To the page “Protection of
historical heritage”
Dr. Sergey Zagraevsky
Metaphor for the Mayor
Published in
Russian: Çàãðàåâñêèé Ñ.Â. Ìåòàôîðà äëÿ ìýðà.  ñïðàâî÷íèêå «Åäèíûé
õóäîæåñòâåííûé ðåéòèíã», âûï.
Attention!
The following text
was translated from the Russian original by the computer program
and has not yet been
edited.
So it can be used
only for general introduction.
Personalize an act of power - one of the oldest Russian traditions.
Examples can be cited. "Peter I opened a window to Europe",
"Catherine II conquered the
Of course, everyone understands that any act of any
Manager is influenced by many economic and political factors. Any Director,
taking a decision, take into account the views and close, and the electorate,
and the world community. Any decision on the signature of the head, there are
many approvals and consents. Yet the Russian tradition dictates
phrase-metaphors such as "conquest of the Crimea by Catherine" at the
level of the deep subconscious, and that we do not even laugh: how Catherine
was able to win the Crimea?
That is what a metaphor to briefly and clearly Express
the deepest essence of expression. Therefore, probably, in Russia and there was
not such a ruler, who would not dream to write his name in such a phrase,
metaphor, and on it, as on a white horse, to enter into history.
For Example, Boris Yeltsin. "He Defended The White House"? Not
- two years later, he attacked him. "Yeltsin defended the White House, and
then he himself and shot"? For the history of hardly - slozhnovato.
However, Yeltsin easily - he was the first President of Russia, that's
"white horse". And Mikhail Gorbachev not only "banned vodka, but
also became the first and last President of the USSR. Result is not a
"horse", and three, but their white somewhat questionable...
The regional level of power cannot be called deprived of Russian
traditions. On the contrary - they are manifested in a more explicit and often
exaggerated form. Of course, the memory of the people on the "regional
level" shorter, but then entered into the history of Moscow
Governor-General-Rostopchin with inspired by aviscam, and a hundred years later - it Petersburg
colleague TREPOV with a bloody hand on the cover of a Gun...
In this regard, it is time to ask a key question: at what "horse"
will enter the history, the present mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov?
Of course, it is difficult to simulate the view of unpredictable
descendants. Yet, based on historical experience, some estimations can be made.
Let us say at once: if Luzhkov is hoping to
make history with good roads and clean the streets, he is a great risk.
The thing is that the good people learn quickly and begin to take it for
granted. And it is part of the standard range of mayoral duties - to build
roads and to monitor the cleanliness. Moreover, the quality of roads could be
better (in the left lane of the highway" - the Moscow ring road is asphalt
has already taken the form of a rut, and overpass the Third transport ring on
the Luzhniki stadium was warped from the fire of the
two stalls). And on the streets could be cleaner, and in doorways.
In Europe, thank God, is now free to leave, so I can compare. And
excellent organization of movement, and good (really good) roads, and bright
(really bright) illuminated streets - normal life of any European city. And for
that the grateful descendants monuments not erected by the mayors. No man-made
or not made by hands. And the phrase is a metaphor "Luzhkov
laundered Moscow" sounds somehow ambiguous.
Historical experience shows that the rulers of the monuments erected in
two cases: when the military successes (God forbid) and under the patronage of
"the arts and Sciences". You can laugh and remember the story-fable Saltykov-Shchedrin about how this most arts patron eagle
and what came of it. Still, in the absence of hostilities and bloody
revolutions this is the only chance for the ruler to enter the history of the
"white horse".
To enter history in the "black horse" is also possible. Burn,
as the Greeks, something priceless (for example, formerly the Lenin library,
now the Russian State Library) - here's a "horse" is so black as he
could be.
However, the realities of the day segodyashnego
far more prosaic. Why "Leninka" burn? Are
there few that "the Pashkov House" because
of the endless division of property between Moscow and the Federation was
"seven nurses and is in emergency condition, as near as if nothing had
happened, new buildings for personal Museum "people's artist of the USSR
A. M. Shilov"?
And why destroy the Pushkin Museum of fine, if you just put in front of
the Museum "people's artist of the USSR I.S. Glazunov"? Can there be
any doubt that the attendance of the Pushkin Museum (and, consequently, raising
the role of the latter) fall several times?
Why demolish the historic city centre, if possible, this historic center
so deface monuments sculptor Zurab Tsereteli and merchant turrets architects Mikhail Posokhin, Sergey Tkachenko and
Dmitry Solopov that no "white knight" will
not work...
Looking at the scale of change in the appearance of Moscow, one might
Association half a century ago - although, of course, worthless compared with
Stalin Luzhkov. Last worked in Moscow, terrible
things. His conscience of our capital loss of architectural integrity and the
mysterious "Moscow's atmosphere, which made the Moscow city, where it was
possible not only to work but also to live. The phrase is a metaphor
"Stalin killed Moscow", undoubtedly, has a Foundation.
Lazar Kaganovich, first Secretary of the MGK
VKP(b), was an obedient executor of the will of Stalin. It, despite the
demolition of many temples in the role of Herostratus
progeny did not remember the words and no phrase is a metaphor, not stroke.
And Yuri Luzhkov, neither Yeltsin nor Putin
was forced to pretend that in Moscow there are only three artists - Shilov, Glazunov and Tsereteli,
and only one architectural style - "Moscow eclectic."
Yuri Luzhkov no one is forced to pass through
the Moscow city Duma, and numerous expert advice and
public Finance the construction of mediocre buildings and monuments.
Yuri Luzhkov, having huge financial (if in
Russia the taxes somewhere and going, it was only in Moscow, where are the
banks, and foreign companies and oil producers, and other "cash
cow"), could do from Moscow's world city of architecture and design.
But Luzhkov chose to make from Moscow to
Europe and even Asia, and tinkering merchant restaurant in pseudo-Russian
style.
Yuri Luzhkov prefer to see in Moscow
architectural style and architectural styling.
Yuri Luzhkov refused to open a personal
museums Malevich and Kandinsky - proven geniuses of world scale, and
"sweet" Shilov and
"pseudo-Patriotic" Glazunov.
Yuri
Luzhkov chose to give the creation of new museums of
modern art at the "mercy" Zurab Tsereteli. Tsereteli give due -
he is a brilliant businessman (like Luzhkov). But art
and Commerce are incompatible. Yes, and monuments for posterity makes unselfish
deeds, and not for lucrative deals.
It would seem to listen to the voice of the public is easier than to
ignore it. It would seem difficult for each issue, far from the personal
competence of the mayor (and the architecture and art are precisely such
issues) consult with professionals, not servants.
But what will give way to approximate a location "mangers"? In
the worst case Luzhkov, not possessing special
knowledge in the field of architecture and art, will openly lie and, at best,
slipped "opinion" some notebooks glorifier like Lev Kolodny or academic Glory Lena".
But to answer for our descendants to be no clerks, and the mayor. And in
the end it may well be that Yuri Luzhkov (perhaps
sincerely wish well to our city) will get from the descendants of the phrase
"Luzhkov mutilated Moscow". Perhaps instead
of "disfigured" will be "sold" or "humiliated"...
The court offspring tough and uncompromising.
To the page “Protection of
historical heritage”