Арт-парк “Никола-Ленивец”
Nikola-Lenivets is not just a village lost among the forests and steppes of the Kaluga region, but one of the most powerful centers of contemporary art in Russia and the largest landscape park in Europe, occupying 650 hectares. This “place of power”, as the residents call it, is a marvelous intertwining of the pristine nature and creativity of the human mind. The unique art village of Nikola-Lenivets is located only 200 km from Moscow, on the banks of the peaceful Ugra River.
Video: Nikola-Lenivets
” title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” allowfullscreen> Contents- How it all began
- Art objects of Nikola-Lenivets
Main events - Nikola-Lenivets infrastructure
- How to get there
How it all started
The village of Nikola-Lenivets itself has existed for a long time: the first mention of it dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. But it was only at the end of the 20th century when free artists Vasily Shchetinin and Nikolai Polissky – people who wanted to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and create outside the framework of traditional art – settled here. Later they were joined by their colleagues – architects, sculptors and artists – who were inspired by the idea of creating a unique eco-settlement. The original nature of these places served as a catalyst for creativity, resulting in many outstanding works of art.
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One of the first in the collection of the art village was Grigoryan’s Shed, created in 2006. At first glance it may seem that it is the most ordinary village farm building, but it is worth waiting for the night to understand the architects’ idea. The fact is that the walls of the building contain 200,000 small holes. When darkness falls, lights are lit inside, and “The Shed” turns into a shimmering mystical wonder.
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“Bobur” is one of the largest expositions of Nikola-Lenivecreterte village. The art object got its name in honor of the district of the same name in Paris. In his work Nikolay Polissky expressed his love for the architecture of the Pompidou Center building, a universally recognized symbol of contemporary art, built in 1977. The artist took as the basis of his creation huge ventilation pipes, which he clothed in natural materials and composed in the form of a 22-meter-high belvedere tower. The author himself considers his “Bobur” as a revolutionary form that exposed the basis and technical elements of the construction. In this way he wanted to show that even the most intricate technical form can be harmoniously integrated into the natural environment. Inside the “Beaubourg” is placed a spiral staircase, from the top landing of which a magnificent panorama of the surroundings can be seen.
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‘Universal Mind’ is the largest scale installation ever created by Nikolai Polissky. Remaining loyal to natural materials, the author offers a completely new vision of the wooden sculptural form. At the head of the installation on a pedestal is the dominant figure of the project: a huge figure symbolizing the two hemispheres of the mechanical brain. A double colonnade leads here as the main guide, referring the viewer to the images of classical sacred architecture of the Ancient World, with each column resembling a space rocket.
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There are many more unique art objects on the grounds of Nikola-Lenivecreterte that can push the limits of consciousness, but there is one that is more entertainment than just an installation. We are talking about the Soon Trail, a trampoline road that leaves neither children nor adults indifferent. It won’t be difficult to find it, you just need to go to the loud laughter and enthusiastic shouts coming from the forest.
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Nikola-Lenivecreterte’s main activities
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2013 was marked for Nikola-Lenivets not only by several new objects (“Bobur”, “Universal Mind”), but also by another author’s festival – “Night of New Media”. “Night” is a concentrated blob of digital art, an explosion of light, color and music, disappearing without a trace at dawn. The morning after the festival, Nikola-Lenivets is once again transformed into a tranquil village amidst the riot of nature, with nothing reminiscent of the noisy fun in the laser light of the previous night.
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In addition to the two main festivals, Nikola-Lenivecreterte hosts many other performances and art presentations throughout the year. Guests are welcome here at any time and always know what to do to entertain them: excursions, bike and horseback riding, eco-camping, quests and river rafting – all this is just a godsend for lovers of outdoor activities!
.Infrastructure of Nikola-Lenivets
Food is also no problem – Nikola-Lenivecreterte has its own organic farm, a spacious dining room and several cafes.
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How to get there
The most convenient way to get to Nikola-Lenivec is by car. If you don’t have one, you will have to take a bus from Moscow (departs from metro station “Teply Stan”) to Kondorovo, and then get there by cab or hitchhike. The bus runs infrequently, so tourists who choose this way of traveling, it is better to take care of overnight accommodation in advance.
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