October 19, 2021

A Bare Cat-art-strophe in Kazan


A Bare Cat-art-strophe in Kazan
Ban the booty? kazan_only on Instagram

A resident of Kazan got into a social media huff on October 13 when she noticed artist Kristina Mitnichuk painting another female figure in Freedom Square in the city's center. The subject was, for the indignant woman at least, far too scantily clad, though the model was not laying it all bare. She posed clothed in red lingerie and black high-heeled boots.

“I am writing this comment because I was outraged by the trick of the artist (though what kind of art is it??), who paints a naked girl right in the very center of the city. My husband is looking at this, at a half-naked woman, and in general this is some kind of disrespect!” the user complained on one of the city’s public Instagram pages. She also wrote that she alerted the police, who did not react.

Most of those who commented on the post defended the artist, and a number laughed about the woman’s defense of her maligned husband: “What a husband. I also would have looked,” wrote user 116alinakzn. Others seemed to enjoy the sight themselves, such as vit_0001, who commented, “I want more of these kinds of artists and models on the streets of the city. I’m sure Kazan will become even more beautiful.”

Of course, other reactions were not so positive. A few suggested the artist might have chosen a better place, such as the beach, to stage her muse; others were concerned about the ethical implications. User shakurova1989 lamented that children would have noticed the scene, too; and gulnaz_diplomi called the act “immoral,” complaining that it seems people now are beginning to “confuse dignity with vulgarity.”

Though some believe true art will never be a crowd-pleaser, Mitnichuk and her model seemed to get along just fine with a few likes and the bare necessities. It’s not like this is the first time a Russian art project has ended with someone getting nearly naked, anyway.

 

You Might Also Like

Cracking the Tourism Nut

Cracking the Tourism Nut

The main obstacles to Kazan becoming a bustling international hub relate to its outlying location and its obscurity.
Restoring the Future
  • January 01, 2021

Restoring the Future

A determined artist, photographer, and activist takes on the restoration of some wooden homes in a village just outside of Samara. In the process, she learns much about angle grinders, her fellow Russians, and, of course, herself.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals
[INVALID]
[INVALID]

Some of our Books

Marooned in Moscow
May 01, 2011

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955