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This is what Wikipedia tells:

International Women’s Day (IWD) is marked on March 8 every year. It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women.

Started as a Socialist political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries (primarily Russia and the countries of former Soviet bloc). In some celebrations, the day lost its political flavour, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love to the women around them in a way somewhat similar to Mother’s Day and St Valentine’s Day mixed together. In others, however, the political and human rights theme as designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner.

The IWD is also celebrated (Read more…)

Corruption by Leonard Zinovyev

Stalin 4 by Leonard Zinovyev

Robots through the eyes of humans by Leonard Zinovyev

Still life with personal electronic devices by Leonard Zinovyev

One can say that a four-star business hotel is not a good place for an art gallery, but rules are made to be broken. Nestled in a serene wooded area, The ParkCity Business Hotel provides a niche for The 10’06 gallery. Nobody knows what 10’06 stands for, nor what the apostrophe in between signifies. Probably it is meant to show that the Gallery’s correct name is “desyat-nol-shest” (which is the English for “ten-ough-six”), not “odin-nol-nol-shest” (“one-double-ough-six”). The four figures embedded in the Gallery’s name still remain a mystery to me. Run by Dmitry Laypustin and Polina Laypustina, a married couple of art trailblazers, the Gallery is a nonprofit project primarily intended for educational purposes.

The gallery’s target audience is mostly students who major in architecture, design, and arts, but not necessarily. Anyone is welcome to come, admittance is free, but the students still hold the majority at the Gallery’s events.

It was in August 2009, just a few days before the 10’06 first opened its door to visitors, when I was invited by Polina to make guest star appearances at all the gallery’s events. I was astonished by the extent of the plans Dmitry and Polina had made to “preach contemporary art to every creature.” Now that the Gallery’s is halfway through its first year, I can say that our efforts have not been in vain.

The events the Gallery conducts range from bi-weekly seminars on contemporary art and light writing workshops held on an irregular basis to one-artist exhibitions and art-related film showcases.

Art events add to the Hotel’s reputation as a place where contemporary art is. The ParkCity Hotel is frequented by A-list celebrities and business people from all over the world. Just imagine the stories they will tell to their nearest and dearest when they are back home. “We thought that Russia was a country where one expected to meet more polar bears walking up and down city streets than human beings. But what we saw was very different from what we expected.”

No, the 10’06 is not just another art gallery!

The Gallery's target audience. Photo by Maria Ilyina

A workshop on light writing. Photo by Dmitry Lyapustin

Dmitry Lyapustin and Polina Lyapustina.

Opening of Yevgeniy Cherepanov's abstract painting exhibition. Right to left: Yevgeniy Cherepanov, Leonard Zinovyev, and art lovers whose names I do not know. Photo by Maria Ilyina

The abstract paintings blend into the Hotels' interiors. Photo by Maria Ilyina

]]> http://leonardzinovyev.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/the-10%e2%80%9906-gallery/feed/ 6 leonardzinovyev The Gallery's target audience. Photo by Maria Ilyina A workshop on light writing. Photo by Dmitry Lyapustin Dmitry Lyapustin and Polina Lyapustina. Opening of Yevgeniy Cherepanov's abstract painting exhibition. Right to left: Yevgeniy Cherepanov, Leonard Zinovyev, and art lovers whose names I do not know. Photo by Maria Ilyina The abstract paintings blend into the Hotels' interiors. Photo by Maria Ilyina