Black Mountain set to ignite during Maslenitsa at Nikola-Lenivets art park
The 22-meter sculpture known as Black Mountain will be burned as part of Maslenitsa celebrations at the Nikola-Lenivets art park. Event organizers shared the plan with socialbites.ca.
According to Nikola-Lenivets representatives, the eruption of Black Mountain will symbolize the shift from winter to spring. It will be a single-day fiery performance that comes to life, burns, and dissolves before spectators. The concept for the art object was conceived by Konstantin Fominov, with Ekaterina Polyakova serving as the volcano’s architect. The event is scheduled for March 16.
A 20-person team will assemble Black Mountain over three months. The design relies on straw, birch branches, spruce poles, and treetops, with no new materials brought in; only waste or unused resources will be repurposed. The burn will mimic a volcanic eruption, and before the show begins there will be an internal staircase allowing visitors to ascend to the top of the volcano and observe the improvised chimney from within.
Alongside the burn, Maslenitsa at Nikola-Lenivets will feature a fair where guests can take part in challenges to earn blincoins, which can be exchanged for hot pancakes. A theatrical performance will precede the cremation, with further details to be announced in due course.
Earlier communications indicated who would present Blue Light in 2024, marking another year of commission-based projects at the site.