The Maslenitsa Festival

Installations, costumes and stage design for the traditional Russian festival Maslenitsa. Gorky Park. Moscow, 2018

Sketch:

The sun is a key symbol of the Maslenitsa festival when, according to Russian tradition, people celebrate the imminent end of winter by burning an effigy, saying goodbye to all the winter hardships and cold, welcoming the long-awaited spring, warmth and sun. To symbolise this, a huge 6-meter yellow sun was installed in the gate of the main entrance to Gorky Park.

Realisation:

During the two days of the festival, guests could enjoy live music, try a lot of different types of traditional Russian ‘blini’ pancakes, make their own personal souvenirs and participate in traditional folk fun.

The leading characters were fat-guys, who had eaten too many ‘blini’ pancakes. Their inflated costumes included traditional elements such as Orenburg scarves and Russian ’shapka-ushanka’ hats.

Sketch:

The festival ended with the burning of an 8-meter high kettlebell-shaped wooden installation called ’The Heaviness of Winter’. 

The form of the stage and lighting design are evocative of the key symbol — the Sun. 

Concept:

Tatyana Ludanik

Katya Volkova

Aleksey Baranov

2018