Watch a short video about the work process
What is this bas-relief about?
That's how I found out about the former merchant house of the Mitrofanov family in the 19th century. (the place where the restaurant is located) and about the fact that this family was well-known businessmen and patrons in the city. Next, I delved into the history of the Antonov family customers and was amazed at how similar the line between the Mitrofanovs and them is. Real merchants of the 21st century, with their own production in Borovichi. They are also known and revered by the townspeople. I could not imagine what efforts it cost them to buy this house and make a global renovation, which they have been engaged in for more than 10 years – it would be easier, cheaper and faster to demolish and rebuild! Now it is an object of cultural heritage of regional significance. For customers, the restaurant is a family dream, a true place of strength.
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A concept was born in my head, where there was no connection to the real bridge, only symbolism. The panel became the personification of the bond between the merchant family The Mitrofanovs and the family The Antonovs, through the ages. After all, in fact, they also revive the best traditions of the Russian merchant class: they are engaged in charity, patronage, improve the territory around, that is, in the literal sense, they build mental, historical BRIDGES.
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I refused to broadcast the "bridge" verbatim, taking as a basis only two conventional shores and elements of their connection. The image for these "shores" was one of my previously executed art objects, created under the impression of Antelope Canyon, where you can clearly see how the air, gently skirting an obstacle, blows out only weak rock, leaving only a skeleton - an imprint of the movement of the elements. This was the metaphor: two steep banks, between them the trace of the river of time, cutting off everything superfluous on both sides, and a small unifying bow – the very BRIDGE.