“There are no more >normal< days SINCE THE WAR STARTED”

BÉTON BLEU MAGAZINE x Evgeny Granilshchikov

Evgeny Granilshchikov is a filmmaker and artist from and based in Moscow, Russia. With Béton Bleu Magazine he spoke about political art in Russia, the impact of the war on his work, and how it has changed the cultural landscape in his home country.

Béton Bleu: Evgeny, you are based in Moscow. How did you personally experience the beginning of the war?

Evgeny Granilshchikov: I had been following the movement of Russian troops to the borders of Ukraine since last year. But the war still came as a terrible surprise. That day, February 24, I woke up very early, around 6 a.m. I looked at the news and immediately understood everything. There was news about the shelling of Kyiv. There are many people in Russia who still do not understand what is happening. The war is called a special operation. It is forbidden by law to call it a war here. People don't fully understand what has happened. People are confused.

BB: What has happened in Russia since these early days?

EG: In just three days, all independent Russian media were shut down. Journalists were leaving Russia in droves because of the threat of criminal prosecution. By that time I had already been working on a big museum project that was supposed to open this summer. I realized that this new reality and my work as an artist were no longer compatible, so I cancelled all my projects in Russia. Most of the artists have left the country by now. Many museums continue their work and do not speak openly about the war, which is very painful for our entire culture.

BB: How would you describe your situation today?

EG: I have never faced such uncertainty and pain in my life before. I don't know what to do at all. I cannot be an artist while there is a war going on. For now, I am in Moscow. Every day, more repressive laws are being passed. To be against the war here is really dangerous, to express it publicly is almost impossible.

BB: What does a "normal" day look like for you currently?

EG: In Moscow, everything still feels the same. People go to work and sit in bars in the evening. In my head, it is all very difficult to process. My normal day consists entirely of watching war reports and talking for hours with relatives and friends. My former life is over. At the same time, I feel very helpless. Many people need support but while I am in Russia, I cannot say and do a lot of important things. That is why my fiancée and I are thinking about leaving. Tbilisi, Berlin, Yerevan…? I don't want to run away from my country. But now my country is consumed by madness, and I am the enemy here. There are no more "normal" days.

BB: Do you think it has become harder for you as a Russian artist to work internationally?

EG: I honestly don't know... I almost don't think of myself as an artist in an international context. I think it's going to be difficult. But for now, I have only one thought and wish: That the war ends.

BB: Are you experiencing pressure to "fall in line" or change the work you do?

EG: If I had continued to work as an artist in Russia, I would have immediately faced censorship and repression. That’s why very early on I made the decision and refused to cooperate. My works and films are always connected to the political context, and it is impossible to show this in Russia right now.

BB: How was it being a political artist in Russia before the war?

EG: The strong repressions started in 2018, after the presidential election. The first victims were activists, opposition politicians like Navalny, various minorities, and ordinary people who came out to rallies. In the last eight years, I've faced direct censorship two or three times. I've always been able to make a statement that bypasses censorship. But now things have changed a lot.

BB: Do you have any opportunities to still show and exhibit your work, even if not in an official context or channel? Is there any kind of "underground" scene?

EG: I think artists are highly demotivated. They don't want to participate anywhere, and most of them have left the country. I feel that both the official and underground venues are broken. There is a general shock and experience of disaster. Artists don't think about exhibitions, but they volunteer in secret and transfer money to refugees, but they don't talk about it openly. Those who left can do it openly. Most of my art-related friends are gone and I feel lonely. When I make something, draw or edit a film, it's as if it's going straight into the archives. Someday, I hope, I will be able to show it.

BB: Why did you decide to stay in Russia for now?

EG: I feel like I'm needed here. It is important for me to support my loved ones and family, be focused, and make some important decisions. Of course, I feel that I could do more from outside of Russia, but I will be in Russia as long as this regime allows, as long as I can be useful here.

BB: Do you think you might still leave at some point? What would have to happen for you to do so?

EG: I will have to leave if there is a high risk of political persecution. I really think about it every day.

BB: How has your relationship to art changed?

EG: I think that at the moment the situation with artists is not the most important thing. I still believe in art, but the most important thing now is to stop the war. What I am most afraid of is that this war will drag on. Many artists in Russia have always been against this regime.

BB: What about your relationship with your homeland, your fellow countrymen and women?

EG: It is important to remember that Putin is promoting a policy of atomization of society. And people need to unite to oppose it. The idea that everyone in Russia supports the war is part of Putin's propaganda. We shouldn't believe it. I really don't know a single person who supports these crimes. Our voices are crushed now, but I believe in Russia as part of the civilized world. One day, we will definitely hear those voices! But now dark times have come, worse times… All we have is the ability to talk to each other, the ability to support and help.

Thank you so much for your time.

Biography:

Evgeny Granilshchikov is a Russian artist and independent filmmaker. He studied literature and animation at the Rodchenko School of Photography and Multimedia in Moscow. His works range from short three minutes videos shot on a mobile phone to a film and video installation project that is constantly being updated, hence potentially endless. In his search to find a new cinematic eye, he intuitively questions and redefines what a film is and how different cinematic situations can coexist. Granilshchikov’s works are often auto-biographical with a complex narrative that also functions as self-referential to the medium of film and the story itself, adding depth to his very particular use of cinematic imageries.  

Website: https://cargocollective.com/granilshchikov

Video project “At Dawn Our Dreams Become Brighter”: https://vimeo.com/207384025/36e1cf49f6

Interview: Thorsten Schröder

19/05/2022

FIND more curated content on instagram: @bétonbleumagazine