Russian minister sued for attack on `Kissing Policemen` exhibit
The director of Russia`s Tretyakov Gallery said Wednesday he is suing the culture minister over his remarks attacking an exhibit that featured a photo of two policemen kissing.
Culture Minister Alexander Sokolov is accused of publicly offending the Tretyakov Gallery when he lashed out at the Sots-Art exhibit currently showing in Paris, describing it as "pornographic" and corrupt.
"The minister has offended the Tretyakov Gallery when he notably accused us of corruption," Valentin Rodionov told AFP. "On Monday, I filed suit against him."
Last month, Sokolov said the exhibit was a "disgrace to Russia" and singled out the photo of the two uniformed policemen locked in a passionate kiss as an example of pornographic material.
The minister then banned the photo, entitled "Kissing Policemen", from being included in an exhibition in Paris` La Maison Rouge which is running until January 20.
Sokolov also said the Tretyakov Gallery had entered into a deal with private galleries to include works from their collections in the exhibit so as to fetch a higher price for them.
"This is nothing less than corruption," the minister had said.
The Sots-Art exhibit comprised some 160 works from the clandestine movement that began in the 1970s, when Russia was under Soviet rule.
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