VESSELINA ZAGRALOVA

2/8

In the Name of ... VII
Meeting the Blasphemous Excesses of Western Decadence with Hardness

2015, egg tempera and gold leaf on gesso, basswood, 30 x 30 cm

Historical background
In January 2003 the exhibition “Caution, Religion!” took place in Moscow’s Sakharov Center for Peace, Progress and Human Rights. A few days later, the artworks were damaged by six ultra-orthodox fundamentalists, two of them were subsequently accused of vandalism, but later acquitted. Instead, the director of the Sakharov Center and one of his employees were fined for sedition, because the exhibition was said to be “mocking, cynical and blasphemous”.

The demand of the prosecution to destroy the artworks was not granted. The ultra-orthodox fundamentalists were incited by Alexander Shargunov, a priest of the Orthodox Church. In Russia, the ultra-orthodox fundamentalists spring into action quite often – on 15th March 2013 they raided the headquarters of the liberal Yabloko party in Moscow, in August 2013 they burned a photo of US pop star Madonna in a public event. Their slogan is “orthodoxy or death”.

“In the name of …” is a series of artworks which document real events. These events resulted from different ideologies and religions and they are – from the specific view of the acting persons – alright.

3/8

In the Name of ... VI
Letting the idols of the infidels turn to dust

2015, egg tempera and gold leaf on gesso, basswood, 30 x 30 cm

Historical background
In March 2001, the Taliban, led by Mullah Mohammed Omar, destroyed the tallest Buddha statues in the world within four days. The statues, 53 m and 35 m high, were located in the Bamyan valley in central Afghanistan and were listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage.

They were carved in the 6th century and were works of a unique Buddhist art that was practiced in this region from the 3rd to the 10th century. In addition, the Taliban blew up another 10 m high statue of the seated Buddha in neighboring Kakrak Valley and destroyed or looted over 80 % of the cave paintings.

“In the name of …” is a series of artworks which document real events. These events resulted from different ideologies and religions and they are – from the specific view of the acting persons – alright.

4/8

In the Name of ... V
Nipping the machinations of the Class Enemy in the Bud

2015, egg tempera and gold leaf on gesso, basswood, 30 x 30 cm

Historical background
On 15th September, 1974, an exhibition, later known as the “Bulldozer Exhibition”, was held in Moscow’s suburb Beljajewo. It was organized by Moscow avant-garde artists, whose art did not correspond with the “Socialist Realism” officially recognized by the government. The illegal event was quickly dissolved by the communist authorities with the help of 100 militiamen in civilian clothes, three bulldozers and a water cannon. Participants were beaten up, many artworks were destroyed.

In the Soviet Union censorship was an essential element of the Soviet propaganda machine. It was carried out by Glawlit (General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press), the top censorship institution for publications. During the Brezhnev era, Pavel Romanov was the director of Glawlit.

“In the name of …” is a series of artworks which document real events. These events resulted from different ideologies and religions and they are – from the specific view of the acting persons – alright.

5/8

In the Name of ... IV
Handing Over the Manifestos of the Moral Decline to the Flames

2015, egg tempera and gold leaf on gesso, basswood, 30 x 30 cm

Historical background
Shortly after the Nazis had seized power in 1933, the campaign “Action against the Un-German Spirit” started. In this action Jewish, Marxist and pacifist writers were systematically persecuted. The campaign was planned by the German Student Union and their leaders Gerhard Krüger and Karl Hans Leistritz. The peak of this action took place on 10th May 1933 in public book burnings at the State Opera Square in Berlin and in 21 other university towns in Germany.

Among the persecuted authors whose books were burned were Bertolt Brecht, Otto Dix, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, George Grosz, Franz Kafka, Erich Kastner, Rosa Luxembourg, Erich Maria Remarque, Bertha von Suttner, Kurt Tucholsky and Stefan Zweig.

“In the name of …” is a series of artworks which document real events. These events resulted from different ideologies and religions and they are – from the specific view of the acting persons – alright.

6/8

In the Name of ... III
Creating a New Space for the Socialist Future

2015, egg tempera and gold leaf on gesso, basswood, 30 x 30 cm

Historical background
On 5th December 1931, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow was blown up in order to build the monumental Palace of the Soviets. The demolition was carried out under an order of the communist party and its leader Josef Stalin and the party secretary Lazar Kaganovich.

The construction of the Palace of the Soviets was never carried further than the execution of the foundations because the subsoil was too loose. Later, the foundations were used for building the outdoor swimming pool Moskva, which was finished in 1960 and had a 13,000 square-foot, year-round heated pool. In the 1990s, after the collapse of communism, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was rebuilt.

“In the name of …” is a series of artworks which document real events. These events resulted from different ideologies and religions and they are – from the specific view of the acting persons – alright.

7/8

In the Name of ... II
Destroying All Records of the Devil in the Fire

2015, egg tempera and gold leaf on gesso, basswood, 30 x 30 cm

Historical background
In the early 16th century the Spanish Konquista subordinated the Maya in Central America. Along with the Konquista came missionaries of the Catholic Church. One of the most famous missionaries was the bishop of Yucatán (Mexico) Diego de Landa. He was the highest religious authority in the region and an inquisitor. He took hard measures against the Maya who refused to convert to Christianity.

1562, in front of the Franciscan convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Mani, de Landa held an Autodafe (ritual of public penance). He commanded to burn all writings, religious images and symbols of the Maya. Because of this act there are only parts of four Maya codices left and we have only fragmented access to the culture of the Maya.

“In the name of …” is a series of artworks which document real events. These events resulted from different ideologies and religions and they are – from the specific view of the acting persons – alright.

8/8

In the Name of ... I
Smashing the Idols of the Heathens Eagerly

2015, egg tempera and gold leaf on gesso, basswood, 30 x 30 cm

Historical background
St. Nicholas of Myra was born at the end of the 3rd century. In the first half of the 4th century he was bishop of Myra in Lycia, Asia Minor region, then part of the Roman and later the Byzantine Empire, now Turkey. During the last great persecution of Christians under Emperor Galerius (310 AD) Nicholas was imprisoned and tortured.

Written records about the battle of St. Nicholas against the idols are found in both the Eastern and the Western Church. According to Eastern sources, numerous altars and the temple of Afrodita were destroyed, according to Western sources, the temple or the tree of Diana / Artemis.

“In the name of …” is a series of artworks which document real events. These events resulted from different ideologies and religions and they are – from the specific view of the acting persons – alright.