The apple of my eye: Vologda
- Location: River Station Embankment – 56 Sovetsky Prospect.
City ambiance
A city that is essentially cold, but warm in human terms. It feels natural and simple: the wind in the burdocks, wild plants, dripping rain on the river and puddles, the meowing of fluffy cats. The coziness and intimacy typical of Vologda are conveyed through the importance of social connections and the unity of the city’s residents rather than the familiar image of a warm blanket. The locals’ desire for «northern» freedom and the release of real creativity leads us to the following semantic sequence: «warm cold», «deep blue river», «berries in the forest», «hands of a craftsman», «wind blowing on the roofs of wooden houses». Vologda is epitomized by the early autumn, when all the dim colors of nature are still here – in the greenery and sun, but when you already want to jump over puddles and bake potato rugelach at home.
Nikita Petrov, author of the «Urban identities and symbols of space: Vologda, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo» report
City ambiance
A city that is essentially cold, but warm in human terms. It feels natural and simple: the wind in the burdocks, wild plants, dripping rain on the river and puddles, the meowing of fluffy cats. The coziness and intimacy typical of Vologda are conveyed through the importance of social connections and the unity of the city’s residents rather than the familiar image of a warm blanket. The locals’ desire for «northern» freedom and the release of real creativity leads us to the following semantic sequence: «warm cold», «deep blue river», «berries in the forest», «hands of a craftsman», «wind blowing on the roofs of wooden houses». Vologda is epitomized by the early autumn, when all the dim colors of nature are still here – in the greenery and sun, but when you already want to jump over puddles and bake potato rugelach at home.
Nikita Petrov, author of the «Urban identities and symbols of space: Vologda, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo» report
Vologda River
Wild sea buckthorn berries growing near the River Station Embankment
Folklorists Nikita Petrov and Yana Pavlidi visiting the House with Goodness
Lace weaving in the Snezhinka factory workshop
About the mural
Natalya Pastukhova encrypted many images and symbols of Vologda in the mural, urging the viewer to stop in front of it and try to unravel the meaning of all the fragments. At the core of the plot is the city itself, smoothly intertwined with its natural surroundings, and the main characters of Russian folk tales – are animals that acquire anthropomorphic features. The left side of the River Station wall contains several key images. There is a lacemaker at work, using bobbins as the main tool to wind the threads for weaving. The idea of Vologda hospitality is realized through treating guests to fruit marshmallows and tea. To the right are wooden houses, which, despite the overall ambiguity of the composition, are depicted in sufficient detail. The river mostly traverses all of the above subjects, becoming the dominant image: the childhood memories of many Vologda residents have strong associations with warm images of the river and boats on the shore. The water element also symbolizes a movement path: in summer the river is an obstacle, and in winter it connects two parts of the city, becoming a road. Like a yarn, the river brings together cozy tea drinking at home and city boat rides, smoothly flowing into picking berries in nature, which is depicted on the right side of the mural. Picking wild berries – sweet briar, cloudberries, sea buckthorn – unveils the joy of going to the forest and a sense of freedom, and berries like lingonberries and cranberries are called «desserts with a local soul» in Vologda. The color scheme of the mural itself is based on bright, fruit-like, but still pastel, natural shades: peach, pink, green, blue, beige. Bringing together urban and natural landscapes, Natalya Pastukhova emphasizes the importance of intertwining two borders: the quiet and cozy sounds of the forest are in unison with the noise of the river and the bustle of the city, from which you can always get away by visiting someone and having a cup of tea.
About the mural
Natalya Pastukhova encrypted many images and symbols of Vologda in the mural, urging the viewer to stop in front of it and try to unravel the meaning of all the fragments.
At the core of the plot is the city itself, smoothly intertwined with its natural surroundings, and the main characters of Russian folk tales – are animals that acquire anthropomorphic features. The left side of the River Station wall contains several key images. There is a lacemaker at work, using bobbins as the main tool to wind the threads for weaving. The idea of Vologda hospitality is realized through treating guests to fruit marshmallows and tea. To the right are wooden houses, which, despite the overall ambiguity of the composition, are depicted in sufficient detail.
The river mostly traverses all of the above subjects, becoming the dominant image: the childhood memories of many Vologda residents have strong associations with warm images of the river and boats on the shore. The water element also symbolizes a movement path: in summer the river is an obstacle, and in winter it connects two parts of the city, becoming a road. Like a yarn, the river brings together cozy tea drinking at home and city boat rides, smoothly flowing into picking berries in nature, which is depicted on the right side of the mural. Picking wild berries – sweet briar, cloudberries, sea buckthorn – unveils the joy of going to the forest and a sense of freedom, and berries like lingonberries and cranberries are called «desserts with a local soul» in Vologda. The color scheme of the mural itself is based on bright, fruit-like, but still pastel, natural shades: peach, pink, green, blue, beige. Bringing together urban and natural landscapes, Natalya Pastukhova emphasizes the importance of intertwining two borders: the quiet and cozy sounds of the forest are in unison with the noise of the river and the bustle of the city, from which you can always get away by visiting someone and having a cup of tea.
At the core of the plot is the city itself, smoothly intertwined with its natural surroundings, and the main characters of Russian folk tales – are animals that acquire anthropomorphic features. The left side of the River Station wall contains several key images. There is a lacemaker at work, using bobbins as the main tool to wind the threads for weaving. The idea of Vologda hospitality is realized through treating guests to fruit marshmallows and tea. To the right are wooden houses, which, despite the overall ambiguity of the composition, are depicted in sufficient detail.
The river mostly traverses all of the above subjects, becoming the dominant image: the childhood memories of many Vologda residents have strong associations with warm images of the river and boats on the shore. The water element also symbolizes a movement path: in summer the river is an obstacle, and in winter it connects two parts of the city, becoming a road. Like a yarn, the river brings together cozy tea drinking at home and city boat rides, smoothly flowing into picking berries in nature, which is depicted on the right side of the mural. Picking wild berries – sweet briar, cloudberries, sea buckthorn – unveils the joy of going to the forest and a sense of freedom, and berries like lingonberries and cranberries are called «desserts with a local soul» in Vologda. The color scheme of the mural itself is based on bright, fruit-like, but still pastel, natural shades: peach, pink, green, blue, beige. Bringing together urban and natural landscapes, Natalya Pastukhova emphasizes the importance of intertwining two borders: the quiet and cozy sounds of the forest are in unison with the noise of the river and the bustle of the city, from which you can always get away by visiting someone and having a cup of tea.
The apple of my eye: Yaroslavl
- Location: Garage wall of the Technical Fabrics Research Institute at 1, Bakhvalova St.
City ambiance
The city is dynamic, fast-paced, full of memories of the pre-revolutionary heyday and Valentina Tereshkova, the first female cosmonaut, reminiscent of the local seagulls on the Volga and Kotorosl rivers. The city is a kaleidoscope where people don’t just choose one thing, but everything at once. Therefore, it may seem that both space and the people are running and moving somewhere. Foxes and seagulls, if they aren’t flying, travel on ice floes, because they are all a part of Brownian motion. The warm and bright Yaroslavl exists in a bright color palette, but still refuses to accept bright colors within itself, because otherwise it would make your head spin. The creativity here is not frozen; it’s captured (in photography) or dynamic, alive (performances). A flow of associations with this city can be termed as follows: «brisk travel», «laughter and sunshine», «teapots in the hands of market traders», «city of crossroads», «emerald bridges» and «oh, look, a butterfly!».
Yana Pavlidi, author of the «Urban identities and symbols of space: Vologda, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo» report
City ambiance
The city is dynamic, fast-paced, full of memories of the pre-revolutionary heyday and Valentina Tereshkova, the first female cosmonaut, reminiscent of the local seagulls on the Volga and Kotorosl rivers. The city is a kaleidoscope where people don’t just choose one thing, but everything at once. Therefore, it may seem that both space and the people are running and moving somewhere. Foxes and seagulls, if they aren’t flying, travel on ice floes, because they are all a part of Brownian motion. The warm and bright Yaroslavl exists in a bright color palette, but still refuses to accept bright colors within itself, because otherwise it would make your head spin. The creativity here is not frozen; it’s captured (in photography) or dynamic, alive (performances). A flow of associations with this city can be termed as follows: «brisk travel», «laughter and sunshine», «teapots in the hands of market traders», «city of crossroads», «emerald bridges» and «oh, look, a butterfly!».
Yana Pavlidi, author of the «Urban identities and symbols of space: Vologda, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo» report
The project team during the expedition to the Teplo art space
Yaroslavl
Coarse linen fabric sewn by the Zatrapeznov merchants in Yaroslavl in the 19th century
Teahouse in the Workers’ Garden (archive photo)
Souvenir tile
Textile space on the premises of the Krasny Perekop factory
Seagulls/river
Samovars at the Yaroslavl flea market
The project team during the expedition to the Teplo art space
Yaroslavl
Textile space on the premises of the Krasny Perekop factory
Samovars at the Yaroslavl flea market
Coarse linen fabric sewn by the Zatrapeznov merchants in Yaroslavl in the 19th century
Seagulls/river
Teahouse in the Workers’ Garden (archive photo)
Souvenir tile
About the mural
The plot of the mural invented by Natalya Pastukhova is intended to promote the transformation of the Perekop industrial district. Over the course of several centuries, a «city within a city» was formed around the Yaroslavl Big Manufactory: manufactory managers were not only concerned with the production of goods, but also taught workers various means of recreation, such as having picnics in the Worker’s Garden, specially created for factory employees. On the site where the mural was conceived there was once a teahouse established by the industrialist Gryaznov. He also taught Yaroslavl workers to have picnics in the park, which became one of the local habits of Yaroslavl residents. It was the picnic ritual that formed the basis of the mural’s plot, as it is the traditional recreation method for the «factory» residents of Perekop throughout the history of the manufactory. In the mural, the artist depicts everything necessary for a successful tea party in the garden: a large samovar, saucers with carved patterns, the Rostov pretzel. Natalya uses the patterns from coarse cotton fabric – the first consumer product. It was this fabric with recognizable white and blue stripes that became an impromptu tablecloth at a picnic where the heroes are hurrying to. The mural contains a large number of smooth turns and straight lines characteristic of the local red brick architecture, and its overall dynamics are reminiscent of wavy lines of the fabrics hanging in the drying department of weaving factories.
About the mural
The plot of the mural invented by Natalya Pastukhova is intended to promote the transformation of the Perekop industrial district. Over the course of several centuries, a «city within a city» was formed around the Yaroslavl Big Manufactory: manufactory managers were not only concerned with the production of goods, but also taught workers various means of recreation, such as having picnics in the Worker’s Garden, specially created for factory employees. On the site where the mural was conceived there was once a teahouse established by the industrialist Gryaznov. He also taught Yaroslavl workers to have picnics in the park, which became one of the local habits of Yaroslavl residents. It was the picnic ritual that formed the basis of the mural’s plot, as it is the traditional recreation method for the «factory» residents of Perekop throughout the history of the manufactory. In the mural, the artist depicts everything necessary for a successful tea party in the garden: a large samovar, saucers with carved patterns, the Rostov pretzel. Natalya uses the patterns from coarse cotton fabric – the first consumer product. It was this fabric with recognizable white and blue stripes that became an impromptu tablecloth at a picnic where the heroes are hurrying to. The mural contains a large number of smooth turns and straight lines characteristic of the local red brick architecture, and its overall dynamics are reminiscent of wavy lines of the fabrics hanging in the drying department of weaving factories.
The apple of my eye: Ivanovo
- Location: The New Embankment.
City ambiance
A city where everything works, even the museum exhibitions. The feeling of a fully functional and at the same time mobile, developing city. It silently moves somewhere far beyond the limits of its aspirations, while observing traditions. There is greenery that catches your eye – and the feeling that somewhere nearby there is the private sector, private houses, smoke coming up from bathhouses, perhaps even vegetable gardens, that have been long gone in megacities. Things are simple and clear here, and road dust and the fragrant factory smell of dyes, the freshness and sweetish staleness are mixed in the air in a funny way. You seem to be locked into this city, because it is not very big, but at the same time you do not feel like a prisoner, but rather, like a voluntary spy. Constructivist smooth lines and circles in houses and factories, strange, like natural pedestrian paths, a combination of the native, grounded images (people carrying rolls of fabric on their shoulders) and of modernity being built (a variety of different designs, people inspired and smiling at their work). The associative series for this city could contains elements like «cozy geometry», «chintz scarves flying in the wind», «growing urbanism», «factory workers drink coffee during a break», «brick factories that look like castles», «winding road – fabric running out from under the loom».
Nikita Petrov, author of the «Urban identities and symbols of space: Vologda, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo» report
City ambiance
A city where everything works, even the museum exhibitions. The feeling of a fully functional and at the same time mobile, developing city. It silently moves somewhere far beyond the limits of its aspirations, while observing traditions. There is greenery that catches your eye – and the feeling that somewhere nearby there is the private sector, private houses, smoke coming up from bathhouses, perhaps even vegetable gardens, that have been long gone in megacities. Things are simple and clear here, and road dust and the fragrant factory smell of dyes, the freshness and sweetish staleness are mixed in the air in a funny way. You seem to be locked into this city, because it is not very big, but at the same time you do not feel like a prisoner, but rather, like a voluntary spy.
Constructivist smooth lines and circles in houses and factories, strange, like natural pedestrian paths, a combination of the native, grounded images (people carrying rolls of fabric on their shoulders) and of modernity being built (a variety of different designs, people inspired and smiling at their work).
The associative series for this city could contains elements like «cozy geometry», «chintz scarves flying in the wind», «growing urbanism», «factory workers drink coffee during a break», «brick factories that look like castles», «winding road – fabric running out from under the loom».
Constructivist smooth lines and circles in houses and factories, strange, like natural pedestrian paths, a combination of the native, grounded images (people carrying rolls of fabric on their shoulders) and of modernity being built (a variety of different designs, people inspired and smiling at their work).
The associative series for this city could contains elements like «cozy geometry», «chintz scarves flying in the wind», «growing urbanism», «factory workers drink coffee during a break», «brick factories that look like castles», «winding road – fabric running out from under the loom».
Nikita Petrov, author of the «Urban identities and symbols of space: Vologda, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo» report
The project team during an expedition to the Ivanovo railway station – a monument of constructivism
Factory windows of the oldest textile enterprise of the Ivanovo-Samoilovsky plant
First village
A garden-city
Smoke from factory chimneys
The project team during an expedition to the Ivanovo railway station – a monument of constructivism
Factory windows of the oldest textile enterprise of the Ivanovo-Samoilovsky plant
First village
A garden-city
Smoke from factory chimneys
About the mural
Factory is the key idea that permeates the mural in Ivanovo. Ivanovo residents quickly grasp all the modern trends in factory production, and the city’s main sound background is the unceasing noise of weaving looms, which indicates that work is in progress and the city is alive. The concept of continuous production is intended to be embodied in the image of revived terracottas, whose breath determines the creation of chintz, and the wavy lines emerging from under the paws of the anthropomorphic manufactory resemble fabrics fluttering in the factory’s drying workshop. Turning into a river of fabric, the meandering current permeates the entire mural, connecting other markers important for the city’s self-determination. One of them is the metaphor of a garden city, which is often used in relation to Ivanovo: the city is buried in greenery, and in the spring the smell of cherry blossoms spreads throughout all the surrounding areas. Residents of the city often gather in nature, so many Ivanovo residents portray themselves through their love of tea drinking, and there is even a local nickname for people who constantly drink tea – «Ivanovo water-drinkers». Thus, in the city air, the sweet factory smell of dyes and natural freshness are intricately intertwined, which provides a surge of new strength. The image is dominated by red shades, familiar and understandable among the surrounding weaving manufactory. At the formal level, smooth turns and straight lines characteristic of the constructivist style are combined, and individual elements of the painting, its ornamental and floral motifs are similar to chintz patterns, the production of which once turned the city into a «textile capital».
About the mural
Factory is the key idea that permeates the mural in Ivanovo. Ivanovo residents quickly grasp all the modern trends in factory production, and the city’s main sound background is the unceasing noise of weaving looms, which indicates that work is in progress and the city is alive. The concept of continuous production is intended to be embodied in the image of revived terracottas, whose breath determines the creation of chintz, and the wavy lines emerging from under the paws of the anthropomorphic manufactory resemble fabrics fluttering in the factory’s drying workshop. Turning into a river of fabric, the meandering current permeates the entire mural, connecting other markers important for the city’s self-determination. One of them is the metaphor of a garden city, which is often used in relation to Ivanovo: the city is buried in greenery, and in the spring the smell of cherry blossoms spreads throughout all the surrounding areas. Residents of the city often gather in nature, so many Ivanovo residents portray themselves through their love of tea drinking, and there is even a local nickname for people who constantly drink tea – «Ivanovo water-drinkers». Thus, in the city air, the sweet factory smell of dyes and natural freshness are intricately intertwined, which provides a surge of new strength. The image is dominated by red shades, familiar and understandable among the surrounding weaving manufactory. At the formal level, smooth turns and straight lines characteristic of the constructivist style are combined, and individual elements of the painting, its ornamental and floral motifs are similar to chintz patterns, the production of which once turned the city into a «textile capital».
About the author
Natalya Pastukhova
Natalya Pastukhova is an artist from Yekaterinburg. She began painting on the streets at the age of 15 and has always kept the city in focus. Through the depiction of animals taking on anthropomorphic shapes, floral images and rhythmic patterns, the artist strives to talk to the world. Each of her works is a study of a specific topic or location.
Natalya Pastukhova has painted on walls of various, including residential, buildings in Yekaterinburg, Perm, Yamal, Novotroitsk, Novosibirsk, Almetyevsk, Chukotka and many other places. The author is also involved in branding and design of spaces. Her work includes an IKEA bistro and a car park in Finland, as well as a project at the Yeltsin Center.
Natalya Pastukhova has painted on walls of various, including residential, buildings in Yekaterinburg, Perm, Yamal, Novotroitsk, Novosibirsk, Almetyevsk, Chukotka and many other places. The author is also involved in branding and design of spaces. Her work includes an IKEA bistro and a car park in Finland, as well as a project at the Yeltsin Center.
«Last year I thought about the fact that I travel and work in the northern latitudes and have never been to the cities of the golden ring. This year I visited three of them twice! The first time with the goal of getting to know the city and its inhabitants, and the second – to draw my project together with the residents. These are three completely different cities with different history and spirit, as if I had traveled to different countries in which people speak the same language, but they speak and live differently. I hope I managed to reflect this in my works. It’s an incredibly vivid impression!»
«Last year I thought about the fact that I travel and work in the northern latitudes and have never been to the cities of the golden ring. This year I visited three of them twice! The first time with the goal of getting to know the city and its inhabitants, and the second – to draw my project together with the residents. These are three completely different cities with different history and spirit, as if I had traveled to different countries in which people speak the same language, but they speak and live differently. I hope I managed to reflect this in my works. It’s an incredibly vivid impression!»
Project team:
Nuvo Buro:
Nikita Petrov, folklorist, anthropologist, Head of the Research Laboratory of Theoretical Folklore Studies of the School of Contemporary Humanitarian Research of the RANEPA, Associate Professor of the Center for Typology and Semiotics of Folklore of the Russian State University for the Humanities, Senior Research Associate
Yana Pavlidi, folklorist, Junior Researche Associate, the Research Laboratory of Theoretical Folklore Studies of the School of Contemporary Humanitarian Research of the RANEPA
Ksenia Zobova, project curator
Maria Kochneva, project producer
Anastasia Stepanova, curator of engagement practices, specialist in museum pedagogy, art mediator
Maria Konstantinova, project coordinator
Anastasia Petrakova, PR – support
Maria Ushakova, project copywriting, art critic
Polina Ej, vision keeper
Ivan Fiev, director for development
Content production:
Stepan Vetoshnikov, videographer
Ilya Teplov, photographer
Anton SelOne, photographer
Alina Karaeva, design
Samokat Team:
Polina Shipunova and Kassandra Fadeeva, project managers
Evgenia Shcherbakova and Susanna Emirali, producers of the project
Evgeny Ivanov, photo and video production
Maria Kuzina, Ksenia Yaralova, PR project
Creation of the project website:
Dasha Podbaronova, Polya Glukhikh, Elena Triandafilova, copywriting
Artem Strizhkov, Artem Baklanov, Katya Leonova, design
Evgenia Chernova, Stepan Nifontov, Vadim Shilov, Alexander Shelemenev, Tuyaara Grigorieva, development
Polina Shipunova and Kassandra Fadeeva, project managers
Evgenia Shcherbakova and Susanna Emirali, producers of the project
Evgeny Ivanov, photo and video production
Maria Kuzina, Ksenia Yaralova, PR project
Creation of the project website:
Dasha Podbaronova, Polya Glukhikh, Elena Triandafilova, copywriting
Artem Strizhkov, Artem Baklanov, Katya Leonova, design
Evgenia Chernova, Stepan Nifontov, Vadim Shilov, Alexander Shelemenev, Tuyaara Grigorieva, development
We thank every resident who helped organize the project and those who took an active part in creating the murals.
Special thanks to:
Vologda
Denis Ivanovich Pozdnyakov, Chief Architect of Vologda
Yana Filippova, Head of the Youth Policy Department of the Vologda Administration
Tatyana Zhdanova, Director of the ANO «Laboratory of the Urban Environment of Vologda»
Elena Volkova, Guide, Owner of the Literary Residence «Uncle Gilay’s House»
Olesya Averyanova and employees Vologda lace company «Snezhinka»
Technical support for the production of the mural: Natalya Shisha, Maxim Kazakov, Gorkom 35
Denis Ivanovich Pozdnyakov, Chief Architect of Vologda
Yana Filippova, Head of the Youth Policy Department of the Vologda Administration
Tatyana Zhdanova, Director of the ANO «Laboratory of the Urban Environment of Vologda»
Elena Volkova, Guide, Owner of the Literary Residence «Uncle Gilay’s House»
Olesya Averyanova and employees Vologda lace company «Snezhinka»
Technical support for the production of the mural: Natalya Shisha, Maxim Kazakov, Gorkom 35
Yaroslavl
Artem Yurievich Tsymbalov, Chief Architect of Yaroslavl
Elmira Nimonova, Chief Specialist of the Youth Policy Department of the Yaroslavl City Hall
Yulia Krivtsova, Head of the Textil cultural project
Elizaveta Chizhova and Daria Vorobyova, mediators of the Textil cultural space
Petr Alekseevich Shelkoshvein, director of the Krasny Perekop factory
Popov Alexey Lvovich, director of the Scientific Research Institute of Technical Fabrics (AO NIITT)
Natalya Vyatkina, architect, owner of the Teplo art space
Olga Volkova, художница, научный сотрудник Ярославского художественного музея
Ekaterina Zmeeva, городской активист, брендмейкер
Artem Yurievich Tsymbalov, Chief Architect of Yaroslavl
Elmira Nimonova, Chief Specialist of the Youth Policy Department of the Yaroslavl City Hall
Yulia Krivtsova, Head of the Textil cultural project
Elizaveta Chizhova and Daria Vorobyova, mediators of the Textil cultural space
Petr Alekseevich Shelkoshvein, director of the Krasny Perekop factory
Popov Alexey Lvovich, director of the Scientific Research Institute of Technical Fabrics (AO NIITT)
Natalya Vyatkina, architect, owner of the Teplo art space
Olga Volkova, художница, научный сотрудник Ярославского художественного музея
Ekaterina Zmeeva, городской активист, брендмейкер
Technical support for the production of the mural: Alexander Abrosimov
Ivanovo
Irina Valerievna Golubeva, general producer of the «First Avant-Garde Factory» festival
Mikhail Denezhkin, regional specialist, PR manager of the «First Avant-Garde Factory»
Mikhail Timofeev, culturologist, Doctor of Philosophy, Head of territorial branding at the Center for Territorial Development
Maxim Kazartsev, head of the Volunteer Resource Center
Sofya Ermakova, Volunteer Resource Center
Technical support for the production of the mural: Andrey Filaretov
Irina Valerievna Golubeva, general producer of the «First Avant-Garde Factory» festival
Mikhail Denezhkin, regional specialist, PR manager of the «First Avant-Garde Factory»
Mikhail Timofeev, culturologist, Doctor of Philosophy, Head of territorial branding at the Center for Territorial Development
Maxim Kazartsev, head of the Volunteer Resource Center
Sofya Ermakova, Volunteer Resource Center
Technical support for the production of the mural: Andrey Filaretov