A letter by Alexander Kosolapov to the Director of the Tretyakov Gallery Mr. Rodionov

To: Mr. Rodionov V.A.
Director General of
the State Tretyakov Gallery

 

Mr. Rodionov, I happen to know that my work “Icon-caviar” was removed from the exhibition “Russian pop art” by order of a group of believers of one of the Moscow cathedrals as it stirred up “social and religious hatred”.

Without discussing the motivation of such a statement, I think that the decision to remove some works under the pressure of a group of citizens is unprecedented for the world famous museum and insulting for me as an artist.

Though I am always ready to cooperate with the State Tretyakov Gallery and to compromise at the stage of exposition forming, I reserve the right to make this scandalous incident well publicized.

 

Alexander Kosolapov

04.10.2005