Polish Deputy PM Calls For Russian Culture to Disappear From Public Space
© AFP 2023 / JONAS EKSTROMER
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Since Moscow launched its military operation in Ukraine, many western countries have had a kneejerk reaction against Russian culture, with certain theatres, cinemas and galleries feeling compelled to boycott the country's arts. Performances and screenings have been cancelled and paintings with recognisably Russian titles have been renamed.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister Piotr Glinski has said that Russian culture should have no place in public space.
"Right now is not the time for Russian ballet, it's not a good season for Chekhov or even Pushkin. I'm not talking about the Alexandrov Ensemble," Glinski said when speaking at the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (EYCS) on Monday. "Russian culture must disappear from the public space. We appreciate the achievements of this culture in music or literature - they're top notch. But we're dealing with a country that's gone crazy."
His statement comes during a massive crackdown on Russian culture that is a response to the Kremlin's military operation in Ukraine. As the West condemns it as an invasion, theatres and festivals across Europe are pushing to cancel everything Russian: Poland, for its part, recently shelved an opera by Modest Mussorgsky in one of the country's opera houses.
In early March, Poland's Deputy Culture Minister, Wanda Zwinogrodzka, said that Warsaw is seeking to boot Russia out of UNESCO, calling for greater pressure on Russian media.
"It is also necessary to remove all of the Russian Federation regime's media channels from digital platforms around the world to stop the lies of Russian propaganda," she said.
Earlier in the month, Cannes Film Festival banned official Russian delegations or individuals affiliated with the Kremlin from attending their events, and the Glasgow Film Festival removed two Russian films from its programme. The Venice Film Festival demonstrated greater restraint, saying it would not bar Russian films or artists - as that would infringe freedom of speech - but it condemned Moscow's actions.
Among the most recent moves was the National Gallery's attempt to rename 'Russian Dancers' the painting by Edgar Degas, 'Ukrainian Dancers', citing long-standing calls by Ukrainian activists to honor their country's heritage and resist "lazy mislabeling". However, many people said that the gesture was a lot more political than cultural, lambasting the decision as yet another act of Russophobia.
The Polish deputy minister's remarks regarding Russian culture received a backlash online, with people comparing Glinski's stance with that of Nazi Germany.
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