May 31, 2018

Pretty (and Pierced) Pictures, a Brutal Bridge, and a New Hope for Han Solo


Pretty (and Pierced) Pictures, a Brutal Bridge, and a New Hope for Han Solo
St-Art Wars, Coming Soon to a Theater Near You

1. Art imitates life, and sometimes life destroys art. This week a Russian man attacked a painting by Ilya Repin with a metal pole, badly damaging it. The painting, “Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan on November 16, 1581,” portrays Ivan the Terrible holding his son after having mortally wounded him. It is controversial, as some dispute the event’s occurrence. The man responsible claims that he had just consumed vodka and became overwhelmed. The museum is planning to restore the painting, so there’s hope that this event won’t end as Terrible-y as initially thought.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

2. Last week was all about “Putin’s Bridge”, this week is about a different but similarly (in)famous Russian bridge, the so-called Bridge of Stupidity. This St. Petersburg bridge, a small overpass, reached a major milestone this week, claiming its 150th truck victim. Most trucks cannot clear the 2.7-meter-high (8.85 foot) underpass, but many have tried, earning the bridge its moniker and their drivers a trip to the repair shop. The big 1-5-0 garnered the bridge a cake and a new banner warning drivers of its dangers. Here’s hoping the next 150 takes longer to achieve than the first 150!

Photo: Megapolisonline.ru

3. It’s the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, it made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, and now Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon is parked on top of the Aviapark shopping center in Moscow. In painted form, at least. Six artists took five days to paint the storied Star Wars ship on top of the building, just in time for Solo to make his appearance at the Russian premiere of the film Solo: A Star Wars Story. This further proves that, no matter what the galaxy throws at this bucket of bolts (h/t Princess Leia), the Millenium Falcon (that’s Сокол Тысячелетия to Russian-speakers, in case you were wondering)  isn’t disappearing anytime soon.

In Odder News:
  • Elon Musk has truly made it: his portrait now graces the streets of Chelyabinsk from a repainted transformer box

  • A cat looks at his (criminal) king: one Russian cat betrayed his owner, a debtor, by staring at him as he hid under the couch

  • Happy Birthday, St. Petersburg! The city celebrated its 315th with elephants, fireworks, and a tightrope walker across the Neva River

Quote of the Week:

“I wanted to leave, but then dropped into the [gallery’s] buffet and drank 100g of vodka. I don’t drink vodka and became overwhelmed by something.”

— The man responsible for the attack against Ilya Repin’s painting explains his actions

Want more where this comes from? Give your inbox the gift of TWERF, our Thursday newsletter on the quirkiest, obscurest, and Russianest of Russian happenings of the week.

You Might Also Like

Ivan the Terrible, Tsar of All Russias
  • January 03, 2015

Ivan the Terrible, Tsar of All Russias

Tsar Ivan IV had a bit of a temper. When you look at his record of dramatic self-exile, tyrannical persecution, domestic abuse, and abrupt changes of heart, you realize that the current meaning of "Terrible" fits him quite well.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Survival Russian

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.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
The Samovar Murders

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.
A Taste of Chekhov

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.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
The Latchkey Murders

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...

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