An hour-long tour of found objects of metaphysical importance around the Nizhny Syromyatnicheskiy Lane. It is accompanied by info-brochures in two languages.

Did the 4th Syromyatnicheskiy lane exist before 2003, when BHSAD was opened in a formerly industrial district. The answer is obvious, but only few people think about what it really means.

On today’s tour around the University’s surrounding areas you will discover the hidden creative potential that people living in this district have — the reason places like Artplay could take root here. The excursion is going to last for about an hour, in the end of which we’ll come back to where we started.

«Ping-pong. New Edition.»

The 2nd and 3rd landmarks are a couple of minutes from here. They have earned their place on this list as truly avant-garde objects of architectural thought. It is not surprising that so many street artists have gradually began to exhibit their work around them.

Take a look at this hole in a brick wall. In its style, it resembles something archaic or even accidental, but behind this superficial chaos there is actually a deep sense of harmony, a dance of functionality and natural forms. You will hear the word "harmony" often today and it can even be read as the running theme of this tour.

"Through the Wall"

The local residents did not forget about their role as heirs of the Russian avant-garde, unlike many other Muscovites. They often use abstract geometry and assemblage in their practice. Look up: the boards nailed together create a vibrant and dynamic composition in the spirit of Kandinsky.

At the epicenter of the movement, it twists into a loop, resembling the number 4 — the symbol of the 4th Siromyatnicheskiy Lane....

"The Fantastic Four"

Next, we will see a beautiful example of architectural mimicry. Someone may accuse such a technique of being untrue, deceiving a pharmacy visitor, but I consider this interpretation to be one-dimensional. The integration of a natural landscape into an urban environment only highlights the main goal of health care — to support life in the face of pollution, stress and other products of urbanization. Green being the color of the pharmacy cross is for a good reason.

"The Veil of Nature"

However, contrary to the well-known saying, physical health alone is not enough to maintain overall well-being. Living in the frenzied pace of a megapolis, one often finds a need for a quiet corner in the fresh air. Even centuries ago Gogol wrote about the "Temple of Solitary Meditation" in his cultural monument "Dead Souls". You can find such a temple here. From a design point of view, I would like to note that the colors of the chair and the walls match each other perfectly.

"The Temple of Solitary Meditation"

Not only modernism and classical literature are reflected in the cultural polylogue of the district's life. A place like Artplay could not exist in a place dominated solely by the phenomena of the past. Contemporary art is intertwined with these yards as deeply if not deeper.

"The Wrapped Car"

Perhaps out of a desire to educate the neighbors, or out of an inexplicable inner impulse, a resident similarly to Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped their car in an opaque layer of fabric, likening it to the Wrapped Reichstag (the iconic 1995 installation).

We will leave this yard soon, but before that, I want to show you its last landmark — a symbol of neighborhood and mutual understanding stretching through the years and obstacles no matter what. This truly poetic gesture is hidden here, near the bench. A wire breaks out from behind the grate and the darkness behind it to connect houses separated by a road and a fence.

"Connection"

I often hear that nonconformity is being suppressed in Russian society. How can we believe this if we see evidence to the contrary at every step? At least take a look at this. Even in a seemingly simple matter like garbage disposal, a passerby is given a choice. By throwing the bottle into this bin, they are voting for a clean city. In another country, the “clean city” option would have remained the only one. But what if a passerby still wants to throw away the trash, but their action is motivated by something else?

"The Freedom of Choice"

For example, they want to free up their hands and not carry an unnecessary object with them —  for such a case, there is a neutral urn devoid of this slogan. The third option is intended for particularly socially active citizens. The inverted marking indicates that if someone has found a new use for the objects inside, they can get them out. Thus, the objects wouldn’t actually be considered garbage anymore, and the city would become cleaner.

The next point of interest is a short walk away, which is really handy, because I have a suspicion that by this point of the tour you have accumulated so many new impressions that you could actually use some time to discuss them. I can also  answer your questions as we walk.

"A Historical Artefact"

If before we saw objects that were significant and useful at the present moment, now I will show you an artifact from the past. But first, look at your feet, remember the type of masonry on this boulevard and on the one across the street. What if I told you that there's a brick under the pipe that doesn't match the shape of either?

With this physical document, you can imagine what the road looked like years earlier. It reflects the development of the city more vividly than any photograph ever could, which, no matter how hard it tries, cannot break out of two dimensions. Take a closer look at the brick and follow me. Our tour is coming to an end, but on our way back to the university I will have time to show you a couple more interesting places.

"Inside Out — Outside In"

Today we talked a lot about harmony, which unites the opposite, combines the incongruous. As, for example, in this case, a resident of one of the apartments at the house number 10 rejects the misconceptions about the inherent incompatibility of interior and exterior. By placing a street lamp on his balcony, he calls into question the very concepts of "street" and "home".

How can a wall be outside from one side and part of a room from the other? If you look at the bigger picture, everything "inside" is outside anyway. Realizing that the basic concepts you use to describe reality are subjective will help you better adapt to changes and keep up with the ever ticking clock of time.

But the time really is ticking, and we have to move on to the last landmark for today. It’s a bit unprofessional to pick favorites, but as a secret I'll tell you that I consider it one of the most impressive things you’ll see on this tour.

"Brick/ Metal/ Wall"

Towards the beginning of our walk, we already looked at one example of architectural mimicry. It served as a preparation so you could truly appreciate this place. The metal container is painted so as not to stand out against the background of the wall. The wall, on the other hand, tries to hide its steel door and is therefore also painted to be brick-like, converging with the true brickwork in the corner.

It was thanks to these aspirations that Artplay could appear in 2003. That is precisely why the university exists today, to where we will return shortly. I hope you've learned a lot of new and interesting things on this tour, but if you still happen to have any questions, I'm eager to answer them. I wish the rest of you a good day and a pleasant festival.

This triple overlap of metal and brick, flatness and volume fully demonstrates the inner desire of the inhabitants of this area for harmony, even in the most everyday aspects. To achieve it, they build, paint, cover, stretch and move, without worrying about what others think; Because others — their neighbours and friends share their aspirations.