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The daughter of the chess king and Marina Neyolova charmed the director of the London Gallery
The daughter of the chess king and Marina Neyolova charmed the director of the London Gallery
The 13th world chess champion Garry Kasparov recently had a son. It is probably not by chance that the boy was named in the American manner - Nicholas. Three years ago, Garry Kimovich, having finally chosen the profession of a political prostitute, left Russia and settled in the United States.
Kasparov bought a three-bedroom apartment in Manhattan in New York with an area of 160 sq. m. For this family nest, where his young wife lives Daria Tarasova, their 9-year-old daughter Aida and himself a chess player, the fugitive laid out $ 3.4 million. Now we have to make room a little - there are four of them.
The 52-year-old ex-world champion knows a lot about female beauty. Daria is 20 years younger than him, and some Americans, seeing them together, mistakenly think that she is his daughter. When the romance between Kasparov and Tarasova, a student at the St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions, was in full swing, Dasha was once asked who she was to the great chess player. The spectacular brunette, without batting an eyelid, replied: "I am his wife." Although Kasparov at that moment was married to a completely different young lady - Julia Vovk! But Tarasova achieved her goal. In 2006, she really married a chess genius.
As a student, Daria practiced in Washington DC under a program supported by the US government. She opened her own store in St. Petersburg, and Valery Leontiev even dedicated one of his songs to her. In general, this lady also knew her worth.
About the romance of young Kasparov with a wonderful actress Marina Neelova gossiped all theatrical Moscow. When they met, Marina was 37 years old, and Garik was 21. He then lived in Baku and visited Moscow only on short visits. Neelova received a young lover in her apartment on Chistye Prudy. But in the light they have repeatedly appeared together. When in 1984 Kasparov first met in a world title match with Anatoly Karpov, Neelova was sitting in the hall next to the mother of the chess player. But it was Klara Shagenovna who separated them. First she told her son:
You need to focus on chess. And if you want to marry an actress, it's better to marry an entire factory hostel at once. She will infect you with a bad disease!
When Neelova became pregnant, Klara Shagenovna inspired her son that bastard may have a negative impact on sports career. Ambitious Harry, who had already won the world title, did not object. His mother told the press: "This is not our child." As if hinting at the fact that Neelova was dating another man in parallel. The proud actress did not utter a word then. But the daughter Nika, whom she gave birth to, turned out to be like two drops of water similar to Kasparov. Neelova's colleagues at the Sovremennik Theater were outraged by the act of the grandmaster, and Valentin Gaft publicly stated:
Kasparov is not worthy to be received in a decent house.
Now Nick is 28 years old. She went to first grade in Paris. When she grew up, she became a sculptor, graduating from the Royal Academy of Arts in the Netherlands. Later, Nika continued her studies in England, and in 2010 she became the winner of the New Sensations competition, which was held by the Saatchi Gallery in London. Her father was replaced by the current husband of Neelova - a Russian diplomat Kirill Gevorgyan. It was thanks to her stepfather that Nika, at school age, visited different countries and learned a few foreign languages. Neelova's daughter, a burning brunette, looks very attractive, although she says that she never considered herself a beauty.
I have a young man, we live together in London, - Nika admitted several years ago. - He's Italian, he also works here. Not an artist or a sculptor. Maybe it's for the best - the two of us are not bored.
However, Nika did not dare to introduce the same Italian to the public. Later, he left for his homeland, and the couple broke up. Meanwhile, Neelova Jr. literally charmed the director of the London gallery "Charlie Smith" Xavier Ellis. At first, using wide connections, he helped Nika to show his work in the capital of England, then in Berlin, Amsterdam and other European cities. Outwardly, everything looked quite ordinary: the patron of art helps the young talent pave the way to success. But when the exhibition at London's Somerset House, where the works of leading British artists and sculptors were shown, suddenly turned out to be the creations of Nika Neelova, the only foreigner, many had a question: why would it? Undoubtedly, she has talent, but without high patronage you will not get into the cohort of the elite so quickly. This vernissage, by the way, was supervised by Xavier.
Ellis' former favorite understood everything - Tessa Farmer. The woman gave the ex-boyfriend a scandal:
What is it about this Russian? Her work is completely ordinary. You are driven by personal sympathy.
Tessa insistently asked Xavier to forget about the Russian sculptor for the good of the cause. But he did not listen and began to lose his head more and more from the new favorite. Now Nika is seen with the gallery director not only at exhibitions and museums. Ellis takes her on trips, they dine together in restaurants, walk around the city.
According to our information, Nika Neelova was once offered a job in Moscow - she did not want to. Mom called her daughter to Paris, where she lives in last years and received a polite refusal. And when Nika asks Ellis for something (or vice versa), there are no refusals.
Nika prefers not to talk about Kasparov. She, like her mother, deleted him from her life.
Took the girl away from Short
In 86, friends introduced Harry to a pretty blonde Maria Arapova. A graduate of the Faculty of Philology of Moscow State University, she worked as a translator at Intourist. It is curious that her dad was well acquainted with Karpov - the 12th world champion and Kasparov's sworn rival, but Klara Shagenovna found out about this too late. Otherwise, perhaps she would not have given her blessing for the marriage. Three years after the wedding, Maria gave her husband a daughter, who was named Polina. Arapova decided to give birth in Finland, where her parents lived at that time. But Kasparov stayed in Moscow with his mother. They say that Klara Shagenovna was seriously offended by her daughter-in-law. When Harry was about to buy a new home for the family in the center of Moscow, Masha cautiously offered to resettle her mother-in-law - to buy her an apartment in the house next door. The imperious Klara Shagenovna, accustomed to living with her son under the same roof, could not endure such deceit.
Kasparov's wife and her daughter spent several months in Finland, but Harry rarely visited them. And then he went to London for a match for the chess crown with an Englishman Nigel Short. The duel lasted for two whole months, but Maria did not appear in London. It became clear that the couple cooled off towards each other. And it soon became clear that Kasparov had dealt Short Double punch: won a match against him and stole a girl from Nigel - a chess player Virginia More. The relationship with this young Frenchwoman lasted two years.
Maria Arapova did not remain silent. In one of the interviews she said:
Perhaps something has changed with Harry personally. Returning from London, he declared that he was ripe for a divorce. I tried to talk to him, but he doesn't want to come back... They put pressure on me. If I do not agree to his terms, then I will be deprived of a credit card. He fights with us as with his chess players or political opponents. But we are talking just about a woman with your own child. I'm disappointed in Harry. God be his judge.
It got to the point that the spouses began to communicate only through lawyers. The divorce and division of property dragged on for a year and a half. As a result, Maria and her daughter left for permanent residence in the United States - Kasparov bought them an apartment in New Jersey. By court decision, he received the right to annually take the child to him for two months. But ex-wife never let Polina go to her father. However, when the passions subsided and the girl grew up, normal communication improved. Polina did not inherit a love for chess from her father, but she did gymnastics for several years. Now that Harry Kimovich lives in New York, he is able to see his daughter much more often.
Kasparov and Arapova had family secret which they kept hidden for a long time. The fact is that first Mary gave birth to her husband's son. But the boy was barely saved, and a few days later he still died. Harry took this as a bad sign. Even then, he slowly began to move away from Mary.
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In the 95th at the Memorial Mikhail Tal in Riga, Kasparov drew attention to the slender and sexy beauty Yulia Vovk. A classmate invited her to a banquet on the occasion of the closing of the tournament, and, as it turned out, the girl did not come there in vain. An affair immediately broke out between the 32-year-old "king of chess" and the 18-year-old student. Many of Kasparov's colleagues believed that this relationship would last five or six months. Well, at least a year. And they were wrong. Julia managed to please not only Harry, but, most importantly, his mother. Klara Shagenovna gave the green light to the wedding.
When Julia was in her seventh month of pregnancy, a very unpleasant incident occurred. Harry and his young wife were kayaking in the Adriatic Sea. Suddenly the wind blew, a lot of water got into the kayak, and it turned over. All this happened not far from a small island - the stunned spouses managed to swim to it. Fortunately, the chief pilot was not far from the disaster site. Boris Yeltsin and commander of the 235th government detachment Alexander Larin. He brought the married couple from that island.
Despite the shock, Julia gave birth healthy child. Note that Klara Shagenovna was present at the birth, but Harry was not there. But his son Vadim Kasparov, of course, loves. For example, when the boy was five years old, dad, as promised, took him to Paris, to Eurodisneyland. Vadik was in seventh heaven with happiness. In 2004, having become the champion of Russia, Kasparov, after the award, took off the gold medal and hung it around the neck of his eight-year-old son. It was very important for the famous chess player that his son was proud of him.
Alas, a year later, Kasparov's second marriage fell apart. His ex-wife Julia still lives in Riga, and Vadim has already grown to be two meters tall and now weighs 120 kilograms. To the disappointment of his father, the son is absolutely indifferent to chess, but he plays iron with pleasure. Vadim became a weightlifter and participated in the Latvian Deadlift Championship. When in 2007 his father was arrested in Moscow (Kasparov organized an unauthorized procession of Russophobes), the guy was in shock. And Harry Kimovich himself did not believe that he would be sent to prison.
They gave me five days, although they could have rolled in 15, - then the chess player, who had become an enemy of the people, whined. - Decided to study. I was placed in a cell for three: three beds screwed to the floor, the passage between them was literally a meter. But there were also concessions. For example, I could walk as much as I wanted, but only in a cage about three meters by five, on the top floor. Lights were not turned on at six in the morning. I managed to take a bar of chocolate and a bottle of water with me (they let me into the cell with this!). I figured out how long such a supply would last for me - I refused the prison gruel. However, five days without food can be sustained.
Apparently, after this incident, Kasparov decided to flee to the West. He tried to obtain Latvian citizenship, but was refused. But the Croats went forward. But Harry Kimovich prefers to live in the USA. He once admitted that he sometimes plays chess on the Internet under a pseudonym. And he feels great pleasure when virtual rivals are amazed at the quality of his game. In general, the rogue likes America much more than Russia, and work for the benefit of the United States is paid very generously. In his own words, Kasparov is now publishing books, giving lectures in various cities of America and abroad, earning quite well - almost the same as it was during his sports career. But he does not serve the country that raised him and glorified him throughout the world. With Russia, Kasparov was not on the way.And there was another case
* Garry Kasparov really liked the famous German figure skater Katharina Witt. Once he managed to meet her in Germany, and mutual sympathy had already arisen between the young people. However, the mother of the Olympic champion, seeing a guy with a Caucasian appearance, categorically told her daughter: “We don’t need such people!” Harry was hurt and offended.
December 17, 2015, 17:59About the romance of young Kasparov with a wonderful actress Marina Neelova gossiped all theatrical Moscow. When they met, Marina was 37 years old, and Garik was 21.
In 1984, Kasparov met actress Marina Neelova. He was 21 years old, and he was the youngest contender for the title of world champion in the history of chess.
“Our close communication with Marina Neelova lasted more than two years. She was 16 years older than me, like all my then girlfriends. Partly because I grew up so fast. But much more due to the fact that the same age, as a rule, sought to get married as soon as possible. Of course, I could not even think about this, as I was preparing for my first match for the world championship. Everything - my health, my training, my aspirations - was subordinated to this goal. On the other hand, I was a normal young man with normal needs and desires. Not a monk at all.
She and I had many common friends among writers and artists. She is a very extraordinary woman. It is quite possible that our union was also based on a sense of our exclusivity. (From Garry Kasparov's book "Child of Change")
He then lived in Baku and visited Moscow only on short visits. Neelova received a young lover in her apartment on Chistye Prudy. But in the light they have repeatedly appeared together. When in 1984 Kasparov first met in a world title match with Anatoly Karpov, Neelova was sitting in the hall next to the mother of the chess player.
The actress supported Kasparov at a difficult time for him. In the match for the world title with Anatoly Karpov, he first lost. Yes, even with a score of 0:5! Harry was even nicknamed the long-playing player. At matches, Neelova sat next to Klara Shagenovna. “Two mothers,” they said about them. 
“At the end of January 1985, with the score 5:2, Karpov and I were even driven out of the Hall of Columns in the House of the Unions. Because Karpov, despite his assurances that he was about to press me, could not win, and here the members of the Politburo were dying one by one, and for the farewell ceremonies it was necessary to vacate the territory. Then Karpov handed over the third game, and the question was not even that he was physically exhausted and could not continue to play ... He became psychologically uncomfortable - he was just scared, and most importantly, those who were behind him frightened.
But it was Klara Shagenovna who separated them.
First she told her son:
- You need to focus on chess. And if you want to marry an actress, it's better to marry an entire factory hostel at once. She will infect you with a bad disease!
When Neelova became pregnant, Klara Shagenovna inspired her son that an illegitimate child could negatively affect his sports career. Ambitious Harry, who had already won the world title, did not object. His mother told the press: "This is not our child." As if hinting at the fact that Neelova was dating another man in parallel. The proud actress did not utter a word then. But the daughter Nika, whom she gave birth to, turned out to be like two drops of water similar to Kasparov. Neelova's colleagues at the Sovremennik Theater were outraged by the act of the grandmaster, and Valentin Gaft publicly stated:
- Kasparov is not worthy to be received in a decent house.
“I almost stopped seeing Marina. Parting became inevitable. Therefore, I was completely sure that the child she was carrying could not be mine. Each of us already had a separate personal life. I tried to put it all out of my head and focused on chess."(From Garry Kasparov's book "Child of Change")
In 1987, Marina Neelova's daughter, Nika, was born, like two peas in a pod, similar to Garry Kasparov.
Now Nick is 28 years old. She went to first grade in Paris. Her father was replaced by the current husband of Neelova - a Russian diplomat Kirill Gevorgyan. It was thanks to her stepfather that Nika visited different countries at school age and learned several foreign languages. Neelova's daughter, a burning brunette, looks very attractive, although she says that she never considered herself a beauty.
Nika studied at the courses of the chief artist of the Moscow Lenkom Theater Oleg Sheintsis. In 2008 she graduated from the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague. She studied abroad, or rather in the Netherlands, where her father, Kirill Gevorkyan, was appointed ambassador of the Russian Federation several years ago.
It is known that she is not a fan of public life and has incredible abilities in learning foreign languages. In the Netherlands, she graduated from the academy, her second education, artistic, was already in London, at the design school.
In 2010 she graduated from the School of Art at University College London. Participated in several collective exhibitions, mainly in the Netherlands. In 2010, Nika, with her installation Principles of Obedience, became the winner of the New Sensations competition held by London's Saatchi Gallery. According to the conditions of this prestigious competition, all graduates of the country's art universities are allowed to participate. But from the numerous applicants at its first stage, 20 of the best are selected, whose works are exhibited at the art fair in London. And only four winners receive a grant to create new projects. After the victory, she received many interesting offers, she had a solo exhibition in London.
Her work has also been shown at exhibitions in Basel, Switzerland, Paris, Lithuania and Germany. "Principles of Obedience" and another work were purchased for the Saatchi Gallery. And the rest went to private collections.
However, this is just a statement of fact. Prima "Sovremennik" does not talk about those whom he loves or loved. Nothing. Neither about the first marriage with the actor of the Taganka Theater Anatoly Vasiliev, nor about the stormy romance with grandmaster Garry Kasparov. These facts were made public by the former companions of the actress ... For many years she has been happy in her second marriage. Her husband is diplomat Kirill Gevorgyan. Daughter - artist Nika Neelova. She is twenty-four years old and has been living abroad for a long time. For the first time, Nika agreed to talk about what her famous mother usually ignores.
Shells, ashes, wax, sheep bones... To the uninitiated, it all looks like the ingredients of a witch's potion. And for Nika Neelova - the usual working material. She is engaged in installations - a very laborious form of contemporary art. Making a name for yourself in this genre is not easy. However, Nika, apparently, is on the right track: at the end of 2010, she became the winner of the prestigious New Sensations competition, which is curated by the Charles Saatchi Gallery in London in conjunction with British television. It is held among graduates of art universities in the UK - four finalists are selected from hundreds of applicants, among whom the strongest is determined. They became Nika. She is petite and charming, she has a melodious-happy voice and an attractive look. blue eyes. Keeps a distance - benevolently, but rigidly. Well, heredity. Her mother, the legendary Marina Neelova, rarely gives interviews and coldly suppresses questions about her personal life. And his father, Kirill Gevorgyan, is a diplomat. And that's it. So Nika is the true daughter of her parents, about whom she talks carefully and little. However, even this meager information is enough to get an idea of the world that shaped her as a person.
School of survival
Nika lived longer abroad than at home. At the age of five, she moved with her parents to France. At eleven she returned back to Russia, and at sixteen she left it almost completely, coming here occasionally for a week or two.
- Nika, where do you feel more like a foreigner - here or abroad?
Nika NEELOVA:“Now I’m more used to living there. Eight years have passed since I left Moscow. I got an education abroad, started a career, achieved something and now I am trying to determine my prospects. In general, it seems to me that I have learned to combine two cultures - Russian and Western. I am impressed by European minimalism in everything, restraint and even aloofness to some extent. And at the same time, Russian features are also close to me, combining a certain abundance of everything. These two extremes are dear to me, since they are both part of me.
- What do you remember from early childhood, before the first departure?
Nika: « Kindergarten, Cold winter, jumpsuits, life with mom, her leaving for rehearsals. She never took me to work with her - didn't want me to be interested theatrical life. In the end, she was right, I never had a desire to become an actress.
In 1992, you and your mother moved to Paris following your father, who received a diplomatic post there. Was it difficult to adapt to the new place?
Nika:“Dad took me to school two days after we arrived. I was five years old and didn't know a word of French. At first, she explained herself on her fingers, walked by the hand with the teacher. But I really didn't like being dependent on someone. This was a good incentive to master the language faster.”
How did your classmates treat you?
Nika:“At first they scoffed - they laughed and ran away. But soon I learned the language and no longer hesitated to answer them. And no one else touched me. After two or three months, I spoke French quite fluently, and a year later I studied freely and became the first in the class.
- Did your parents stand up when you were offended?
Nika:"No never. They taught me to solve my own problems and achieve what I want. And don't rely on anyone. It helps me a lot now that I live abroad alone. In addition, with such parents, the desire comes early to prove that I am not only their daughter, but that I can achieve something on my own. And then this ‘proof’ becomes a part of life.”
Children quickly get used to the new environment. There was no such moment that you felt more like a Frenchwoman than a Russian?
Nika:“In France, I adapted very quickly and turned into a typical Parisian child - they all have the same neat blouses, shoes and very bad characters. But my dad always raised me as a bicultural person. He taught me to love France, but at the same time not to forget where I come from. He told me when and how they celebrate Shrovetide and Easter in Russia. At the same time, we celebrated both Catholic and Orthodox Christmas. Dad generally opened limitless horizons for me. He gave me first France, then Holland, where he was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Without him, I wouldn't be there."
But before you came to the Netherlands, you returned from France to Russia and lived here for several years. Did you fit in easily too?
Nika:“Life in Russia was very different from life in France, and at first much was incomprehensible and unusual. For example, here I was forced to get rid of the habit of not letting you cheat. What was considered the norm in France was perceived here as greed and seriously spoiled relations. I also had to get used to the prefix "Neelova's daughter".
What principles did your parents follow in their upbringing?
Nika:“They gave me complete freedom to do what I want. I made all the decisions from early childhood on my own. They encouraged me all the time. I graduated from school as an external student at the age of fifteen - a year and a half earlier than others, I myself chose an educational institution in Holland - the Royal Academy of Arts and a specialty - sculpture ... Although my parents would have preferred that I chose architecture.
- And when did you decide that you should be engaged in installations, and not painting, say?
Nika:"With time. I have been drawing since childhood, but I never went to art school. Then she attended the courses of the famous theater artist Oleg Sheintsis. I admired him, but I realized that theatrical design is not mine. I finally decided what I want to do only at the Royal Academy of Arts.
- Is it true that you became the youngest entrant in the history of its existence?
Nika:“Yes, they say so... I entered the academy at the age of sixteen, which is very early for Europe. They prefer to take people who already have life experience there. However, the head of the department liked my portfolio, and I was enrolled. True, I had to learn Dutch in record time - three months. The academy taught only on it.
- Well, what is student life like in Holland?
Nika:“Most of the time we spent in the studios of the academy, worked from morning to night, went to each other's workshops, visited museums and galleries. At the same time, of course, they did not forget about all kinds of cafes and clubs. In many ways, it was a wonderful, versatile life - endless work at the institute, the madness of Amsterdam and the tranquility of The Hague, located on the sea ... "
- In your biography were the extravagant antics characteristic of youth?
Nika:“There were many different things, but basically I tried to be the “correct” daughter of an ambassador and a diplomat. Since my mother often flew to Moscow for performances, I went with my father to receptions. Etiquette was not difficult for me. From the age of three I was taught to eat with a knife and fork and not to keep my elbows on the table. In addition, before moving to Holland, my mother and I read many books on etiquette, where all the details were described. And then, I have always been very attracted to the idea of a monarchy. Despite the fact that in Holland she is democratic and modest, the presence of a queen, ladies-in-waiting, life at court - all this somehow excited my imagination.
- Have you ever upset your relatives?
Nika:“As a child, I was quite a daring, wayward girl, I never obeyed anyone and learned solely from my mistakes. My mother criticized me a lot - harshly, but always objectively. Thanks to her, I was able to withstand the most severe criticism from the teachers of the academy. They often said terrible things to the students' faces - "how mediocre, incapable you are, and your topics are empty and worthless." In general, tears were shed during the exams, chairs flew from the windows. Many students could not stand it and left. Criticism has always encouraged me. If they scold, then there is an opportunity for growth. In our academy, praise was considered a bad sign - it means that they sympathize with you. Everyone started to get scared when they heard positive comments addressed to them.”
Without fear and reproach
- In Europe, children leave their parents early. When did you start living separately?
Nika:“Only when I graduated from the academy in Holland. I decided to continue my studies at the London Slade School of Fine Art - one of the most quoted educational institutions for artists. Since then, I have been living on my own. I really like London, there are many people of different nationalities, aspirations, interests, I admire its dynamics and brightness.”
- England is known for its fanatical attitude towards sports. Did it affect you in any way?
Nika:“There is no time for him now. And before that I was athletic - I swam, played tennis, did gymnastics and horseback riding. She especially loved steeplechase, although she too often took unjustified risks, fell from a horse and sometimes took obstacles without a horse. I liked to ignore the feeling of fear ... My parents were nervous, but they tried not to show it.
Among your works there is a spiral staircase, resting against the ceiling, called "It's never too late to leave." Have you ever had periods when you wanted to escape from people and circumstances?
Nika:“This installation was made before my departure from Holland and symbolized the end of an important period in my life. I knew that I would not go back there, and if I did, I would not be the same as before. I said goodbye to the past, which was what my work spoke about. The spiral staircase is a spiral, a symbol of continuous movement that never returns to its starting point. Either you are higher or lower. It is impossible to stop - as in life.
The installation "Principles of Obedience" brought you victory in the "New Sensations" competition, it was called successful and philosophically deep. Could you explain what your hymn to abstract art means - is it a large-scale structure with numerous loads?
Nika:“The weights are bell tongues that I cast in wax from samples taken from the Whiechapel foundry, where all London bells, including Big Ben, were cast. This is a topic that I have been doing for a long time - to show what is usually hidden from view. The tongues of the bells are almost never visible, their shape is not familiar to anyone. And in the wax incarnation, they lose their acoustic properties - they become fragile objects, extracted from their usual context, time and history. So the tongues of the bells no longer fulfill the role originally intended for them. ”
How has your life changed since winning the competition?
Nika:“I received many interesting offers, I had a personal exhibition in London. Also my works were shown at exhibitions in Basel in Switzerland, in Paris, in Lithuania and in Germany. Principles of Obedience and another work were purchased for the Saatchi Gallery. And the rest went to private collections.
- So your profession is profitable?
Nika:"Not yet. My production costs exceed the income from the sale. But now profit is not my main goal.
- Do your parents help you financially?
Nika:“I try to manage on my own. Recently received sponsorship from the Olga Rubinova Foundation to finance exhibitions in 2011. I was also given several awards after graduating from the institute, and my work is also sold. What will happen next, I don’t know.”
You like to use unusual materials - shells, ashes, chocolate, burnt sugar and animal bones. Why do you need such strange substances?
Nika:“They have certain properties necessary for the realization of some idea in each work. And in themselves, these materials already speak volumes, they touch upon the themes of the transience of time, fragility, the irrevocableness of the past and history.”
- Does your mother understand your art, does she visit exhibitions?
Nika:“She is very interested in my work and goes to exhibitions whenever possible. Her approach is neither an artist nor a gallery owner, she perceives what she sees on an emotional level. Her opinion is very important to me."
- Do you watch films and performances with her participation?
Nika:“I know all her performances almost by heart and sometimes jokingly quote her monologues to her ... For some reason it is more difficult for me to see her on the screen, especially in old films, even before my birth. It always hurts me to see her suffer. Mom admires me as an actress, but even in the auditorium, I remain her daughter first of all.
- What do you read, what kind of music do you prefer?
Nika:“I don't really listen to music. It just so happens that I prefer silence. And I read a lot. Mom has a huge library.
You are very calm and confident. Have you really never had complexes - about appearance, for example, in adolescence?
Nika:“This confidence, alas, is very deceptive ... I have never been confident in myself and have never considered myself beautiful.”
- Are you going to get married?
Nika:“No, not yet. Although I have a young man and we live together.”
- Who is he?
Nika:(After a pause.) “He is not of my profession. He is Italian, we met in London. In general, I prefer to adhere to the idea that personal life is personal, that you can not talk about it.
- And yet I wonder: what should a man have to be next to you?
Nika:(Dryly.) “He must be an intelligent and interested person. Then people just complement each other.”
- In Russia, girls are often brought up on the fairy tale about Cinderella waiting for the prince. What do you think about it?
Nika:“Waiting is not in my nature. I prefer to achieve everything myself, not counting on anyone. And I never dreamed of wearing a wedding dress.”
"She's just made of sex!" - Vyacheslav Zaitsev once admired Marina Neelova, for whom he created theatrical costumes. However, this is just a statement of fact. Prima "Sovremennik" does not talk about those whom he loves or loved. Nothing. These facts were made public by the former companions of the actress ...
Shells, ashes, wax, sheep bones... To the uninitiated, it all looks like the ingredients of a witch's potion. And for Nika Neyolova - the usual working material. She is engaged in installations - a very labor-intensive form of contemporary art. Making a name for yourself in this genre is not easy. However, Nika, apparently, is on the right track: at the end of 2010, she became the winner of the prestigious New Sensations competition, which is curated by the Charles Saatchi Gallery in London in conjunction with British television. It is held among graduates of art universities in the UK - four finalists are selected from hundreds of applicants, among whom the strongest is determined. They became Nika. She is petite and charming, she has a melodically happy voice and an attractive look of blue eyes. Keeps a distance - benevolent, but tough. Well, heredity. Her mother, the legendary Marina Neelova, rarely gives interviews and coldly suppresses questions about her personal life. And his father, Kirill Gevorgyan, is a diplomat. And that's it. So Nika is the true daughter of her parents, about whom she talks carefully and little. However, even this meager information is enough to get an idea of the world that shaped her as a person.
School of survival
Nika lived longer abroad than at home. At the age of five, she moved with her parents to France. At eleven she returned back to Russia, and at sixteen she left it almost completely, coming here occasionally for a week or two.
- Nika, where do you feel more like a foreigner - here or abroad?
Nika NEELOVA:“Now I’m more used to living there. Eight years have passed since I left Moscow. I got an education abroad, started a career, achieved something and now I am trying to determine my prospects. In general, it seems to me that I have learned to combine two cultures - Russian and Western. I am impressed by European minimalism in everything, restraint and even aloofness to some extent. And at the same time, Russian features are also close to me, combining a certain abundance of everything. These two extremes are dear to me, since they are both part of me.
- What do you remember from early childhood, before the first departure?
Nika:“Kindergarten, cold winter, overalls, life with mom, her leaving for rehearsals. She never took me to work with her - she did not want me to be interested in the theatrical life. In the end, she was right, I never had a desire to become an actress.
- In 1992, you and your mother moved to Paris after your father, who received a diplomatic post there. Was it difficult to adapt to a new place?
Nika:“Dad took me to school two days after we arrived. I was five years old and didn't know a word of French. At first, she explained herself on her fingers, walked by the hand with the teacher. But I really didn't like being dependent on someone. This was a good incentive to master the language faster.”
How did your classmates treat you?
Nika:“At first they scoffed - they laughed and ran away. But soon I learned the language and no longer hesitated to answer them. And no one else touched me. After two or three months, I spoke French quite fluently, and a year later I studied freely and became the first in the class.
- Did your parents stand up when you were offended?
Nika:"No never. They taught me to solve my own problems and achieve what I want. And don't rely on anyone. It helps me a lot now that I live abroad alone. In addition, with such parents, the desire comes early to prove that I am not only their daughter, but that I can achieve something on my own. And then this ‘proof’ becomes a part of life.”
Children quickly get used to the new environment. There was no such moment that you felt more like a Frenchwoman than a Russian?
Nika:“In France, I adapted very quickly and turned into a typical Parisian child - they all have the same neat blouses, shoes and very bad characters. But my dad always raised me as a bicultural person. He taught me to love France, but at the same time not to forget where I come from. He told me when and how they celebrate Shrovetide and Easter in Russia. At the same time, we celebrated both Catholic and Orthodox Christmas. Dad generally opened limitless horizons for me. He gave me first France, then Holland, where he was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Without him, I wouldn't be there."
— But before you got to the Netherlands, you returned from France to Russia and lived here for several years. Did you fit in easily too?
Nika:“Life in Russia was very different from life in France, and at first much was incomprehensible and unusual. For example, here I was forced to get rid of the habit of not letting you cheat. What was considered the norm in France was perceived here as greed and seriously spoiled relations. I also had to get used to the prefix "Neelova's daughter".
What principles did your parents follow in their upbringing?
Nika:“They gave me complete freedom to do what I want. I made all the decisions from early childhood on my own. They encouraged me all the time. I graduated from school as an external student at the age of fifteen - a year and a half earlier than others, I myself chose an educational institution in Holland - the Royal Academy of Arts and a specialty - sculpture ... Although my parents would have preferred that I chose architecture.
— And when did you decide that you should be engaged in installations, and not painting, say?
Nika:"With time. I have been drawing since childhood, but I never went to art school. Then she attended the courses of the famous theater artist Oleg Sheintsis. I admired him, but I realized that theatrical design is not for me. I finally decided what I want to do only at the Royal Academy of Arts.
- Is it true that you became the youngest applicant in the history of its existence?
Nika:“Yes, they say so… I entered the academy at the age of sixteen, which is very early for Europe. They prefer to take people who already have life experience there. However, the head of the department liked my portfolio, and I was enrolled. True, I had to learn Dutch in record time - three months. The academy taught only on it.
- Well, what is student life like in Holland?
Nika:“Most of the time we spent in the studios of the academy, worked from morning to night, went to each other's workshops, visited museums and galleries. At the same time, of course, they did not forget about all kinds of cafes and clubs. In many ways, it was a wonderful, versatile life - endless work at the institute, the madness of Amsterdam and the tranquility of The Hague, located on the sea ... "
- In your biography were the extravagant antics characteristic of youth?
Nika:“There were many different things, but basically I tried to be the “correct” daughter of an ambassador and a diplomat. Since my mother often flew to Moscow for performances, I went with my father to receptions. Etiquette was not difficult for me. From the age of three I was taught to eat with a knife and fork and not to keep my elbows on the table. In addition, before moving to Holland, my mother and I read many books on etiquette, where all the details were described. And then, I have always been very attracted to the idea of a monarchy. Despite the fact that in Holland she is democratic and modest, the presence of a queen, ladies-in-waiting, life at court - all this somehow excited my imagination.
Have you ever upset your family?
Nika:“As a child, I was quite a daring, wayward girl, I never obeyed anyone and learned solely from my mistakes. My mother criticized me a lot - harshly, but always objectively. Thanks to her, I was able to withstand the most severe criticism from the teachers of the academy. They often said terrible things to the faces of the students - "how mediocre, incapable you are, and your topics are empty and useless." In general, tears were shed during the exams, chairs flew from the windows. Many students could not stand it and left. Criticism has always encouraged me. If they scold, then there is an opportunity for growth. At our academy, praise was considered a bad sign - it means that they sympathize with you. Everyone started to get scared when they heard positive comments addressed to them.”
Without fear and reproach
- In Europe, children leave their parents early. When did you start living separately?
Nika:“Only when I graduated from the academy in Holland. I decided to continue my studies at the London Slade School of Fine Art, one of the most highly regarded educational institutions for artists. Since then, I have been living on my own. I really like London, there are many people of different nationalities, aspirations, interests, I admire its dynamics and brightness.”
— England is known for its fanatical attitude towards sports. Did it affect you in any way?
Nika:“There is no time for him now. And before that I was athletic - I swam, played tennis, did gymnastics and horseback riding. She especially loved steeplechase, although she too often took unjustified risks, fell from a horse and sometimes took obstacles without a horse. I liked to ignore the feeling of fear ... My parents were nervous, but they tried not to show it.
- Among your works there is a spiral staircase, resting against the ceiling, called "It's never too late to leave." Have you ever had periods when you wanted to escape from people and circumstances?
Nika:“This installation was made before my departure from Holland and symbolized the end of an important period in my life. I knew that I would not go back there, and if I did, I would not be the same as before. I said goodbye to the past, which was what my work spoke about. The spiral staircase is a spiral, a symbol of continuous movement that never returns to its starting point. Either you are higher or lower. It is impossible to stop - as in life.
— The installation “Principles of Obedience” brought you victory in the “New Sensations” contest, it was called successful and philosophically deep. Could you explain what your hymn to abstractionism means - is this a large-scale structure with numerous loads?
Nika:“The weights are bell tongues that I cast in wax from samples taken from the Whiechapel foundry, where all London bells, including Big Ben, were cast. This is a topic that I have been doing for a long time - to show what is usually hidden from view. The tongues of the bells are almost never visible, their shape is not familiar to anyone. And in the wax incarnation, they lose their acoustic properties - they become fragile objects, extracted from their usual context, time and history. So the tongues of the bells no longer fulfill the role originally intended for them.”
How has your life changed since winning the competition?
Nika:“I received many interesting offers, I had a personal exhibition in London. Also my works were shown at exhibitions in Basel in Switzerland, in Paris, in Lithuania and in Germany. Principles of Obedience and another work were purchased for the Saatchi Gallery. And the rest went to private collections.
- So your profession is profitable?
Nika:"Not yet. My production costs exceed the income from the sale. But now profit is not my main goal.
Do your parents help you financially?
Nika:“I try to manage on my own. Recently received sponsorship from the Olga Rubinova Foundation to finance exhibitions in 2011. I was also given several awards after graduating from the institute, and my work is also sold. What will happen next, I don’t know.”
— You like to use unusual materials — shells, ashes, chocolate, burnt sugar and animal bones. Why do you need such strange substances?
Nika:“They have certain properties necessary for the realization of some idea in each work. And in themselves, these materials already speak volumes, they touch upon the themes of the transience of time, fragility, the irrevocableness of the past and history.”
— Does your mother understand your art, does she visit exhibitions?
Nika:“She is very interested in my work and goes to exhibitions whenever possible. Her approach is neither an artist nor a gallery owner, she perceives what she sees on an emotional level. Her opinion is very important to me."
- Do you watch films and performances with her participation?
Nika:“I know all her performances almost by heart and sometimes I jokingly quote her monologues to her ... For some reason it is more difficult for me to see her on the screen, especially in old films, even before my birth. It always hurts me to see her suffer. Mom admires me as an actress, but even in the auditorium, I remain her daughter first of all.
What do you read, what kind of music do you prefer?
Nika:“I don't really listen to music. It just so happens that I prefer silence. And I read a lot. Mom has a huge library.
You are very calm and confident. Have you really never had complexes - about appearance, for example, in adolescence?
Nika:“This confidence, alas, is very deceptive ... I have never been confident in myself and have never considered myself beautiful.”
- Are you going to get married?
Nika:“No, not yet. Although I have a young man and we live together.”
- Who is he?
Nika:(After a pause.) “He is not of my profession. He is Italian, we met in London. In general, I prefer to adhere to the idea that personal life is personal, that you can not talk about it.
- And yet I wonder: what should a man have to be next to you?
Nika:(Dryly.) “He must be an intelligent and interested person. Then people just complement each other.”
- In Russia, girls are often brought up on the fairy tale about Cinderella, who is waiting for the prince. What do you think about it?
Nika:“Waiting is not in my nature. I prefer to achieve everything myself, not counting on anyone. And I never dreamed of wearing a wedding dress.”
A photo: personal archive of Nika Neelova
Marina Neelova can play a fairy-tale princess, reincarnate as Queen Elizabeth I, return to our time as a teacher from Dear Elena Sergeevna or an investigator from Prison Romance. For many fans of Soviet cinema, Neelova will remain Alla from the cult comedy by George Danelia " Autumn marathon”, who fell in love with a married translator Buzykin. The story of a woman who is part of love triangle, was taken from real life.
At the time of filming, Marina Neelova really experienced a similar situation. In the early 80s, she met with the world-famous chess player Garry Kasparov. The coincidence of personal and "cinematic" gave the audience a surprisingly believable film. By the way, after the release of the picture, the director Georgy Danelia was offended by the women, considering that their life was shown too hopeless, and his friends decided that he brought them out with the prototype of Buzykin.
Shot from the film "Autumn Marathon"// Photo: Legion-Media
Roman 21-year-old Kasparov and 37-year-old Neelova lasted two years and ended in a break. The actress confessed to her beloved man that she was pregnant, Kasparov did not accept the child ... Since then, they never talked again.
Garry Kasparov will release in 1987 in the West his autobiographical book Child of Change, in which he will tell about their difficult, but very bright relationship.
The first meeting of the eminent actress and the youngest contender for the title of world champion in the history of chess took place in the theater. He saw her in the role of Masha in Chekhov's Three Sisters. But a personal acquaintance happened in the house of a star married couple - a coach in figure skating Tatyana Tarasova and pianist Vladimir Krainev.
“Our close communication with Marina Neelova lasted more than two years. She was 16 years older than me, like all my then girlfriends. Partly because I grew up so fast. She and I had many common friends among writers and artists. She is a very extraordinary woman. It is quite possible that our union was also based on a sense of our exclusivity,” he wrote.
Her support was empowering. The lovers filled the pauses in communication with lengthy telephone conversations, which, as Kasparov admitted, allowed them to feel more confident and make the right decisions: “When I called her from Vilnius after the victory over Smyslov and said that I was already“ without five minutes the world champion, ”I heard her ironic voice: "Is your clock slow?"
In those years, Kasparov lived in Baku, and when he came to Moscow, he often visited Neelova's apartment on Chistye Prudy. Together they went out into the world, went to the guests. Kasparov was often seen backstage at Sovremennik. "Marina + Harry = love," someone wrote on the inside of the curtain.
Neelova was in the hall during all of his iconic matches, sitting next to the grandmaster's mother, Clara Shagenovna. They say they were called that: "two mothers" ...
However, it was Kasparov's mother who prevented their romance. She believed that this relationship could become a hindrance to her son's career. Harry listened to his mother and broke up with Neelova. Marina was already pregnant at that time. “This is not our child,” Klara Shagenovna told the press. “If you want to marry an actress, it’s better to marry an entire factory hostel at once,” she urged her son.
“I almost stopped seeing Marina. Parting became almost inevitable. Therefore, I was completely sure that the child she was carrying could not be mine. Each of us had a separate personal life. I tried to put it all out of my head and focus on chess…” writes Garry Kasparov in his book “Child of Change”.
The proud actress once and for all crossed out the man who betrayed her from her life. At the Sovremennik Theater, Neelova's colleagues were extremely outraged by the act of the chess player. Valentin Gaft even publicly declared: "Kasparov is not worthy to be received in a decent house."
In 1987, Marina Neelova gave birth to a daughter, the girl was named Nika. She was almost forty when she became a mother.
Marina found female happiness with the diplomat Kirill Gevorgyan, he became a real father for her daughter. They met at one of the receptions, and three months later they got married. Neelova, following her husband, an adviser to the Russian embassy, went abroad: first to Paris, and then to Holland.
Her for a long time managed to live "in several countries", combining roles in Sovremennik and cinema with life with his family abroad. The actress rarely played, mostly they were supporting roles. A recent big work in the cinema was for Marina the tragicomedy Frostbitten Carp, which was released in early 2018. In it, she appeared before the audience in the role of a retired provincial teacher, starred with Alisa Freindlich and Yevgeny Mironov.
