It is becoming increasingly difficult to live freely in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, theater director Prokhor Gusev tells news. In the autumn, he and his wife Gulnara Iskakova left their homeland separately, before meeting again in Norway. The two performing artists now live in exile in Tromsø, where they have been taken under the wing of the art center Davvi. They will be artists-in-residence there until the summer. Prokhov is also transgender. According to Davvi, the couple are recognized artists in Russia, and active in the Russian LGBT community. That is also the reason why they felt they had to flee. The couple has many artistic projects on the horizon. What they have in common is that they are all about bringing people together to create something positive. Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news – I constantly have to think about whether I can create what I want as an artist. After the war broke out, censorship in Russia became even stronger, says Gusev. The plans to leave the homeland began as little as two years ago. They were busy this autumn. In September, Russia announced a major mobilization of several hundred thousand people in connection with the war. And in November they tightened their grip on queer freedom and rights. A unanimous Russian Duma then adopted a ban on what the authorities refer to as “propaganda for non-traditional sexual relationships”. Deteriorating situation for Russian queers – Any propaganda for non-traditional sexual relations has few consequences, the head of the Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, has stated on Telegram. He says the law will “protect our children and the country’s future from the darkness spread by the US and European countries”. A law from 2013 already prohibits such so-called propaganda about homosexuality aimed at minors. Now it will also be prohibited to promote “propaganda about non-traditional values” towards adults in the media, on the internet, in advertising, literature and at the cinema. It will also be prohibited to “deny family values” and so-called propaganda that can make minors want to change gender. The penalty for breaking the law is fines of up to NOK 67,000, and foreigners can be deported. With the new law, the Russian authorities continue to promote their conservative views at home in parallel with the war in Ukraine. Source: NTB. – You live in a cage Putin’s Russia has banned “gay propaganda” against minors since 2013. After that, the adults must also be protected from being exposed and develop sympathy for LGBT people. Gusev says that what is considered propaganda can be something as simple as wearing an item of clothing with a rainbow figure on it. – Especially for me, as an LGBT person and as a political activist, it has become less safe to be in Russia. – It is very difficult to live in such a “cage” and at the same time live as yourself, he says. Many of their friends have also left the country, and now live scattered around different parts of the world. Gusev explains that if someone wants to hurt others, they can choose to report them, thereby revealing their orientation to the authorities. What happens afterwards varies. The cat Yoshi was born and raised in Moscow, and has been allowed to join the load to Tromsø. It’s going just fine, although it’s not too fond of the scary noises from the airport in the city. Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news – If you end up in prison, you can disappear, says Iskakova. If she had stayed in her home country, she would have had to keep her mouth shut and sacrifice her freedom, she says. – I love Russia. There are so many great people, talented people. But if I wanted to live as myself, and with self-respect, I had to leave. – I have to live my life, not just survive. That’s why I’m here now. Back in Russia are their families, completely ordinary people. That makes Gusev nervous. – I am afraid that what I say here will have an impact on their lives. – Strong meeting As artists-in-residence, the married couple have been given residence in an apartment in the basement of an artist’s residence that Davvi owns. On Wednesday, they were visited by Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap), who says the meeting with the couple was “strong”. Among other things, she wanted to hear about how it feels to live as a queer, and as a free artist, in Russia over the past year. – They are under enormous pressure, and we must not forget that. Even if the sanctions are not aimed at the Russian people, there are consequences. Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt met Gusev and Iskakova in the artists’ residence on Wednesday morning, where they discussed freedom of expression and queer rights in Russia, among other things. Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news – Those who remain in Russia put themselves in considerable danger. Many are fleeing now. Huitfeldt believes it is of great importance to distinguish between the state of Russia and the population. Perhaps one should not talk in general terms about what “Russians” do or mean at all, she says to news. – It is Russia’s war, where Putin is in power. Not all Russians can be held responsible for what he does. – Just want to live normally In the artists’ residence, the couple would like to collaborate with local artists in the future. In the future, they also hope to be able to cooperate with Ukrainians, if they are open to it. Director of Davvi, Susanne Ness Nielsen, worked for several months to help the couple to Norway. She believes it is very important that Norway continues to support Norwegian-Russian cultural cooperation, despite the fact that most of the ties with the neighboring country to the east have now been broken. – We want to be a safe place for a continued dialogue with Russian artists, she says. Many Russians used to travel across the border to Kirkenes every year to take part in Barents pride. This picture is from the commemoration in 2018. Photo: Ksenia Novikova/news – Although it is undoubtedly most difficult for Ukrainians, the current political climate is also a very difficult situation for Russian dissidents. We have a long-standing relationship with Russian artists and Russian cultural life. They also regard the center’s acceptance of the two Russian artists as a humanistic act towards two fellow human beings in a difficult situation. – As an artist and independent thinking being, you are under constant pressure in an authoritarian country. This is our way of insisting that free art should also have a place in today’s society. Their residence in Tromsø is our attempt to protect artistic freedom of expression.
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Queer Russian artist couple have been granted asylum in Tromsø – say they could no longer be in Russia – news Troms and Finnmark
