The main topic of the meeting was the Cherkashins' project "Global Underground", the works from which are presented at the group exhibition "Photomontage. The Corrected Truth" group exhibition at the Béton Center of Visual Culture.  The idea of the project by Valery and Natasha Cherkashins is to show the cultural specificities of the underground transport systems in different countries and cities, as well as to make a virtual trip around the "global subway system" with visits to the most famous and typical stations in 33 countries of the world. In each country, the metro is an indicator of the technical level of the era and culture of the country at the time of its creation. At the same time, each city creates its own specific atmosphere in the subway, its cultural layer, its design of the subway, and subway passengers are typical residents of the city. Already about 100 works from 24 countries have been made. The work on the project continues. The exhibition "Photomontage. Corrected Truth" explores the practices of montage in the art of photography. The method of artistic creation is the most effective in terms of demonstrating the difference between contingent reality and subjective realities, which provokes people to correct "truth". Among the many applied tools of "truth correction" photography and other "technical" means of expression play a special role. Long before today possibilities of computer post-prod, photographers were bringing some kind of correction to the conditionally truthful realities of their work, including through editing. In Soviet times, the art of photography often became a tool of ideological confrontation. Through the selection of subjects, their staging and their montage, it was possible to visualize the theses of ideological discourse in a way that made them appear convincing. The creative intelligentsia, on the other hand, sought to make adjustments to Soviet "truth," which in its incarnation did not suit everyone. Today, Soviet methods of agitation and propaganda simply pale in comparison to their successors. They themselves have become objects of creative "correction," seeking not only to break with the imposed distortions of reality but also to create their own alternatives to it. Contemporary artists also present their model of reality. The exhibition runs until 30th December, 2022. 

Olga Seregina,

art reviewer