</Ksenia Korobeynikova: In A Perfect World, An Arts PR Specialist Should Be A Journalist, Art Historian And Marketing Specialist>
author: Andrei Savenkov
photos: Lisa Merkulova
Ksenia Korobeynikova is a fine arts expert, a journalist and founder of the Scheme PR agency. Previously well-known only among the contemporary art scene insiders, she rose to mainstream prominence this year as her insights about the Russian art industry are regularly picked up by major media outlets, while she has penned features for almost every respectable newspaper and magazine in Russia.
A.S.: IT MAY SEEM FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT YOUR RECENT MAINSTREAM SUCCESS HAS BEEN OVERNIGHT AND SUDDEN, BUT HOW DID IT REALLY HAPPEN AND WHY DO YOU THINK THE RECOGNITION HAS ARRIVED AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT?
K.K.: It is important to understand what do you mean by recognition. If it means that what I do has become more acclaimed and sought-after, then I cannot fully agree with this statement. I’ve been in journalism for 10 years, in PR — for 5 years. Over this time, I have amassed an array of high-profile interviews, investigative features and experimental formats that have been discussed beyond the Russian art scene. It has always been important for me to be in dialogue with the Western colleagues: galleries, embassies, artists and art fairs. As for the PR cases to which I have contributed, they were with the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, which handpicked me in 2018 as they were familiar with my professional experience.
But if you mean that my body of work has become more visible outside the art scene over the recent months, then I cannot but agree with you. First of all, it worked in my favor that I hold in degree in history, to be precise in history of art, so I know how the events unfold during the war. And how important it is to dry up emotions (but that doesn’t mean losing empathy), to pull yourself together and do what is in your control to change the situation. That’s what I did by taking a clear stance that attentive readers might have grasped. There are a lot of posts on Ukraine, but they are not one-sided, you can find cases of destruction of cultural heritage by both sides of the conflict. Readers thank me for neutrality and objectivity.
It is possible to do this only if you are independent and love freedom, as far as, of course, it is possible in our realities. The fact that even in these difficult times I remain an independent expert appeals to people regardless of whether I give an interview to the state-run news agency RIA Novosti or do an investigation for independent opposition media outlet Meduza (designated as a foreign agent in Russia – ed.).
K.K.: It is important to understand what do you mean by recognition. If it means that what I do has become more acclaimed and sought-after, then I cannot fully agree with this statement. I’ve been in journalism for 10 years, in PR — for 5 years. Over this time, I have amassed an array of high-profile interviews, investigative features and experimental formats that have been discussed beyond the Russian art scene. It has always been important for me to be in dialogue with the Western colleagues: galleries, embassies, artists and art fairs. As for the PR cases to which I have contributed, they were with the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, which handpicked me in 2018 as they were familiar with my professional experience.
But if you mean that my body of work has become more visible outside the art scene over the recent months, then I cannot but agree with you. First of all, it worked in my favor that I hold in degree in history, to be precise in history of art, so I know how the events unfold during the war. And how important it is to dry up emotions (but that doesn’t mean losing empathy), to pull yourself together and do what is in your control to change the situation. That’s what I did by taking a clear stance that attentive readers might have grasped. There are a lot of posts on Ukraine, but they are not one-sided, you can find cases of destruction of cultural heritage by both sides of the conflict. Readers thank me for neutrality and objectivity.
It is possible to do this only if you are independent and love freedom, as far as, of course, it is possible in our realities. The fact that even in these difficult times I remain an independent expert appeals to people regardless of whether I give an interview to the state-run news agency RIA Novosti or do an investigation for independent opposition media outlet Meduza (designated as a foreign agent in Russia – ed.).
Ksenia Korobeynikova walking down Korobeynikov lane (Downtown Moscow), named after her ancestors
A.S.: YOU GREW UP IN A FAMILY THAT HAS MANY INFLUENTIAL FRIENDS IN THE ART AND SHOW BUSINESS. WHAT INFLUENCE HAS IT HAD ON YOUR UPBRINGING AND YOUR CAREER PATH? HOW’D YOU RESPOND TO THOSE WHO MAY TRY TO DIMINISH YOUR SUCCESS AND ATTRIBUTE IT TO YOUR FAMILY CONNECTIONS?
K.K. Allow me to correct you: not showbiz, but just business, even though my parents do have a few friends in the show business. I grew up in a modest family of intellectuals, where almost everyone is connected to history, book publishing industry and culture, so my environment could not have been different. This context has formed me and determined my path in life. There’s no other way if you have been visiting museums and bookshops almost every day since childhood, and later theaters.
K.K. Allow me to correct you: not showbiz, but just business, even though my parents do have a few friends in the show business. I grew up in a modest family of intellectuals, where almost everyone is connected to history, book publishing industry and culture, so my environment could not have been different. This context has formed me and determined my path in life. There’s no other way if you have been visiting museums and bookshops almost every day since childhood, and later theaters.
At the same time, I am not embarrassed at all by the connections, some I inherited from my family, and some I acquired myself thanks to my professional and human merits. My contacts range from museum directors and prominent artists to ministers and diplomats.
Returning to your first question, very few people have experts of such level and resources of such caliber. And the deal is not only about friendship, but loyalty. People share insights with me because they know, that:
A) I have the guts to cover the events that usually are being glossed over, but I understand that doing so is very important for culture to burgeon;
B) I always remain humane and if I understand that my article (text, work, product) will harm someone, then I don’t release it or I make changes to the story;
C) I will never betray my sources. I didn’t give in my sources even when I had lawsuits that I won thanks to being right and having first-class lawyers.
I wouldn’t react to someone putting me down because of my family connections, but I'd recommend to pay attention to the scope of my work, which is not performed by my family. I am grateful to my family for upbringing, housing and education. Everything else is in my hands.
Returning to your first question, very few people have experts of such level and resources of such caliber. And the deal is not only about friendship, but loyalty. People share insights with me because they know, that:
A) I have the guts to cover the events that usually are being glossed over, but I understand that doing so is very important for culture to burgeon;
B) I always remain humane and if I understand that my article (text, work, product) will harm someone, then I don’t release it or I make changes to the story;
C) I will never betray my sources. I didn’t give in my sources even when I had lawsuits that I won thanks to being right and having first-class lawyers.
I wouldn’t react to someone putting me down because of my family connections, but I'd recommend to pay attention to the scope of my work, which is not performed by my family. I am grateful to my family for upbringing, housing and education. Everything else is in my hands.
A.S.: YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR THE GARAGE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART AS A SENIOR PR MANAGER — A COVETED AND PRESTIGIOUS JOB THAT MAY NET A LOT OF USEFUL CONNECTIONS. HOWEVER, MANY FORMER GARAGE EMPLOYEES HAVE RESIGNED IN RECENT YEARS AFTER SUFFERING PROFESSIONAL BURNOUT. AS YOU HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED BURNOUT DURING YOUR TENURE AT GARAGE, WHY DOES IT HAPPEN THAT THE INSTITUTION REGARDED AS THE COUNTRY’S BEST CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM PRACTICALLY DRAINS ITS EMPLOYEES?
K.K. I have recently penned an article about GES-2 House of Culture and talked to at least 10 employees who have left it. The reasons for their resignation on the surface were obvious – burnout or consequences of the February 24. But after talking to them, it turned out that everything was more complex and each one has had their own reasons for leaving or a combination of them.
K.K. I have recently penned an article about GES-2 House of Culture and talked to at least 10 employees who have left it. The reasons for their resignation on the surface were obvious – burnout or consequences of the February 24. But after talking to them, it turned out that everything was more complex and each one has had their own reasons for leaving or a combination of them.
I had to leave Garage primarily because of health reasons that I needed to take care of. But yes, I do know those, who left due to burnout. It happens often, when you believe in what you do, and entirely devote yourself to it, turning a blind eye on long hours and exhaustion, often forgetting about yourself.
That is why my body of work has become more visible over the last year because previously I was illuminating the institution rather than myself. And it was okay under those circumstances and it was my choice.
That is why my body of work has become more visible over the last year because previously I was illuminating the institution rather than myself. And it was okay under those circumstances and it was my choice.
Ksenia at the Schusev State Museum of Architecture's bookshop
A.S.: IN MY PERCEPTION, GOOD ARTS PR SHOULD BE VERY SUBTLE. IT SHOULD WHISPER, BUT NEVER SCREAM. AS YOU HAVE FOUNDED YOUR OWN ARTS PR AGENCY, HOW TO MASTER ONE’S PR SKILLS IN ART AND ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE IN THE RIGHT TONE?
K.K.: In a perfect world, an arts PR specialist should be a journalist, art historian and marketing specialist. In order to successfully promote a project, one needs to thoroughly know it and refrain from trying to alter it in order to turn it into something extraordinary, but instead organically package it, add finishing touches by PR activations.
K.K.: In a perfect world, an arts PR specialist should be a journalist, art historian and marketing specialist. In order to successfully promote a project, one needs to thoroughly know it and refrain from trying to alter it in order to turn it into something extraordinary, but instead organically package it, add finishing touches by PR activations.
For this, you have to determine characteristics, that you will emphasize in positioning, as well as goals and audience. Then come up with the strategy and tactics. And avoid implementing those blindly, but react sharply to interim results and in case of need, change the steps.
Sometimes, you don’t need traditional PR, but an anti-crisis or my favorite preventive PR, when we calculate potential risks in advance and do utmost for them not to happen. Such was the case with the exhibition of Valery Koshlyakov at the Schusev State Museum of Architecture in Moscow. My Scheme agency helps them with PR. This was one of the first Russian projects to open after February 24. We could have faced myriads of various difficulties, but everything went smoothly. The thing is that the museum’s director Elizaveta Likhacheva was the first to have the guts to publicly express her stance and explain why the museum community does not have the right to close down art, especially in such diffucult times, when there is nothing left besides it.
Sometimes, you don’t need traditional PR, but an anti-crisis or my favorite preventive PR, when we calculate potential risks in advance and do utmost for them not to happen. Such was the case with the exhibition of Valery Koshlyakov at the Schusev State Museum of Architecture in Moscow. My Scheme agency helps them with PR. This was one of the first Russian projects to open after February 24. We could have faced myriads of various difficulties, but everything went smoothly. The thing is that the museum’s director Elizaveta Likhacheva was the first to have the guts to publicly express her stance and explain why the museum community does not have the right to close down art, especially in such diffucult times, when there is nothing left besides it.
A.S.: AS AN ART CRITIC AND AUTHOR OF YOUR OWN BLOG, YOU OFTEN HAVE TO BE CRITICAL EVEN OF PEOPLE WHO ARE YOU FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES. THE RUSSIAN CONTEMPORARY ART SCENE IS A VERY SMALL GROUP OF SENSITIVE PEOPLE, WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS EACH OTHER. HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR CRITICIAL EYE AND AT THE SAME TIME STAY ON GOOD TERMS WITH YOUR PEERS?
K.K.: I do not seek that. I do not have such a goal and I do separate private and professional. My circle of friends is narrow and I will not publish something that they would be taken aback by because it’s just unethical. As for the professional contacts, I have a clear stance – if there are violations, people should know about them. I’m convinced that institutional critique and transparency in perspective would benefit cultural processes.
K.K.: I do not seek that. I do not have such a goal and I do separate private and professional. My circle of friends is narrow and I will not publish something that they would be taken aback by because it’s just unethical. As for the professional contacts, I have a clear stance – if there are violations, people should know about them. I’m convinced that institutional critique and transparency in perspective would benefit cultural processes.
A.S.: AS YOU HAVE BEEN A PROLIFIC COLUMNIST, HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED WRITER’S BLOCK AND WHAT’S YOUR RECIPE ON HOW TO OVERCOME IT? WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO BEGINNERS WHO SEEK TO MASTER THEIR WRITING SKILLS?
K.K.: In order to be good at writing, you have to thorougly know the subject you are writing about it and read more fiction by authors who had a clean style. Those are Vladimir Nabokov, Nikolai Leskov and Anton Chekhov ... The list goes on. If you run dry, take a break, recollect yourself and understand what you really want to do in this period of time. Once I exhausted my inspiration, when I was working at a daily newspaper, but quickly recollected my spritis and understood that I cannot exist without writing, this is my physiological need.
A.S.: THE RUSSIAN ART SCENE HAS LARGELY RELIED ON THE SUPPORT OF FOREIGN EMBASSIES, DONORS, INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS AND BRANDS, BUT FOLLOWING ‘THE SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION’, MOST OF THEM HAVE PULLED OUT OF RUSSIA. HOW DO YOU ENVISION THE FUTURE OF THE RUSSIAN ART SCENE AFTER THE FEBRUARY 24 EVENTS?
K.K.: First and foremost, I want the conflict in Ukraine to end and then we will see. It is absolutely unclear how many years or even decades it would take to restore contemporary culture in Russia. Currently it is in complete disarray – some have been fired, others are compeltely exhausted, the third have departed Russia. Some insititutions keep on doing things, but it almost resonates with reality. Speaking of artists, it barely makes sense to create works now, when it is impossible to adequately react to reality. Art is a connection to the world, but now it’s crumbled. I am glad that GES-2 and regional centers of contemporary art continue to do something, they are doing small steps, testing the waters, but they are going somewhere. And it is important when no new institutions are emerging in Russia, while the existing ones are hanging on by a thread.
K.K.: In order to be good at writing, you have to thorougly know the subject you are writing about it and read more fiction by authors who had a clean style. Those are Vladimir Nabokov, Nikolai Leskov and Anton Chekhov ... The list goes on. If you run dry, take a break, recollect yourself and understand what you really want to do in this period of time. Once I exhausted my inspiration, when I was working at a daily newspaper, but quickly recollected my spritis and understood that I cannot exist without writing, this is my physiological need.
A.S.: THE RUSSIAN ART SCENE HAS LARGELY RELIED ON THE SUPPORT OF FOREIGN EMBASSIES, DONORS, INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS AND BRANDS, BUT FOLLOWING ‘THE SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION’, MOST OF THEM HAVE PULLED OUT OF RUSSIA. HOW DO YOU ENVISION THE FUTURE OF THE RUSSIAN ART SCENE AFTER THE FEBRUARY 24 EVENTS?
K.K.: First and foremost, I want the conflict in Ukraine to end and then we will see. It is absolutely unclear how many years or even decades it would take to restore contemporary culture in Russia. Currently it is in complete disarray – some have been fired, others are compeltely exhausted, the third have departed Russia. Some insititutions keep on doing things, but it almost resonates with reality. Speaking of artists, it barely makes sense to create works now, when it is impossible to adequately react to reality. Art is a connection to the world, but now it’s crumbled. I am glad that GES-2 and regional centers of contemporary art continue to do something, they are doing small steps, testing the waters, but they are going somewhere. And it is important when no new institutions are emerging in Russia, while the existing ones are hanging on by a thread.
Ksenia depicted at the exhibition "Domus Maxima" by Valery Koshlyakov,
the Schusev State Museum of Architecture in Moscow
the Schusev State Museum of Architecture in Moscow