Venezuela's Museums Making Hard Choices

Venezuela's museums are struggling to stay open and to maintain the works in their care. Spiralling hyperinflation and constant power outages mean hard choices about the buildings and the treasures within them. 

Mary Triny Mena reports  from Caracas.

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VO #1: The grand museums of central Caracas --- once a focal point for tourists and residents. It's where art lovers could see up close the works of masters as diverse as Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon and Henry Moore….

VO #2: And where Venezuela proudly presented the works of home-grown artists like master of light Armando Reverón and kinetic artist Carlos Cruz-Diez.

VO #3: Now, these museums are suffering from the country-wide economic downturn. Constant power outages make the temperature and humidity impossible to control. Air conditioners break down and spare parts can't be found.

Art Conservator Miguel Angel Garcia explains:  

SOT: Miguel Angel Garcia, Art Restorer 

"In Venezuela, the first thing you feel when entering a museum is heat. The lights are not the most suitable. People can touch the art pieces and there is no one who stops them. Thousands of art pieces in Venezuelan museums are dying."

VO #4: Taking care of artwork so it can be seen by generations to come is often the work of highly-skilled professionals. And millions of skilled Venezuelan workers have left the country.

Museologist Luis Chacin says the Caracas museums feel their absence. 

SOT: Luis Chacín, Museologist 

"Most of the personnel at the museums have left. Some pieces have already been destroyed due to poor care, and without qualified art professionals, many more are at risk."

VO #5: Four major art museums line one square in central Caracas. Many local visitors say they can't be concerned about art when they are worried about putting food on the table every day. 

Pensioner Maria Cols says art is one thing she's had to give up.  

SOT: Maria Cols, Pensioner 

"Our lives are destroyed by the economic crisis. I'm no longer eager to visit museums, because I have to line up to buy food. It is what it is."

VO #6: For others like Luis Vendarien, the art in these museums represents an escape from harsh reality.

SOT: Luis Vendarien, Pensioner 

"Museums are wonderful places to be. I'll continue visiting them for years to come."

VO #7: These museums charge no entry fee, and there are no plans to change that.

 More than 25-thousand pieces of art are kept in Caracas'  museums ---- and most of them are under government administration. Because of hyperinflation a year's operating budget lasts just a few weeks.

VO #8: Many exhibition rooms are now closed, and many pieces have been taken off display, and put in storage, where it's less expensive to control temperature and humidity….

VO #9: And  they're out of sight for now, as Venezuela makes difficult decisions about safeguarding its cultural heritage. Mary Triny Mena, Caracas. 

PKG: Scientists emerge from space isolation experiment

Six scientists have emerged from a four-month isolation experiment simulating a mission to the moon.

The Russian and American volunteers were housed in a series of capsules in a research facility in Moscow.

The project - run by the Russian and US Space agencies - conducted psychological and physiological research on the team.

Harry Horton reports from Moscow.

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I'm at the wonderfully named institute of biomedical problems of the Russian Academy of Science where six scientists - three women, three men, are about to emerge from 120 days in isolation. They've had limited communication with the outside world and have been sealed off in their own atmosphere.

Their mission has been designed to mimic a spaceflight, and they've been housed in a series of interconnected space station like modules.

Over the past four months they've taken part in more than 70 experiments. One of the most spectacular was a simulated moon walk where the crew wore virtual reality glasses and space suits.

Here's one of the program managers, William Paloski from NASA

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Exactly 120 days after entering the facility, it was time for the crew to emerge.

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The scientists have just been asked what they missed the most while they were inside - one of them has said steak, another's said pizza. I think we can assume space food isn't the best.

Reinhold Povilaitis is one of the American scientists who's been locked away.

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This mission comes at a time of rising tensions between Russia and the US. But on a scientific front, the two countries still work closely.

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Next year this facility will host an eight month isolation experiment. Eventually, scientists hope they could last as long as five years.

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TENSIONS WITH RUSSIA THREATEN GEORGIA'S ECONOMY

Georgian restaurants are popular among Russians for their delicious food and wine. But that could change as Russia's consumer watchdog plans to restrict imports of Georgian wine. It comes on the heels of a flight ban implemented after anti-Russia protests in Tbilisi. Ross Cullen has more from Moscow.

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With its snow-capped peaks, rolling fields and delicious food,

 

Georgia attracted eight million tourists last year.

More than a fifth came from neighbouring Russia.

But that's about to change.

 

The capital Tbilisi has been rocked by anti-Russian protests in recent weeks.

They began when a Russian MP addressed the Georgian parliament.

 

The image of Sergei Gavrilov sitting in the speaker's chair and speaking Russian angered many Georgians.

 

He says the relationship between the two has deteriorated, blaming Georgia for the rift.

 

Sergei Gavrilov, Russian MP

"I think that relations have been frozen quite seriously, especially in tourism. We hope that Georgian leadership will show their commitment to international obligations and international law, and will embark on a course to restore guarantees for all visitors. But I don't think it will happen in the near future."

 

In response to the protests, Russian President Vladimir Putin banned flights between the two countries.

And the impact on Georgia's economy could be significant.

 

1 point 4 million Russians visited the country in 2018 but now with the flight ban Georgia is expected to lose out on more than 700 million dollars in tourism revenue, as the number of Russian visitors drops. 

Russia's consumer watchdog also plans to restrict imports of Georgian wine…accusing brands of a drop in quality.

 

The Kremlin says any clampdown on Georgian wine is not linked to the current political climate.

But Russia is the number-one destination for Georgian wine and so there will be painful results for vineyards, as wine expert Vasily Raskov explains.

 

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Vasily Raskov, Wine Connoisseur

"The Georgian economy is very sensitive in this sector - wine is a very big part of their exports. For Russians it will be more of an inconvenience. Consumers will be upset in the shops, their favourite wine may disappear, and of course in Georgian restaurants in Russia the variety of wines will drop"

Russia and Georgia have had a strained relationship for many years, even going to war in 2008.

This may be just the latest standoff of many, but its economic impact could be felt for years to come.

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Orthodox Church plans to create 'Russian Vatican'

On average, three new churches are opening in Russia every day as the influence of Orthodox Christianity in the country grows.

Church leaders hope to transform one small town north of Moscow into a 'Russian Vatican' - at a time when President Putin is embracing the Church.

Harry Horton reports.

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With its golden domes and towering white walls, the Trinity Lavra of Saint Sergius monastery is the spiritual home of orthodox Russian christianity.

Millions of tourists snake their way inside the complex each year - but the monastery could soon engulf much of the surrounding town of Sergiev Posad.

The town's mayor and church officials want to spend 2.2 billion dollars on restructuring the area into the heart of Russia's orthodox church.

But locals we spoke to are divided on the ambitious plan.

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"God is with us, God is everywhere. We're all for it. Let the money come, it's not that much money. And it's worth it."
"We have many needy people that they could give that money to, or build good roads, or homes like the ones we used to get for free. They could spend money on that. I don't think that it's a great idea by our government."

The Kremlin will provide at least ninety percent of the funding for this project. With increasing support from the state, Russia's orthodox church has rarely had such a bright future. But there are politics at play here too. A strong church supports a strong Russian state. And that's all good news for President Vladimir Putin.

When Pope Francis welcomed President Putin to the Vatican earlier this month, it was seen as a clash of cultures.

While Pope Francis has embraced liberalism, Russia's President has championed the social conservatism of the orthodox church to help solidify his support base.

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Back in Sergiev Posad, local blogger Andrey Trofimov shows us where an influx of cash could be used to repair old buildings and fix damaged roads.

He supports the monastery project, but says it's a clear sign of Putin's close ties to the church.

<<TAKE SOT: Andrey Trofimov, Blogger>>
'I think they have mutually beneficial relationship, because the church fully supports the politics of government and promotes humility and obedience to Vladimir Putin's regime."

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Under the old soviet union religion was all but eliminated in Russia. But today the orthodox church is extending its power across the country - and perhaps the President's too.

Harry Horton, Sergiev Posad, Russia.