Category Results

Artemy Lebedev quit the journalism faculty at Moscow State University after studying there for just two years. Russia may have lost a journalist. But it acquired a designer. 

Boris Kozulin, 42, a teacher at Moscow’s Gymnasium #1567, could not differ more from the overblown stereotype of secondary school math teachers...

"Russia,” the proverb has it, “hinges on the Ivanovs.” (Rossiya na Ivanovykh derzhitsya.) In the case of Russia’s Olympic experience at Salt Lake City, the men’s cross-country medal hopes hinged on Mikhail Ivanov.

At 32, Sergei Boyarsky is the youngest dean in the history of the Moscow Medical Academy named for Sechenov.

The Museum of Russian Art is proud to present a solo exhibition by Mark Mednikov. The selection of thirty works from the artist’s private studio introduces the creative scope of a talented Minnesota-based artist and architect. Ranging from early Soviet-era drawings to recent oil paintings and photographs of buildings he designed, the show features remarkable artworks where the precision of architectural approach blends with the freedom of fine art.    

The artist’s background combines a rigorous academic foundation in fine arts with decades of experience working as an architect in Minnesota. Mednikov received his art education at the prestigious Repin Art Institute in Leningrad (Department of Architecture). The Department’s curriculum emphasized both architectural design and the fine arts. This unique combination of training would influence his creative vision throughout his life. 

Immigrating to the US in 1979, Mednikov has built his life in the Twin Cities, balancing his deep roots in classical European art education with local community life. His talent for combining artistic skill with architectural precision earned him recognition within the profession and led to a long career with Pope Associates, where he was Director of Design. His architectural projects include the Cargill administrative building in Minnetonka, the Department of Revenue building in St. Paul, and the St. Paul Monastery in Maplewood, to name but a few.

In recent years, Mednikov has devoted himself fully to painting. While he has explored various artistic styles, his mature work reflects a deep appreciation for realism and traditional craftsmanship. His admiration for Old Masters such as Zurbarán and Memling has led him to seek to capture the beauty of everyday objects with remarkable precision.The Museum of Russian Art is deeply grateful to Mark Mednikov for sharing his wonderful artwork for this exhibition. We also thank Liza Shturman for facilitating the organization of this exhibition.

Arkady Babchenko is the only Russian writer to successfully depict the Chechen war in literature. In 2001, his book of short stories, Ten Stories about the War, won the Debut Prize “For Courage in Literature.”

Russia is pushing ahead with a new drive to populate the country’s remote and unpopular fringes. Starting this year, Russians can claim a hectare (about 2.5 acres) of land in the Arctic zone – absolutely free.

Last Word, teachers' salaries, discrimination, recording Russian casualties, and Sosnowsky’s hogweed.