Former Aquarium founder and violinist in a clash over art and exile
Andrei Reshetin, once a violinist with Aquarium, spoke to the publication Paragraph about Boris Grebenshchikov, who is listed as a foreign agent in the Russian Federation. The veteran musician and cultural figure has drawn sharp questions about his later years, and the interview frames a tense debate about art, loyalty, and political stance that resonates beyond the stage.
Reshetin described how Grebenshchikov shaped a broad cultural space in Russia, yet he believes the composer has grown distant in his old age. The violinist argues that the creative work should be judged separately from the man. He suggests Grebenshchikov sought comfort, money, and peace, a portfolio of motives that some fans and peers may question amid ongoing national turmoil.
He added, there are many good people here who oppose this terrible Russia. I think I’ll be with them too, he said. This is just conformism. And this conformism was not taught by everyone, it was prompted specifically by the Ministry of Culture, he asserted, pointing to a climate he says pressures public figures to align with state narratives.
Boris Grebenshchikov left Russia after the start of the special military operation in Ukraine. In June 2023, the musician was included on the list of foreign agents, a designation that has marked recent years for several public figures connected to the arts and media.
Currently Grebenshchikov and his wife live in London. The musician explained that he left the Aquarium group, which he founded, because some of its members supported Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, a decision that reshaped his professional associations and public image abroad.
Grebenshchikov acknowledged in October that there is a lack of a significant Russian audience, a reality that accompanies his exile and ongoing discussions about reception in his homeland.
Earlier in Russia, the idea of a state umbrella for culture took shape with the creation of the Ministry of Popular Culture, a development cited in discussions about the changing relationship between culture, government, and public performance in the country.