A lecture on the transformation of abandoned industrial spaces into vibrant art clusters will be held on June 7th at 4:00 PM in the Courtyard of Planetarium 1 (Obvodny Canal embankment, 74 C). The lecture aims to explore the growing trend of art clusters and how street artists utilize the historical context of these locations.

Art critic and mediator Ulyana Vasilyeva from the Sergei Kuryokhin Center will lead the discussion. Vasilyeva will explain what constitutes an art cluster and the techniques employed by street artists to connect with the historical roots of a place.

The lecture will delve into the appeal of technogenic “abandoned buildings” and how art plays a role in converting them into cultural hubs. The rise of these clusters is not unique to St. Petersburg, as similar initiatives are emerging in cities like Moscow, Yekaterinburg, and Nizhny Novgorod.

One example of such a transformation is the Brusnitsyn Cultural Quarter, located at Kozhevennaya, 30, in the Chekushi district of Vasilyevsky Island. This area was once home to leather workshops that grew into a prominent factory owned by the Brusnitsyn merchant family, becoming one of Europe’s finest leather producers. Now, it functions as a multi-faceted cluster where artists are invited to create, resulting in an open-air public art museum.

The lecture, titled “How art transforms abandoned places into cultural centers of the city,” will be held in the Courtyard of Planetarium 1 (Obvodny Canal embankment, 74 C). Further details can be found on the Planetarium 1 website.