True! In 1990 Soviet cosmonaut Alexandr Balandin took the Banner of Peace on the board of orbital station «Mir». The Banner is a symbol of the Roerich Pact for protection of artistic and scientific institutions and historic monuments. Besides the Banner, a small exhibition of works by nonconformist artists was sent aboard the station. Each ounce of the baggage is worth its weight in gold in space. It is not surprising that the exhibition mostly consisted of small graphic works.

Hard to believe, but it's true! In 1990 Soviet cosmonaut Alexandr Balandin took the Banner of Peace on the board of orbital station «Mir». The Banner is a symbol of the Roerich Pact for protection of artistic and scientific institutions and historic monuments. Besides the Banner, a small exhibition of works by nonconformist artists was sent aboard the station. Each ounce of the baggage is worth its weight in gold in space. It is not surprising that the exhibition mostly consisted of small graphic works.

The jump was made, but the man who did that was a well-known Moscow artist Oleg Kulik. He made his name with a performance in which he acted like a dog and even bit his audience! This time the artist imagined himself a bird. On September 22, 1995, he jumped out of the fourth floor using a safety harness in front of a crowd in a yard of the Pushkinskaya-10. No birds were harmed during the performance!

The jump was made, but the man who did that was a well-known Moscow artist Oleg Kulik. He made his name with a performance in which he acted like a dog and even bit his audience! This time the artist imagined himself a bird. On September 22, 1995, he jumped out of the fourth floor using a safety harness in front of a crowd in a yard of the Pushkinskaya-10. No birds were harmed during the performance!

Pushkinskaya-10 is the territory of Art that is no place for a strict time-schedule. Artistic life in the art centre is in full swing 24 hours a day. The museum and galleries are open in the daytime, and at night clubs and bars are ready to welcome visitors. During the annual Museum Night event, the art centre stays open until morning. In fact, the majority of the Pushkinskaya-10's residents are night persons.

Pushkinskaya-10 is the territory of Art that is no place for a strict time-schedule. Artistic life in the art centre is in full swing 24 hours a day. The museum and galleries are open in the daytime, and at night clubs and bars are ready to welcome visitors. During the annual Museum Night event, the art centre stays open until morning. In fact, the majority of the Pushkinskaya-10's residents are night persons.

In 1993 Sergey Kuryokhin and Sergey Kovalsky made a guest appearance on Seva Novgorodsev's chat show «Севаоборот» (Sevaoborot, a pun with the Russian word sevooborot, "crop rotation") on BBC radio. It was then that they proclaimed the Pushkinskaya-10 as an independent state. It was a joke. Or not?..

In 1993 Sergey Kuryokhin and Sergey Kovalsky made a guest appearance on Seva Novgorodsev's chat show «Севаоборот» (Sevaoborot, a pun with the Russian word sevooborot, "crop rotation") on BBC radio. It was then that they proclaimed the Pushkinskaya-10 as an independent state. It was a joke. Or not?..

True! Nicolay Medvedev was Pushkinskaya-10's general director for over twenty years. He really was a pathologist, but quitted medicine. He joined the Pushkinskaya-10 by chance (or by fate?) and stayed here for many years.

A pathologist running the art centre? Wow! Nicolay Medvedev was Pushkinskaya-10's general director for over twenty years. It is true that he was a pathologist, but he quit medicine. He joined the Pushkinskaya-10 by chance and stayed here for many years.

Yes, the area has been not enlarged but reduced, though the creative enthusiasm has only increased! In 1989 Pushkinskaya-10 was established as an art squat. Artists occupied an abandoned building with an area of 15,000 m2. They stayed here illegally and were fighting with the city government, bandits and the homeless, each of whom wanted the building for themselves. Eventually, the local authority gave artists about 1/3 of the building to set up the official art centre. By the way, we have a special quiz about the art squat!

Unfortunately, the area has been reduced, but creative enthusiasm has only increased! In 1989 Pushkinskaya-10 was established as an art squat. Artists occupied an abandoned building with an area of 15,000 m2. They stayed here illegally and were fighting with the city government, bandits and the homeless, each of whom wanted the building for themselves. Eventually, the local authority gave artists about 1/3 of the building to set up the official art centre. By the way, we have a special quiz about the art squat!

At the «Old Pushka» (the art centre's nickname in its early years), there really was a clinic, the Salvador Dali Art Clinic, to be exact. It was founded by the famous Leningrad artist Kirill Miller. Concerts and art performances took place there. In the territory of the clinic, there was also a bar called Pharmacy, which was one of the favorite places of Leningrad bohemian artists.

Art as medical treatment? Why not! At the « Old Pushka» (the art centre's nickname in its early years), there really was a clinic, the Salvador Dali Art Clinic, to be exact. It was founded by the famous Leningrad artist Kirill Miller. Concerts and art performances took place there. In the territory of the clinic, there was also a bar called Pharmacy, which was one of the favorite places of Leningrad bohemian artists.

It is easy to guess that the art centre's name follows its address — Pushkinskaya street, 10. But the entrance from Pushkinskaya street is closed now and you can get to the art centre from Ligovsky prospect only. Alexander Pushkin is the patron saint of the place. His bronze monument welcomes visitors in the first yard. In contrast to numerous monuments to Pushkin-the-poet, this one honors Pushkin-the-artist!

Alexander Pushkin, Pushkinskaya street and Pushkinskaya-10 are closely related. The art centre's name follows its address — Pushkinskaya street, 10. An entrance from Pushkinskaya street is closed now and you can get to the art centre from Ligovsky prospect only. Alexander Pushkin is the patron saint of the place. His bronze monument welcomes visitors in the first yard. In contrast to numerous monuments to Pushkin-the-poet, this one honors Pushkin-the-artist!

Tight but happy! The Door gallery is one of the most unusual galleries in St. Petersburg. Its founder Evgenia Konovalova turned an ordinary door space into an area for micro-exhibitions. When the Door is closed, you can see the exhibition through the peephole.

Size does not matter! The Door gallery is one of the most unusual galleries in St. Petersburg. Its founder Evgenia Konovalova turned an ordinary door space into an area for micro-exhibitions. When the Door is closed, you can see the exhibition through the peephole.

Our doors are always open! It was long ago when Pushkinskaya-10 was a secret space, where one could get by luck or chance. Now we welcome everybody. Check our opening hours online: www.p-10.ru

Of course, not! It was long ago when Pushkinskaya-10 was a secret space, where one could get by luck or chance. Now we welcome everybody. Check our opening hours online: www.p-10.ru