Art · Moscow · Museums · Observations · Reportage

Review of the 2020 Photobiennale at MAMM with works by Mukhin, Chilikov and Epstein

Went to the Photobiennale 2020 at MAMM, sharing my photographic impressions. Photographs of photographs are a genre of their own, and one that, I think, would be far more successful were it not for the glass between the viewer and the object of art. The first thing you see on

Moscow · Observations · Education · Society

On the resignation of the rector of MGIMO I made the following observation: in the 46 years from 1944 to 1990 the institute changed 14 heads, and not one of them held the post to the last day of his life, all continued working after retirement, the longes

On the resignation of the rector of MGIMO I made the following observation: in the 46 years from 1944 to 1990 the institute changed 14 heads, and not one of them held the post to the last day of his life, all continued working after retirement, the longest term as

NB! · Moscow · Observations · Society Pages · Humour

At the premiere of “Bulba

At the premiere of Molochnikov’s “Bulba. The Feast”, the ushers at the entrance to the auditorium of the palace on the Yauza thoughtfully inform guests that glasses are not allowed(

Coming Up · Moscow · Museums

Prokofiev Museum accepts entries for the fifth composers’ competition until 1 November

The Prokofiev Museum invites registrations for the 5th Open Composers' Competition "Prokofiev's Time", which this year is presented in the category "Composition for Balalaika, Bayan and Saxophone, 'In the Folk Spirit'". Musicians may submit their applications until 1 November. The jury

Aristocracy · Archive · Moscow · Museums

A unique piece from the furnishings of the Ostankino Palace, commissioned by Count Nikolay Petrovich Sheremetev in 1794: a gilded incense burner of copper, brass, marble and wood from the workshop of Paul Spoll

A unique piece from the furnishings of the Ostankino Palace, commissioned by Count Nikolay Petrovich Sheremetev in 1794: a gilded incense burner of copper, brass, marble and wood from the workshop of Paul Spoll. The advertising description in the newspapers of the late 18th century sets out at length the

Moscow · Observations · People · Society Pages

Alla Demidova came incognito to an evening in her honour on her birthday

The incomparable Alla Demidova appeared incognito at an evening in her own honour on her birthday. Alla Sergeyevna slipped quietly into the auditorium while Sergey Nikolayevich was speaking of her Phèdre and her Ranevskaya, and Pavel Kaplevich was telling how he had mixed up Vera Vasilyeva with Yekaterina Vasilyeva. For

A long corridor with black and white doors on the left, dark columns, brass ceiling lights, and windows with radiators on the right.

NB! · Architecture · Moscow · Mores

Two Entrance Doors in Every Apartment of the Narkomfin Building and Children's Games

Every flat in the Narkomfin Building has two front doors: one black, one white. One door gives onto the lower level, the other leads upstairs. The children, it must be said, make cheerful use of this original architectural solution, playing tag without, strictly speaking, ever leaving their own home, yet

Aristocracy · Archive · Art · Moscow · Mores

Pyotr and Varvara Sheremetev raised two Kalmyk girls in the 18th century

In the eighteenth century Russian aristocrats took to a new fashion: adopting orphans from the poorest classes. Many families took into their homes the children of non-Russian peoples and brought them up as their own. Pyotr Borisovich and Varvara Alexeyevna Sheremetev raised two Kalmyk girls, the cousins Annushka and

Moscow · Museums · Observations · Education · Society

Back in my postgraduate days I noted with vexation that the overwhelming majority of Moscow museums did not count a postgraduate card as a student one, and not only denied free entry, although one would think that a history faculty should be able to visit

Back in my postgraduate days I noted with vexation that the overwhelming majority of Moscow museums did not count a postgraduate card as a student one, and not only denied free entry (although one would think that a history faculty should be able to visit at least the historical museums

Architecture · Moscow · Observations · Heritage · Society · Reportage

In my view, the trouble with events of this kind, where people try to stand up to commercial giants backed by the authorities at every turn, lies not even in the futility of such undertakings in our country, but in the fact that the camp of the defenders…

In my view, the trouble with events of this kind, where people try to stand up to commercial giants backed by the authorities at every turn, lies not even in the futility of such undertakings in our country, but in the fact that the camp of defenders of the righteous

Display board with a photo of a dilapidated building at 7-9 Khokhlovsky Lane and a render of its facades after restoration.

NB! · Architecture · Moscow · Society · Humour

Muscovites doubt the restoration render for a Khokhlovsky Lane building over discrepancies in business centre volumes

Developers: but we shall make it all beautiful, here is the render. Muscovites: but we cannot take your word for it, for in the planning documentation the volumes of your business centre differ from those you have announced by more than a factor of two.

Architecture · Moscow · Heritage · Society

Developer plans business centre in Kolpachny Lane and demolition of existing buildings

However softly the developers with a stake in a billion-rouble project may lay the bedding, the bed turns out rather hard. Will you feel better if, instead of an elite residential block, a new Patriarch's Ponds or the Pit so idly invoked by the head of the