Halyna Yelshevska on the action “The Last Jewish Pogrom”

“…at the entrance, “Memoranda for pogrom participants” and identification signs were distributed, and the memoranda very competently explained that there are two roles, the pogromist and the victim, and simply curious people are not allowed in (and rightly so): “all participants of the art action consciously and willingly make their choice,” no sanctimonious “above the fray.” The role of the pogromist frees its bearer from all social conventions, ethical and moral boundaries; relations between victims and pogromists “can be built according to historically established traditions.” The victim has no right to remove the yellow star and leave the action space before it ends; the pogromist is free to move; vodka is given to him, which the victim is denied. The victim has the right to inscribe their name on the memorial plaque, the pogromist – to desecrate it. <…> By the way, I know what was inside – photographs of grave monuments on which someone wrote their names, and someone, accordingly, “beat the Jews”; a ransom auction, which failed due to the participants’ sluggishness (Schindler’s List!); and, most importantly, a hired guard in a black shirt – they say nearly two meters of pure scum, who worked for money but “with soul,” a very, again, appropriate figure.” [Yelshevskaya G. Collage of old reviews, or “Stranger Games” [Electronic resource] / Galina Yelshevskaya // Art Journal N°28-29. – 1999. – Access mode to resource: http://www.guelman.ru/xz/362/xx28/x28010.htm.]Comment type: Published comment
Author: Galina Yelshevskaya