The Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow presents 'The Power of Art. Overdue Anniversary', a personal exhibition by the EliKuka art group. This year, on the museum's 25th anniversary, MAMM's old friends have also decided to celebrate their anniversary (Oleg Eliseev and Evgeny Kukoverov both turned 70) along with us, although actually their seventieth birthday happened last year. The desire to celebrate birthdays together is not accidental — we are connected by not just one, but a whole series of endlessly witty exhibitions, some of them created specifically for MAMM. Our combined luggage includes the exhibitions 'Revolt of World Order Training Simulators' (2012), 'Propaganda of Photographing' (2014) and 'Rough Route' (2016). And now, as a gift for this significant date, the EliKuka art group has prepared a new project where the main idea, let's not be afraid of the word, is to measure the power of art by visualising and interpreting this metaphorical expression quite literally.

With the invariable irony characteristic of the authors and permeating all the exhibitions shown in our museum without exception, they immediately bamboozle the viewer with a dozen questions, for example: 'Is it possible to measure the power of art in newtons?', 'How much is that in horsepower?', 'How does the force applied to art affect its value?', 'Maybe art could be more accurately compared to electricity and the power measured in amperes?'

To help the public answer these questions, the EliKuka art duet have invented simulators specially for the exhibition: on one, for example, you can train your muscles using canvases as weights, on another you can check the impact force and follow the dynamics of any 'growth' or 'fall' in the conditional value of art. But you will have to use the power of your intellect too — to correctly make use of these new inventions, you have to join the game in all seriousness and 'use your brains'.

'How material is the power of art? Under the influence of this force your nose may end up at the back of your head, people do strange things, the Stendhal syndrome could develop, your temperature rises, dizziness and involuntary urination occur. Are there methods and devices for measuring this force? Is it related to the force of attraction, the force of friction, the force of elasticity and other physical forces? Or is the power of art more related to the power of stupidity, the power of hopelessness, the power of madness? The 'successful modern world' is scientific and sporty, and it requires the same from art: accuracy in measurements and avoiding consumption of anything fried, sweet or salty. As far as possible, we will try to meet this requirement.' (EliKuka art group).


Anna Zaitseva
Curator, Multimedia Art Museum