Oleg Mavromatti

Culture and Art, Internet, Russia

16.11.2010 15:54

The Internet users bestowed life upon artist Oleg Mavromatti. Photo from website grani.ru

Internet users did not allow Oleg Mavromatti to die

Russian artist Oleg Mavromatti, who was forced to emigrate to Bulgaria, where he obtained a political refugee status, announced the end of his Internet performance "Friend-or-Foe".

The thing is that Mavromatti is persecuted by the church and the state for (anti)religious and other beliefs. In addition, a criminal case had been initiated under Article 282 of the Criminal Code (inciting national, racial or religious hatred). In 2000, he had another performance called "Do not believe your eyes". The artist was nailed to the cross and had the words "I am not the son of God" carved on his back.

While doing this, Oleg Mavromatti said that, in any case, he was not going to hurt the religious feelings of people. Even vice versa, his performance reflected his spiritual search and was a test of faith for endurance.

In the summer of 2010, Mavromatti's travel passport expired. When he started the formalities to receive a new Russian passport and to obtain documents for further stay in Bulgaria, he encountered new problems. Then Mavromatti organized this project.

With his performance 'Friend-or-Foe', Mavromatti invited the Internet users to decide whether he should live or die. With each excess of "guilty" votes, the artist, sitting in the electric chair, was hit by a discharge. The fifth discharge would have become the last blow to him.

The voting lasted from November 7 to 14. According to the users, Mavromatti was innocent. However, he said, the project will be continued on TV.

"I want to say 'thank you immensely' to everyone who voted for his innocence, but also 'thank you' to those who did vote at all! The F/F Project is over, but the F/F project on TV will go on, I am sure, without chairs or electricity", wrote the artist in his blog under the title of 'Friends have won'.