Golubaya Luna (Blue Moon) — Anton Shebetko

Golubaya Luna (Blue Moon)

2018-2020

video, textile

"Golubaya Luna (Blue Moon)" is a karaoke video of a popular Russian song by pop singers Boris Moiseev and Nikolai Trubach. It is not only one of the most well-known songs from this era, but also the anthem of the queer community during the 1990s and 2000s in some of post-Soviet nations. However, as time went on and social attitudes changed towards queer community, even the song's creators started to reject it.

The karaoke video is primarily made out of found footage of the few early marches for equality that took place in several Ukrainian cities and the attacks on them by right-wing fanatics. In addition to those two, the video has a third protagonist. When it comes to protecting LGBTQIA+ Ukrainians, police forces typically ignore their duties, but in this case, they rise to the occasion and stop any serious incidents. At the same time, the video includes two attacks on Kyiv's famous gay club, Pomada, from 2014; those attackers were never found.

The inclusion of a Russian song highlights the long-term effects of Russia's imperialism, which resulted in a common cultural field with Russia that has existed in independent Ukraine for a very long time. The use of this specific song also highlights how the extreme right-wing elements in Russia and Ukraine share similar ideologies. The project includes two embroidered pieces. One of them depicts the marriage of two guys wearing balaclavas, while the other features the poet Vano Kruger's translation of the song into Ukrainian.

Shown at:
Noch, Odesa, Ukraine
BWA Gallery, Wroclaw, Poland