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Monument in honor of Battles of Rzhev 1942-1943


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Posted (edited)

Yesterday, a monument to soldiers who died in the Battles of Rzhev was unveiled in the Tver region of Russia. Personally, I didn't know anything about it until yesterday (although I live in Russia) and I was struck by it. And your thoughts about the monument? Does it look great, strange, maybe unfinished or even ugly? What do you think (or feel) about it?

 

mon3.thumb.jpg.216ff2b1948710af99deb34dfa11a5b2.jpg  mon2.thumb.jpg.8d930a061473b65003afdc3a9c4bab53.jpg mon1.thumb.jpeg.3946165b1650e05b7e3a95974e659863.jpeg

Edited by Lofte
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Posted

You want an honest opinion......really?:(   

Feathered_IV
Posted

 

  • Haha 2
Posted (edited)
5 hours ago, DD_Arthur said:

You want an honest opinion......really?:(   

Yes. Shoot.

Edited by Lofte
Feathered_IV
Posted

The skirt of birds is baffling to me the outside observer even after a lifetime spent working in the fartsy side of the arts.  I’m certain there is a very good reason for it, but it must surely be one element that needs to be explained away and justified every time somebody new comes to see it.  
 

The execution of the monument in the round is very good though.   Although you do get the sense that it was modelled on a computer and relied on 3D printed components when preparing the parts for the foundry.  

Posted

It's not my cup of tea but I have no connection to the area at all, so count for nothing here.

Chief_Mouser
Posted

Pretty naff. And as is usual in Russian monuments, overblown. Much too big, although not quite as horrendously so as this monstrosity: 

Statue_of_Unity_Twitter_Piyush_Desai.jpg

Posted
1 hour ago, 216th_Cat said:

Pretty naff. And as is usual in Russian monuments, overblown. Much too big, although not quite as horrendously so as this monstrosity: 

 

 

What the smeg is that?!

Posted
6 hours ago, Feathered_IV said:

The skirt of birds is baffling to me the outside observer even after a lifetime spent working in the fartsy side of the arts.  I’m certain there is a very good reason for it, but it must surely be one element that needs to be explained away and justified every time somebody new comes to see it.  

Well, there is no some special explanation of it. I guess this is just dead soldier who is going away to the skies..

Posted (edited)

On one hand I like the concept of soldier fading away with birds, whatever they were supposed to mean. Gives me the fantasy vibe similar to awesome Russian movies like "Night Watch". On the other hand, such a concept only looks well on paintings or movies. Trying to make it work on a monument is destined to fail - the heavy structure must be supported by a not-very-elegant steel frame like we see above - and the whole thing looks as if the monument was unfinished, or falling to pieces.

Edited by Art-J
Chief_Mouser
Posted (edited)

The birds on the statue appear to be cranes, which should be common(ish) across northern Russia and Europe. Wikipedia says 'Throughout Asia, the crane is a symbol of happiness and eternal youth.' So perhaps that's why they're there?

Edited by 216th_Cat
Posted

I've seen worse monuments. And monuments put up for worse reasons. 

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Posted
3 hours ago, 216th_Cat said:

So perhaps that's why they're there?

It's allusion to a very famous (in russian-speaking world) song. 

Spoiler

 

 


 

 

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Chief_Mouser
Posted
13 minutes ago, Lofte said:

It's allusion to a very famous (in russian-speaking world) song. 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aha. Thanks ?.

Posted
19 minutes ago, 216th_Cat said:

Aha. Thanks ?.

you're wellcome..

Spoiler

here another video related to Rzhev. Lyrics 1946, music 2015, movie 2020


 

 

Posted (edited)

I don't have any coments about the monument, but Rzhev area was a hell of a meat grinder. :(

Millions of lives were wasted in that area.

Edited by Jaws2002
Blooddawn1942
Posted
On 7/1/2020 at 1:21 PM, 216th_Cat said:

Pretty naff. And as is usual in Russian monuments, overblown. Much too big, although not quite as horrendously so as this monstrosity: 

Statue_of_Unity_Twitter_Piyush_Desai.jpg

Oh my god. This looks incredible silly, like some fantasy Screenshot from Assassins Creed with its 300ft or so Zeus monuments all around the place.... 

Bremspropeller
Posted
On 7/1/2020 at 1:21 PM, 216th_Cat said:

Pretty naff. And as is usual in Russian monuments, overblown. Much too big, although not quite as horrendously so as this monstrosity: 

Statue_of_Unity_Twitter_Piyush_Desai.jpg

 

 

Stay-puft-marshmallow-man.jpg

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6./ZG26_Klaus_Mann
Posted

I find it suprisingly tasteful. It's not lying about Glory etc. but is all about simple Grief about Lives lost.

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ST_Catchov
Posted

 

Half a billion bucks for this! The stupidity of humanity knows no bounds. And for a politician lol. The Russian statue is tasteful by comparison.

 

On 7/1/2020 at 9:21 PM, 216th_Cat said:

Pretty naff. And as is usual in Russian monuments, overblown. Much too big, although not quite as horrendously so as this monstrosity: 

Statue_of_Unity_Twitter_Piyush_Desai.jpg

 

Posted (edited)

I like the monument, nice mix of remembrance, sadness and military spirit mixed in with a decidly Russian flair

 

The Rhzev battles were very bloody no quarter affairs, this seems a very appropriate monument.

Edited by Sgt_Joch

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