Work on Oleg Kulik's monumental project Veryu ("I Believe") is proceeding apace. Each participant is required to produce a special project; most of the thirty-odd participants have had their ideas rejected multiple times as Kulik forces the bar higher in search of a new level of ambition and professionalism. Post-modern irony is definitely out, New High Seriousness is in. Maybe Boris Groys's prediction for the exhibition will be borne out. The show will occupy a huge space in the new VinZavod complex; the "closed opening" for VIPs takes place 24th January, the public opening on 27th. Total cost: over $300,000, unheard of for a privately-curated show in Russia. Kulik himself dons a suit from time to time to glean funds from Moscows oli- and minigarchs. Chief sponsor Vasili Tsereteli is wondering, will there be a massive scandal, outdoing Look Out! Religion! and the recent Blue Noses confiscation?



"I had this picture briefly, offered by a client for sale. Quite strong posthumous portrait (apparently most of them are posthumous) it tumbled out of my brief case at the bank. The girl behind the desk was 22 years old (I asked), and she did not recognise the sitter. Ok, but when I told her it was Lenin, she did not recognise the name either. Never heard of him! Another, older, customer was as astounded as I, but the other girl, aged say 30 (I did not ask) didn’t recognise him either, though she thought she had heard the name somewhere. So fast does fame vanish from the old monster."




