Embrace Mural Site-Specific by Supernova Art Embassy

Embrace Mural Site-Specific by Supernova Art Embassy is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award de Ferro in Design de Belas-Artes e Instalações Artísticas Competition Category.

FerroBelas-Artes· 2021

Embrace Mural Site-Specific

by Supernova Art Embassy

Client: Memorandum Project

A' Design Award de Ferro Winner in Belas-Artes Category

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The Design

About Embrace Mural Site-Specific

Embrace é um mural site-specific pintado na fachada de um edifício em Sterlitamak. O mural tem 27 metros de altura e 15 metros de largura, com uma superfície pintada de 405 metros quadrados. Foram utilizadas tintas para fachada e rolos de pintura, e plataformas elevatórias de fachada permitiram pintar em altura. O trabalho artístico levou três semanas. A história retratada evoca um soldado da 170ª divisão de infantaria de Sterlitamak que partiu para a frente de batalha com um relógio de bolso de prata e prometeu voltar com ele. Seus restos mortais e o relógio foram encontrados em 2015 e levados para casa, à sua esposa.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Ferro

Embrace Mural Site-Specific conquistou o A' Design Award de Ferro, um reconhecimento prestigiado atribuído a bons designs que cumprem os requisitos profissionais e industriais esperados de criações bem concebidas. Os vencedores do Ferro demonstram grande habilidade, elevada especialização, compreensão especializada e capacidade criativa dos seus criadores. Espera-se que Embrace Mural Site-Specific seja uma criação muito considerada, admirada e estimada, prática e inovadora. Este design vencedor do A' Design Award de Ferro integra as melhores práticas do setor e tem características técnicas competentes associadas a conhecimento especializado e talento. Pela sua minúcia, Embrace Mural Site-Specific merece respeito e destina-se a proporcionar melhorias na qualidade de vida que ajudam a tornar o mundo num lugar melhor.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

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
Team Members: Curator: Lidiia Averina
Artist: Andrey Olenev
Support: Dmitry Kudinov, Alexey Agafonov, Ludmila Averina
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.