Tajiks-Art Art Group
St. Petersburg, Russia
The art group is critical of the lack of originality in contemporary art and the exploitation of man by man in capitalist society.
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The group first appeared around 2008 or 2009. Its founders were artist, curator, and art historian Kirill Shamanov and “science artist” and biology Ph.D. Alexander Efremov. The art group, according to kirshamanov.com, is critical of the lack of originality in contemporary Russian art and the exploitation of man by man that is so ubiquitous and widespread in capitalist society. The group made its presence known by posting on a LiveJournal blog a price list for the services of migrant-worker performers, who will repeat any piece of performance art to order “for a much, much lower price”, thereby ironically re-conceptualizing the very uniqueness of works in that genre. Since April 2009, Tajiks-Art has performed at Solyanka State Gallery, the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Winzavod, and Art Moscow, repeating performances by Marina Abramović, Jonathan Meese, Santiago Sierra, Yves Klein, and other contemporary artists. The group has used hired workers to paint buildings and repaint portraits of Putin, Medvedev, and Matviyenko. Perhaps the project that created the biggest stir was Extractum Hominus, in which the artists distilled alcohol from the blood of oppressed peoples.
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