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The Quay with Sphinxes in St.Petersburg
During an SRAS-arranged walking tour of central St. Petersburg, our guide, Sergei, pointed across the Neva River to the Quay with Sphinxes, a little outpost on the University Embankment near house...
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The Viktor Tsoi Graffiti Wall in Moscow
Coming across the graffiti wall at the corner of Stary Arbat and Krivoarbatskaya Lane last summer, I took a few pictures, and didn’t think about it much more than that, except that I was surprised to...
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The Tragic and Triumphant History of the Girl with an Oar
The artist, Ivan Shadr, working on the original 1935 version. The Girl with an Oar sculpture was re-introduced to Gorky Park in 2011. Originally installed in 1935, it was then a controversial piece of...
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Petersburg with Pushkin’s Bronze Horseman
I’ve been reading works in which Petersburg is mentioned for the past few weeks in order to prepare for this amazing city. It’s been fantastic reconnecting with my love for Russian literature, but...
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The Legacy of Alexander Pushkin in Moscow and St. Petersburg
In Anna Melikian’s 2015 film Pro Lyubov (About Love), a film divided into vignettes focusing on modern love ala Love Actually, one of the vignettes focuses on a young woman from Japan who comes to...
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The Motherland Calls Receiving Major Restoration Work
Activists have long campaigned for a full restoration of Russia’s famous Motherland Calls sculpture in Volgograd. Made of reinforced concrete, the massive structure has long shown concerning signs of...
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Kyiv’s People’s Friendship Arch Complex: History and Protest in a Public Space
The People’s Friendship Arch is one of Kyiv’s most iconic and controversial landmarks. The rainbow-shaped arch perches on a hill overlooking the Dnieper River and large parts of Kyiv. “Gifted” to...
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The Warsaw Uprising: Museums, Monuments, and Cultural Memory in Warsaw Today
Many of our students are profoundly moved by how vividly the Warsaw Uprising is remembered in Poland. Those who fought are revered with the respect of founding fathers. Thier symbols and history are...
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The Muzeon and Art Market
Across the street from Gorky Park, on the territory of the New Tretyakov Gallery and the Central House of Artists lies Sculpture Park, which is known as “Muzeon” to locals. It is most famous as a...
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Alley of Heroes and Monument to the Young Guard in Bishkek
The Alley of Heroes is located in a well-shaded park spanning 1.5 km in length that runs down the middle of Jash Gvardiya Boulevard. The monument itself is centrally located at the intersection of Chuy...
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Soviet Mosaics in Georgia: Controversy, History, and Fascination
I can’t put my finger on what sparked my interest in Soviet-era mosaics, but at this point, I’m obsessed. As someone who grew up in the US, it’s a rather foreign thing to see the sides of entire...
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Memorial Route of Jewish Martyrdom and Struggle in Warsaw
All around Warsaw, there are reminders of the historic Jewish presence. Though Warsaw has experienced incredible change and development since WWII, the city has taken special care to ensure that the...
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