1. The most widely acknowledged form of Art — Folklore, that is verbal, musical and material (traditional handicrafts), is almost completely devoid of anything that could be called bad taste or poor imitation.
Why? (What makes me say so?)
I think it is especially due to the fact that national Art is created by everyone and for everyone within the bounds of centuries old traditions. There is a common theme of Beauty in everything that people did or made. (Academician Likhachev)
2. No, I am not at all against those rituals which are inseparable from our everyday lives.
We should preserve those customs, rites and ceremonies that have become part and parcel of our existence. In addition new ones should be created and developed.
But in what we have and in what we will have let's try and see the moral, political and social meanings. And the things which contradict those meanings should probably be rejected. (Yu. Silomonov)