This is Oleg Kulik as the dog, an artistic role that the Ukrainian-born performance artist has assumed. When he becomes the dog, he never breaks character; all other aspects of life become meaningless and he is simply no longer human, though shrouded in human form. His work has been steeped in scandal and international outrage basically from its inception, and he has hardly been able to shake this negative notoriety. Yet, what is Kulik’s true purpose in this “Dog” performance? Why subject yourself to the humiliation of life as a dog? The answers to these questions have eluded Western critics, such as Roberta Smith, who interpreted his “I Bite America and America Bites Me” exhibit as a man trying to portray the “fraught relationship” between animal and man. But can this really be the answer to this man subjecting himself to the life of a dog? The answer to that question is absolutely not. Kulik’s performance speaking volume to many things, least of all the paltry notion that Roberta Smith suggested. His work focuses on the subjugation of the Eastern bloc populace, not under the Soviet Union dictatorships, but under the diffusion of neoliberalist Capitalism into the East. This was not a smooth transition; it was an utter shock that ravaged the Eastern economies and left the masses poor and destitute while the oligarchy profited greatly from their suffering. Nowadays, the Eastern people, in Kulik’s own words, “live a dog’s life.” He attempts, very convincingly, to show this life, to expose it to the West who knows nothing of the Eastern suffering, or even that they are the ones who cause it. Also, as Kulik points out, this is the only way for this struggle to become relevant in the minds of the collective West; his aim is to shock and awe the masses until they can comprehend the life that his people live everyday, while Westerners enjoy art exhibits.
With all that being said, Oleg Kulik’s performance art has been subject to censorship from Western critics who aren’t prepared to receive such a bold statement from an Eastern artist. There exists in the art world an unspoken rift between East and West, that has just been common place and widely except, by those other than the breed of Kulik. The West has not appreciated that Eastern artists have overcome their socialist past, and, in the case of Kulik, are challenging the accepted power balance the West has enjoyed dominance over. In their minds, Eastern artists simply don’t enjoy such freedom of expression and liberal ideas, and should stick to the secret coded messages of their Socialist past. Yet, Kulik stands as a prime example of the struggle of Eastern artists against this archaic world view of the West. For the foreseeable future, Eastern art will continue to shock and awe, and portray the “comprehensible reality” in which these people live everyday. And with artists like Oleg Kulik at the helm, the Eastern
Thanks for the post Jacob! What do you think about the particular aggression of Kulik’s work? Is it part of being a dog, or is it something else? Why do you think he picked that particular animal and not another one? Would it have made a difference?
I agree this is some great insight. I do not believe he should be censored but not sure if he can bite people in today’s society even if he does have a sign that clearly warns people. More people need to be open to his ideas and realize the symbolism within his actions for his actions are meant to cause people to think.
I really think that Kulik chose the dog for the obvious reason of its traditional “domestic housepet” role, something which Kulik turned on its head. I think it was in an attempt to find a common denominator with any audience because a dog is a universal symbol of a pet. This only furthered the effect of his message, because it made it something more universal and easily digestible, while still having the shock and awe factor that many critics denounced.