New streets in Moscow

New streets bearing the name of Chagall, Kandinksy, and other prominent XX century have appeared in Moscow.

Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, at a recent city government meeting put forward a proposal to rename the streets of the soon-to-be reconstructed “ZiL” industrial zone in honor of well-known artists and architects.

- “I propose to name the planned waterfront street in Zil after Marc Chagall”- Sergei Soyanin, Mayor of Moscow.

“As a result of recent decisions, twelve new streets will appear on the Moscow map”, stated Sobyanin. Artist Lev Yudin and architect Moses Ginzburg will be among those honored by street signs.

According to projections, reconstruction of the former industrial area occupied by the Zil plant may take up to 10 years.

The reconstruction aims to create 20km of road, an overpass over railroad tracks, as well as residential, commercial and other infrastructural facilities. Total project investment plans to build about a million square meters of housing in this region in southern Moscow.

Also, a new branch of the Hermitage Museum is planned to occupy this former factory territory.

The waterfront street of this new district will be named in honor of Russian, Belarussian, and French painter of Jewish origin, Marc Chagall.

Chagall is considered one of the brightest representatives of twentieth century avant-garde. His works are displayed in both foreign and local museums.

One of the new streets in this district will bear the name of the founder of abstract art, Kandinsky.

Kadinsky was honored in 2007 by the establishment of the Kandinsky Prize. The winner is chosen based on the degree of impact their artwork has on contemporary Russian art.

Another street will be named after Lev Yudin, a Russian and soviet painter, graphic silhouettist, and figure of Russian avant-garde. Yudin studied under distinguished painter Kazimir Malevich. He is known for his participation in a number of artists unions and for his work in children’s magazines like “Siskin” and “Hedgehog”.

Moses Ginzburg, a Soviet architect, practitioner, theorist and leader of constructivism is set to be honored as well. Active in the first half of the 1920’s, Ginzburg greatly influenced constructivist architecture as well as contributing to the Palace of Labour. He also designed Home Textiles, and House Orgametalla, however his realized masterpiece was the Narkomfin House in Moscow.

Other streets honoring eminent artists and architects include, Architect Golosova Street, Architect Shchusev Street, Architect Melnikov Street, Architect Ginzburg Street, Architect Leonidov Street, Rodchenko Street, Tatlin Street, Brothers Vesnin Street, Varvara Stepanova Street, and Lissitzky Street.