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concepute ca agenfli ai subiectiværii, fæcînd apel la o gîndire autonomæ, responsabilæ
øi la subiecfli activi. Cu siguranflæ, grupul a fost influenflat de atitudinea antiteatralæ a
lui Brecht, de modul sæu de utilizare a indicafliilor sale scenice øi discursul diegetic,
ca mecanisme prin care reprezentaflia mimeticæ e alienatæ, controlatæ, încadratæ øi
contestatæ fundamental în integritatea ei materialæ. Aceastæ influenflæ e clar perceptibilæ
în The Tower: a Songspiel (2010) [Turnul: un Songspiel], ce poate fi vizionatæ în
foaierul-cinema. În acest caz, diverse voci øi opinii au fost transcrise în scenariul unui
film de 36 de minute, al treilea din trilogia de lucræri ce trateazæ evenimentele recente
care au dominat viafla socio-politicæ rusæ øi dezbaterea publicæ. Turnul vizat de piesæ
este cel planificat de Centrul de Dezvoltare Okta din Sankt Petersburg, un zgîrienori
de sticlæ, de 403 metri, destinat gæzduirii sediului central al gigantului petrolier
Gazprom, una dintre cele mai mari companii energetice din lume. Aøa cum explicæ
site-ul celor de la Okta, turnul încorporeazæ „funcfliile unui centru de afaceri øi cele
ale unui complex cultural cu mare atracflie turisticæ“, 35% din spafliu fiind destinat
centrelor publice, înglobînd un muzeu de artæ modernæ, o salæ de concerte øi un
stadion 3 . Proiectul a generat ræspunsuri extrem de variate, mulfli fiind cei care au
respins øi au protestat împotriva construcfliei, aceasta distrugînd renumitele panorame
istorice ale oraøului øi ignorînd complet restricfliile de înælflime impuse de Codul de
planificare urbanæ øi de legea UNESCO asupra patrimoniului internaflional. În film,
planificarea reconstrucfliei este prezentatæ prin discursurile publice susflinute de diverse
forme ale puterii implicate în promovarea proiectului: un manager PR, un politician,
un proprietar de galerie, un reprezentant al bisericii, un artist contemporan
øi un øef de securitate. Discursurile lor alterneazæ cu ræspunsuri cîntate de diferite
grupuri de oameni: printre ei se aflæ pensionari, dornici sæ apere peisajul urban iubit
în fafla dezvoltatorilor lacomi, femei tinere, „plictisite de vechituri“ øi care aøteaptæ
cu neræbdare construirea zgîrie-norului, activiøti pentru drepturile civile, protestînd
împotriva intervenfliei capitaliste, øi muncitori cu o væditæ lipsæ de interes pentru construcflie,
dar mobilizafli de faptul cæ imigranflii sînt angajafli sæ lucreze pentru ea pe
salariul minim. Filmul aruncæ în joc o multitudine de opinii øi dorinfle, dar îi plaseazæ
în mod clar pe cei bogafli øi puternici, aøezafli în jurul unei mese, pe o platformæ înælflatæ,
împotriva maselor muncitoreøti, unite în cîntec: „Aceasta e flara noastræ, dar vocea
noastræ nu e auzitæ“. Toate personajele sînt caricaturi ale unor tipologii sociale specifice,
interpretarea e emfaticæ øi puternic gestualæ, iar situaflia dramaticæ øi apæsætoare
e contrabalansatæ de scenariul ce favorizeazæ parodia în defavoarea realismului sumbru.
Atitudinea cinicæ a politicienilor øi strategilor de PR se reflectæ în cea a artistului
øi a proprietarului de galerie, implicafli în crearea noului complex: arta e fæcutæ
pentru a fi cumpæratæ øi vîndutæ øi, departe de a ridica întrebæri dificile, ea îndeplineøte
o funcflie decorativæ pentru putere. Artistul prezintæ prototipul pentru o mare
sculpturæ publicæ în forma unui glonfl imens de aur, cu douæ capete, decorat cu o
cruce roøie, o trimitere evidentæ la lucrarea lui Kazimir Malevici. Sculptura abstractæ
øi monoliticæ a artistului contemporan pare sæ împærtæøeascæ aceeaøi formæ de
criticæ de care a fost lovit øi suprematismul: eøecul de a comunica cu masele, de a
instiga la dezbatere ori de a inspira acfliune. În contrast, corul cîntæ apologia poetului,
cel care „ne aduce adeværul øi vorbeøte inimilor“. O asemenea declaraflie relevæ
interesul profund manifestat de membrii Chto Delat pentru rolul social al poeziei
ca instrument pentru articularea øi renegocierea constantæ a unei subiectivitæfli
colective. 4
Foaierul-cinema, conceput de Dmitry Vilensky øi destinat proiecfliei The Tower: a Songspiel,
e în sine o lucrare realizatæ pentru diverse întruniri øi expoziflii. Arhitectura Film
Club Module (2007–2010), ori Activist Club [Clubul Activist], e inspiratæ de structurile
modulare proiectate de Alexander Rodchenko pentru interiorul unui club al
muncitorilor creat pentru Expoziflia Internaflionalæ a Artelor Decorative øi Industriaof
a business centre and a cultural complex with a high tourist
draw”, with 35% of the space being dedicated to public facilities,
including a museum of modern art, a concert hall and a stadium. 3
The project has generated very different responses, with many
rejecting and petitioning against the construction for ruining the
celebrated historic views of the city and for completely disregarding
the height restrictions imposed by the City Planning Code and by
the UNESCO’s law on international heritage. In the film, the planned
redevelopment is presented through the public speeches given by
the different forms of power involved in the promotion of the project:
a PR manager, a politician, a gallery owner, a church representative,
a contemporary artist and a security chief. Their speeches are
alternated with the responses sung by different groups of people:
among them are pensioners, wanting to preserve the beloved cityscape
against greedy developers; young women, who are “tired
of old junk” and look forward to the development of the skyscraper;
civil right activists, protesting against the capitalistic venture;
and workers, fundamentally uninterested in the development but
mobilised by the fact that migrants are employed to work on it at
low wages. The film casts many different views and desires at play,
but clearly sets the rich and powerful, sitting around a table on a elevated
platform, against the masses of workers, who are united in
singing: “this is our country, but out voice is not heard.” All characters
are caricatures of specific social types; the acting is emphatic
and highly gestural; and the dramatic and sad score if counterbalanced
by scripts that favour parody over bleak realism. The cynical
attitude of politicians and PR strategists is mirrored in the one of the
artist and gallery owner involved in the development of the new
complex: art is made to be bough and sold and, far from posing difficult
questions, has the function of decorating power. The artist
presents a model for a large public sculpture in the shape of a gigantic
double-headed gold bullet decorated with a red cross, a clear
reference to Kasimir Malevich’s work. The abstract and monolithic
sculpture of the contemporary artist seems to share the same criticism
that afflicted Suprematism: of failing to communicate to the
masses, instigate debate or inspire action. Contrastingly, the chorus
sings the praises of the poet as someone who “brings us truth and
speaks to the hearts”. Such a statement is revelatory of a deep interest
that the members of Chto Delat share for the social role of poetry
as an instrument for the articulation and constant renegotiation
of a collective subjectivity. 4
The film-lounge dedicated to the projection of The Tower: a Songspiel
is itself a piece that, conceived by Dmitry Vilensky, has been
realised for different venues and exhibitions. The architecture of the
Film Club Module (2007–10), or Activist Club, is inspired by the modular
structures designed by Alexander Rodchenko for the interior
of a worker’s club created for the Exposition Internationale des
Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris in 1925, but never
realised in real life. The design of the club intended to create a space
for learning, where workers could enter in an active and productive
engagement with aesthetic experiences and political debates. Similarly,
the Film Club Module is centred around group activities such
as watching films, taking part in discussions and readings. For Chto
Delat, such architecture encapsulates a double function, which is
both real and symbolic. It serves as an alternative type of public
space, conceived for shared activities: not a space for teaching but a
space for learning through sharing. It also aims to foster a different
way of experiencing time: not as an act of selfish consumption, but
as a prolonged period of collective engagement. During the exhibition
at the ICA, the Film Club Module has indeed been used for a
variety of group activities: it has been used for a 48 hour communal
living seminar organised by Russian Socialist group Vpered; has
hosted a “Night of Angry Statements”, inviting visitors to stand on
the podium and express their opinions on how the art world should
be changed; and has opened up to local collectives for them to
organise their own screenings and activities. Chto Delat’s desire to
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