The first version of the story goes like this: Moscow resident Sergei Sandrin recently decided to visit the New Tretyakov Gallery of the same name, which dominates the Russian capital.

Sergei Sandrin wanted to see mainly the halls of the permanent collection: abstract art, mysticism and surrealism, new realism, pop art, minimalism, Soviet pop art, etc. In general, the branch of the State Tretyakov Gallery specializes in Soviet and Russian art of the 20th and 21st centuries with works by Wassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich, Pavel Filonov, Marc Chagall and others.

But the visit, instead of pleasing, upset Sandrine. So much so that he considered it necessary to send a denunciation letter to the Ministry of Culture of Russia, stating that the New Tretyakov Gallery did not comply with the state policy of “preserving and strengthening traditional Russian spiritual and moral values”, as defined in its presidential decree of November 9 2022. As for the collections of a particular museum, he wrote that they presented works of art with “signs of a destructive ideology.”

Another version of this story is that it is fake news: none of the above happened. Maybe Sergei Sandrin does not exist. What applies;

According to a recent report by The Moscow Times, Sandrine said in a letter (the newspaper said he had a copy) that he experienced deep pessimism, emptiness and hopelessness after seeing contemporary art depicting funerals and alcoholics, while misinterpreting cultural symbols. Sandrine was likely referring to the Last Supper series by Russian artist Natalya Nesterova and the bronze statue Pieta by sculptor Alexander Burganov, which the applicant says suggests a “devilish interpretation” of the biblical story.

A gallery employee who wished to remain anonymous told the Moscow Times: “We are dealing with a typical Soviet way of dealing with ‘unacceptable’ art, with a letter from the people that has been made public.”

The version with an angry Sergei would not be so interesting if, according to this version, the Russian Ministry of Culture allegedly did not send a letter to the Gallery with a request to change the exhibits so that they harmonize with “traditional values”, i.e. patriotism, high moral ideals, strong family, creativity.

The letter must be signed by Deputy Director of the Department of Museums and External Relations Natalia Chechel and sent to the General Director of the Gallery Zelfira Tregulova. The letter from the culture ministry allegedly requires the director to respond to Sandrine’s complaint by February 6.

This version, with the reaction, in particular, the Russian ministry, no matter how extreme it may seem to the citizens of Western democracies, fits into Putin’s propaganda of recent years, referring to the dark practices of history. True, whether this is true or fake, according to the director of another Moscow state art gallery, has yet to be proven.