Vladimir Ovchinnikov is famous not only for the frescoes with which he decorated the walls of houses in Borovsk for many years. His main desire is to erect a monument to the repressed in the city, and for this he has already made more than one attempt to negotiate with local (and not only) authorities. In August, such a monument finally appeared: 18 portraits of the repressed, which the artist painted on … the fence of his neighbor.
On this fence are all the latest works by Vladimir Ovchinnikov. He has not painted in the city for a long time, after his paintings began to be painted over under various pretexts. After all, the work of Vladimir Ovchinnikov is always an attempt to stir up, make you think, reflect, ask questions, look for answers … But on the fence you can, the neighbor does not mind. Two weeks of work on the stepladder intermittently (the 77-year-old artist has a backache), and there appeared a new painting «For Whom Borov’s Bells Toll».
Psychologies: How many years have you been fighting for the monument to appear?
Ten years. The last time I met with the new mayor was in April, I gave him all the documents so that he could get acquainted and make a decision. He was silent for a long time, and then in an interview he said that he was waiting for the public to turn to him. But this is pure demagoguery. How many monuments we have in the city, and not one of them was put up on the initiative from below: it was always a decision from above or from the side. Monument to Admiral Senyavin — no one had any idea that he would appear. Tsiolkovsky and Fedorov were donated by Ethnomir. Gagarin recently appeared, who had nothing to do with Borovsk. It’s just that someone somewhere made a monument that had to be attached. That’s what they sent to us. All this does not cause enthusiasm among the population, not to mention the initiative.
And how does the public feel about the idea of a monument?
In 2012, I held a campaign to collect signatures. I collected more than 400 signature sheets, and only one signature was against — from the head of the district with the resolution «Premature». In April, I presented signatures to the new mayor. No reaction. The point, of course, is not the initiative of the inhabitants. Local administration is built into the vertical of power. They are performers, they are afraid, perhaps they think that this is a denigration of our past … But I consider this an objective presentation of material: people should know history, whoever does not want to know the past spits into the future.
And you decided to do what is in your power?
V.O.: Yes, I do what I can. All ten years, while the struggle for the monument has been going on, I have been collecting information about the repressed, meeting with families, studying information in the archives. I published a book, I am making a website with the same name: “For whom Borov’s bells ring”.
Whose portraits did you draw?
Of the 40 photos that I have, I managed to choose the best in quality, in addition, I wanted the geography of the region to be presented, not only Borovsk, but also the villages. I have a detailed reference for each person: biographical data, property status, family composition, indictment, what it is based on. And the verdict — «Shoot.»
How many people are on your list?
I didn’t count. I have information about those who lived in the Borovsky region (from 1917 to 1952) and about some of those who left the region without waiting to be arrested. However, most of them were still caught in the surrounding areas … According to the legal criterion, minor children at the time of arrest are also considered repressed. Therefore, it is necessary to multiply by the number of children, and families in those years were very large. This means that the total number increases by 4-5 times. And we get a figure that is one fifth of the pre-war population of the Borovsky district.
Will you inform relatives about the monument?
I do not plan. I think the news will spread. The work is unusual, it stands out from a number of monuments to the repressed. There are many of them around the country, but this one is different: it was born under the ban.
Perhaps this is even more valuable than what the official side could do. Your work is not a challenge to the authorities?
Can be seen as a challenge. Or as a reproach. But in general, I wanted people to remember more. A couple of days ago I was near the painting, a woman approached me, said that she was from Grove (a village near the Borovsky Monastery) and that their grandfather was arrested in their family, in 1941, Nanoev Dmitry Grigoryevich. I said that I have information about each. I came home and looked: indeed, there is such a Nanoev, arrested in December 1941 for anti-Soviet conversations in the army, capital punishment. So, my picture prompted her to remember her loved ones, this is my goal.
Will they paint over?
V.O.: I don’t think they will. This is too much of a challenge. They will just shut up.
See more at «For Whom Borov’s Bells Toll».