Парк Искусств или Парк скульптуры ЦДХ

detail of sculptures of victims of communist rule installed as a group Artist: Evgeny Chubarov

The Fallen Monument Park (formerly called the Park of the Fallen Heroes) is located on the grounds of the Krymsky Val building that houses the Tretyakov Modern Art Gallery and the Central House of Artists.  Established in 1992 by the city of Moscow, it boasts over 700 sculptures arranged in themed sections -Pushkin Square, Oriental Gardens, Portrait Row, Fallen Monuments- to name a few.


The park as seen today grew up around the remains of the discarded socialist realism statues of unidentified workers, peasants and Soviet leaders removed from their pedestals in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed.

It was a perfect afternoon for a walk in the park, with the sun coming out to play after a long morning of rain had washed away some of the pukh floating through the air.  The tranquility of the park was occasionally broken up by the sounds of other visitors exchanging thoughts and opinions about the sculptures in German, English, Russian.  Mr. U and I shared the same thought, "UGH...tourists", and rolled our eyes in mock disdain.

I guess Moscow has become "home" after just over 10 months.

Peace on Earth

 

Tretyakov Modern Art Gallery and the Central House of Artists

 

Peter the Great on the Moscow river as seen from the gardens                                          photo: Mr. U

Great minds of the 20thC

Adam and Eve

A gentleman enjoying the park, he is not a sculpture...there are many spaces to reflect quietly.

Love is in the air

Wolf in sheep's clothing

Ghandi

 

I'm the king of the world...

OK...yes, I know...you're REALLY looking for the Soviet sculptures.  You skimmed through the other photos to get here, didn't you?  C'mon, admit it. 

Without further ado, here they are.   I hope the images meet your expectations. Although nothing compares to the experience of standing in the shadows cast by the sculptures, feeling how small and insignificant you are beside these Soviet giants.

Stalin, defaced

                                                                           Lenin                                                         photo: Mr.U

                                                                           Marx                                                         photo: Mr.U

Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev

 

Photo: Mr. U

Interesting trivia

The opening animation sequence of James Bond’s Goldeneye is based on images of the fallen monuments.  Look closely and you’ll see Lenin, Stalin and a deconstruction of the large Soviet emblem throughout the sequence.