The IN.Borg Engineering Festival of Cultural Design taking place in Vyborg (the Leningrad Region) fr om August 12 to 14, provided an opportunity to take a fresh look at up-to-date technologies and knowledge.
More than 6 thousand people attended the cultural and educational open-air event organized by the Atomic Energy Information Center (AEIC) of St. Petersburg, supported by the Engineering Division of the Rosatom State Corporation and promoted by the government of the Leningrad Region and the “Park Mon Repos State Historical, Architectural and Natural Reserve Museum” State Budgetary Institution of Culture of the Leningrad Region.
When greeting the audience, Alexander Drozdenko, Govenor of the Leningrad Region, expressed his confidence that the festival would become a traditional event in the region: “The idea of fusing the engineering and artistic creativity resonates with our region, where high technologies are in harmony with the rich cultural background. The mutually beneficial efforts of nuclear scientists and museum workers сan be fostered uniquely on the territory of the Leningrad region. We consider the IN.Borg festival as a fundamentally new platform wh ere people can exchange knowledge, share the fruits of creativity, join science and art.”
The festival organizers have prepared a separate practice-oriented track for the volunteers of the Rosatom Engineering Division: after taking the "Let loose your creativity” master class, the volunteers created an art object out of the branches of old and dying trees fitting it into the landscape of the Mon Repos park. During the work, the principles of the "Rosatom Production System" were used, the object was designed by "Atomenergoproekt” JSC engineers. “Giving trees a new lease of life” is a very interesting volunteer project. We are used to the fact that a tree is beautiful while it is green and in flower, and today we want to show that trees are alive even after they stop blooming and dry out. They can continue to be in use and look good to the eye, and this is such an interesting story at the nexus of environmental protection and engineering, which would be very suitable for our park,” said Alexander Smirnov, director of the Mon Repos park.
Therefore, Vyborg has become for three days a multi-format and multi-scientific discussion panel that unites engineering and cultural traditions of different historical periods. The events, lectures, public talks and performances have been arranged for Russian artists, photographers, historians and art historians, film directors, music historians, representatives of the engineering and design communities. “Vyborg as seen by the eyes of an engineer” tour was given around the city streets. In addition, the audience were given an opportunity to attend a master class in playing Hang-drum, i.e. musical instruments created by high technology. Numerous guests of the park were able to participate in a unique photo-walk in the company of the photographer and the guide. The art locations of the route fitted in with the landscape of the Mon Repos historical park, each of them hosting mini-exhibitions of photographs taken by participants in “ASE International Photo Awards” contest. Each festival day ended in the Vyborg Castle with concerts by the OQJAV, POLNALYUBVI and Megapolis bands.