It's all here, for all tastes; museums, art galleries, restaurants, cafés, theaters ... Moscow is a lot of things, but never boring. Offering infinite opportunities to savor culture in all its forms, sometimes these places are not easy to find. From alley way to alley way, buildings numbered haphazardly, not very helpful GPS devices, passers-by who have never heard of the place you may be looking for...but eventually you make it there and marvel at the magnificent spectacle before you.
One such place is The Moscow State Museum Bourganov's House in the heart of Moscow, not too far from Arbat Street. After you have finally found the place, at the sight of the nondescript entrance, you first wonder if the hard work was worth it. But once you venture in, you don't need anyone to answer the question for you. One look around and you know you made the right decision to visit 15 Bolshoy Afanasievsky.
The small door leads into a small reception area and a minuscule bookshop, where a small fee of 100 rubles gives you access to an open-air museum. A plethora of life-size sculptures of feet, hands, eyes, waning moon busts, busts with different motifs await to be admired. I couldn't help thinking I had walked into the world of a Russian Dali. Not having any initial expectations, my first impression was greater than what I'd felt going to the Dali Museum in Cadaques.
Unlike the time in Cadaques, where I wondered around comfortably in light clothing, here it was the beginning of winter. All bundled up, devouring these masterpieces, my fingers turned numb from the endless clicking to immortalize my visit. Despite the discomfort, it was difficult to leave. Every step led to another wonder.
In one building we met a kind security guard who took us behind the scenes to show us the work of restoration going on and where new works of art were being created. The shelves were stacked with a variety of art works amid the chaos which usually characterizes a busy art studio. He showed us around the temporary exhibition of canvases imitating a version of impressionism - unfortunately the gloominess depicted in the paintings did not help much to brighten the atmosphere. A small basement featured an atrium where a framed print of Dali's "The Great Masturbator" as well as smaller versions of the life size sculptures featured outside were on display. A few chairs gave it an appealing air of a quiet reading-room where you'd be surrounded by valuable creations.
And it went on. Shoes, bathtubs, arms, chairs...the neighbors whose windows looked onto these sculptures, in my eyes, were some of the luckiest people in Moscow. Living in the heart of the city with a view of exquisite art; waking up and going to bed with a view over spectacular beauty.
Two hours later, we finally made it back to the warm reception area where we engaged in conversation with the friendliest museum attendants I'd ever met. The receptionist showed us what was on sale - some very expensive jewellery, but also some very affordable books and calendars. In the course of our interaction, she informed us that a few years ago, Pierre Cardin had brought his models to this museum for a photo shoot. She showed us the pictures of the event published in a coffee table book; very impressive. I had no difficulty imagining the whole setup of elegant models in elegant clothes posing by, on and among the surreal sculptures.
She also told us about the artist himself and his beginnings. "The killing of a bird" is apparently partly biographical, explaining the ideas behind the works of art Alexander Bourganov had created. I bought the book to get some more insight into it, making a note to inform others about its existence. The art teacher at my school was grateful to receive the information and mentioned a possible field trip with her students for exposure to more works of art. We had been told that it was visited more by foreigners than by Russians, sadly. The bronze Pietà was my favorite - the loose folds of fabric and the semblance of a body lying across the mother's lap is a heart-wrenching sight.
Alexander Bourganov's works are spread all over the city. The walk from Kievskaya metro station to the Radisson Hotel, formerly the Ukraine Hotel, with a restaurant on the 29th floor and the Mercedes bar on the 30th, offering some of the best cocktails in the city, takes you through a park showcasing beautiful sculptures. The first time I ventured onto the park, I was happy I had my camera - a fountain with a highly-perched golden angel drew my attention, as well as other more somber bronze and stone sculptures. I wondered about the fortunate dwellers of the apartments overlooking these magnificent works of art.
Similarly, a walk in Arbat street takes you past the golden Princess Turandot and the Pushkin couple in front of which tourists and Muscovites alike are forever striking a pose. The beauty of these works of art are irresistible and one cannot pass by without devoting a few minutes to admire them. I was to find out after the visit to The Moscow State Museum Bourganov's House that all these works of art are Alexander Bourganov's as well.
He is still alive and well, still working, still creating, I was told. The attendants were just too happy to have someone to share this information with.
After a morning feeding the soul, it's time to feed the body, and take in another form of art. Pioneer movie theater in Kutuzovsky offers movies, good food and food for the mind. I'd been told it was a theater where movies were shown in the original language, but I hadn't been told about the décor. I can't imagine its size as a movie theater if it has now been refurbished and fitted with a restaurant on two floors and a bookstore.
With the low temperatures outside, I appreciate the opportunity of several activities under the same roof, not to mention that anywhere I can find books is my personal haven, and Moscow has lots of such places to offer. Dom Knigi on New Arbat Street and its smaller version on Tverskaya are my favorite hangouts. Pioneer Cinema in Kutuzovsky is another piece of treasure in this mine.
We chose a comfortable seat after trying two others and had the place to ourselves. Our kind, attentive waiter made the experience of a light meal before the movie a delightful experience - stir fry chicken, almond cookies, honey cake, mulled wine and two good servings of ginger tea, all promptly served in a welcoming atmosphere, honoring the taste buds. "All Is Lost" starring Robert Redford restored my faith in not giving up hope, extending the pleasant experience further.
A trip to the bookstore at the other end of the hallway with a 10-meter ceiling, at least, was a must. The three chandeliers of elaborate work on the high hallway ceiling are probably the only vestiges of the Soviet-era after the building was refurbished. The small, well-stocked bookshop did not disappoint me. The only time I do not complain about prices in Moscow is when I buy books; be they in Russian or English, and this time was no different. I bought a text book "English for Banking" for 38 rubles, and a novel by an Indian writer for 137 rubles. My excitement knew no bounds as I considered the value of my acquisition - just about 5 dollars.
Meal - check, movie - check, books - check, and back out into the snow in double-digit, subzero temperatures. We retraced our steps to the metro station past the French signs on stores selling extremely expensive and unnecessary goods. La Cornue was a kitchen gallery, a pink velvet bedside table with very long legs was displayed in the window of Bonpoint, as well as a white dining table of indiscernible material and accompanying red velvet chairs, Fleurs de Paris informed passers-by that it was open 24 hours.
Finally, the Museum of Architecture which is just a stone's throw from Arbat metro station is worth a visit; if not for the display of the new plans to restructure the city, for the buildings themselves - three. The main building housing displays of new plans for the city on flat screen TVs offers a view of the classical, Soviet-style building - high ceilings, marble floors, elaborate chandeliers, shiny, wooden balustrade supporting wrought-iron rails as you go up the grand staircase, arch doorways, and in this case, frescoes on the ceilings as well as marble reliefs, contrasting tremendously with the flat screen TVs displaying ever-changing slides.
I was grateful to the woman for suggesting we put our coats on to go out to the next building. It had been gutted and offered no protection whatsoever against the biting cold which our coats had difficulty protecting us against. The exhibition theme was religious, and eclectic - naif-style, religious paintings, wooden, plastic and metal sculptures on wooden stands, fabric, and more of those underground. Following the religious theme, included in the display were several models of Orthodox style churches - some built from scratch, others restored. The main attraction was a laptop on a shelf shielded by paintings on multi-colored fabric - a small step ladder was provided to climb on to see what the electronic gadget displayed. Unfortunately, there were no attendants to offer any information and none was provided.
The third building, surprisingly warm, displayed architectural styles of buildings in Moscow inspired by or copied from those in other cities mostly in the Netherlands. Finding the buildings in Moscow would be difficult as no addresses were provided. All in all, it had been a worth-while visit during which we spent over an hour admiring the various displays.
These are just three of the several treasures housed in this megalopolis called Moscow.
One such place is The Moscow State Museum Bourganov's House in the heart of Moscow, not too far from Arbat Street. After you have finally found the place, at the sight of the nondescript entrance, you first wonder if the hard work was worth it. But once you venture in, you don't need anyone to answer the question for you. One look around and you know you made the right decision to visit 15 Bolshoy Afanasievsky.
Unlike the time in Cadaques, where I wondered around comfortably in light clothing, here it was the beginning of winter. All bundled up, devouring these masterpieces, my fingers turned numb from the endless clicking to immortalize my visit. Despite the discomfort, it was difficult to leave. Every step led to another wonder.
In one building we met a kind security guard who took us behind the scenes to show us the work of restoration going on and where new works of art were being created. The shelves were stacked with a variety of art works amid the chaos which usually characterizes a busy art studio. He showed us around the temporary exhibition of canvases imitating a version of impressionism - unfortunately the gloominess depicted in the paintings did not help much to brighten the atmosphere. A small basement featured an atrium where a framed print of Dali's "The Great Masturbator" as well as smaller versions of the life size sculptures featured outside were on display. A few chairs gave it an appealing air of a quiet reading-room where you'd be surrounded by valuable creations.
And it went on. Shoes, bathtubs, arms, chairs...the neighbors whose windows looked onto these sculptures, in my eyes, were some of the luckiest people in Moscow. Living in the heart of the city with a view of exquisite art; waking up and going to bed with a view over spectacular beauty.
Two hours later, we finally made it back to the warm reception area where we engaged in conversation with the friendliest museum attendants I'd ever met. The receptionist showed us what was on sale - some very expensive jewellery, but also some very affordable books and calendars. In the course of our interaction, she informed us that a few years ago, Pierre Cardin had brought his models to this museum for a photo shoot. She showed us the pictures of the event published in a coffee table book; very impressive. I had no difficulty imagining the whole setup of elegant models in elegant clothes posing by, on and among the surreal sculptures.
She also told us about the artist himself and his beginnings. "The killing of a bird" is apparently partly biographical, explaining the ideas behind the works of art Alexander Bourganov had created. I bought the book to get some more insight into it, making a note to inform others about its existence. The art teacher at my school was grateful to receive the information and mentioned a possible field trip with her students for exposure to more works of art. We had been told that it was visited more by foreigners than by Russians, sadly. The bronze Pietà was my favorite - the loose folds of fabric and the semblance of a body lying across the mother's lap is a heart-wrenching sight.
Alexander Bourganov's works are spread all over the city. The walk from Kievskaya metro station to the Radisson Hotel, formerly the Ukraine Hotel, with a restaurant on the 29th floor and the Mercedes bar on the 30th, offering some of the best cocktails in the city, takes you through a park showcasing beautiful sculptures. The first time I ventured onto the park, I was happy I had my camera - a fountain with a highly-perched golden angel drew my attention, as well as other more somber bronze and stone sculptures. I wondered about the fortunate dwellers of the apartments overlooking these magnificent works of art.
Similarly, a walk in Arbat street takes you past the golden Princess Turandot and the Pushkin couple in front of which tourists and Muscovites alike are forever striking a pose. The beauty of these works of art are irresistible and one cannot pass by without devoting a few minutes to admire them. I was to find out after the visit to The Moscow State Museum Bourganov's House that all these works of art are Alexander Bourganov's as well.
He is still alive and well, still working, still creating, I was told. The attendants were just too happy to have someone to share this information with.
After a morning feeding the soul, it's time to feed the body, and take in another form of art. Pioneer movie theater in Kutuzovsky offers movies, good food and food for the mind. I'd been told it was a theater where movies were shown in the original language, but I hadn't been told about the décor. I can't imagine its size as a movie theater if it has now been refurbished and fitted with a restaurant on two floors and a bookstore.
With the low temperatures outside, I appreciate the opportunity of several activities under the same roof, not to mention that anywhere I can find books is my personal haven, and Moscow has lots of such places to offer. Dom Knigi on New Arbat Street and its smaller version on Tverskaya are my favorite hangouts. Pioneer Cinema in Kutuzovsky is another piece of treasure in this mine.
We chose a comfortable seat after trying two others and had the place to ourselves. Our kind, attentive waiter made the experience of a light meal before the movie a delightful experience - stir fry chicken, almond cookies, honey cake, mulled wine and two good servings of ginger tea, all promptly served in a welcoming atmosphere, honoring the taste buds. "All Is Lost" starring Robert Redford restored my faith in not giving up hope, extending the pleasant experience further.
A trip to the bookstore at the other end of the hallway with a 10-meter ceiling, at least, was a must. The three chandeliers of elaborate work on the high hallway ceiling are probably the only vestiges of the Soviet-era after the building was refurbished. The small, well-stocked bookshop did not disappoint me. The only time I do not complain about prices in Moscow is when I buy books; be they in Russian or English, and this time was no different. I bought a text book "English for Banking" for 38 rubles, and a novel by an Indian writer for 137 rubles. My excitement knew no bounds as I considered the value of my acquisition - just about 5 dollars.
Meal - check, movie - check, books - check, and back out into the snow in double-digit, subzero temperatures. We retraced our steps to the metro station past the French signs on stores selling extremely expensive and unnecessary goods. La Cornue was a kitchen gallery, a pink velvet bedside table with very long legs was displayed in the window of Bonpoint, as well as a white dining table of indiscernible material and accompanying red velvet chairs, Fleurs de Paris informed passers-by that it was open 24 hours.
Finally, the Museum of Architecture which is just a stone's throw from Arbat metro station is worth a visit; if not for the display of the new plans to restructure the city, for the buildings themselves - three. The main building housing displays of new plans for the city on flat screen TVs offers a view of the classical, Soviet-style building - high ceilings, marble floors, elaborate chandeliers, shiny, wooden balustrade supporting wrought-iron rails as you go up the grand staircase, arch doorways, and in this case, frescoes on the ceilings as well as marble reliefs, contrasting tremendously with the flat screen TVs displaying ever-changing slides.
The third building, surprisingly warm, displayed architectural styles of buildings in Moscow inspired by or copied from those in other cities mostly in the Netherlands. Finding the buildings in Moscow would be difficult as no addresses were provided. All in all, it had been a worth-while visit during which we spent over an hour admiring the various displays.
These are just three of the several treasures housed in this megalopolis called Moscow.
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