaroslavl the Museum of modern art: during the online tours of the exhibition they recited poems, sang songs.
the Exhibition “Remember”, devoted to anniversary of the victory, is a joint project with the Russian Academy of arts Zurab Tsereteli. She multimedia. There are paintings, drawings and sculptural works by participants in the war, and now, side by side with the military timeline, songs and music.
what was in the Vyatka-Day?
Oleg Zharov: may 9, according to tradition held a memorial service at the monument.
This is the first thing we did in the village back in 2008 (although officially the Museum opened in 2010), restored the font, at Baptism, at the end of April was opened the monument to Alexander II, who since 1911 has stood on this spot, and on may 9 of that year opened the restored monument to villagers who died during the great Patriotic war. The memorial plaque that we installed there, we have added over the years hundreds of names of the dead villagers. At the time of installation of the monument in the list was only 300 dead. Now their number is 400.
And how many were residents in the village?
Oleg Zharov: Always was about 1200 people.
the Situation of a pandemic, which is all squeezed online much cause to reconsider. How to live in the conditions of the quarantine Museum complex “Vyatka”?
Oleg Zharov: Yes, the other becomes a theater, concert hall, cinema. Changing Museum. What the Museum world is changing. If to speak about me personally, I’m happy. Have the opportunity to think, to realize something new. The current situation for me is happiness. If the employees do not pay the salaries… (laughs). I have not cut a single person. Today everyone is busy in the repair, restoration, reconstruction, and some work that we once did not have time to do. Museums are closed, but there are private sightseeing tour of the village. The restaurant is closed, but we prepare the food and give it to tourists in containers.
Strikes in Vyatka the abundance relations of the village with the capital of the Empire – the artisans, entrepreneurs, unique specialists. You’re accidentally hit in the Vyatka, what was most touching and impressive?
Oleg Zharov: When I say popal here by chance, it is true and false. When we bought the house, I still did not know much. My mother was born 40 kilometers away from these places. In the Vyatka always been fair on Thursdays is very large, broad. Nekrasov had just described her in the poem “to Whom in Russia to live well”. Much later my mother told me that his great-grandfather bought the machine Zinger it is fair to Vyatka. There was a representative of the company. This machine I remember from childhood, she always was in our city apartment. And now she’s standing in a Museum, the Pea, completed his historic round.
But the most interesting connection I have with Vyatka – more. The village where my mother was born, called Kuzminski. If you remember this village from the poem “to Whom in Russia to live well”, and, apparently, the Vyatka was his prototype. In the turbulent years of collectivization it was all demolished, the village was destroyed. Today, doing Vyatka, I’m doing my mom’s Kuzminki. This internal experience enables a completely different way to look at the whole history of these places.
What is the relationship of “Vyatka” with the adjacent Museum-estate Nekrasov in Karabikha?
Oleg Zharov: in 2014 take place twice a year “Days of Nekrasov in Vyatka”. In the summer, on the second day after the celebration in Karabikha, and 10 December, the day of the birth of Nekrasov. In 2021 we will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Nekrasov. By the way, our Museum was one of the initiators of the celebration of this anniversary.
And in 2017 we have finished the restoration of ancestral tombs Nekrasova, which is 30 kilometers from Vyatka. This is a fantastic story. Circling the neighborhood Vyatka, I found in the village Abakumtsevo ancestral tomb of Nekrasov, where are buried the father, nephews, next – grave of the poet’s mother. When I opened the tomb, I couldn’t believe my eyes – it was a sewage pit, which had died of the paintings of Vereshchagin. Absolutely wonderful architectural complex, which was looted, destroyed physically and spiritually. There was a drain hole, two meters of rotten, putrid swamp water, near – dead mother’s grave Nekrasov.
How is this possible?
Oleg Zharov: I also asked the head of the district with this issue. I said: “the area on the balance sheet do not, in the Patriarchate on balance this is not, in the Department of culture – not in the Museum – no”. Abandoned, useless object. To restore it, needed a legal basis, that is, the right of ownership. I decided to provoke the situation. I was convinced that if the website of electronic trading appears an ad that sold a patrimonial tomb of Nekrasov, it will cause a storm of indignation of the public, the Ministry of culture, the Governor. Did not respond no. And I’m at the foreclosure auction the chapel. We restored the murals, mustachepalinize his mother’s grave. When I bought, I was sure that immediately return it to the state. But today I don’t know who to return it. Now we maintain, protect, carry out some restoration work, receive tourists. If I use the tomb to the state, it will again be useless. And here I am – a happy owner of the ancestral tombs of Nekrasov. Andrei Ivushkin, Director of the Museum-estate Nekrasov in Karabikha, gives his heart and soul, but it does not need anyone. And how he could, and floats.
Near Vyatka there are many places of trouble. I’m not talking about the Mologa, which became a symbol of destruction. Rybinsk, Volgolag. Something you have in common with this part of history of the Yaroslavl region?
Oleg Zharov: My name is usually associated with Viatka, but I create the whole Museum network. One of the museums, which I am doing now is located in Rybinsk. In a luxury estate of three buildings in the city centre, I create a Museum of the old believers. Now there are restoration works. I have long been interested in this topic. I know the head of the Russian old believers ‘ Church, Metropolitan Cornelius. He is ready to open for the Museum storerooms, on Rogozhskaya.
I Have big plans in Rostov the Great. Created a network of multidirectional, multi-format Museum.
prior To the lockdown you had to sign a contract with the Bolshoi theatre, Soyuzmultfilm and now will sign with the State historical Museum. What are the obligations of the parties?
Oleg Zharov: it would Seem that because of the pandemic, everything had to stop. Nothing of the sort! We have already visited Vladimir Matorin, a speech and meeting with the public. Now we are preparing an exhibition dedicated to the 180th anniversary of the birth of Tchaikovsky. This historic costumes and sketches of the Bolshoi theatre. April 4 was scheduled for a performance by the youth troupe of the Bolshoi theater. If the withdrawal will last, so we will make it the digital version.
With the Soyuzmultfilm we will begin to create a children’s entertainment and educational Park. There will be a Museum collection of Soyuzmultfilm, screening theaters, model studios them. Bitter and Soyuzmultfilm, where children will make their own films. It will be in Yaroslavl. And in the Vyatka is now preparing a big exhibition “Germaniade”, dedicated to the dolls of Mikhail Shemyakin made for a cartoon.
