Embrace Murale site specific

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The word "memorandum" is translated from Latin as "something you have to memorize", that is why the Memorandum project is dedicated to complex contexts and topics.

Coming home is always an exciting event. That is why the Sterlitamak stage of the project was called "Coming home". It included several emotional aspects of this concept. It was reflected in the approach of Lidiia Averina, the curator, and in the plots of all participants. This project is her personal comeback to her hometown.

Dimensions & Packaging

Height 27 m, width 15 m, total artistic painting square 405 sq.m

Tags

mural art, spray art, public art, fine arts, storytelling, embrace, heritage, memory

Production Technology

Some activists took great care of their ancestors memories and the works which may appear basing on historical data and archive photographs. There were different attempts to influence the curator and the artist work. However, the compromise was reached quite quickly and the work turned to constructive direction. The artistic part of the work was done by facade paints and paint rollers. For work at a height, facade lifts (scaffolds) were used.

Design Challenge

4 locations were selected, each of them having common connection with historical old town (although none of the buildings selected was a historically original building). They were different in meanings and the way they belong. Connection with "coming back" had been found immediately and we also had artists sharing common values. That was particularly important for their harmony.

Research

Memory of the place is an eclectic mixture of emotions; it is impossible to catch a sole scent. There are pure facts, personal stories, critics, and embellishment. Interpretations multiply and fragment. This is the reason why we want to show our perception among many others.

Andreys work finely reflects the location context with lost wooden buildings as well as the irony on current town situation with chaotic architectural add-ons (tiny business centers) which try to squeeze into any available space and corners.

Inspiration

The works plot is based in the story of a soldier from 170th Sterlitamak infantry division: in May, 1941, the storys main character wanted to leave his silver pocket watch to his wife. However, his wife said: "You leave with this watch and youll come back with this watch!"

In 2015, during the expedition his remains and personal belongings were found. After 74 years he came home with the watch, as promised, and his 97 years old wife met him.

Project Duration

The work is dedicated to 75th anniversary of the Great Victory, therefore it must have been finished in 2020 before rainy autumn weather.

There were repair works on the building facades, so the whole project implementation period was 1.5 months. The artistic work implementation took 3 weeks.

Operation Flow

Now there is one of the main streets of town which connects an old town with new districts, therefore there are always a lot of students and pedestrians on the street. The works are on a high altitude and are well visible.

It is also important that the headquarters of 170th Sterlitamak infantry division was located nearby and here there was a path which was taken by the soldiers leaving to the railway station to go to the frontline. Where new standard buildings stand now, there were wooden houses and buildings.

Patents

Copyright belongs to Andrey Olenev and Dmitry Kudinov, 2020

Image Credits

Image #1: Photographer – Dmitry Kudinov, Embrace #1, 2020.
Image #2: Photographer – Dmitry Kudinov, Embrace #2, 2020.
Image #3: Photographer – Dmitry Kudinov, Embrace #3, 2020.
Image #4: Photographer – Dmitry Kudinov, Embrace #4, 2020.
Image #5: Photographer – Dmitry Kudinov, Embrace #5, 2020.
Video Credits: Dmitry Kudinov, Hyperlapse, Embrace and Shihans from bird’s-eye perspective, 2020.