© TEXTS-IMAGES-VIDEOS
GROUP SZ – Victor SKERSIS / Vadim ZAKHAROV
The group was founded in 1980. There are two periods: 1980-1984 and throughout 1990. During the first period, the following themes were under development: Functioning in Culture, Activity, Filling the Voids, Simulations in Culture, Phantoms, Symbiosis, Co-authorships, and Bypassings. In 1990, work was based on the Brothers Karamazov by Fedor Dostoevski.
“TAGS”, 1980
“With deep satisfaction, SZ announces that tags such as Ouch! Hey! There! Why? Nut! and others appeard in different places of Moscow
are functioning properly”.
“Logical Organisation of Urination of Dogs”, 1980
“In accordance with the positioning of the stars in the constellation of the Greate Hound, and also in an attempt to bring order to the urinating
activities of dogs, in five points of Moscow, signaling installations were positioned (small rugs that the dog Fedia urinated on). All the signaling installations are functioning properly.”
Installation signaling rags near subway station Kropotkinskaya and near Kievskii Train Station.
Installation signaling rags near the Hotel Leningradskaya. Installation signaling rags near subway station Kolchoznaya. Installation signaling rags on the riverfront near the movie theater Udarnik.
.
“Series Filling the Voids”, 1980
Installation of the information depositories in the form of milk boxes. The top part of the box to conceal letters, the bottom one to feed birds.
a. Beginning of Petrovka Street in the square near the watch shop “Chasy.”
b. Kalininskii Prospect. The square near the music
store “Melodiia.”
c. The square on the intersection of Gorky Street and Stoleshnikov Pereulok, behind the stature of Yuri Dolgoruki.
.
“Series Self Defense Against Things”, 1981-1982
Studying methods of counteractions against objects: Intimidation of an armoir, a table, and
a door. Playing off a chair against a lavatory, caressing the TV set, and libel a refrigerator.
Courses of Self Defense Against Things
(taught by V. Skersis)
“Phantom Series”, 1981-1982
SZ-members invent a number of artists-phantoms, like Katya Shnitzer, Lena Volodina and her brother Igor. The works by those unreal artists has been included into the M.A.N.A. File N˚4 (1982).
All man are - bastards!, 1982
“Action Lieblich, 29.5. 1983
APTART on Plain Air. Kalistovo, near Moscow.”
The performance was a liberal repetition of the action “Lieblich” by the Collective Actions group.
All the participants present were taken for a long walk around the forest. About twenty or so minutes later, the company stopped on a little meadow.
A few minutes later, an alarm clock in V. Zakharov’s pocket rang. At that point, V. Skersis handed the participants little cards on which were written
“You have just participated in the performance of SZ – Lieblich.”