Elia Kabanov | Metkere

All posts by “Elia Kabanov”

September 10, 2009

Look!

Photos by [Maya Shelkovnikova](http://lubitel.su/).

Contemporary Art Exhibition “Look!” opened today in Novosibirsk.

The opening was very exciting: pornographic pictures on the walls were in abundance, the musicians were wonderful, a cultural critic Sergey Samoilenko talked to vice-governor Andrei Filichev, as a modern artist Slava Mizin of the “Blue Noses” group launched fireworks from his own pants.

And this, my friends, is the primary sensation of the evening: Gary Oldman came to the opening of the exhibition in Novosibirsk!

Mr Oldman friendly talked to local residents and even made a commentary for TV. By the way, [Robin Williams](http://www.flickr.com/photos/nokato/2723917535/sizes/o/in/set-72157603610266957/) came to Novosibirsk to watch the total solar eclipse last year.

August 17, 2009

Green City

Peeing Panda Fountain. Photos by [Dmitry Kobsev](http://www.flickr.com/photos/kobsev/sets/72157622051200820/).

Architectural Festival Green City was held in the Altay Mountains (Russia) in early August. Participants built architectural objects from materials that can be found at the scene. According to organizers, this is one of the principles of eco-architecture. The aim of the festival was to create a model architecture that is able to blend with the environment.

Our colleague [Dmitry Kobsev](http://kobsev.livejournal.com/), who visited architectural festival, said metkere.com, that he was impressed by impractical objects, like The Temple of Wind or The City of Flowers. “This is a bare idea, a sort of concept, not a claim for housing”, – said Dmitry Kobsev.

Related article: [“We are the Champions” in Altay Language](http://metkere.com/en/2008/08/altay-champions.html).

July 20, 2009

ISS toilet breaks down

The main toilet [has broken down](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8158350.stm) on the International Space Station (ISS), currently home to a record 13 astronauts.

Mission Control told the crew to hang an “out of service” sign until the toilet can be fixed. ISS residents are using a back-up toilet in the Russian part of the station.

If repairs fail, Apollo-era urine collection bags are on hand, Nasa said.

July 12, 2009

Moonwalk in Moscow

A nice tribute to [Michael Jackson](http://metkere.com/en/2009/07/michael-shalenko-jackson.html): Russians dance “like MJ” [in streets of Moscow](http://real-ainger.livejournal.com/79339.html).

Previously at metkere.com: [Spider-Man in Moscow](http://metkere.com/en/2009/05/spiderman.html), [Mummies at Red Square](http://metkere.com/en/2009/01/mummies.html) and [“We are the Champions” in Altay Language](http://metkere.com/en/2008/08/altay-champions.html).

July 10, 2009

Floating Nuclear Plants in Russia

Floating Nuclear

World’s first floating nuclear power plant [will go into operation](http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/russians-plan-floating-nuclear-plants/) on Russia’s eastern coast by the end of 2012.

A Russian manufacture O.P.K. is building the plant in the shape of a ship 144 meters (472 feet) in length and 30 meters (98 feet) wide to accommodate two 35-megawatt reactors. Construction of the plant, called KLT-40C, began in February this year.

The advantages of floating nuclear plants include maneuverability of the machines so that they can be serviced, as well as the ability to be towed near remote settlements or sites of energy-intensive industries — like water desalination — where need is greatest for electricity.