Two years ago, the two men organized a show called "Forbidden Art" at Moscow's Sakharov Museum. It included works by some of Russia's best-known contemporary artists that had been deemed too shocking for display by other museums or galleries.

"This says a lot about the way Russians now think, about attitudes to art, and to freedom," says former museum director Yuri Samodurov, one of the two defendants.

The ongoing trial at Moscow's Taganka district court seems straight from Russia's Soviet past.

In the Soviet Union, pro-religious artists were persecuted. Now, artists who question the resurgent power of the Russian Orthodox Church and its close relationship with the Kremlin are under pressure.

The exhibition in question displayed Christians worshipping to Mickey Mouse instead of Jesus. There were sexually explicit scenes painted on a crucifix. A general was depicted raping a young soldier.

The debate over artistic freedom of expression and good taste is a familiar fight. A similar mix of artwork exploring the themes of pornography, religion and sex, called "Sensation," caused an uproar in a show at the Brooklyn Museum of Art in 1999.

But in Russia, broad laws against extremism can be used to prosecute anyone whose views the state deems unacceptable.

The case coincides with another attempt to limit freedom of expression. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recently created a commission for "counteracting attempts to falsify history to the detriment of Russia's interests." It is made up of Kremlin-friendly conservatives.

Longtime human rights activist Sergei Kovalyov says it is impossible to impose one view on Russia's complex and tragic past.

But if some leading members of parliament get their way, anyone who doubts the "genius" of Josef Stalin as Soviet commander in chief during World War II could also wind up in court on criminal charges.

Vladimir Sergeev, a schoolteacher and fervent supporter of the Russian Orthodox Church, is among the activists who support the criminal case against Samodurov and curator Andrei Yerofeev.

"They insulted Orthodox believers. And because Russia has historically been Orthodox, they insulted all Russians. They also mocked the army and other institutions," Sergeev says.

He has been joined by other Russian Orthodox Christian groups and nationalists, including some members of parliament. Lawyers for Samodurov and Yerofeev have tried to get the case dismissed on the grounds that it violates constitutional guarantees, but have been denied.

Yerofeev argues that Russia is a legally secular society, and it is not for the Orthodox Church to decide what constitutes art. He also notes that most of the prosecution's 162 witnesses never actually saw the exhibition.

During the trial, human rights activists have supported the defendants.

And some young Moscow artists have shown up at the courthouse to protest the case. Outside the courthouse on a recent day, one artist portraying fascism brutally whipped another artist dressed in the robes of justice.

But Samodurov clearly feels abandoned by his old friends. Famous artists whom Yerofeev and Samodurov once defended have been striking in their absence, whether out of self-interest, fear, or because many live abroad.

"The liberal establishment agrees there shouldn't be a case against us," says Samodurov. "But some now say, 'Well, maybe the exhibition wasn't a good idea.' They miss [the] whole point and just throw flames on the fire of extremism."

Also ...

Russian Government Won't Define Pornography

MosNews, 5/12/06 - The lower house of Russian parliament — the State Duma — has rejected a draft bill offering a legal definition of pornography Friday, the RIA-Novosti news agency reported.

The bill, submitted by the nationalist Rodina (Motherland) faction, received the support of only 91 deputies, while 226 votes were required.

The authors of the draft suggested amending the provisions of the penal code governing punishment for dissemination of pornography and offered a legal definition of pornography. The authors hoped that would help prevent ambiguities in interpretation.

But most deputies rejected the draft, saying it was not likely to help improve the situation, on the contrary, it would make law enforcement even more complicated.

More ...

Russian Government Struggles with Porn

Pravda, 10/29/05 - Russia has been waging a longstanding war against pornography for many years. State and public figures of all levels release regular statements, in which they demand one should finally put an end to pornography in Russia, although things remain where they started. X-rated films and scenes appear on the air of federal TV channels, they can be seen in motion picture episodes and on the pages of a whole variety of specific newspapers and magazines.

The federal service for law control in the field of mass communications and the protection of cultural legacy has recently held a work session devoted to the struggle against the growing quantity of pornographic materials in mass media. Members of the discussion decided to address to the State Duma and the government of Russia with a suggestion to give a precise definition of so-called erotic publications and restrict their distribution. In addition, it was offered to establish a special department, which would make its conclusions about the presence of pornographic scenes in motion pictures, TV programs, etc.

The participants of the session believe that the absolute "erotic mess" in the Russian television and press has been caused with imperfect laws. One of the employees of the above-mentioned service said that erotic publications for teenagers exist only in Russia in spite of the fact that they are registered as entertaining magazines.

It is hard to say if the session of the law control service in the field of mass communications is going to bring any practical results. All previous attempts to ban pornography in films failed on account of the fact that Russia does not have a special law on pornography. Furthermore, there is no precise definition to distinguish erotic arts and pornography, for example. A special US law on the matter, for example, strictly stipulates, which parts of the human body can and can not be shown on TV.

Russia could probably learn from the experience of several European countries, in which authorities keep the pornographic industry under control and where the porn business knows its place.

Professor Kirill Razlogov believes that Russian law-makers ought to impose specific economic and legal restrictions on pornographic products. "They have special movie theatres in the West, for instance, whereas pornographic magazines can be found only in sex shops or special quarters, in which sex industry feels at home. People come to those places on purpose, they know what they need to get there, but they will never bump into a news stand filled with porn magazines somewhere downtown, for example. In addition, Western states impose higher taxes on pornographic production too," the professor said.

According to professor Razlogov, it is rather hard to draw the line between pornography and erotica, because these two phenomena are not stagnant: "My institute regularly conducts research works regarding the definition of pornography for this or that product. We often proceed from esthetical qualities. Explicit scenes can be found in masterpieces too, although the high artistic value of such works of art does not allow us to categorize them as pornographic. This can be particularly said about such outstanding movies as Nagisa Oshima's In The Realm of Passion or Bernardo Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris," the professor said.

As for Russian television, adult films cannot be aired on TV before 11:00 p.m. It is important for experts to approach "erotic issues" with single criteria. It can be possible to demonstrate pornographic products on commercial TV channels, at nighttime. Kirill Razlogov is certain that this problem should not be left to local or municipal authorities.

See also ...
Russian Charged with Distributing Pornography
Russia Arrests Man for Advertising Pornography

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