Sunday, June 19, 2011
The portrait revolution in Russia Vladimir Georgievich Mochalov (1948), born in Moscow in interview with Peter Závacký
Vladimir Georgievich, is a great Master and the most famous contemporary Russian caricaturist aportraitist. Today belongs Mochalov, born in Moscow, alongs with famous Ilya Glazunov and Aleksander Shilov among to the most famous and popular creative artists in Moscow. The worlwide famous cartooniBoris Efimov (1900-2008) told always - Vladimir is my old well gofriend...
Mochalov is only one living russian cartoonist who is an upright academician of the Russian Academy Art (created by Czar Peter the Great’... today in company with followed t he russian ikons of famous art master names as: I. Repin, V Surikov; V.Polenov, sculptors M. Artokolski, I.Martos, V.De-mut-Malinovski, S.Pimenov, I. Prokofiev, architects N.Benois , I. Fomin, A.Voronikhin, K. Ton, V.Shuko and manyothers). He is a great Master and the most famous cartoonist of political caricature and friendly jests not only in Sowiet Union, Russian but in over the world too. For nearly 20 years he has been a chief artist of the famous Soviet cartoon magazine Krokodil (The Crocodile) - published in 1922-2000 and Editor of Novoy Krokodil (The New Crocodile) - published in 2000-2004. Vladimir is one of the most talented successors of traditions of such distinguished masters as Kukryniksy, Boris Efimov, V. Rotov, etc. Vladi-mir Mochalov is an author of many hundreds of masterly made cartoons, drawings and illustration award by prestigious awards at Russian and international exhibitions, contents and biennale. Last time his reputation presented through exibitions in the art halls in many exibizions in russian capital Moscow and in the hotel Ritz (2010) in old town near Red Square... Today, Mochalov’s portrait gallery contains well-known historical and contemporary politi-cians, figures of arts and sport depicted in the light of irony and grotesque.Visitors, his fans and fans of great poitrait rcartoons could enjoy famous and favourite well-know faces, figures and shapes - Ch. Chaplin, S. Dali, P. Picasso, L. Tolstoy, M. Gorkiy, Pele, Lev Jashin, V.Tikhonov, V. Jakushev, Ovechkin, J. Weissmueller,Tyson, Castro, Belmondo, S.Loren, Madona, Alla Pugacheva. Maya Pliseckaya, Natálka Žembová, J.V. Stalin, V.I. Brezhnev, V. Putin, V. Medvedev, J.Nikulin, A. Born, K.Gott, V. Burian...E.Ryazanov, F.Ranevskaya, Gretzky...
And here are curious questions from Peter Závacký to Vladimir Motchalov :
P.Z. : What means for you cartoon?
M: Caricature is an ideal and versatile artistic genre. Caricature can say everything.
P.Z. : Twenty years have been major artists magazine KROKODIL (Crocodile) and then editor in chief and publisher of the NOVOJ KROKODIL (New Crocodile). Popular "old" magazine KROKODIL finally survived the year 2000? Why?
M: Those who were interested in it they used for it economic omnipotent hand. Unfortunately, there were among us ordinarypeople from line of "krokodil-art" people who would be able to pull him out of the mud then the economic abyss. KROKODIL Sale of share to bank was his demise. In KROKODIL´s editor´s office did not find in decent, strong, energy-tion of personality responsible for the fate of their magazine. There has been our primitiveness, misery, and small-tion.
H: Krokodíl, it was all history of Soviet Union and Russian pictorial chronicle. He brought to his satire knowledgeable reader who always knew to distinguish art from propaganda. He educated a whole generation of artists and creators of their writers. Publish in the magazine was a tribute to each of them. It was like all the then Soviet press. He had the strong base of artists and art writers, and its external. In addition to "obligations" for the state (for a change as today's newspaper "obligejšn" to its owner), is devoted to high quality artistic and literary works. Had their permanent readers from worker, peasant, to engineers and scientists ... Published every ten days. I read it from 25 to 30,000,000 readers. Laughing and enjoying the paradox of his "dark" period. Valve was for people. Caricature of the Soviet Union was very popular. Mostly without words. Due to censorship, we have learned to draw it between the lines. All of them could read. Therefore the authors gained awards and abroad. For me almost all the crocodile. Even artists I was only because of him. Krokodile magazine lost a new company and new-generation opportunity to look at the world around them with emotion, ironic, critical, with good humor and artistic talent by thinking of its authors, whether artist or satirist, columnist, poet. Topics glossed life and the world is still up-up. Good humorist and cartoonists as well. Just the drawer was always more than two hundred. Disrupted long-standing tradition "art of Krokodil" tradition unrepeatable and no longer unthinkable
P.Z. :What do you think is a Russian cartoon today? Cultivated, or rather cheap?
M: In today's Russian newspapers and is also a caricature. Well, it's totally different. My other thought and philosophy. It is not always bad, sometimes it is sharp and original. Lacks a tradition and it's very feel. It is as an idea or phrase out of context. Culture cartoons? What it means? Cartoon, as well as culture and art is changing. This does not mean that it has become better or worse, it just was another. The predominance is intellectually primitive and tasteless. Does any other reader, the viewer, another consumer. We have what we have. We lost a great school krokodílovskej schools, which certainly has affected our ochudobnilo and caricature. I do not want to be a prophet, but I think that we came not only in our great school of caricature, but culturally we have becomemore miserable.
H: In Germany, in Berlin, just recently I bought cartoon magazine Eulenspiegel, which we are familiar in our country, sold the newspaper in sowiet street shops "kijoskach '(stalls). German-vorím him, I can not assess the texts. A drawing? It seems to me that their quality is today (first time I was in East Germany in 1980) below - artistically and intellectually. Are today I have 17 pictures on sexual topics. Worse, however, that the quality of drawings is weak and primitive. Seeing that the author draws only accidentally, do not even have basic drawing. But the same is also with us, sit in newsrooms, people who fail to draw. The fact that they have no idea what a humorous drawing strikes the eye immediately. Today is such a time, people thought that football humor and understands each of them. The result is that most of the pictures "has" no idea what a cartoon humor. Secrets of a good comic is in the picture drawn by a well-thought and refined sound all their own cartoon. Also there is nothing like the magazine, however, found ...
P.Z. : There is a Russian school of cartoon portraits? If so what is different from foreign?
M: I am not a theorist of art. A professional look is very different from a man who is not associated with a caricature of a professional. But I think there is any difference. In "krokodílskej" cartoon was more good. Even so it is now called - "družeskij Lot" (friendly cartoon, the lot - according to French. Charger, note. The author). We never want to offend those portrayed. This cartoon in foreign absent. It was such a time - a political and historical. There were always political parties and private equity. This was the basis and reason for the very beginning of the subject of ridicule from the other party of the enemy camp. Therefore, the cartoon was a bad, sharp, devastating and deadly. Similar cartoon was the then our governments not only to amicably inclined Soviet power.
P.Z. : What should be a good cartoonist,
M: Must think, to draw people and not just for myself. Learn to draw so it was interesting not a minority, but most ... And especially must be able to draw.
P.Z. : And a cartoon?
M: In my opinion, absolutely perfectly drawn exactly the idea. maximum quality and professional design - it is true then krokodílsky style! For an idea of its expression and bringing in image form makes drawing and memorable as a result of all this ridiculous, and to understand what it is essential and unforgettable memorial for a long time.
M: It is essential to find a character portrayed a man and options for appealing to recreate it in a ridiculous shape. And above all to uncover hidden and concealed. All very simple, because of the large to the ridiculous there is only one step. The portrait is a more explosive team is better ... But the caricature apply basic rules of art - drawing and image composition. Just one look at the picture to find out whether their creator controls ... Proportional relationships can be broken, but not hlavanehlava only to the extent that not contradict the principles of art. To fully nenabúrali image composition, its overall outline ... Also must be maintained between the ratio of "bad taste" and "aesthetic". Against gusta no dispute - but the law must be adhered to taste. If the rate exceeded taste when art ceases to be art and becomes a vulgarity and profanity. Like, in my opinion, non-fiction colloquial expressions and profanity, not exactly the picture to break the law tastes. Now is to know what the relationship to art is its author. They're all hidden details, and for true artist is not easily discernible, but they simply must feel in the tips of their fingers ... Have it in your hands, just know it ... As an example, I will argue that the "balalaika" and "cello" are stringed musical instruments - and yet so different instruments ...
P.Z. : .What do you see prospects for the future cartoon portrait? Remains the only space for exhibitions, or just online?
H: Portrait always asks the right lakonikum. The team will lakonickejší is better ... Brilliant and original author's manuscript hand never can handle and no substitute kompjuter. Cari will let even the most sophisticated technology, anyway artist must create something with her hands. And paradoxically, what will more not perfect cartoon, the more original will be more attractive - it becomes a real art. You can just look at crocodiles kariportréty from Igor Lososinov and Konstantin Kukso in New Izvestia. Pencil, hand and brain will always be the largest capital artist.
P.Z. So what is a satirical portrait?
H: Opposite side of a beautiful face ... The role of the popular man is to show what is beautiful. A role of the cartoonist is just the opposite. A man always has two faces - true - true and nice decorated. Artist's responsibility is not only reflect its external appearance but mainly to reveal his true face and the hidden nature. In the political satirical portrait overlooked and are reflected in his biography, his deeds, conduct, responsibility to their actions, identify and uncover all crooked nature, which does not mask its policy and decent citizen.
Your gallery of satirical portraits - now counts more than three hundred well-known face of political, social and cultural life, but also so-called industrial culture. šovbiznisu. Living but also faces many already deceased. Who came and gets into this category, as you choose its members, what criteria you set for membership in it? Artist is also just a man does not live in a vacuum, is a victim of this world. Life experience formulated his vision of the world, views on life and the people it affects - both positive and negative - he reflected on his plate film seen optics. Such is his opinion and wants to share with the rest of the world like a film director. A "human" a satirical cartoon is just the user-friendly language and ideas for dialogue with people who live in the world, rejoice in the life, but especially also true - a dialogue about life and the world today. Knowing the past, the presence, let them to guarantee their life in the future. Duty of the cartoonist is right for people to imagine their faces, not their human masks blameless citizens. In order to understand mankind, what man can do to human beings. It is not only a gallery of evil geniuses of the 20th century. I'm interested in all the historical figures that one way or another written history of my country, but also our world.
P.Z. : There is censorship in Russia to publish kariportrétov for Putin?
M: I myself have published dozens of them ... If yourcartoon just not published in a newspaper - I do not know whether this is censorship ....
P.Z. : At your shows never there lacked even then "Methuselah" Soviet and Russian cartoons Boris Yefimov (1900-2008). There is also an as well-wisher in your temple , of Russian Academy of Arts where you inaugorovali a full member of Russian Academy of Arts. You turn on never missing from his actions, or celebrating his birthday, as I see the more photos that I have in its archives. When is this your friendship was born, two living cartoonists(Efimov dead in 2008, note of P.Z.) and academics of Russian Academy of Arts?
M: Friendship I would not let call. Although today many people called friends. The "Master" Boris Jefimovičom I met even in the newsroom crocodile. Anyone who understands the cartoon, it must weigh not only for his art, but also as a person. Jefimových nine decades-long professional internship in the cartoon world has obdobu.Vo Fine trenches survived revolution, civil and world war. Since 2002 led the department in cartoons and r. 2006 he became artistic director of the newspaper Izvestia. I admired his drawings was a boy. I find it, that I could be more years in its vicinity. The editors Crocodile, his Moscow apartment, podmoskovskej dacha "in the premises of Russian Academy of Arts, and on my shows, listen to his own ears the stories about the people of the twentieth century and caricature of his life ....
Curriculum vitae :
Vladimir Mochalov: Born in 1948, in Moscow, artist poitrait car-toonist, catoonist, illustrator, painter, artist of poststamps, named. V.Surikov (1966) and University - Institut of Polygraphy-Book grafic - in Moscow (1976). His first cartoon was published in Krokodil in 1973. His political and portrait cartoons were published in over 30 countries e.g. Pozitívní noviny, INFOFILA (Czek), Pan (Belgia), Cannard Enchaine (France), Roháč, Kocúrkovo (Slovakia), MAV (USA), and in Russia - Novoye vremya,Politicheskij journal, Izvestiya, Junost, Selskaja molodezh,Krokodil (edition 1922), Novy Krokodil (edition2000), Krokodil (last edition published since 2006), Spartak, TV Park, ... Vladimir Illustrated more than 30 books. He prepared and published three own books of cartoons. He won many home and foreign awards and prizes - Kuba, Yugoslavia, France, Japan, Bulgaria/Gabrovo/, Russia. He is also the participant of many exhibitions and International Cartoons Exibitions in his country and abroad . He prepared many personal exibitions and cartoon lecture (Japan,Slova-kia,etc). Many of his cartoons are in private collections in Russia, Germany, Belgia, Litva, Latvia, Schweiz, USA, Slovakia........At present time, Vladimir Mochalov is free artist... Many ofhis cartoons are in private collections in Russia, Belgia, France, Germany, Litva, Latvia, Switzerland, USA (ex-presidentClinton), Slovak republik, Czek republik...,they are the Russian, Swiss reach businessmen...
