Glazunov Exhibition

The opening of Ilya Glazunov's exhibit at the Manezh Exhibition Hall stirred considerable discussion because of the aggressive nationalism of many of the popular artist's newest paintings, particularly "Awake, Russia!"At the exhibit "Art of the Third Reich" in New York last year, there was a very similar painting from 1933 with essentially the same name: "Germany, Awake!" (this was one of the main slogans of the Nazis on their rise to power). From this painting, a blond, blue-eyed young man -- without any racial impurities -- with a muscular torso called out just as Glazunov's hero does. And he is illuminated by the same fiery light. And he is also carrying the symbols of his faith (not a Kalashnikov and a New Testament, but a rifle and a Nazi banner). It is true, though, that this young German does not have the words "God Is With Us" on his belt as Glazunov's hero does. Hitler did not use this slogan until 1934 when he (an artist himself by training) personally approved the uniform for the German Army. Now our own artist and ideologue suggests that we add this detail to our Russian patriotic uniform.