In addition to its economic and physical properties, the Moscow River has quite a strong and mighty potential to become an object of study and a subject of museum exhibition.

MOSKVAREKA museum is not only about the history, flora and fauna of the capital’s main waterway. It is a metaphor for the transience of life, as turbulent as the river system.

Entrance Group

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What is a river in its truest sense? A geographical landmark with rich flora and fauna.

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It is a rather complex biological system, which I decided to examine from the perspective of the layering in nature. The first floor is an exposition ABOVE the water level.

Exposition «Above Water Level»

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We go through the water lilies. Can it be real? Let’s stay here for a while, in this quiet and peaceful place.

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Walking along the surface of the water, along the frozen concrete water lilies, you meet local birds. They hide amongst tall plants — glass screens with samples of dried flowers.

Exposition «Below Water Level»

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Basement — exposition BELOW the water level.

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We literally immerse in the root system of water lilies and spaces between them housing the monolithic samples of the underwater Moscow River inhabitants. These are references to the time stop.

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Nobody can swim away, fish are static, water lilies don’t sink.

Shop

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This is where the fishermen empty their nets. They are like a pattern of discovery and retrieval. Catch. Pier. Installation.

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Riverbed antiques are placed into the shop and exhibited in fishing nets. The goods are hanging and waiting for the time to come…

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Cafe

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A metaphor for slowdown — a conceptual solution for a museum café. This space imitates the wet bottom surface, where the settled boats — the dining groups — have gathered.

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A dry river bed — the inability to swim away. A place to stop and recharge.

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MOSKVAREKA Museum

Roman Starushkocurated byDmitriy Bykov