postcard from russia

ottawa south, 16"x16", oil on canvas

 *****

dear canadian artist,

we are small group of painters and poets and writers and squatting in mrmyanskiy pereulok. we have following your blog, viewing your paintings since 1 year. your work becomes main point discussion and influences to us and it is unusual and very beautiful and also represents a ruthless freedom which is most important to us here in the very controlled conservative atmosphere of russia.

allow me to tell about our history.  few years ago moscow union of artists provide a space for us to work and to meet. since this time, this small space grew in meaning to the artists and has become important hub for libertarian revolutionaries in moscow, in particular radical ecological movement rainbow keepers and radical league of artists. this made both city officials and bureaucratics  from moscow union of artists unhappy, and during more than one year our space has been under threat of  eviction. in reply to threats, we stop paying rents – making space first political squat in moscow since 1997. pressure to close our wonderful, fertile sanctuary been growing during last months, with regular attempts of police to break into our building and provoke us with violent beatings. breaking in has not been an easy task since we are actually in basement below ground level and has a large and thick wood and metal door protecting us. however in morning of saturday 12th of october police managed to destroy door with axes and police rushed in smashing all the people on their way, destroying our living space and artwork. one of us receive an extreme violent attack on the head and got a brain damage, some others bleeding wounds, with broken arms. 5 persons had to visit hospital. everyone is arrested. now we are again homeless but feel our art and ideas are more important than ever.

we give many thanks to you for your writings and paintings.

with sincerity,

your russian artist friend

*****