Find Yourself a Heart—Moscow Hosts Braulov Embroidery Exhibition
Check out a free contemporary embroidery exhibition not far from HSE’s central buildings in Moscow.
Sasha Braulov, an artist from St Petersburg, began embroidering in kindergarten. He then put the craft aside for twenty years, only to return to it while studying marketing at university. For a long time, he combined his work as an analyst at a large company with his embroidery hobby. But art eventually won—today, embroidery is Braulov’s main vocation.
His signature pieces are embroidered miniatures on small squares of fabric. Besides exhibiting his works at exhibitions and selling them, the artist playfully turns his city into a guessing game. He attaches his embroidered pieces to transformer booths, poles, and fences to cheer up passersby with funny and heartwarming messages. For example, ‘Take good care of yourself,’ ‘Good luck,’ ‘Hope Can’t Be Blown Out,’ etc. He even attaches them using double-sided tape to avoid damaging the surfaces. Whoever finds one of these miniatures can either take it home or leave it for others to enjoy.
Braulov’s practice, however, extends beyond miniatures. He is also fascinated by avant-garde architecture. His project includes over 250 large-scale works dedicated to architectural monuments of the 1920s–1930s. In his series ‘Documentary Embroidery,’ Braulov draws on childhood memories, scenes from cinema, and portraits of musicians from both the past and the present.
His current exhibition, titled ‘Blow, Please, My Way Too,’ is on view in Moscow at ART&BRUT Gallery. The entire show is devoted to the theme of wind, with short, meaningful, and always kind genre scenes. Among the works are pieces titled ‘Blow and It Will Pass,’ ‘Let’s Hope the Roof Stays On,’ and others.
Braulov has also hidden more than 60 tiny embroidered hearts around Moscow. Keep your eyes open and you might find one!
Braulov’s works are held in the collections of the Russian Museum, the All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art, and various galleries across the country.
The exhibition runs until November 1.
ART&BRUT Gallery (site in Russian) is located in a 1901 Art-Nouveau building recognised as a cultural heritage site.
Address: Bldg. 1,1/8 Armyansky Lane, Moscow
Nearest metro: Kitay-Gorod / Lubyanka
Contacts: Email info@artandbrutgallery.com, Tel. +7 985 225 50 28
Opening hours:
Monday–Friday: 11 am–7 pm
Saturday: 12 pm–6 pm
Admission: Free