Oleg Mavromatti

Oleg Yurevich Mavromati (also known as Mavromatti; born February 5, 1965, Volgograd) is a Russian artist-actionist and a filmmaker. Born February, 5th 1965 in Volgograd, USSR.

1984 graduates from the Volgograd medical school № 3. From 1985 to 1989 is a leader of the art collective «The Dance of the Giraffe» («Танец жирафа»). From 1987 to 1990 he was an editor of the punk-journal «No Future» («Будущего нет»). From 1988 to 1990 he was a front-man of the punk bands «Schnook» («ЧМО») and «Manifesto Committee» («Комитет Манифест»). Between 1990-1991 he took part in the art movement «Expropriation of the Territory of Art» («ЭТИ») together with Anatoly Osmolovsky, Dmitry Pimenov, Grigori Gusarov. From 1993 to 1994 he participated in the art collective Neceziudik («Нецезиудик») together with Alexander Brener, Anatoly Osmolovsky, Dmitry Pimenov, Sendi Revizorov, Alexander Zubarzuk. In 1995, together with the artists Farid Bogdalov, Mavromatti established the art collective «Absolute Love Sect» members of which were also Imperator Wawa, Dmitry Pimenov, Mihail and Tatyana Nikitin, Alena Martynova.

The Film Union SUPERNOVA within which Mavromatti has been producing his movies was established by him and Sergej Salnikov in 1995. Other members until 2000 were Sergej Pahomov, Svetlana Baskova, Alexander Maslaev and others. Since 2000 SUPERNOVA productions have been made in Bulgaria and USA, together with artist Boryana Rossa.

In 2004 Oleg Mavrmatti and Boryana Rossa established ULTRAFUTURO art collective. Other members are Anton Terziev, Katia Damianova and Miroslav Dimitrov. The group had made more than 60 performances and public interventions. The work of the group address issues of technology, science and their social and political implications. Works by ULTRAFUTURO were shown at venues such as the Biennial for Electronic Art, Perth (BEAP); Society for Art and Technology (SAT), Montreal; Art Digital at the 2nd Moscow Biennial; Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY; MUMOK, Viena; Zacheta Gallery, Warsaw; RIAP Performance art festival Quebec, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Schenectady Museum, NY and are included in the respected selection Transitland Video Art from central and Eastern Europe 1989-2009. Rossa and Mavromatti perform also as ULTRAFUTURO in Trickster Theatre, Exit Art, NY since 2006.

On April 1, 2000 at the yard of the Institute of Cultorology in Moscow, Mavromatti shoot a scene of his film «Oil on Canvas». He was a director and an actor in one of the leading roles. The script involved a scene of crucifixion, which later appeared to be controversial for particular fundamentalist formations in the Orthodox Christian Church in Russia.The story of the film is based on the biography of the young Ukrainian painter Oleg Golosiy, who according to the legend was killed by his best friend. This friend was also an artist, and he committed this crime because of envy.

Mavromatti developed the story and added another psychological layer of the character who killed Golosiy. Mavromatti' himself played the role of the killer. According to the script the character repented and in order to prove his sincerity he chose to change the traditional artistic medium he used (paint and canvas) with direct action and physical expression. As a true evidence of his repent the character decided to crucify himself representing an archetype of sacrifice, pain and humiliation.

The place where the scene was shot was strategically chosen to be in between the Institute of Cultorology and the temple Christ the Savior. The performance within the film was called «Do Not Believe Your Eyes» and was also meant to address the institutionalization of artistic expression, the commercialization in art and the compromise artists often make with their sincerity, for the sake of money and fame.

Several weeks after there was a legal complaint from the chairman of the local Orthodox church community «St. Nikola», a neighbour of the Institute of Culturology and members of the party Russian National Unity against Mavromatti, which was sent back by the Moscow City court, as there was no evidence of crime. Later the same complaint with the help of powerful connections was sent to the General Attorney's Office. Mavromatti's home was searched on 07.07.2000 and all his video and film materials were confiscated. The film “Oil on Canvas” was never finished. Mavromatti was interrogated three times in the special Department of National Religious Matters, by Yurii Krilov. He is persecuted under the article 282 of the Russian Criminal Codex, for «inciting religious animosity» like many other contemporary artists and cultural producers in Russia. Mavromatti is facing 3–5 years of prison.

The only remain from the scene is a video tape which was shot separately from the film footage. Later this video became well known as a performance under the name «Do Not Believe Your Eyes!» It was shown internationally at places such as The Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver and is part of the respected monograph «Russian Actionism 1990-2000» by the Russian art historian Andrej Kovalev.

In 2000 Mavromatti left Russia and since then he has been living and working in Bulgaria and the US.