The official opening of the cultural space «Revolt Center» took place in Syktyvkar on June 6. It is named after the scientist, dissident and people's deputy of the RSFSR, Revolt Pimenov. The correspondent of "7x7" visited the opening.
«Revolt should become a platform for dialogue»
The center has been open since March 2019, but there was a break (about two months) to complete the repair, so the official opening took place on June 6.
Feminist Lelya Nordik has already given a lecture on "Strategies of network interaction of feminists", journalist and screenwriter Alexander Gorbachev has told, "How and why tell stories in the digital world" in "Revolt Center". On March 20, the center held the first workshop "Design code in urban space" and the screening of the film "Technical Aesthetics".
Art curator of "Revolt Center" Svetlana Kolchurina told «7x7»:
— At first I was against the idea of calling the center "Revolt". But when you learn about Revolt Pimenov as a person, you stop questioning it. Even under tough censorship, he remained a man with inner freedom. Karelians have the word "Omovaldum" meaning «my personal freedom, a state in me». For me, Revolt equals "Omovaldum".
For a long time we thought about how to make an official opening, wanted to make some cool festival or invite a cool performance. But at some point we realized that the most important thing is the start itself, and it is important to show all the possibilities of the site, how it can perform successfully in different formats, so this format of opening was invented, sometimes the hall was divided into two parts. We have shown how to work with space, with people, with themes in full force. Therefore, there immediately appeared an exhibition and a concert. We showed the light, walls, sound, cafe, how to negotiate. It was important for us to show how versatile the site of "Revolt" is.
— «Revolt» should become a platform for dialogue,— Daria Ananyeva, a member of the team of «Revolt center», said at the opening.
Guests' Suggestions
Syktyvkar residents and guests of the city, who came to the center on June 6, were able to decide how they would like to see «Revolt».
— You are laying the foundations, — said human rights activist Igor Sazhin to the first visitors who came not just to drink coffee in the cafe of "Revolt Сenter", but personally participate in the preparation of the events program for the next couple of years.
Visitors suggested a series of events "Republic of the Future", where residents will be able to talk with the authorities about current problems of the city and the region. Another event related to the city — trainings on site improvement and even communication with management companies (according to Syktyvkar residents, it is extremely difficult to find a common language with them). During the brainstorming another interesting suggestion was made — to make an inventory of Revolt Pimenov's archive. Now it is scattered in three cities: St. Petersburg, Syktyvkar and Bremen, Germany. Syktyvkar residents think that legacy of Revolt Pimenov must be saved and it needs to be studied.
The most frequent suggestion was film screenings and various exhibitions, as well as meetings, seminars, and trainings.
«In the Ring of the North»
After the official opening, all those who came to «Revolt» on June 6 were the first to see the photo exhibition "In the Ring of the North" by Syktyvkar photographer Sergey Parshukov. It is dedicated to the gradually dying city of the Arctic — Vorkuta. Coal was scattered on the floor and on the windowsills of the major hall, and the footsteps, the howling wind, the miners' hammering could be heard from the speakers.
— The photo does not require translation. You see everything yourself, — commented Mark Onikul, the head of the Center for creative photography of Syktyvkar State University and Sergey Parshukov's teacher.
At the same time, Komi shangas with millet and potatoes were prepared in the Russian oven otside, the evening continued with the music of the ensemble «Jazz do it».
— For me, the most pleasant thing was a reaction of people who don't know that I am somehow connected to "Revolt". They would come up and say, "That's great!"— some technical things, design, program. There is no such place in Syktyvkar. That's true. And it was important for me to hear opinions of those people who could honestly, without flattery tell me the truth, and they said that it was good, — said the publisher "7x7" Leonid Zilberg.
