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Discrimination

The installation was presented as an entrance examination for the course “Performances and installations” at the studio of Yuri Sobolev, Theater of synthesis and animation “Interstudio,” September 1997.

The subject of examination was “Garden.” Empty matchboxes were distributed in the 30 cells of an old factory wall box. On each matchbox appeared one letter of the Russian alphabet, from A to Щ. The wall box had a rectangular shape and, accordingly, exactly 30 identical cells. Thus, three of 33 Russian alphabet letters were not included in the factory box. I explained the discrimination of the three remaining letters by the irrationality and anti-industrial character of the Russian language.

The entrance exam was passed successfully.

(Documentation of performance is not preserved.)

The Lace Length

The performance was conducted as an entrance exam for the course “Performances and installations” at the studio of Yuri Sobolev, in the Theater of synthesis and animation “Interstudio,” September 1997.

An unusually lengthy shoe-lace was used to determine the boundaries of public space of my body. One end of the one-kilometer-long synthetic rope was tied to a lamppost, and the other end inserted into the lace hole of my shoe. I was running at high speed along the street of the city of Pushkin, until one of the passers-by stepped on the rope. The length of the “lace” thus ended, and I fell to the pavement.

The entrance exam was passed successfully.

(Documentation of performance is not preserved.)

Who’s there?

The performance was presented as an entrance examination for the course “Performances and installations” at the studio of Yuri Sobolev, in the Theater of synthesis and animation “Interstudio,” September 1997.

The purpose of the performance was the task to determe one’s own “self.” The action took place on a staircase platform of one of the apartment buildings in the town of Pushkin. A long rope was tied to door handles between two flats facing each other. I stood in the middle of the platform between the apartments, belted tight with the rope. With a long stick, I ringed both door bells. One of the residents tried to open the door, while another said: “Who’s there?” Strangled by pain, I cried, “I!”

In fact, worrying not to pass an entrance exam, I in advance persuaded the tenants, and put for the safety reasons a bicycle wheel over my belt. The performance was attended by Yuri Sobolev himself, and his students. Noticing the trick, the audience denounced me for manipulation. The entrance exam was not credited. Yet the originality and creativity were appreciated by the artistic counsel, and I received permission for an opportunity of a second attempt.

(Documentation of performance is not preserved.)