August 31, 2021

Russia Tire-d of Folk Art


Russia Tire-d of Folk Art
Tire Art in Comrat, Moldova. Photograph by Haley Bader

Fans of the former Soviet Union may recognize something iconic in the tire swan: a tradition in many a small town, the art form of turning tires into animals has long roots. However, at the beginning of July, the Russian government banned the decorations in the attempt to beautify residential areas. While such measures have been enacted in various Russian regions, this move formalizes the policy.

The Russian online publication Meduza reported a fantastic piece with images of many a lawn swan and his brethren. “Cult objects that have long become one of the symbols of Russian urban everyday life,” the rubber art is appreciated in some circles as a form of “folk art.” Practitioners have explained that they view it as means to beautify their communities and make children happy.

You won’t just see bevies of swan - the sculptures come in elephant, heron, cat, swan, motorcycle, and other forms. They are popular across the country, and some pieces have even reached Internet fame. In cities like Kalyazin, a person must pay 100 rubles to the owners of an art garden several hundred square meters in size in order to take a photo.

While some lack appreciation for art made from trash, there is something to be said about creatively disposing of rubbish. Tires are huge and release dangerous chemicals into the soil and air when decomposing. Why not tackle rot with art?

 

 

You Might Also Like

Russian Lacquer Miniatures: A Mythic Art
  • November 01, 2001

Russian Lacquer Miniatures: A Mythic Art

Russian lacquered miniatures came to fruition in the Soviet era--skilled icon painters' adaptation of a centuries-old art to new, secular reality. Collector and expert Cherry Gilchrist offers a fascinating look at the history of this art form, plus offers useful tips on how to buy top-quality miniatures.
Their Lives for Their Art
  • November 01, 2007

Their Lives for Their Art

In several small craft villages surrounding the capital, artisans struggle against the pressures of capitalism and the legacy of gigantism to preserve both their art and their way of life.
Malevich's Ukrainian Square
  • September 01, 2016

Malevich's Ukrainian Square

A century-old work of art by an avant-garde artist has become a symbol for the growing rift between Russia and Ukraine, just as more is being learned about its famous artist.
Mysterious Folk Art
  • March 01, 2014

Mysterious Folk Art

These strange, paddle-shaped boards, painted with lively folk motifs, had both practical and symbolic significance in village life.
Golden Khokhloma
  • June 03, 2000

Golden Khokhloma

Unique and enchanting folk art from the region of Transvolga.
Olga's Amazing Work of Art
  • November 14, 2018

Olga's Amazing Work of Art

Olga Ezova-Denisova explains in words and pictures the complex process behind making her special bear linocut prints for our New Russian Life project.
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.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
At the Circus

At the Circus

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.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
22 Russian Crosswords

22 Russian Crosswords

Test your knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and society with these 22 challenging puzzles taken from the pages of Russian Life magazine. Most all the clues are in English, but you must fill in the answers in Russian. If you get stumped, of course all the puzzles have answers printed at the back of the book.
Marooned in Moscow

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.
The Best of Russian Life

The Best of Russian Life

We culled through 15 years of Russian Life to select readers’ and editors’ favorite stories and biographies for inclusion in a special two-volume collection. Totalling over 1100 pages, these two volumes encompass some of the best writing we have published over the last two decades, and include the most timeless stories and biographies – those that can be read again and again.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
Russia Rules

Russia 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.
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.

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
PO Box 567
Montpelier VT 05601-0567

802-223-4955