Archive for 2014
Paintress Victoria Parhomenko. Thousand names of one strong woman.
09 декабря 2014
After TV program «Glory minute» our
country heard about her, she conquered the audience with her pictures
with sand and iron. Talented artist always leaves prints of the nature of strong,
restive woman with fine appreciacion (no matter, if she takes brush, sand, iron
or clay). There might be made films about life path of Victoria, about heroine of
our narrative, but only she knows, what does it mean, when you lose and find
new strength to move forward. On this way she helps others, kids and adults and
she discovers unique talent of the artist in herself.
«My name is Victoria Parhomenko, my mom calls me dear daughter, Viculya, love, baby. My children call me mom. My students call me Victoria Victorovna. There are people that don’t like me and they call me bitch, stinker, anyhow. Someone would call me a star. Someone would call me mediocrity. By my essence isn’t changed because of that. My hair doesn’t get longer because of that, my legs don’t become shorter, my right and left hemispheres don’t switch places. Despite that I have thousand names».
The story of our guest happened 20 years ago. Life path
of Victoria Parhomenko reminds blind walk along impassable ground. Like in medieval
fairy tales, the lady got into boondocks and got lost in the covert and she is
desperately trying to break loose. The fight with fate that lasted many years
finished with the victory of our heroine. But let’s talk about everything in
order.
At the beginning of 2000 misfortunes were flooding the
lady. Fire in her flat, depression, troubles with husband, poverty – during some
years she had to overcome through all these. The most horrible thing that haunted
her was inability to affect the situation. She tried to hide from depression in
her creativity. But troubles didn’t stop haunting her. Endless removals, husband’s
drunkness, disasters, poverty and depression again. She lived for some time in the
Chelyabinsk region, then she moved to Anapa, then from hospital in Anapa she
ran to Kurgan, where her mother lived. There Victoria started to earn some money
for medical treatment of her daughter that was suffering from cerebral palsy.
«Someone should
have fed family. I understood immediately that I wasn’t able to deal with real
estate, as I had to do it before. I used to catch on everything that was possible.
I opened network company and quickly got involved into this area, received about
50 partners at first days. But after some months I understood that I wanted to
do something else».
Then
Victoria saw at first time video about Ilana Yahav, Israeli sand painter. Pieces
of Ilana turned life of Victoria upside down. She was astonished that sand
could be a material for painting! And it doesn’t depend on what you are
painting, it depends on the painter. Victoria set a goal to learn sand painting.
She decided to practice it independently, as tuition was expensive, plus she had had to
leave her kids and move to Peter. She shared her ideas regarding painting with
her family, soon they helped her to make the first table for painting.
«My first table looked like a box or coffin. Its length was 1 meter, depth 65 centimeters. We gathered some sand, fried it and I tried to paint with it at first time».
Long trainings started. Every morning she used to wake
up at six AM and she went to her godson’s place that had the table. Every day Victoria
went 12,5 km to reach her relatives’ place. She got there by foot in order to save
money.
«I used
to draw one hour till the table became hot; my godson shoot it; then we watched
together all that video. Then, in the midnight we went some blocks by foot to
my friend’s place. We always showed her the last videos. She criticized my
work, she told that was horrible and I could do better. At 2-3 o’clock in the
morning I got home, slept a bit and then again went to train».
Victoria realized at her birthday that she was ready
to get to scene and show her art to audience. She managed to rent a space in a
café with big TV, she printed tickets and gathered people.
«It was
difficult to explain what I was going to do. The closest people came to my
first program, about 35 people. That was the scariest audience: my mom, kids and
those, who could say that it was “not my
thing”.
Victoria was presenting her program non-stop. When she
finished, people were crying, gifting flowers, congratulating with happy
birthday and first triumph. But when she went backstage, she cried, as she
understood that all her plans were shattered. She couldn’t earn money via painting
to cure her daughter. Victoria continued what she had started, she tried to
rent new places, she performed with musicians. The amount of audience was increasing. Debut performance
in front of huge hall brought her first 5 000 rubles. TV and mass media
started covering her, she became recognizable…
«Then
suddenly I moved to Anapa, left kids with my mom. I wanted to prove myself that
I would return here as a different person (transformed). When I came here, I
understood that I had to start from scratch here, not even from scratch, but from
minus. I didn’t know anyone here. I started drinking alcohol».
Introduction
with one woman helped Victoria, this woman helped her to settle in Anapa. With
the help of this madam Victoria started arranging concerts again, giving shows
and making living. She learnt how to draw with iron and this art she used when
she got to “Glory minute”. After some time one friend offered Victoria to open
personal studio in Anapa. Victoria agreed, but her partner disappeared after the opening. Victoria relied on her and first 7-8 months were
extremely difficult to handle alone. She had to gather master-classes from internet,
to experiment so that to be able to offer something new for her students.
в студии
Today in the art-studio PROSPERE tens of people are
studying. There are pre-school children, pupils and pensioners, Victoria can teach
anyone. After challenging way towards success our painter changed in a big way her attitude towards art,
creativity and herself.
«I feel
myself Jewish. It comes with ages, when you start feeling your national
identity. I love Hebrew, I get real pleasure when people speak Yiddish. I love Jewish holidays.
Deep down
I feel that I belong to Jewish culture. Moreover, I am a real Jewish mummy. I
am convinced that there are 2 types of kids: strange and genius. I always say
to my kids: “you are the best, you can do more”.
Family traditions of the Moar-Gut hotel (Grossarl, Austria)
25 ноября 2014
Austria is kind of a small quiet world inside the big
world. Local people are surrounded with grand mountains and valleys
and it seems like they are cut off from global problems. From year to year they
carry on their ancient family traditions for their descendants with stability
that is peculiar for Austrian mentality. These people delight foreigners with
their inimitable love of life.
Of course,
we knew that traditions are better saved in small towns and villages. That is
why we tried to communicate with local people. Masters of the Moar-Gut hotel, Nora Kendlbacher and her grandfather Ferdinand Prommegger, became our most
interesting interlocutors in Grossarl. They told us about principles of their family
business, about specific nature of kinder-hotels, about family traditions,
farming and, of course, about Austrian nature.
Nora:
«All started from the farm, which appeared in
our family in 1914. Its territory was rather big and it made its masters to rent
rooms for guests in the middle 60-es. At first the house was small, then
gradually its square got bigger. My parents inherited this farm with the hotel.
They decided to turn it into kinder-hotel. This format means that there is everything
created for the family vacation: here we have kinder theatre, play spaces, swimming
pool and family rooms with double beds and separate rooms for kids. Also we
have a small zoo that doesn’t relate to kinder-hotel, but it can be visited by anyone.
We want to comply with the highest standards. There are
only families among our clients; 60% Germans, 30% Austrians, the rest are from
other countries, including Russia. We cook from local products. Vegetables, meat,
dairy products – these all are local, nothing is imported. I think our food has
a very high quality, it’s very important for us. Apart from that, we are
satisfied with what we have now. For example, we don’t want to expand the number of rooms even, if it gives
more profit, as in this case we will lose our personal approach towards our
guests.
Our family is a great team, we all live with the
hotel, it has become our lifestyle. We have lunch together every day – this is
our principle. Of course, the hotel is big and there might be many issues to
solve, but all family members should have lunch together. My fathers is
authority for us and we all listen to elder people in our family. I think that our
stable and close-knit family is the integral part of our success.
If you have a goal and you know what you want, then
it’s not difficult to do what you do; moreover in the case of family business.
My life path was always clear for me from my childhood, nobody forced me to
deal with the hotel, I decided it myself.
Also it’s very important for me stay with the nature
alone. For example, I love going up to the mountains and looking at the beauty
from there. This is fantastic feeling».
Ferdinand:
«There was a
time when it was difficult to be the resident of Grossarl. There were big families,
the best ones should stay at farms, the others should leave. That time people
had goals, they were stronger and they had more responsibility.
Those, who are living here now, consider themselves patriotic
and genuine Austrians. Religion also affects our lifestyle. We don’t pray every
day, like it used to be in the past, but in autumn we celebrate a special
holiday, when we thank and honor God for everything. There are reputable persons
here, whose opinion is always considered: priests, old teachers, head of
village and big farmers.
At my time of life all farm work was done by hand. Only
after Second World War technique appeared. To my mind, it’s better to do by
hand rather that by machines. Now machines are substituting people. Moreover, people
used to live at costs of their farms, but now many farmers have to work
somewhere else. This is how new ideas (like creating hotels) appear. Then it
all is passed to descendants as it is practiced in our family.
I think, it’s important to be honest with everyone, to
be respected by others. You can’t sell your family house: you can build what you
want but never sell – this is very important. It’s necessary to study, to have
goals, to be proud of what you do and never forget native land and home. Never be
afraid of life. If you are standing on
the land with both of your legs, all fears sooner or later will
disappear».
© gayanat project, 2014
Austrian trip: ICE WORLD OF THE EISRIESENWELT CAVE
18 ноября 2014
The Eisriesenwelt (German for "World of the Ice Giants") is the largest ice cave in the world located in the Austrian town Werfen inside the Hochkogel mountain.
The cave didn't become known for large public at once. At first, it was known among local people that considered the cave as gates into the hell and they prefered to stay away from that. But then, in 1879 it was discovered by the scientist from Salzburg Anton Posselt that published detailed report about his research. But even that time nobobody got interested in the cave. Some more years were spent before Alexander von Mörk,a speleologist from Salzburg, that rememberd about Posselt's discovery, arranged expeditions, starting from 1912. And in 1920 Forscherhütte was built (the first base of explorers), the first routes up the mountain were made.
The Eisriesenwelt cave is located at the height of more that 1.5 km above sea level. Although the cave has a length of 42 km, only the first kilometer ( ice knots - about 30 000 cubic metres) is covered in ice. The rest of the cave is formed of limestone. It is amazing that here are several entrances, that is why the air that circulates inside, always leads to changes of color, structure and shape of the icy brows. Apart from that, elevation changes sometimes reach 1 km and the temperature is always subzero.
Nowadays, the Eisriesenwelt belongs to National Austrian Forest Commission which has leased it to the Salzburg Association of Cave Exploration since 1928. The Forest Commission still receives a percentage of the entrance fees.
If you decide to have a trip into this icy kingdom, don't forget to take warm clothings and comfortable shoes, then you will get twofold pleasant impressions!
Austrian trip: The Ghost mountain
We announce this week AUSTRIAN WEEK. Every day we are going to publish something from our great Austrian trip.
And here we start from photos of “The Ghost mountain” in a small village Alpendorf, which is a world famous center of skiing. Here you can find different hotels, many cafes and bars, fitness centers and skiing schools. But those of you, who are not so keen on sport, will find out that Austrian land is more famous with its nature, fresh air and the feeling of flying. “The Ghost mountain” sets a good example for it.
KAMAL SABRI: CHARISMATIC SOUNDS OF SARANGI.
10 ноября 2014
Indian culture
is amazing and mysterious like people that were creating the country during
many years. This country used to be close-off for Europeans during long period
of time, it used to be magic, like it was created by different sky born
civilization. Today time has changed, now we can explore India, discover it
under global village era. It seems like this country is very familiar. We can hear
its music, its ancient voice sounded by tabla, sitar and veena.
Sarangi is
also the voice in the choir of Indian music culture, which is less well-known
than its legendary brothers. This instrument reminds lute and is used both in
classical and folk Indian music. There is a legend that sarangi is so difficult
to master that only family of the creator was able to play it properly. Kamal Sabri
from India has different opinion.
Kamal
devoted his life to sarangi and teaching this challenging art. He has been our
guest in Russia and has told us about his dream: the musician wants the sound
of his country, the sound of his favorite instrument to be known and loved by
the whole world. Kamal Sabri: about music, God, dreams, talented prisoners and
about ways of soul-curing.
GN: Please,
tell us about yourself. We would like to hear from you your story of music.
KAMAL: My
name is Kamal Sabri and I play sarangi. My father, sarangi legend, Ustad Sabri
Khan, taught me the art of this instrument. I began first lesson of my life on sarangi,
when I was 5; at the age of 13 I went to Europe tour with my father. My first
concert was in Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. It was a great concert, I was
highly acclaimed by the audience. Till that moment I had not been serious about
this art, I always wanted to be a cricketer, as cricket is the most popular
game in India. But destiny brought me to England where I used to live for a
long time. I travelled over the world, often performed and became famous
sarangi musician. I represented India abroad at many festivals. I collaborated
with world famous musicians and even with rock-musicians; it was interesting to
play especially with the Polish musician. And today I am performing in Moscow,
it is so wonderful here. This is my first visit to Russia. I heard from father about
Moscow audience, he has been here many times. From the childhood I was dreaming
to visit the church on the Red Square (perhaps, it is meant to be the Cathedral
of Vasily the Blessed) and, finally, my dream became true, as before I had seen
this church only in pictures.
GN: Nevertheless,
were you forced to become a musician or that was a free choice?
KAMAL: Somehow
it was my choice. At first, it was a force, but then it turned into my choice. I
was the child in our family that had to carry on family music traditions. My
father chose me and I think it is a real fortune. I never realized how
important that was, to play sarangi, as I was addicted with cricket. Sarangi is
one of the most difficult instruments of Indian classical music. You need a lot
of efforts to master this art, it even might be boring sometimes. When I was a
kid, I never used to sit. My father and brother made me to practice music at
nights so that the quality of my music would evolve more and more. When you are
a son of a legend, people’s expectations are too high. You cannot be a musician
at a medium level, you have to be the best.
GN: Are you
perfectionist?
KAMAL: Yes,
I have always been perfectionist, because I have this burden on my shoulder. I
like perfection in everything. This is how I became a sarangi player and I am
sharing my art wherever I go.
GN: You
mentioned that the public reaction affected you a lot. Does it mean that after
the concert you got to understanding more that it is your life path? The
audience was impressed by your performance.
KAMAL: Yes, when
the audience accepted me, then it gave me more motivation to practice more. Applause,
praise and acceptance by the audience –
at that moment I started realizing how young I was to play sarangi. Performing
at the age of 10 is not an easy thing. I was lucky to have the father who could
teach me all nuances of sarangi art. At the age of 9 I performed on Indian TV and
was very happy about that.
KAMAL:
When I was a kid, I dreamt about being like him. He was very critical, never
praised me, always told me to move forward. I still think that I have to learn
a lot in life, that my life is too short to achieve my father’s level. The only
thing that I can is to do all in my own pace, in my own angle, in my own style.
I can’t compete and be compared with my father. Moreover, he has a different
style, he started in a different time. I am living in different time. He is
always supporting me and teaching. I am glad that my performances are loved by
people and critics.
GN:
The audience is very important for you, it is a motivation. How does the audience
differ in different countries?
KAMAL:
I have noticed that Indian classical music is loved everywhere. I was in
England, Germany and other countries – everywhere my performance and my
instrument was loved by people. Here, in Moscow, I am very happy also. It
seemed to me like people really understand Indian classical music.
GN:
Apart from music, what hobbies do you have?
KAMAL:
I practice sport, I like reading about successful musicians and persons, about
their success stories and life. I love historical places in different
countries, I love teaching music for children, who don’t have opportunity to
receive a proper education. I go to wiped out regions of India and play music
there. I also taught imprisoned people in the Tihar Jail and, you know, there
are quite successful musicians. This is one of the biggest jails in Asia.
Indian government gave the task to teach classical music there and I use and
bring into the world the talent of imprisoned people. We even issued a disk
named «Sarangi redefined».
GN:
You mentioned about your interest in history of successful people. What is success
for you? How do you understand it?
KAMAL:
For me success is capability to heal people with music. When people come after
my concerts, hug me, kiss me, touch me, feel emotions from my music – this is
my success that means I can heal the audience with music, I can heal their
wounds. When their problems disappear and they tell me: “This is the music we
want to listen to».
GN:
That is impressive… So, you have the critical father, you are perfectionist
and, simultaneously, you are always satisfied with the audience. Does it mean that
you have some kind of balance in your personality?
KAMAL:
I achieve the balance through spirituality. Without spirituality it is
difficult to find any balance. I have been doing muslim rituals from my childhood,
as I was born in a muslim family. I believe in God and I always say: whatever
you do, don’t forget the power of God behind you, be connected with him. Your
problems will be solved, they will get into the right track. This is how I find
balance.
GN:
For example, Moscow residents have problems with finding their path. What can you
advise them?
KAMAL:
I am not God that I should tell them what to do. I can tell only how I do and
how I have found my path. Whatever we do, we should leave it on God and we
should be with him. Stay alone, do meditation, share your thoughts with God. He
is your maestro, you are his servant. He loves you more than seventy mothers: if
one mother loves you like one mother, he loves you more than seventy mothers. If
you make 2 steps, He will come to you 10 steps. We should always be connected
with God and do meditations. I am sure that you will find God. This is how I do.
GN:
You were grown up in a traditional family. How does it affect your perception? Do
you separate people, life, how do you perceive the world? Is it black and white
or it’s integral?
KAMAL:
Somewhere it is black and white, it is some mixture of everything. When I feel
it is not understandable, I leave it on God. Let him decide. I love to do
everything properly. When I am sad, I talk to God – only God can solve
problems.
GN:
Do you prefer to avoid giving opinion, not putting any labels?
KAMAL:
We are no one to judge. First of all we should work on ourselves, we should
correct ourselves, only then we can give recommendations to people. I am not
saying that you need to do something particular, but I know only one thing: when
you communicate with God, 100% you problem will be solved.
GN:
So, you were forced to do music, when you were a child…
KAMAL:
Oh, yes. I was a terrible fidget. I loved cricket.
GN:
But sarangi is such a difficult instrument, it requires a lot of patience.
KAMAL:
Yes, here you need a lot of concentration. I was forced to sit and I was said
that I couldn’t get out during 3 hours. I was even punished and beaten.
GN:
Will you force your children?
KAMAL:
Never. Life has changed now. I can’t. I will let them do what they choose. They
should be successful and good human being. And let me tell: music makes you a
great person. People don’t appreciate music, but it makes you better and you
get to know yourself better. It is a spiritual music.
GN:
You teach music to different people. How do you think, if a person should be
born a musician or this art can be mastered and achieved?
KAMAL:
I think some people are born with it and others achieve it, no problems. There
are great maestros, who are not from musical families. Everything is possible,
with the help of hard work. In Urdu we say there has to be a trinity. First: your
teacher should be integral and complete in all senses. Second: a student should
follow the way of the teacher. Third: God’s grace should be there. So, if these
three things are there, nobody can stop you. And you also should have right
guide in your life.
GN:
Do you have non-Indian students?
KAMAL:
There are many students. There are from Finland, Denmark, Norway. By the way,
today I have forgotten my sarangi and I played Sasha’s sarangi. That was fantastic.
We found a very spiritual bone between us today (Sasha is a sarangi student). My
instrument got broken and he brought his. I felt connection with his sarangi at
once. I tuned it, according to my way, and played it today.
GN:
Sound was fantastic.
KAMAL:
That was an interesting experience for me, people even didn’t doubt that it
wasn’t mine.
GN:
Is that true that Indian guru shares people into Indians and non-Indians, and
only Indians can achieve this art?
KAMAL:
No, this kind of separation doesn’t exist anymore. We work with everyone. Once
you become our student, you become our child that we should take care of.
Father should take care of his child – the same thing is here. No difference at
all.
GN:
We bring up this issue, as for a long time, for example, tabla used to de
unavailable instrument and it was forbidden to give the secrets of tabla
playing outside the family …
KAMAL:
Now it’s not like this, life has changed. Tabla is the most popular Indian
instrument in the world, like sitar. My purpose is to make sarangi popular as well.
GN:
Why do you think that sarangi is not highlighted enough, like those two instruments?
KAMAL:
Because sarangi musicians weren’t “extraverted”, they didn’t, they didn’t try
to bring it outside India. They were restraint, they used to sit in a corner, they
played, musicians didn’t communicate with anybody, they got less money. But job
of sarangi player is much more difficult that job of vocalist. Musician expresses your style of singing through sarangi, he copies you, he is
not playing in his own style. This is very challenging. He gets less money. To
gain experience and understanding I also used to work in this way. After that I
realized that I should make my instrument world famous. In 2006 I released the
album named «Dance of the desert». This albom was presented for Grammy in the
US Music Academy. Through that effort sarangi became world famous instrument.
GN:
Are you happy with your life?
KAMAL:
Yes, I am very happy. I want to create more, to cure with music more, to work
more till the last breath. I think, I was sent by God to cure, to combine via
music and to bright peace.
© GAYANAT project, 2014