Material Evidence

Material Evidence (Russian Вещдоки) is an international exhibition first presented in Russia in 2013[1][2] by Vladislav Shurigin and Denis Tukmakov with direct financial support from Zhurnalistskaya Pravda (Journalistic Truth), a Moscow-based newspaper,[3] indirectly financed by Internet Research Agency.[4] Both Shurigin and Tukmakov are authors of for far right magazine Zavtra, members of the National Bolshevik Party[3] and nationalist Izborsk Club.[5] The exhibition displays a strongly anti-Western and pro-Russian view on civil conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, Iraq and Afghanistan.[6] It is advertised as an "evidence of USA aggression"[1] and the section on Ukraine describes the events of surrounding Euromaidan as "upsurge of nationalists-banderovtsy groups" and War in Donbass as "opposition against banderovtsy and Western Oligarchs".[7]

Layout

Photo exhibition is based on the material submitted by war correspondents illustrating countries where civil conflicts take place,[8][9][10] including Andrey Stenin who died near Donetsk.[11] The exhibition's original curator in Europe, Benjamin Hiller, is a German freelance photographer and journalist who works mainly on conflict photography in hotspots such as Syria and Ukraine.

Locations

The exhibition was held in a number of Russian, European, and American cities including Moscow, Ufa,[9][12][13] Grozny, Brussels, Berlin,[8][14] New York City. It is planned to hold the exhibition in Los Angeles and Washington, as well as Canada.[15]

Reactions

According to organizers, over 50 thousand people have visited the galleries.[16]

While it was on display in New York City the exhibition was attacked and vandalized by group of people who Hiller claimed were neo-Nazis upset with Hiller's negative representation of Ukraine.[17] As a result, some pictures had been defaced with black paint.[18] The identity of the alleged vandals has come under question.[3]

Funding and controversies

The exhibit has become controversial due to its ties to Russian extremist newspaper Zavtra and its connection to a widespread Russian propaganda content farm network.[3][19] The singer Ruslana criticized the exhibit and its advertising campaign for its alleged ties to Russian politician Svetlana Zakharova.[20] In an article by Gawker, according to the assistant curator of the New York exhibit "in Berlin, a "silent guy" visited, told the organizers he liked what he saw, then left. Later, he came back with a bag of cash and dropped it for them with no explanation."[19] Russian state-sponsored company Internet Research Agency is among the main sponsors of the exhibition.[4]

The organizers are also offering financial grants of 10-20'000 euro for journalists.[21]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "В Москве покажут "вещдоки" агрессии США на Ближнем Востоке". LifeNews. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  2. ↑ "Trolls on tour: how Kremlin money buys Western journalists". StopFake.org. September 7, 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Babiak, Mat (6 October 2014). "New York's anti-Ukrainian art gallery, and the far-right Russian network behind it". Euromaidan Press. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Emails Link Kremlin Troll Farm to Bizarre New York Photography Exhibit". StopFake.org. 2015-08-20. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  5. ↑ "Шурыгин Владислав Владиславович". Institut Dinamicheskogo Konservatizma. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  6. ↑ "Learn The Truth About What Is Going On". Material Evidence. Retrieved 2014-09-30.
  7. ↑ "Ukraine". Material Evidence. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  8. 1 2 "'Material Evidence. Syria. Ukraine' on display in Berlin (PHOTOS, VIDEO)". RT. June 6, 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-30.
  9. 1 2 "На выставке "Вещдоки. Сирия. Украина" в Нью-Йорке представлены работы уфимских фотографов". IA "Bashinform". September 22, 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-30.
  10. ↑ "War Photographer Comes Back From Syria To Show You The Truth". WeAreChange.org. September 28, 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-30.
  11. ↑ "Андрея Стенина похоронили в Москве". Lenta.ru. September 5, 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-30.
  12. ↑ "Документальная фотовыставка о преступлениях экстремистов на Украине и в Сирии вызвала повышенный интерес у американцев". Euronews. September 26, 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-30.
  13. ↑ "В Уфе открылась выставка "Вещдоки.Сирия"". IA "Bashinform". February 15, 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-30.
  14. ↑ Photo exhibition "Material Evidences. Syria. Ukraine" in Berlin
  15. ↑ "Выставка о событиях в Сирии и Украине собрала несколько сотен человек". RIA Novosti. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-07.
  16. ↑ "В Нью-Йорке открылась выставка о военных конфликтах в Сирии и на Украине". Interfax-Azerbaijan. September 22, 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-30.
  17. ↑ "Neo-nazis deface NYC art gallery over Euromaidan photo exhibit". Roger Annis. October 4, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
  18. ↑ "Exhibit on Ukraine Displays Signs of Vandalism". ArtsBeat, The New York Times. October 5, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
  19. 1 2 http://gawker.com/whos-behind-this-shady-propagandistic-russian-photo-ex-1643938683
  20. ↑ http://euromaidanpress.com/2014/09/21/ruslana-the-kremlins-disinformation-campaign-in-the-america/
  21. ↑ "Tell your truth". Journalistic Truth. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
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