Dmitry Zhukov,

Содержание :

One of the most interesting cultural phenomena of the Southern region of Ukraine is the vanguard art of the beginning of the 20th century. In 1911 in the village Chernyanka near the city Kherson the first futuristic group "Gilea" was founded, where by the invitation of Burlyuk''''s family were on a visit and worked V.Chlebnikov, V.Mayakovsky, V.Chlebnikov, B.Livshits, A.Kruchyonyh, B.Livshits. The unique materials connected with the creativity of "Gilea" (letters, pictures, photos of the first futurists), were stored in archives and private collections during decades, remaining inaccessible to the broad audiences of the researchers and amateurs. Much from private collections were lost forever with the course of time.

The initiative of creation of a museum of futurism was discussed in Kherson during last ten years, nevertheless, because of organisational and first of all economical difficulties it seem impossible. In general, in present conditions it is hard to speak about possibilities of creation of new museums or cultural centres in regions of Ukraine: first of all, not so much because of high price of creation, as maintaining of their ability to live hereinafter. Only due to appearance of new information technologies the unique possibility to embody the idea of a museum of futurism has appeared and the virtual museum - web-site "Terra futura" (www.terra-futura.com) was created, that allows all interested to use the information collected in Kherson.

It is difficult to speak about traditions of vanguard art and in particular, futurism, because the idea of vanguard art implies constant breaking of traditions and stereotypes. It is only possible to tell that exactly futurism was that art, which has proclaimed itself capable not only to use possibilities of technical progress, but also to merge it. First futurists (since the Italians) were inspired by scientific and technical progress, Russian futurists glorified it in the manifestos and pieces of art. For this reason the art, which grows together with new information technologies, reverts us to creativity of futurists and gives to futurism a new sounding.

Today problem is not only in making a cultural heritage open and accessible for study. Due to new technologies it is possible to save the idea of futurism not only by the way of archival material, but also in form of present living tradition. The cultural and art traditions become viable only when they are source of inspiration for the artists of the following generations. So, from time to time there are literary and art actions connected with the histories of vanguard in Kherson, but unfortunately, "spirit" of futurism almost lost by region. The senior generation of the artists address mainly to Scythian past and use the traditional approaches. Conjecture, time-servering art which is focused on local demand, has lost elements of shocking and searching of new forms and has pushed away the young artists (one of the problems: the Kherson Union of the artists is "growing old" catastrophically). Today in many regions the situation is that even the senior generation of the artists already feels necessity of modernisation of art, searching of a modern language of art, integration in modern global cultural process, but there is no knowledge and experience allowing using new technology of creativity.

With the purpose to help the artists to be affirmed in the world of modern information technologies and to support their interest to search of a modern language of art our organisation - Centre of the youth initiatives "Тоtеm", - had organised computer centre and attempted to involve the young artists of various directions of its work. As a common purposes we proposed to work with a heritage of futurism. Due to creation of a virtual museum "Тerra futura" the young artists, writers, designers, film-directors have had an opportunity to use Internet and all necessary consultations on training. Result of such combined efforts became the web-site "Terra futura": www.terra-futura.com, where the museum containing works of futurists of group "Gilea" and their colleagues and companions in art of the Kherson period of creativity is disposed.

In a virtual museum "Terra futura" together with retrospective of creativity of futurists of the beginning of 20 century the gallery of modern young artists which study to unite their art with possibilities of Internet is created. About 10 alternative art exhibitions, including photo, literature, graphics, etc., are displayed simultaneously on the web-site. The young artists who earlier never participated in cultural life of city because of absence of cultural environment and conditions for realisation of the projects (for example, young group performance) were included to realisation of the project. Such synthesis of different kinds of creativity helps as own professional growth of the independent artists and creative groups, as engaging public and mass media attention to the art activities (that, in turn, "plays" on advertising of the web-site).

The advertising company of the web-site included the registration in 30 thematic zones and retrieval systems, Internet banners and also distribution of information through professional organisations and mass media of Kherson. Many journalists had asked accreditation on the future activities of "Totem", and now there are 9 newspapers, 4 FM-radio sets, 5 TV-channels (including national) in the list of mass-media, which are ready operatively and free of charge to place the information on news of the web-site. Such work with mass-media had strengthened image of organisation essentially and facilitated search of the partners for joint realisation and financing of the cultural-art actions and advertising of the site at local level. For today the problem of forming of home demand of the site at the level of Kherson region is one of most urgent, since the basic flow of visitors of the site is on 56 % from Russia, about 25 % from Ukraine, 16 % from near and long-range foreign countries, and only 3 % are the visitors of our region.

One of the tasks of the project was overcoming conservatism of local government structures, which work in sphere of culture with the purpose to advance the alternative cultural initiatives, especially in the sphere of new technologies and approaches. Today, despite of the Decree of the President of Ukraine directional on assistance in development of Internet-resources, including the sphere of culture, in regions this process goes extremely slowly, since it is not understandable, who should make it, at the expense of what means and by what ways.

As to our project, its fulfilment didn''''t meet resistance of local authorities, nevertheless, till now each alternative art activity, which leaves the frameworks of Internet, provokes many questions - about its necessity and purposes, etc. For example, the conflict situation has arisen during action "Garbage Civilisation" (artists built sculptures of garbage near the city dump): local authorities, who knew about the action by materials of the web-site "Terra futura", required explanations, and action provoked active resistance of municipal services of city etc. Nevertheless, for today the probable mechanisms of co-operation with local government structures are worked through. Also the co-operation with higher educational institutions and universities, which have specialities coupled with culture, art, design, was enough perspective. The students of such specialities develop ideas and art projects, which fill up section of "Actions" on the web-site "Terra futura". In its turn, such work has affected development of additional elements in the educational programs of these universities.

In 2001 the web-site "Terra futura" was recognised as the best web-site of Kherson by the regional Internet providers. That is why the Internet-provider - private firm "Ukrcom" provides support of this site from own resources. Also firm "Ukrcom" has granted to the Centre "Тоtеm" the server place for creation of one more art web-site - original photogallery of city Kherson: www.foto.online.kherson.ua, and provides its support. Now this site represents a rather powerful part of Kherson portal.

As to a general situation, today on Ukraine already have appeared numerous art and culture web-sites, and thanking Internet the young artists have an opportunity to feel "living pulse" of modern arts and to define their place in it structure. In our region the web-site "Terra futura" is the first example of unification of art with the new information technologies and the first step to integration in modern global culture. It involves notice of creative youth in search of a modern language of art and pushes processes of modernisation of culture sphere. In 2002 we plan to provide classes for the young artists and designers with the purpose to create of a number of the Internet-actions. Being reset to traditions of futurism, it would be desirable to add: we hope, what exactly this way of development of young art in our region will enrich the informational-cultural Internet-environment by regional materials from South of Ukraine that can be interesting not only for Ukraine, but also for Russia, and all the world.