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The Hill
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hill
Putin gifts Trump an authoritarian kitsch portrait
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how much are paintings worth? Surely much more, as they also reveal the artist's intentions and the subject's self-image. A case in point is the painting of President Trump that Vladimir Putin asked Steve Witkoff to give him in April. According to the New York real estate developer-turned-diplomatic globetrotter, it was 'a beautiful portrait,' and Trump was 'clearly touched by it.' The artist is 69-year-old Nikas Safronov, celebrated as a People's Artist of the Russian Federation, Honored Artist of Russia, Academician of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts, Professor of Ulyanovsk State University, honorary citizen of Ulyanovsk and honorary citizen of Baku. Portraits are his specialty. A Russian source says he's known as the 'genius of kitsch,' a 'Russian Casanova' and 'our Salvador Dali.' I don't know about the Casanova bit, but the first and third descriptions apply — only with the qualification that Safronov is an exceedingly poor Dali. Perhaps I'm being too insensitive to Russian artistic tastes, but Safronov's work most closely resembles the kind of paintings one encounters for sale in subway stations or parks: hyper-realistic celebrities with oversized heads and eyes, set against familiar backgrounds with easily recognizable monuments. Like a bad Dali, Safronov is a master of kitsch. This says a lot about both Putin the giver and Trump the receiver. Putin's love of pomp and taste for palatial dwellings suggest he has a soft spot for kitsch. Trump is no less enamored of bad taste, as the interiors of his apartments demonstrate. Putin, in gifting Safronov's portrait, presumably knew that Trump would appreciate it. He knew just how to play him — an unsurprising conclusion given how Putin has played Trump with respect to resolving the Russian war against Ukraine. Let's take a closer look at the portrait itself. It depicts a huge Trump immediately after the failed assassination attempt in Butler, Penn. The top of his right ear is bloodied, a streak of blood extends toward his mouth and his right fist is raised in defiance; his left hand, holding a MAGA cap, is at his side; his eyes peer into the distance. The peering bit is standard for portraits of dictators: whether Mao, Stalin or Hitler, they all look into the joyous future only they can see. But it's the background that makes the portrait an example par excellence of kitsch. For it depicts the Statue of Liberty, right arm raised a la Trump, parts of the New York and New Jersey skyline, and an enormous American flag. The question that an observer might be tempted to ask: So, where exactly is Trump standing in this image? Safronov, the honorary citizen of distant Ulyanovsk and Baku, may be forgiven for his ignorance of New York and New Jersey geography, but Trump could only have been found in this position while standing on the Staten Island ferry as it sails across New York harbor. But why, then, would he be bloodied if he's on a ferry? It is in the nature of kitsch to overdo symbolism and combine things that cannot be combined. But the really weird thing about the painting is the American flag, which, as we all know, consists of 50 stars. Safronov's consists of 45. Is that a sign of innumeracy, or an instance of poetic license? Worse, the flag is depicted backwards: the stars are usually in the upper left-hand corner; in Safronov's version they are in the lower left-hand corner and the flag is pointing downward. Is Safronov sending Trump a political message about America's decline? And has Trump noticed that, through oversight or intent, he and his country have been dissed? Safronov told CNN that 'It was important to me to show the blood, the scar and his bravery during the attempt on his life. He didn't break down or become afraid, but raised his arm to show he is one with America and will bring back what it deserves.' And what, pray tell, does America deserve? Safronov seems to suggest it is Trump. The important point is that the portrait that appeals so much to Trump and Putin is standard authoritarian kitsch. Why dictators have a thing for ridiculous poses in unlikely settings is a topic for another column. But both Trump and Putin fit that mold — which may say something about the uncertain state of democracy in America and its complete absence from Russia. Alexander J. Motyl is a professor of political science at Rutgers University-Newark. A specialist on Ukraine, Russia and the USSR, and on nationalism, revolutions, empires and theory, he is the author of 10 books of nonfiction, as well as 'Imperial Ends: The Decay, Collapse, and Revival of Empires' and 'Why Empires Reemerge: Imperial Collapse and Imperial Revival in Comparative Perspective.'
L'Orient-Le Jour
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Alexander Sladkovski celebrates Tchaikovsky at Monnot: 'In short, he was a genius'
Who among us does not know Swan Lake, the 1812 Overture, The Nutcracker or Piano Concerto No. 1? Filled with iconic melodies, the works of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky will echo in Beirut on Wednesday, May 7, as the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra performs under the baton of Alexander Sladkovski. The event marks the famed Russian composer's 185th birthday. The concert, held at Saint Joseph Church in Monnot, features Sergei Slovachevsky, principal cellist of the prestigious Mariinsky Theatre and a respected coach and teacher. It is organized under the patronage of Russian Ambassador Alexander Rudakov and Hiba Kawas, interim director of Lebanon's National Higher Conservatory of Music. Sladkovski's early path to greatness Born to a piano teacher, Sladkovski 'spoke music before he spoke words.' At age 13, he met legendary conductor Yuri Temirkanov during an educational program — an encounter that shaped his destiny. Sladkovski earned a gold medal at the Moscow Conservatory and later graduated from the Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, where he launched his career and eventually became chief conductor of the school's opera and ballet theater. He now leads the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra in Kazan, gaining recognition from international labels such as Medici and Mezzo, which have recorded many of his performances. His accolades include the 2016 title of 'People's Artist of the Russian Federation,' 'People's Artist of Tatarstan' in 2020, a win at the III Prokofiev International Competition in 1999, and the International Rachmaninoff Prize in 2019. A date rich in symbolism The May 7 performance pays tribute not only to Tchaikovsky's birth, but also to the historical significance of May 9 — known as Victory Day — which commemorates the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany and the Allied victory in World War II. The Soviet Union, which lost an estimated 20 million people during what it calls the Great Patriotic War, bore a heavy toll. 'What better way to celebrate the battle between good and evil,' said Sladkovski, 'than through the legacy of a Russian and international icon?' The program includes selections such as Slavonic March, Waltz of the Flowers, and the 1812 Overture. The latter, portraying Russia's victory over Napoleon's invading forces, famously opens with the Marseillaise and ends in a thunderous crescendo of cannon fire, timpani and brass. May 7 also carries personal meaning for Sladkovski — it is the birthday of his mother, who first introduced him to music. The program is devoted entirely to the works of Tchaikovsky, whose vast and varied output mirrors the breadth of his homeland. A colossus of Russian music Though best known for his three ballets — Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker — Tchaikovsky's output was enormous. He composed six symphonies, 11 operas (including Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades), four orchestral suites, four string quartets, three piano concertos, dozens of overtures, waltzes, concertos for various instruments, sacred music, romances, and a vast body of chamber and solo piano works. 'All three of his ballets are essential to any company's repertoire,' Sladkovski noted. The Russian Beethoven To Sladkovski, Tchaikovsky is 'a genius — the greatest melodist, a master of structure and polyphony.' He was the first student to earn a gold medal at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory under the mentorship of Anton Rubinstein. Just as German influence shaped Russia's early musical tradition — and French and Italian schools informed its ballet — Tchaikovsky drew on composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Bruckner and Wagner, whose use of thematic melody, or leitmotif, deeply inspired him. 'In symphonic form, he is our Beethoven; in melody, he is our Wagner,' Sladkovski said. Voice of the Russian soul Tchaikovsky's work is marked by emotional depth, narrative strength and rich orchestration. 'He raised the bar when it came to expressing emotions,' Sladkovski told L'Orient-Le Jour. 'He was one of the masters of the Romantic era, after the Germans had dominated the scene.' His music, though molded by Western traditions, draws heavily on Russian folk themes. While not the first to do so — Mikhail Glinka paved the way — Tchaikovsky helped reintroduce Russian folk melodies to domestic and global audiences. His lyrical, passionate and often tragic works helped define what would become known as russkaya dusha — the Russian soul. Because the soul of classical music transcends borders, Sladkovski hopes to build cultural bridges between Russia and Lebanon — specifically between Kazan and Beirut. During his first visit to Lebanon, he invited Kawas to participate in the international music festival he directs in Kazan. 'This is also our mission as musicians,' he said.
