Photo by the press service of the Molchanov-Sibirsky Library
A multifunctional museum space was opened in the library named after Molchanov-Sibirsky as part of the project “Middle-earth. Picture of the world and map of the area.” Molchanovka’s new project as an art object metaphorically tells visitors about the history, literature, mythology and natural features of the Irkutsk region.
The public space combines the features and attributes of a museum, library, intellectual quest and coworking space. The name of the project refers to the famous quote “Beloved Irkutsk – the middle of the Earth.” The program is dedicated to Irkutsk and the Angara, the Baikal region and Lake Baikal.
The project’s slogan and its main concept is “Siberia as a text.” The space of Middle-earth can not only be viewed and analyzed, but also read. The semantic units there are words and quotes, as well as a specially created system of hieroglyphs, an old wooden window, old televisions tuned in a special way, library catalogs and much more. Middle-earth can be called a multi-level puzzle, the project organizers said.
Alexander Bondarev, curator of the project “Middle-earth. Picture of the world and map of the area”, museum designer, candidate of philological sciences:
“I invite everyone to visit Middle-earth, see it with their own eyes, touch it. When I conduct curatorial tours, I often have the feeling that I am stealing the viewer’s immediate first impression. But it is very valuable. Therefore, I will not say much, announce or suggest interpretations. We live in good times, now a library can compete with a mall, a museum, and a coworking space. And if you, say, need to sit somewhere with a laptop for, say, an hour and a half, come to this space. For me and for all the creators of the project, it is important that people simply be here: spend time. So that visitors here can read books, work on the computer, think, organize meetings, poetry readings, watch films, or just chat. Nowadays, schoolchildren love to do homework together – so let them do their homework in “Middle Earth”!
The space of Middle-earth is open to everyone during Molchanovka opening hours. For questions about excursions, call: 8 (3952) 48-66-80. For organizing thematic events and other questions, you can send a request by email: [email protected].
Photo by the press service of the Molchanov-Sibirsky Library
Photo by the press service of the Molchanov-Sibirsky Library
Photo by the press service of the Molchanov-Sibirsky Library
Video of Molchanovka
