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TALES OF THE GOLDEN APPLES

«Nature in the city / City in nature» Laboratory

November – December, 2020

TALES OF THE GOLDEN APPLES

Context

«Nature in the City / City in Nature» Laboratory, where projects aimed at the improvement of urban and natural landscapes of Almetyevsk were developed.

«Nature in the City / City in Nature» became the first design laboratory within the framework of the City After school. Its participants learned to work with landscapes in the city and with artistic objects in nature. Under the guidance of professional curators, they analyzed two practical cases: the nature of a city courtyard and the landscape of a spring.

«The "Tales of Golden Apples" public art program is not just beautiful drawings on the walls and objects on the street. It also encompasses research, expeditions, anthropology, history, citizen participation, profound artistic images and educational content. This philosophy of working with the "genius loci" is an example of how an interdisciplinary team can turn residents' stories and cultural context into art that transforms urban space and gives it new meanings.»

Ekaterina Udalova

Curator and author of the «Dialogue with the City» direction

Process

The laboratory was launched in November 2020. First, experts gave a series of online lectures. Alfrid Bustanov spoke about garden culture; Nikita Petrov – about applied anthropology and springs; Anna Kamyshan touched on the topic of the relationship between the city and water; Yulia Khomutskaya shared her favorite Photoshop techniques and the ways to properly present a project; Igor Safiullin discussed the methodology of landscape object design; Yulia Balabanova considered the architectural and planning organization of city gardens in the Russian Empire (using Kazan as an example); Ella Kaverina spoke about modern park space; Silvia Alexandrova – about greening urban areas. The curator of «Tales of Golden Apples» Polina Yozh gave a lecture on artistic objects in public spaces; Svetlana Mogileva reflected on the visual image of the project; Murat Guketlov – about the context of improvement (using Ivanovo and Nalchik as examples). After a series of lectures, Ekaterina Udalova and Zulfiya Khaibullina gave an online tour of the works of the «Tales of the Golden Apples» public art program created over the three preceding years.

Online lecture by Igor Safiullin «Methods of landscape object design. From data collection to conceptual proposals for spatial organization».

Online lecture by Nikita Petrov «Applied anthropology and springs».

The laboratory was launched in November 2020. First, experts gave a series of online lectures. Alfrid Bustanov spoke about garden culture; Nikita Petrov – about applied anthropology and springs; Anna Kamyshan touched on the topic of the relationship between the city and water; Yulia Khomutskaya shared her favorite Photoshop techniques and the ways to properly present a project; Igor Safiullin discussed the methodology of landscape object design; Yulia Balabanova considered the architectural and planning organization of city gardens in the Russian Empire (using Kazan as an example); Ella Kaverina spoke about modern park space; Silvia Alexandrova – about greening urban areas. The curator of «Tales of Golden Apples» Polina Yozh gave a lecture on artistic objects in public spaces; Svetlana Mogileva reflected on the visual image of the project; Murat Guketlov – about the context of improvement (using Ivanovo and Nalchik as examples). After a series of lectures, Ekaterina Udalova and Zulfiya Khaibullina gave an online tour of the works of the «Tales of the Golden Apples» public art program created over the three preceding years.

Online lecture by Nikita Petrov «Applied anthropology and springs».

Online lecture by Igor Safiullin «Methods of landscape object design. From data collection to conceptual proposals for spatial organization».

At the beginning of December, participants from Almetyevsk, Kazan and Naberezhnye Chelny, together with the curators, went on an expedition to study five springs in the Almetyevsk region and one city courtyard. Together they took on-site measurements and photographs, and talked with local residents about the functionality of public spaces. The collected data was used to develop artistic projects to improve the courtyard of buildings 9 and 11 on 8 Marta Street, and 5 springs – Shifa, Kaen Suy, Gabi, Bakhman Chishma and one near the Alnas stadium.

Even before the expedition, the participants were divided into curator-led interdisciplinary groups: some focused on the anthropological aspect of the work, others paid more attention to garden culture and landscape. Ideas for landscaping included planting greenery, engineering solutions to improve water drainage, the creation of small architectural forms (e.g., benches and small sculptures) and other proposals. The first project to be approved was the improvement of the spring near the Alnas stadium, the work on which was completed in the summer of 2023.

«After studying the area and talking with the residents, we decided to develop a concept that satisfies all the requirements – to organize the space near the spring as a stopover rest area for residents. We tried to develop the design with regard to the existing landscape and ecological system. The project was implemented in stone, resulting in a remarkable combination of paving stones, pebbles and Chupaevsky stone (mined in the village of Chupaevo, Almetyevsk region).»

Lyubov Begunova

Participant of the «Nature in the City / City in Nature» laboratory, teacher of the highest qualification category at Children's Art School No. 1 in Naberezhnye Chelny

Landscaped spring near the Alnas stadium.

«Observing the already landscaped spring, one thing we can say for sure is that the children really like it here. They can interact with nature: play with water, jump on rocks and create their own path to the spring. In this way, children take ownership of this place, which becomes part of their daily life. Adults relax on the benches overlooking the water, and dog owners can make a water stop for their pets. And, of course, just like before, people regularly come here with plastic five-liter canisters to bring spring water home. The spring is still used in all the ways that existed before the landscaping work, but the area now looks different. As part of the project, we cleaned the groundwater drainage, improved the water outlet, created places for rest and a space for interaction with nature in the city.»

Maria Guseva

Architect

Authors

Polina Ej

Curator of the «Tales of Golden Apples» public art program, founder of the Nuvo buro

Polina Ej

Curator of the «Tales of Golden Apples» public art program, founder of the Nuvo buro

Olena Grankina

Architect of the Moscow bureau Nowadaysoffice, graduate of the Urban Routines educational program of the Strelka Institute of Architecture, Media and Design

Olena Grankina

Architect of the Moscow bureau Nowadaysoffice, graduate of the Urban Routines educational program of the Strelka Institute of Architecture, Media and Design

Igor Safiullin

Winner of national awards as part of a team of green roof projects' authors, head of the department for environmental protection and gardening work in Zaryadye Park, author of the Industrial Square landscaping concept

Igor Safiullin

Winner of national awards as part of a team of green roof projects' authors, head of the department for environmental protection and gardening work in Zaryadye Park, author of the Industrial Square landscaping concept

Ella Kaverina

Biologist, dendrology expert and landscape architect, curator of the botanical department of the Kazan Zoo Botanical Garden

Ella Kaverina

Biologist, dendrology expert and landscape architect, curator of the botanical department of the Kazan Zoo Botanical Garden

Nikita Petrov

Head of the Laboratory of Theoretical Folklore Studies of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Associate Professor at the Center for the Study of Folklore at the Russian State University for the Humanities, senior researcher at the Center for the Study of Folklore and Anthropology of the Moscow Higher School of Economics and Social Sciences (Shaninka)

Nikita Petrov

Head of the Laboratory of Theoretical Folklore Studies of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Associate Professor at the Center for the Study of Folklore at the Russian State University for the Humanities, senior researcher at the Center for the Study of Folklore and Anthropology of the Moscow Higher School of Economics and Social Sciences (Shaninka)

Natalya Savina

Social anthropologist, graduate of the European University (St. Petersburg), researches cities and cultural initiatives in rural areas

Natalya Savina

Social anthropologist, graduate of the European University (St. Petersburg), researches cities and cultural initiatives in rural areas

Abyzova Yulia
Adgamova Nailya
Begunova Lyubov
Danilova Olga
Zaitseva Vladislava
Ilkaeva Zulfiya
Kanafina Evelina
Lazarev Alexey
Lepyatskaya Albina
Lukoyanova Inara
Nabiullina Valeria
Parshikova Alexandra
Plakhuta Olga
Surkov Andrey
Tivikov Dmitry
Khaibullina Zulfiya
Schmidt Kirill
Yabbarova Alfiya

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