Authorities to return sculptures saved from scrap yard
Mr. Popov appears to have packed his belongings and is eager to return to the city.
Sculptures that were taken from the square in front of «Crystal» and ended up at a scrap metal collection point will be returned to the city. Authorities have agreed with the owner of the collection point that they will take them back.
The sculptures were created in 2011 by participants of the «Season of Arts» festival and installed in front of the «Crystal» cinema. In 2020, when Komsomolsky Prospekt began to be repaired, the sculptures disappeared. The city administration then explained to 59.RU that all art objects were handed over to the regional authorities and sent to the warehouses of the PERMM museum. But recently, they were discovered at a recycling point.
«Several years ago, they signed a contract with me for the disposal of decommissioned sculptures,» Anton Zabolotko, director of the collection point LLC PK «Steel Will», told 59.RU. «I personally came and picked them up from «Crystal», and some from the museum warehouse. Yes, they are subject to disposal, but I couldn«t bring myself to destroy them yet. People take photos with them, some even come specifically for that.»
The sculpture known as Ginger Kotofeich is particularly loved by the workers at the metal scrap point.
After we published the news about this, representatives of the regional authorities contacted the editorial office. They said they want to save the sculptures and asked to connect them with the owner of the collection point. After negotiations, the head of the scrap collection point agreed to return the sculptures to the city.
Today, November 11, representatives of the Ministry of Culture and journalists from 59.RU (for monitoring purposes) came to LLC PK «Steel Will» — that very scrap collection point, to pick up the sculptures. But the sculptures turned out to be so heavy and large that without a crane truck, it would be impossible to lift them, and besides, trucks larger than those that came are needed. The ministry representatives decided that they will come in the coming days with more suitable equipment, with a crane truck, and take the sculptures away. And today, they signed the documents for the transfer of the artworks.
As explained to 59.RU by the Ministry of Culture, they will be delivered to the Shpagin Plant, and then a place will be found for their exhibition.
Earlier, we wrote about the fate of the historical panel «Science» by sculptors Kolyupanov from the wall of NIIUMS on Lenin Street. It was dismantled in parts during the building«s renovation.
