GOVERNMENT CENSORS ARTISTS TO "ENHANCE" THE IMAGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001528

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2019
TAGS: SCUL PHUM PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT CENSORS ARTISTS TO "ENHANCE" THE IMAGE
OF TURKMENISTAN

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia Reed Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d)


1. (C) POLOFF recently spoke with a graphic artist about his
current project illustrating a new edition of poetry by the
classical Turkmen poet Mollanepes. The artist graduated from
Moscow's prestigious Poligraphic Institute during the Soviet
era, and his work has been the subject of numerous awards and
exhibitions. He also designed the first Turkmen banknotes
following independence. The Mollanepes project was organized
by the Ministry of Culture, with the Minister himself
involved in approving the details. The publication date was
initially intended to coincide with Independence Day events
in October and the artist devoted himself entirely to the
project in August in order to complete the illustrations on
time. The illustrations were in color, although much of the
artist's best work is done in black and white, and he is most
comfortable in that medium. He explained that the Ministry
would never accept black and white illustrations, without
further explanation. Following submission of the drawings,
the artist heard nothing more from the Ministry, and the
Independence holiday passed without publication. He was
recently provided with a proof copy of the book, which
included his illustrations. He was told, however, that his
depiction of women, dressed in traditional Turkmen clothing
and in various standing or reclining poses appropriate to the
texts, needed to be changed. The women needed to be shown
with arms gracefully uplifted in the manner of traditional
Turkmen dances.


2. (C) The artist intended to make the requested revisions to
his illustrations, but had not begun because of uncertainty
about how the project would proceed. He recently heard that
the Ministry announced an artists' competition to submit
illustrations for the Mollanepes' poems. Submissions are due
by mid-December. He also heard that the Ministry decided to
change the format and design of the book, after someone had
seen some recent impressive Russian and Iranian publications.
The artist commented that there is no consistency when
working on such projects for the government, and that
decision-makers readily change their minds on a whim at the
last minute. He also subtly expressed scorn that individuals
with no artistic training or background were making decisions
about the artistic merits of work produced by Turkmen artists.


3. (C) A prominent Turkmen writer recounted a similar recent
experience regarding the publication of a short story in a
government-run magazine. This writer is a member of the
older generation among Turkmen writers and was widely
published during the Soviet era. The plot of the story
involved a rural Turkmen elder's reaction to a news report
predicting that a meteor would crash into Earth in 2012. The
word "black," in the title "The Black Stone," was objected to
by an editor, who substituted "mysterious." The opening
scene in the story was also sent back for revision. In the
scene, a woman in a hurry, waiting for a bus that was late,
looked at her watch. This gesture was a cue for one of the
constantly roving private taxis to stop and offer a ride.
This meeting between the woman and the taxi driver was
integral to the plot. The editor objected to the suggestion
that the bus was running late as a negative portrayal of life
in Turkmenistan. The writer was still considering how to
make the requested revision and maintain an authentic plot.


4. (C) COMMENT: Government censorship of all forms of
artistic creativity is prevalent in Turkmenistan, as these
two stories show. It goes beyond political and nationalistic
ideology to include the preferences and whims of the
leadership, as understood by their subordinates. Many older
artists, who receive a pension and do not rely on government
projects for income, still create art according to their own
standards, although only a small circle of friends and
acquaintances ever see it because it won't be approved for
public exhibition. Most younger artists, who need
government-funded projects to make ends meet, have little

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choice but to make art that conforms to government standards,
at the expense of personal expression, creativity and
experimentation. END COMMENT.
CURRAN