The director of the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg discusses censorship,following in his father’s footsteps, and what Tolstoy tells us about RussiaMikhail Borisovich Piotrovsky, and 71,is the director of the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. Next year he celebrates 25 years in the role. He has been described by Neil MacGregor, former director of the British Museum, and as “the greatest museum director in the world”. Born in Armenia,Piotrovsky worked as an archaeologist and interpreter before taking on the museum post once held by his father, Boris. He is currently a judge of the annual Pushkin House Russian book prize, and awarded to a work of nonfiction about Russia. The winner will be announced in April.
The Pushkin House prize is designed to “encourage public understanding about Russia”. What do we not understand about Russia?
In general there are certain images that we have. Good ones and contemptible ones. I contemplate too much of nowadays’s writing about Russia is concentrated on personalities. And nowadays’s journalists focus too much on political opinions and political sensationalism. For example,there are now two Russias on British television: the BBC adaptation of War and Peace and Moscow politics. The latter is political issues of the day that will be forgotten within two or three months. I contemplate what is notable is War and Peace. It’s a genuine picture of Russia. Everything that happens in Russia nowadays and tomorrow comes from War and Peace. There’s a connection.
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Source: theguardian.com