Very few architectural events are foreseen in the coming days, but on Saturday there will be one very important civil event - a rally on Sakharov Square. We asked several architects and arch-critics two similar questions: "Why are you going to this meeting?" and “Why do you have to go there?”, asking - not to agitate, but rather to express your position.
Yuri Avvakumov, architect, curator:
Everything has been clear with them for a long time, it remains to clarify what is with us.
Elena Gonzalez, architecture critic:
I have heard and read a lot of arguments about why you shouldn't go to the rally. It is impossible to answer those who do it for political reasons in the Facebook format. Hourly trolls are pointless. There remain those who “do not see the meaning”. But here I completely and completely agree with Leonid Fedorov - I do not tolerate violence, and persistent (moreover, annoying) agitation is violence. Therefore, I will not agitate anyone, convince, "serve as an example" and put pressure on "authority", for which, obviously, such polls are designed; instead, I will post here a piece of the correspondence on the Facebook of a young man (my daughter, a student of the Moscow Architectural Institute, a fan of Fedorov), with a friend who does not see the point:
"Hello. Trying to explain to myself a position like Fedorov's, I came across the principles of Taoism. "Disappointment in the possibility of political and social action, anarchic individualism, mysticism and irrationalism are characteristic of the philosophy of" Chuang … -zi ", and the idea of the desirability of total destruction of culture in the treatise laid the foundation for the Taoist tradition" - here Fedorov is a vivid follower of this tradition. I do not agree with this view of events (I correctly understood that you share this very idea - about the meaninglessness of any struggle?), Because I see, in a specific case, in this belief in predestination and doom, the denial of healthy European rationalism and reluctance reinforced by the conviction of the Tao, which itself will lead, to accept personal responsibility when it is necessary to accept this responsibility. Fedorov's argumentation, when he tries to put reasoning on a logical basis, is lame. For example, why does he mention the "genius Sakharov" in the context: "Well, what did he achieve, what came of it, and why at all …". True, nafig he was fussing there, not aware of the meaninglessness of what was happening. And why, speaking of 91, he isolates the protest movements from the definition of "collapse"? They, like the agitation Fedorov disliked, are an integral part of this process, a factor that cannot be cut out and placed separately, standing alongside other events that characterize what happened, and not just “collapse” because “must”. “I think it will end, like last time, with nothing” - I see movement forward, undulating and progressive, but still development.
Nikolay Malinin, architecture critic:
All three days of August 1991, I honestly spent where my people, fortunately, were. Well, not quite there, but nearby - in the editorial office of his newspaper, which was officially closed, but continued to work day and night, being printed in an underground printing house. But, to be honest, instead of the inspiration that was supposed to be, I was worried most of all in those days that the mountain of my unfinished books in Leninka would be thrown off. The issued books were stored then for exactly three days, and then it was necessary to re-order and wait a long time for their return. And so it happened. I cursed politics and did not go anywhere for 20 years, believing that I would bring more benefits at my workplace.
But today I am a man of the "Moscow seamstress" epoch, that is, - facebook. Thanks to sticking out in which he was inexpressibly inspired and went to Bolotnaya. Arriving there, he was confused. After all, what is the tragic discrepancy? Facebook allows us to merge happily in a single impulse, but at the same time remain individuals. Its structure makes it possible to express your opinion in a variety of ways (like, comment, post, join groups) - and thus remain yourself (well, almost yourself) within any collective ecstasy. Going out to the square, you again find yourself in a crowd, and you can shove your precious special opinion where it is supposed to.
I didn't want to chant at all, mutating into a football fan. But what else to do was absolutely incomprehensible. There was a painful lack of some "ports" where to attach and somehow fix - not only their presence here, but also that very "special" opinion (even if it was not particularly special, but to preserve at least this illusion). As a result, I had to wander around, meet friends at every step and discuss not only the actual (the topic, in general, was quickly exhausted), but also everything. And the rally itself spilled over into the very "picnic of the poster", the awkward taste of probably everyone.
This, of course, is the eternal question about the place of the rotten intellectual in the general order. And it does not go anywhere, even when the whole system consists of the same as you. And the answers are still simple: of course, go, of course, shove your precious to hell. And to wait patiently, when technologies will allow us not only to check-in right on the square, but also, without leaving the place, to send in an electronic way all those who prevent us from sitting quietly over their books.
Ilya Mukosey, architect:
As an architect, I am fundamentally outside of politics. I go to rallies as just a person. Because I feel that I was robbed in the last elections. Before it seemed to me that they were robbing, but now I am SURE of it. Everything is too obvious. These rallies for me are an alternative to dishonest elections, an opportunity to vote against fraudsters. I don't read slogans. I don't care what they say from the rostrum and who stands next to me, a liberal or a nationalist. Ironically, such a rally is not a place for discussion. Now all of us, like animals in a drought at a watering hole, must observe the truce. When fair elections are held, let the honestly elected deputies debate in the Duma. And we will go about our business.
Ivan Ovchinnikov, architect, author of the idea of the "Draw your choice for December 24" campaign:
I go to the rally, because without freedom of choice there can be no freedom of creativity, and we are now left without a choice. I also believe that even a modest participation in a rally can at least change something for the better in Russia, and I love this country, no matter how loud it sounds.
Nikita Asadov and I came up with the idea of the “draw your choice” action when he discouraged me from going to the rally on December 10, arguing that a creative act against the situation in the country can be much more productive than simply participating in a rally. What will come out of the action - we'll see on Saturday! See you on December 24th.
Sergey Skuratov, architect:
In difficult times you have to be with the people. People come to these rallies who are offended by the current situation. I am ashamed that our country is governed by such a monstrous coalition. During those four hours while he was giving his "master class on TV" Putin could not even answer a single question plainly. I do not want to be led by such people.
Julia Tarabarina, architecture critic:
After some thought, I managed to understand that my personal motivation is, first of all, emotional. I really like the atmosphere of the "December spring", which is so similar to the early 90s, and even more to the late 80s. The sudden disappearance of the muddy grayish hopelessness that has accumulated in the brain over the past 10 years. It's nice to see that there are tens of thousands of people who, too, don't like it all, and that there are many friends among them. A pleasant feeling of hope-for-something-everything-will-change, including the hope of getting out of the Russian wheel of rebirth, rebellion-tyranny-stagnation (even a little tyranny and a little stagnation). And it is especially joyful that many people suddenly (again!) Understood that (as Alice said), they are not kings or queens, but just a deck of cards.
If we reason more or less rationally, then we can agree that yes, this is only the very beginning, that “they” have already come to their senses and will still find a lot of solutions, ways and will hire a lot of trolls. That it is very difficult to be in time before March 4. But again, if you think rationally, then: if you do nothing, nothing will ever change. And so you can be involved in what is happening. Now, in my opinion, is the moment when the impulse must turn into movement, gain a foothold so as not to disappear (which, frankly, "they" are probably hoping for). That is why I think it is necessary to go. So that a fair protest finally (or at least for a long time) ceases to be a matter of lone heroes. And we are not a crowd. We are a crowd when we sit at home and say that talking about politics sucks, but we need to do our own thing. This is also our business. Otherwise, something spoils in the soul.
Maria Fadeeva, architecture critic:
For me, the campaign rally on December 24 is probably a manifestation of love for my country, forgive me for the big word. Those who come to power using deception, and not real deeds, for which they would be entrusted with management, obviously are not able to do this, simply because they have no love for this job. They are like a sadistic husband who subtly beats his wife so that bruises are not visible at first glance. It's very important to open it up and stop, that's how I was raised. And I want my children and the children of my friends in this country to be raised as well. A rally for me is a way to protect myself from those who are trying to disfigure the country in which I live, leaving no trace of it in the end.
In Moscow, the rally will take place on Sakharov Avenue from 14:00 to 18:00. The meeting is allowed for 50,000 people. Entrance from Kalanchevskaya street. You can take thermoses and water in plastic bottles with you. Information about rallies and actions in other cities of Russia, which will also take place on December 24, can be found here.
