The criminal event that occurred with my gift of art to the American people and the government of the United States has created a "picturegate" precedent in world culture, in the political-social life of the world, and in the legal procedures of America and the Soviet Union/Russian Federation from 1988 to 1994. Nine volumes of documents have been accumulated on the affair, and the resulting compilation, "The Case of Alexandr Zhdanov and His Gift of Art to America: A Dissident Artist, Caught Between Two Systems," has been sent to the embassies of every country and to the United Nations.

     This "picturegate" precedent occurred through the fault of irresponsible government officials who flouted the law, from diplomats on up to the highest placed positions.

    Disinforming Congress for six years, consciously dragging out and covering up "picturegate", these officials copy the irresponsibility of their predecessors, endlessly avoiding a lawful and just resolution of the matter and subjecting to years of discrimination an artist who was deported from the Soviet Union, who has made a huge contribution to the cultural wealth of America 1,500 works of art, to which he retains full intellectual rights.

    Thanks to the support of Congress, the unseemly role of Soviet-Russian desk of the U.S. State Department in this affair was made obvious.

    The U.S. Congressional Arts Caucus, an organization of 270 members of Congress who recognize the value of the arts, registered in 1992 their complete lack of effectiveness in dealing with the U.S. State Department and recommended turning to the United Nations. The "picturegate" material was sent to the Secretary of the United Nations, the president of UNESCO, the chairman of the U.N. commission on human rights, and representatives of the United States and the Russian Federation in the United Nations (Oct. 22, 1992). The American side has ignored' UNESCO's subsequent inquiries.

    In 1993 the U.S. State Department ignored the official request of President Bill Clinton to conduct a legal investigation of "picturegate" (March 24, 1993); it further ignored the official request of Ambassador Vladimir Lukin of the Russian Federation (Aug. 18, 1993) to conduct an inquiry leading to Russian assistance in recovering and returning the 1,500 works of art which were abandoned in Moscow by American diplomats in December 1987. It also ignored the official inquiry of the complainant's lawyer Jay S. Marks, Dec. 6, 1993).

    According to official documents of the Parliament and Department of Culture of the Russian Federation, "the Office of Fine Arts Affairs is seriously concerned about this occurence of loss of intellectual property." And further: "We express our deep regret over this occurance, since Zhdanov's art is of unquestionable interest" (N 13-16/103, Apr. 8, 1993).

    "Picturegate" here in America represents, for me, a renewal of isolation, of being deprived of my rights in my insistence on my intellectual property, my professional independence, my health, and my life! It is a return to the terror and a life of nightmares, just as it was before in the Soviet Union! It was for good reason that the Washington Post wrote: "For years, Russian artist Alexandr Zhdanov yearned for freedom, but in moving to America, he may have traded one nightmare for another" (Patrick Austin Tracy, "What Happens To a Dream Deferred?", Aug. 29, 1993). And Fredericksburg, Virginia's Town & County picked up the story in their weekend magazine: "Artistic Limbo: Dissident Russian artist Alexandr Zhdanov struggled to emigrate from his homeland. Now he struggles for artistic recognition in his newfound home in America;" and: "Bittersweet Odyssey: Dissident Artist Trades Persecution in Russia for Obscurity in America" (Kathryn Willis, Nov. 13, 1993).

    By means of this letter, I am forced to make the following statement:
 

Beginning from October, 1993, until such time as those rights of which I have been deprived through "picturegate" have been restored fully to me, I am forced to add $10 million dollars each year to the sum being requested in damages in civil suit against the U.S. Department of State, filed on October 2, 1992 to seek compensation for my losses. Damages currently requested are $35 million, by current analogy of value in the United States.     The President of the United States has the constitutional right to initiate a presidential investigation in "picturegate and/or to name an independent prosecutor to conduct a governmental investigation into "picturegate," since the GAO and the Senate have declined to investigate and impeach the guilty parties in accordance with the United States Constitution (Article One, sec. 2/5, 3/6; Article Two, sec. 4; Article Six, sec. 3 [1989-1993]. March 9, 1994

    I appeal to the world's people and the international press to take "picturegate" and its investigation under international control, to lend their support in this uneven fight of an artist for his inalienable rights, both in art and in life.