The modern architecture is inhumane, it does not fit into the historical and cultural context and destroys any ensemble. In other words, it is important not only what has been destroyed, but also what has been built. Constructing a modern architecture building in a historical district is destroying this district. More than that, this kind of destruction is deliberate and mercenary, as the destroyers know what they do.

I believe that British architect Norman Foster has a chance to go down in history as a criminal against humanity in the sphere of culture. If you like London, try not to notice the large grey Cucumber building that Norman Foster constructed in the City. The Cucumber, as a dominating building of the city landscape, replaced St. Paul’s Cathedral. The majestic building by Christopher Wren seems small against the background of the Cucumber. Heir to the British throne Prince Charles said that such new buildings, behind which the interests of real estate speculators are, had done even greater damage to London than the attacks by the Luftwaffe (the German Air Force). Of course, the Prince is wrong. The destructions caused by builders and speculators are much more ruthless, much longer and are harder to struggle with than the Luftwaffe attacks were. Apart from that, I am not sure that those builders and speculators will be brought to trial and hanged as was the case with German Gehring, head of the Luftwaffe.

While London was the first city in Europe, which was vigorously attacked by the British commercial architects, Moscow is getting the city where they make the most of their destructive “genius”. After the London Cucumber Norman Foster decided to create a large “orange” cut in segments on the Moscow-river bank in the Russian capital. The Orange would dominate Moscow’s view near the high bronze monument to the Peter the First by Zurab Tsereteli. For that the new State Tretyakov Gallery building – Central House of Artists was supposed to be demolished, but the pictures could be hanging in the Orange building near offices, shops and luxurious apartments.

The Orange project had been welcomed by the Moscow authorities and businessmen but, unfortunately, met with the people’s resistance, which was too heavy for the Russian society, and was phased out. In addition, it was planned to use private investments with that end in view, but the recession began.

However the architect is carried away by the museums subject and he would like to create in Moscow a museum area around the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. True, this would require damaging six old mansions as well as the closing down of the Institute of Philosophy of Russian Academy of Sciences upon which the State Academic University of the Humanities is based. The students, the lecturers and the researchers would be deprived of their University and the Institute. But, on the other hand, why does philosophers need any buildings? The ancient Greeks studied philosophy in a grove called “Academy”. As regards Moscow, the lecturers could teach the students, for example, in the Amusement Park. True, Russia’s climate is colder than that of Greece and now the winter is approaching.

But nobody cares about students and philosophers as the Museum area project is priced at 40 billion roubles and the area is going to include restaurants, boutiques and souvenir shops, not to mention many administrative offices without which Russia cannot exist. Strange as it may seem, the project is patronized by the Ministry for Economic Development of the Russian Federation that has been keen on museums for some time.

This architectural project has a political aspect. The “museum area” idea is promoted by the Russian federal authorities, that promise to finance it from the state budget and that use fervent propaganda as a cover for this initiative. Probably they have taken the Orange experience into account. This time, the Institute of Philosophy and the museum are set at loggerheads. As is known, many Russians complain of the culture, science and education decline. That’s why the Russian officials decided to save the culture and develop the museums in Russia. True, for that the officials will have to take down an academic institute and a university, but there is nothing to be done. One of O.Henry’s heroes said “Bolivar cannot carry double”. So, one has to choose between the culture or the science and the education!

Strangely enough, those arguments convinced neither the Institute of Philosophy employees, nor the University of the Humanities students, nor many other people including the present writer. The Institute employees refuse to leave it; the students, who are joined by their parents, promise to take to the streets in protest, and the lecturers said that they would join the students too. The people, who are indifferent to the industrial and social problems, are ready to protest. The point is not only the future of some buildings or institutions, but also the future of the science and the education as such, the state’s attitude to the humanities and the society’s attitude to the people’s thoughts. I believe it is time to save academic institutions as well as to establish the Philosophy Protection Committee.

Incidentally, the UNESCO decided to conduct the 2009 World Philosophy Day in Moscow and St.Petersburg. The Institute of Philosophy is expected to host the events on November 17-18. So, most probably the philosophers will be turned out of the Institute after that date, when foreign celebrities have left Russia. While, according to the Marxism, the main philosophical question is what is primary – material or spiritual principles, the Russian authorities solved it for themselves in favour of the former ones. Now they intend to pass on this knowledge to the philosophers through an experiment. Let’s them philosophize in the street when it is freezing, and they will come to realize quickly what is primary.

It is a pity that the Ministry for Economic Development has learnt only this point out of the whole Marxist thought.

Boris Kagarlitsky is a Director of the Institute of Globalization and Social Movements

November 6, 2009

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