A Sun Waiting for Dawn Has Appeared in Nizhny Novgorod

An art installation titled “Sun Waiting for Dawn” by artist Grisha Sharov has been unveiled at the viewing platform in front of AZIMUT Hotel Nizhny Novgorod. It is the first installation in a series of works that contemporary artists will create with the support of AZIMUT Hotels.

Grisha Sharov is a renowned street artist and the creator of the “One for All” festival and the independent SCAM contemporary art fair. His work explores themes of place and memory, childhood recollections, and the country’s recent past through humor and self-reflection. The artist came up with the idea of “grounding” the sun at the viewing platform during his stay at the “Room with a View” art residency, which took place from July to September this year in three Russian cities — Nizhny Novgorod, Astrakhan and Murmansk.

Grisha noticed that from the hotel, visitors can only watch sunsets, while sunrises remain hidden behind the building. Now, the sun can be viewed at any time of day. The work has a gentle, slightly ironic character and invites viewers to interact with it — they can sit beside it, take photos, stroke the sun and even wait for dawn.

The sculpture is the first installation created as part of the nationwide “Room with a View” art residency by AZIMUT Hotels. Through the project, the hotel chain not only supports emerging artists but also creates a new map of urban attractions. This year’s residents included Krasnoyarsk-based artist Grisha Sharov, who created the project in Nizhny Novgorod; St. Petersburg artist Vladimir Abikh, who traveled to Astrakhan; and the artists of the Momentum art collective from St. Petersburg, who visited Murmansk.

About the Project

AZIMUT’s “Room with a View” art residency is Russia’s first public art program dedicated to developing the cultural landscape of Russian cities, built around the extensive geographic reach of AZIMUT Hotels. Under the concept of the project, an artist spends a week in a city that is new to them, draws inspiration from its culture, captures the mood of its residents and expresses their perception of the city through art by creating a concept for an art installation.

AZIMUT’s art residencies are part of the AZIMUT ART contemporary art support program, which the hotel chain has been running since 2021. The company actively supports contemporary Russian artists by providing them with creative spaces at its hotels.