Over two days at «Archstoyaniye,» I managed to cover dozens of kilometers on forest trails, stand in endless lines, and see countless art installations. But if I had to choose the three most memorable moments, I would pick these…
First, there was a massive yellow Duck, constructed from cardboard boxes from bananas. It constantly moved throughout the festival, appearing unexpectedly in the meadow, by the forest path, or next to another art installation. Each time, a crowd would instantly gather around it. Later, I learned that this was the Banana Gallery project, «Where is the Duck?» It had no predetermined route—the viewers themselves created it by pushing the structure through the park. Inside operated an «embassy» of the fictional state, the Banana Republic of Art, where one could pick up a small cardboard duckling. Afterward, I constantly encountered people carrying these ducklings with them, hiding them in the most unexpected places, or looking for those already left behind by others, turning a simple walk into a game.
The second discovery was the «Burning» restaurant. I couldn’t get in on the first day—the line was too long. But the next day, I was lucky. Before entering, everyone was handed a birch branch that they had to toss into the fire. The restaurant itself was an open wooden structure without a roof, and instead of conventional walls, it was surrounded by neatly stacked piles of firewood. Guests were seated at a long table, cider was poured, and the chef cooked dishes right over an open flame, so the entire process took place in front of the visitors. By the evening of the last day, «Burning» was burned down.
But that wasn’t the only thing that burned down at «Arkhostoyanie.» As night fell, people converged on the «One Hundred Fires» area, where a performance was taking place featuring Shortparis drummer Danil Kholodkov and choreographer Vladimir Varnava. The title references the musical term con fuoco—"with fire"—meaning to play with maximum passion and expressiveness. I stood very close to one of the bonfires, watching as people took each other’s hands and began to form circles to the continuous beat of the drums. What was unfolding was becoming less like a concert and more like an ancient pagan ritual. It was impossible to look away from the spectacle. Gradually, the drum rhythm, the fire, and the circular movement of the people induced an almost trance-like state.
