Eye

Ash in my eye: Corneal abrasion (scratch): First aid

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Corneal abrasion (scratch): First aid

A corneal abrasion is a superficial scratch on the clear, protective “window” at the front of your eye (cornea). Your cornea can be scratched by contact with dust, dirt, sand, wood shavings, metal particles, contact lenses or even the edge of a piece of paper. Corneal abrasions caused by plant matter (such as a pine needle) usually require special attention as they can cause a delayed inflammation inside the eye (iritis).

Signs and symptoms of corneal abrasion include:

  • Pain
  • A gritty feeling in the eye
  • Tearing
  • Redness
  • Sensitivity to the light
  • Headache

In case of corneal abrasion, seek prompt medical attention. Left untreated, it could become infected and result in a corneal ulcer. Immediate steps you can take for a corneal abrasion are to:

  • Rinse your eye with clean water or a saline solution. You can use an eyecup or a small, clean drinking glass positioned with its rim resting on the bone at the base of your eye socket. If you have quick access to a work site eye-rinse station, use it. Rinsing the eye may wash out a foreign object.
  • Blink several times. This may remove small particles.
  • Pull the upper eyelid over the lower eyelid. This may cause your eye to tear, which may help wash out the particle. Or it may cause the lashes of your lower eyelid to brush away an object from under your upper eyelid.

Use the following pointers to avoid making the injury worse:

  • Don’t try to remove an object that is embedded in your eyeball or makes it difficult to close your eye.
  • Don’t rub your eye after an injury.
  • Don’t touch your eyeball with cotton swabs, tweezers or other instruments.
  • If you use contact lenses, don’t wear them while your eye is healing.

Most corneal abrasions heal in a day or two.

June 19, 2020

Show references

  1. AskMayoExpert. Eye trauma. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2017.
  2. Recognizing and treating eye injuries. American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/injuries. Accessed Jan. 5, 2018.
  3. Ferri FF. Ferri’s Clinical Advisor 2015: 5 Books in 1. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2015. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 31, 2014.
  4. Subbarao I, et al., eds. American Medical Association Handbook of First Aid and Emergency Care. New York, N.Y.: Random House; 2009.
  5. Jacobs DS. Corneal abrasions and corneal foreign bodies: Management. http://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Jan. 5, 2018.
  6. Dos and don’ts when you scratch your eye. American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/first-aid-eye-scratches. Accessed Jan. 5, 2018.


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How to Tell if You Have a Scratched Cornea (& What to Do)

A scratched cornea can be very painful if the scratch is severe. Even minor scratches generally involve some degree of discomfort.

The most common signs of a scratched cornea are pain, tearing, redness, headache, light sensitivity, and feeling like something is stuck in your eye.

Most often, a scratched cornea occurs because something pokes the eye or gets caught under the eyelid.

A scratched cornea or corneal abrasion is generally treated with medicated eye drops, such as antibiotics. You may need to wear a patch over the affected eye for a period of time.

Depending on the severity of the scratch, the recovery timeline will vary. Your eye doctor will give you an overall idea of your specific recovery timeline.

While you can’t completely prevent corneal abrasions, there are some steps you can take to decrease the likelihood that they will occur.

Symptoms

With a scratched cornea, symptoms can vary according to the severity of the scratch. Some issues may occur right away, whereas others may take a few hours to appear.

Symptoms include the following:

  • Feeling like there is something in your eye
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Blurriness
  • Pain or discomfort
  • Redness
  • Watery eyes
  • Some loss of vision
  • Headache

The symptoms may cause you to want to rub or press on your eye. Avoid this, as it can cause further damage.

Causes of Scratched Corneas

Virtually anything that can poke your eye can cause a scratched cornea. A spec of dirt or dust that gets trapped underneath your eyelid can result in a corneal abrasion.

You might get a scratched cornea if you:

  • Rub your eyes vigorously.
  • Get sand or dirt in your eye.
  • Poke your eye with a pen, a makeup brush, your fingernail, or any other objects.
  • Wear expired contact lenses.
  • Get some types of chemicals in your eye.
  • Engage in contact sports or construction activities without eye protection.
  • Get some types of infections in the eye.

Run into a tree branch that pokes your eye.

How Common Are Scratched Corneas?

Scratched corneas are common. In fact, they are one of the most common types of eye injuries.

Overall, corneal abrasions or scratches make up 10 percent of emergency eye care.

Risks of a Scratched Cornea

If a scratched cornea is not treated, there is the risk for developing corneal ulcers. This condition is an open sore located on the cornea that results from an infection.

There are many possible complications that can occur with a corneal ulcer.

  • A vision-impairing cloudy scar, which may happen even with treatment
  • Perforation of the cornea
  • Eye socket tissue destruction
  • Deep-seated infection

Scratches vs. Abrasions

A scratch and an abrasion are essentially the same thing. Sometimes, minor scratches are more commonly referred to as abrasions, but any type of scratch on the cornea can be called an abrasion.

Deep scratches may be referred to as corneal lacerations. This type of deep scratch generally cuts partially or fully through the cornea.

How to Treat a Scratched Cornea

If you suspect you have a scratched cornea, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible.

An eye doctor will put a yellow dye on the surface of your eye. The dye will collect in the scratch and light up green. The doctor will then shine a cobalt blue light on the area to determine if a corneal abrasion is present.

The eye doctor will recommend specific treatments, depending on the severity of the scratch. Here are some treatments that are commonly used:

  • Immediate care: If you feel you have something in your eye, or you think you have a scratched cornea, there are immediate steps to take.
    • Repeatedly blink to dislodge any small particles, like dust or dirt, that may be in the eye.
    • Pull the upper eyelid out and over the lower eyelid. This can induce tearing, helping to flush any particles from the eye
    • Blink repeatedly to dislodge small particles.
    • Do not attempt to touch or rub your eye to remove particles. This can cause further abrasions.
  • Topical antibiotics: Infection can be a major issue with scratched corneas, as it delays healing and worsens the issue. Your eye doctor may prescribe topical antibiotics to prevent infection. While the use of prophylactic antibiotics does not seem to speed the healing process, one study demonstrated that they may lower the overall risk of a corneal ulcer. This is an open sore on the cornea that can lead to various issues, such as:
    • A vision-impairing cloudy scar.
    • A puncture in the cornea.
    • Serious infection.
    • Damage to eye socket tissue.
    • Displacement of the iris.
  • Topical NSAIDs: Your doctor may prescribe these medications to reduce inflammation and lessen pain. Ketorolac and diclofenac are commonly prescribed for scratched corneas.
    One study showed that using these medicines provided excellent pain relief and helped to alleviate other symptoms. The same study determined that when people use topical NSAIDs, they return to work earlier, take fewer oral analgesics, and need fewer narcotics overall.
  • Eye lubricants: Eye lubricants are often recommended to alleviate pain from a scratched cornea.
  • Eye patching: While this method used to be commonly prescribed, it is not commonly used anymore. Research shows that eye patching may actually increase pain. One study found that using an eye patch for a scratched cornea increased pain in 48 percent of people.
  • Oral pain medication: Most often, over-the-counter pain medications are recommended to reduce pain associated with scratched corneas. In some instances, doctors may prescribe pain medications for severe cases.

How Long Does the Cornea Take to Heal?

The time to recover depends on the severity of the scratch or abrasion.

On average, a minor abrasion heals within 24 to 48 hours. It may take a week for scratches that are deep or extensive.

These timelines are for scratches that are under the treatment of a doctor. Healing may take longer or not occur at all if someone does not seek medical treatment for a scratched cornea.

How to Prevent Scratches on the Eye

It is not possible to prevent every corneal abrasion, but you can take certain steps to reduce the likelihood of getting one.

  • Wear protective eye goggles when airborne debris is present.
  • Do not wear expired contact lenses.
  • Use an appropriate saline solution for your contact lenses.
  • Alleviate dry eyes by using recommended lubricating solutions.
  • Wear protective eyewear if participating in contact sports or doing any kind of activity where debris could fly into your eyes.
  • Do not vigorously rub your eyes.
  • Use makeup brushes carefully around your eyes.

Keep your fingernails trimmed and avoid touching your eyes directly.

References

Corneal Abrasion. (January 2019). Harvard Medical School.

Corneal Abrasion. Encyclopedia of Children’s Health.

Corneal Abrasion and Erosion. (September 2020). American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Corneal Abrasions. (September 2015). KidsHealth from Nemours.

What Is a Corneal Laceration? (September 2019). American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Corneal Ulcer. Merck Manual.

Corneal Abrasion Symptoms. (July 2012). American Academy of Ophthalmology.

What Causes a Corneal Abrasion? (July 2012). American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Corneal Abrasions. American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.

Mydriatics in Corneal Abrasion. (July 2001). Emergency Medicine Journal.

Update: Do Ophthalmic Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Reduce Pain Associated with Simple Corneal Abrasion Without Delaying Healing? (January 2003). Annals of Emergency Medicine.

Should We Patch Corneal Abrasions? (March 1997). Archives of Ophthalmology.

Ocular Trauma and Antibiotic Prophylaxis for the Prevention of Corneal Ulceration. (April 2001). British Journal of Ophthalmology.

The information provided on this page should not be used in place of information provided by a doctor or specialist. To learn more, read our Privacy Policy and Editorial Policy pages.

Corneal Abrasions (for Parents) – Nemours Kidshealth

Corneal abrasions are a common type of eye injury in kids. They happen when something, like sand or dirt, gets into the eye.

Though sometimes painful, corneal abrasions usually aren’t serious and most heal within a few days. Long-term vision is rarely affected.

About Corneal Abrasions

The eyeball sits inside what’s called the orbital bone. The orbital bone protects the inner part of the eye, but it can’t protect the part that faces out. This part is covered by a clear, transparent tissue called the cornea. The cornea helps the eye focus and protects other parts of the eye, like the iris (the colored part) and the pupil (the black part that constricts in response to light). A corneal abrasion is when something scratches, cuts, or brushes up against the cornea.

Corneal abrasions can be painful, but usually heal quickly and don’t cause any lasting problems. In rare cases, corneal abrasions can become infected and lead to a serious condition called a corneal ulcer. That’s why it’s important to have a doctor examine your child’s eye if you think he or she might have a corneal abrasion.

Causes

The eye has other defenses besides the orbital bone. Eyelids and eyelashes work to keep foreign particles out of eyes. When particles get through and land on the cornea, tears help to wash them away. Sometimes, though, a foreign object contacts the cornea in such a way that it scratches, cuts, or damages the surface.

Things that can damage the cornea include dust, sand, wood shavings, hay, sparks, bugs, pieces of paper, and even fingernails. The cornea also can be damaged by chemical irritants, improper use of contact lenses, bright lights, and reactions to things like contact lens solutions and eye makeup.

Symptoms

Because they affect the way the cornea works, corneal abrasions can cause problems with vision. Your child might complain of stinging or burning in the eye, of not being able to see as well as usual, or of things appearing blurry.

Other symptoms can include:

  • sensitivity to light
  • red or bloodshot eyes
  • swollen eyelids
  • a watery eye and increased tears
  • the feeling of something being in the eye (foreign-body sensation)
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Diagnosis

If your child has any symptoms of a corneal abrasion, call your doctor. Corneal abrasions are rarely serious, but they should be checked out. The doctor can determine the extent of the abrasion and prescribe eye drops to help the healing process.

To diagnose a corneal abrasion, the doctor will examine the eye and ask questions about the symptoms and what caused the abrasion. It’s possible your child won’t know the exact cause, but probably will remember when the abrasion happened.

In some cases, the doctor will confirm a diagnosis of corneal abrasion by doing a test on the eye. A fluid called fluorescein is placed on the surface of the eye, then the doctor looks at the eye under a filtered light. Under the light, the fluorescein causes any abrasion to glow a bright green color so that it’s clearly visible.

Other tests the doctor might do include a standard ophthalmic exam and a slit lamp examination of the eye. These tests are done to check the eye’s vision and functioning.

Treatment

If your child has a corneal abrasion, you’ll want to have a doctor look at it as soon as possible. In the meantime, take these steps and precautions:

  • Rinse your child’s eye with clean water or a saline solution, or use an eye-rinse station if one is available. Rinsing the eye will help to wash away whatever is irritating the eye.
  • Instruct your child to blink several times or pull the upper eyelid over the lower one. The lower eyelash may be able to brush away something stuck to the underside of the upper eyelid. Pulling on the eyelid also will make the eye produce tears, which can help wash away foreign objects.
  • If there is something stuck in your child’s eye, don’t try to remove it. This can cause further damage to the cornea.
  • Tell your child not to rub the eye, and don’t touch the eye with anything like a cotton swab or tweezers. This can make a corneal abrasion worse.

After examining your child’s eye, the doctor might recommend treatments to help the eye heal more quickly. The doctor also can safely remove any foreign object stuck in the eye.

To treat a corneal abrasion, your doctor may recommend prescription eye drops or an ointment. If your child’s eye hurts, the doctor may suggest pain medications. If your child normally wears contact lenses, the doctor may instruct your child to wear glasses instead for a few days.

If the corneal abrasion doesn’t heal within a few days or the symptoms get worse following treatment, let the doctor know right away.

p2

Prevention

To help prevent corneal abrasions, make sure your kids wear eye protection, such as safety goggles or a facemask, whenever they work with tools, handle chemicals, or participate in sports where an eye could be affected. This includes sports like racquetball, skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and lacrosse.

When they go outside on a sunny day, kids should wear sunglasses designed to block out ultraviolet rays, especially in bright places like beaches and ski slopes. If you have pets around the house, make sure your kids are careful when playing with them. Cats, dogs, and other animals can act in unpredictable ways and scratch an eye without meaning to.

If your child wears contact lenses, make sure they fit properly and are used as directed. Keeping fingernails neatly trimmed can help prevent accidental scratches when putting in or removing contacts.

Around the house, be extra careful when anyone uses cleaning products, especially drain openers and oven cleaners. Many cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that can burn eyes. And if you have plants around your yard that someone could walk into, trim away any branches at eye level.

Small objects in the eye: Overview – InformedHealth.org

Introduction

There are plenty of situations where small objects can easily enter your eye – for instance, while riding a bike, gardening or playing on the beach. If an object gets into your eye it can damage the surface of the cornea. This is known as “corneal abrasion” or “corneal erosion.” It’s not always visible.

If you have a corneal abrasion it can feel like there’s still something in your eye – even if the object has been removed. Corneal abrasions usually heal completely within two or three days. But they can sometimes lead to complications, so it may be better to see a doctor.

Symptoms

The transparent cornea of the eye contains many fine nerve fibers, which react very sensitively to touch and injury. That’s why it’s so uncomfortable when a foreign object like a grain of sand or a small insect enters the space between your eyeball and your eyelid, or gets under your contact lens. Your eye starts to hurt and it waters. If the cornea is scratched, it will feel as though something is stuck in your eye. Other possible symptoms include sensitivity to light and blurry vision.

Causes

Normally, our eyelashes, eyelids and tears work together to stop objects from entering our eyes, or to quickly flush them out if they do get in. The firm and elastic cornea helps to protect the highly sensitive eyeball from injury. Minor injuries to the cornea are still quite common, though. The most common cause is when something gets stuck under the eyelid or a contact lens.

A lot of different things could harm our eyes: a little twig that gets blown into your face while running in the woods, the fingernail of a toddler who unexpectedly stretches their hand out, or a poorly placed contact lens. Foreign objects may also get into your eye during home improvements or as a work-related injury, for instance when using a milling machine or welding.

Outlook

Superficial corneal abrasions usually heal within a few hours or days.

If symptoms return after a couple of weeks or months, you might have recurrent corneal erosion (RCE). Here the cornea can’t heal because the new cells don’t attach properly. Symptoms may include pain after waking up, sensitivity to light, watery eyes, cramps in the eyelid and blurry vision.

Recurrent corneal erosion is quite rare: It occurs in less than 1 out of 100 people who have a minor eye injury.

Diagnosis

If the symptoms stop after a couple of hours and your eye hasn’t changed noticeably, you probably have a minor eye injury such as a scratched cornea.

The following symptoms may be signs of a more severe injury that needs medical attention:

  • You have something stuck up high under your eyelid and it will not come out

  • If you have contact lenses: Your eye is red or uncomfortable

  • Your eye hurts a lot

  • Your eye has changed noticeably

  • Your eye is bleeding or oozing a sticky fluid

If you think you have a more severe eye injury, it’s best to have it checked by an eye doctor. If your eye hurts, it’s important to describe exactly where it hurts – e.g. on the surface of the eye, inside the eye or only when you move your eye. The doctor will test your vision and the reactions of your pupil too.

Prevention

A lot of work-related eye injuries can be prevented by wearing safety glasses. At dangerous workplaces in Germany and similar countries, there are safety regulations to protect your eyes from hazards such as sanding, drilling, welding and exposure to acids.

But it is just as important to protect your eyes at home when doing DIY or gardening. Safety glasses that completely cover the eyes are particularly recommended when doing work above your head with your head tilted back so you can look up, and when using a hammer and chisel or sanding something. If small particles and bits of metal break off they can hit the eye at a high speed and become deeply lodged.

It’s important to take care while gardening too: Activities like re-potting plants with prickly leaves or thorns can lead to corneal injuries.

Treatment

Your eye tries to flush away foreign objects by watering and blinking. If that doesn’t work, you can try to get it out yourself or ask someone else to help you. If the object is on the lower eyelid, for example, you can carefully try to get it out with an unused tissue. It’s important not to start rubbing your eye, even though that’s often the natural reflex. Rubbing can damage the cornea, especially if the object in your eye is hard or has sharp edges. If possible, you should avoid touching the cornea when trying to remove the foreign object.

If you get chemicals in your eye, the first thing you should do is try to wash your eye as thoroughly as possible with plenty of clean water.

If you are unable to remove a foreign object yourself, you will need help from an eye doctor. Doctors can carefully lift your eyelid and quickly remove any foreign matter. Eye drops with a local anesthetic can be used to numb the eye beforehand if necessary.

A superficial corneal injury can be treated with an ointment. Some eye ointments contain muscle-relaxants or antibiotics. Eye-muscle-relaxants make the pupil dilate a lot, causing the eye to become temporarily more sensitive to light and blurring your vision. You can use a painkiller like ibuprofen to relieve any pain in your eye. Painkillers are available as eye drops or tablets.

Eye patches usually aren’t used for minor eye injuries. Studies have shown that they don’t speed up the healing process, and could in fact slow it down. Only being able to see through one eye isn’t only frustrating, it can also increase the risk of further accidents. You need both eyes to be able to judge how close or far away things are.

If you think you might have a serious eye injury, it’s important to seek medical attention quickly. It’s then a good idea to carefully cover the eye and have somebody take you to an eye doctor or hospital, preferably an eye clinic. You could cover it with a cupped hand, for instance. Above all, do not touch or rub your eye, no matter how much it might itch or burn.

Sources

  • IQWiG health information is written with the aim of helping
    people understand the advantages and disadvantages of the main treatment options and health
    care services.

    Because IQWiG is a German institute, some of the information provided here is specific to the
    German health care system. The suitability of any of the described options in an individual
    case can be determined by talking to a doctor. We do not offer individual consultations.

    Our information is based on the results of good-quality studies. It is written by a
    team of
    health care professionals, scientists and editors, and reviewed by external experts. You can
    find a detailed description of how our health information is produced and updated in
    our methods.

Scratched cornea

A scratched cornea is one of the most common types of eye injury

What is the cornea? 

The cornea is the clear front part of the eye. This part of the eye is packed with nerves – it has many more nerve endings than your fingertips, for example. This is why a scratched cornea (or corneal abrasion as it is often known) can be very uncomfortable. However, this discomfort will only last a short time while the eye heals. 

What should I do if I scratch my cornea? 

A corneal abrasion is a common eye injury. 

If you are experiencing any eye pain or discomfort, or you suspect you have a corneal abrasion, you should always consult your optometrist for advice.

What causes a corneal abrasion? 

A corneal abrasion normally happens after an accident or injury to the front of the eye. They are often caused by fingernails, or an accident in the home or while gardening. Sometimes, if a small piece of grit gets trapped in your eye, rubbing the eye or blinking may cause a corneal abrasion.  

What are the symptoms of a corneal abrasion? 

There are several symptoms associated with corneal abrasion, and you may only experience a few, but they can include: 

  • Pain, which may feel worse when you open or close your eye
  • A feeling that there is something in your eye or irritation
  • Your eyes watering far more than usual
  • Redness
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Blurred vision or loss of vision
  • A headache

How long does it take to heal?

Corneal abrasions will normally heal completely within 48 hours. If the abrasion is in the centre of the cornea, your vision may be slightly blurred. It is also normal that your eye will be a little red and you may find bright lights uncomfortable until the abrasion has healed.

Treatment

You may be given lubricating drops (artificial tear drops, gel or ointment) to make your eye feel more comfortable and help to keep it moist.

You may be given antibiotic drops or ointment to stop the abrasion becoming infected. These aren’t always needed, but your optometrist will be able to tell you if you need them. 

The following may also help: 

  • Over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol will help with the pain
  • Avoid rubbing or touching your eye as this may make the abrasion worse or slow down the rate of healing
  • Wearing sunglasses may help if you are sensitive to light
  • If you wear contact lenses, you should not wear them until the corneal abrasion has completely healed. Your optometrist or contact-lens practitioner will be able to tell you when you can wear your lenses again

If your vision starts to become more blurred, or if the pain and redness increase, you should get advice from your optometrist. If they are not available, go to A&E.

Resources for your practice

If you’re a practitioner, we recommend that you use this information, following a suitable examination, to reinforce advice given to the patient who has a corneal abrasion.

For more information on eye health, go to our For patients section.

Download our ‘Scratched cornea’ leaflet.

Eye injuries – NHS

Minor eye injuries, such as shampoo or dust in your eye, often get better on their own within a day. Get medical help if you have a chemical in your eye or something pierces it.

How to treat an eye injury at home

Do

  • wash your eye with clean water if there’s something in it

  • follow the advice on the packaging if any cosmetics or household products get in your eyes

  • take painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen to help ease any pain or discomfort

Don’t

  • do not try to remove any object that’s pierced your eye

  • do not touch or rub your eye until it’s better

  • do not wear make-up around your eye until it’s better

  • do not wear contact lenses until your eye is better

How to wash your eye

You should:

  • use clean water (not hot) – this can be from a tap, shower or bottled water if you’re not at home
  • hold your eye open
  • run lots of water over your eyeball for at least 20 minutes

Make sure the flow of water is not too strong.

Urgent advice: See a GP, optician or call 111 if:

  • your eye is not getting better after 24 hours
  • you’re worried about your injury

Other eye injuries

There is separate information about:

Page last reviewed: 28 June 2019
Next review due: 28 June 2022

Apple of my Eye Glass Pendant with Cremation Ash – $94.00 | Cremation Jewelry

We at Spirit Pieces believe that memorializing loved ones is best done as a family.  Towards that end we offer 10% percent off orders over $300 with increasing percentages off as additional items are purchased.  We suggest a single person order and distribute the Spirit Pieces to keep everything as simple as possible.  We can ship to multiple addresses if need be, however we charge $10 per additional address and you need to communicate this in the order notes. 

You can order all the same item, or all different items, in terms of the discount as long as you exceed the discount threshold you’ll receive the discount.

Please keep in mind that as we’re an artist collective, our artists are in different locations so if multiple artists are ordered from you’ll need to send out multiple kits.  We cover the cost of sending you the collection kit, sending you the memorial, but not the cost of sending the kit back to us.  We ask you send the collection kit(s) back priority express with signature.

Our current family order promotions:

  • 10% off orders of greater than $300
  • 15% off orders of greater than $600
  • 20% off orders of greater  than $1200

Discount is applied with discount code at time of checkout.  The higher the cart value, the greater the group discount.

To start a family order:

  • Write an introductory email or post to friends and family who might be interested in purchasing a Spirit Piece in memory of the loved ones and share our site.  We’ve prepared an example email for you to share here.
  • Ask them to send you links to what they wish to purchase along with any customization notes. 
  • Add their selections to the cart using the ‘Add to Cart’ button.
  • When all orders are in, click on the little cart icon on the top of the site to check out.
  • We will email you an invoice you can share to collect money, if applicable.

 

Common Family Ordering Questions:

If I order from different artists, does that affect the discount?

No, discounts are based on total cart value, so every item can be a different color/artist.  As long as it’s all in the same order you’ll get the discount.

Do all my items need to be the same style/color

No, they can all be different

I want to send some items to different locations, how do I do this?

We offer free shipping as long as a single artist is sending to a single location. If you need to have an artist send different pieces to different locations, you need to purchase additional address credits.

If you have any questions, please visit our help site at help.spiritpieces.com, contact us at [email protected] or open a chat with us.


90,000 All villains – salt in the eyes and ashes on the tongue!

This week, also on Saturday, another conscription campaign begins. New amulets for modern defenders of the fatherland have not yet been invented, but there are a great many old ones, tested in practice by our grandmothers and great-grandmothers.

In the old days in Russia (as, in fact, now) conscription into the army did not cause much joy and was not considered a triumph. But the ritual of seeing off to the service appeared in the capital in 1699, when Peter I introduced recruitment.Since then, prayers, talismans and other rituals have become famous, making life easier for recruits. Pagan rituals and Christian customs are closely intertwined in them. The heart will tell you which one to follow. The main thing is to help.

In order for the soldier to return safe and sound, you need:

Bride:

to cut three strands of hair from him – at the temples and from the back of the head, put it in a medallion and carry it with you. It is best to do this on Vlasyev day (February 24).

Wife, mother:

to lead to the crossroads and not turn your back on the departed until he is out of sight; on the day of his name day, order a separate prayer service for health.

Do not:

on the day of the wires to wash the floors, throw away the garbage, wash his clothes.

Prayer before leaving for the service

To read it, the person going to the service must sit at a clean table and, putting his right hand from elbow to hand on the table, palm up, say the following:

“I get up, slave (name), blessing,

A door from a door, a gate from a gate,

Under the red sun, under the Lord’s moon.

As the red sun dries and warms the morning dew,

So the whole world would dry and warm about me, slave (name).

So no one dared to hurt me, the servant of God (name),

Not with a look, not a word, not a mind, not a suggestion,

Nobody, never in my whole life.

To all my villains, all rascals

Salt in my eyes, ash on my tongue.

Remember King David and all his meekness.

King David, kidnap all my villains and villains,

All enemies and adversaries

And help me, King David, to achieve in my affairs

Quick, successful and prosperous success

For me, a slave, forever.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit ”

(Amen – do not speak).

Magic stone of a warrior

According to magicians, agate brings good luck to military personnel. It helps to avoid danger, gives courage and good spirits, and makes you invincible.

Ether covered with “Ashes” – RIA Novosti, 05/26/2021

But these are only isolated insights. For some reason, the rest of the serial heroes, as well as the audience, must believe in such a radical transformation of the characters on the screen.It is impossible to believe it. And the authors are not very concerned about this. The main thing is to move the plot.

He moves like this: before the execution, a regular soldier will teach a teddy-bearer thief professional wisdom. He will train in a few days to such an extent that he ends the war as a hero colonel with two Orders of the Red Star. It is strange that he is not a Hero of the Soviet Union. And what kind of Senka-Ashes turned out to be a loving husband (Rita, although not immediately, but, of course, gave up, and how you can resist – the plot is the same), and a caring, honest commander with a well-delivered speech and manners – just a sight for sore eyes!

Well, what about the former captain Petrov? Its history is full of ambiguities.Thanks to Vita, he got tattoos. Then the war began. Petrov and Vitya escape from the zone. On the way, Petrov kills Vitya-Garderoda and turns out to be where he once buried the common fund. By the way, they planted him very successfully: after escaping to the right place where the common fund was buried, it “turned out” that it was possible to get there on foot. Not finding the buried treasures (however, a couple of episodes later, Petrov’s bag with thieves’ treasures, which by this time is already Oleg Bystrov, will in a completely incomprehensible way still find safe and sound), already in the next frame Mashkov’s hero becomes not even a partisan, but a real bandit.Bringing together a forest gang. First, he steals gold bars right at the fascist headquarters, easily falling into the enemy’s lair (Petrov does not know languages, but this is not scary: the Spaniard Diego, a former prisoner and Petrov’s new accomplice, speaks German briskly). And after the war, the former officer of the Red Army, Petrov, simply kills Soviet workers and steals gold from the mines in Karelia. It is in Karelia that Colonel Senka-Ashes is also serving, where he lives in perfect harmony with Rita, whom Petrov considers dead.

Apparently, the fear of exposure, the possibility of losing (finding) Rita should be filled with the two remaining before the series finale.But this is logical. What the authors will offer is anyone’s guess.

A magnificent criminal component, the investigation, under the leadership of the hero Sergei Garmash, who is trying to find the bandit among the officers of the unit, disguises Senka-Ash either as a motorcyclist in black big glasses, or as a doctor in a white coat, arranging smoke screens in order to steal his personal file from the police safe, where it is said that he is a thief, and then again “transformation” into an exemplary commander of the unit … Bronevichki, side love lines (a restaurant singer performed by Chulpan Khamatova looks somehow completely awkward), a gang in maroon camouflage coats, reminiscent of modern special forces, a thieves gang, under the leadership of the leader performed by Pyotr Mamonov (somehow he was persuaded to appear in this series), an episode with Ash’s former brother-soldier, almost written off, but badly, from the story of Levchenko and Sharapov in “The meeting place cannot be changed …” …All this is seen by the audience. And at some point you might even think that this is not an adventure detective series, but a black comedy.

What is happening in “Ashes” is some kind of cardboard film adaptation, in some places frank “cranberries”, into which, due to some misunderstanding, wonderful artists have fallen into. Because their participation and work in “Ashes” is as difficult to explain when you look at the screen, as are the motives of the characters’ actions and the developing serial plot. There is no script, no dialogues, no characters.

However, the main task of the creators and the channel has been completed – there is a rating. And tall. In this sense, the best actors who starred in Ashes fulfilled their task – the viewer came to them. And from the point of view of indicators, the series of failures of the TV series of the channel “Russia 1” was interrupted.

The day of the TV premiere in Moscow among all viewers over 18 years old brought “Ashes” a share of 22.8% with a rating of 8.7%. The all-Russian indicator is 9.9% and the share is 26.2%. So far it is even higher than that of “Vangelia” on “First”.

What was watched on TV during the week of October 14-21.Russia >>

As for viewership groups, here the series is traditionally watched by viewers over 55 years old: the share of the first three episodes in the country was almost 33%, and the rating was 16.9%. In second place are men, and only then are women from 25 to 54 years old. There are more men – the criminal component of the plot affects. For women, the share is 16.8%, for men – 22.3%.

What was watched on TV during the week of October 14-21. Moscow >>

On the second day, the next three episodes of Ashes looked much the same.But there is a slight decrease in the audience aged 55+ (on average, the share is still above 25%), men and women – in almost the same proportions, men are still watching “Ashes” a little more actively. On average, 5.7 million people watched the first episodes of Ashes. An impressive figure.

And everything would be fine. The rating is significant, the channel is good, the producer is satisfied, the viewer is watching. But when you start looking at the details and asking questions: what is this? and then why? – you see that instead of the promised “real high-end television cinema”, it turned out to be some kind of ridiculous props.

Under the name of Stalin

On October 21, Channel One aired its premiere titled “The Son of the Father of Nations”. The name itself raises a lot of questions: the image was originally laid in it. Although what peoples and why for them Stalin was considered the father, in fact it is completely unclear.

The main character is Vasily Stalin. His detailed life story from childhood to the last days was laid out in 12 long, sometimes painfully long, series. But, unlike “Ashes”, here is a simpler task – there are no reincarnations and exchange of destinies.You just need to consistently tell the biography (the main screenwriter is the late Eduard Volodarsky) of a famous person.

90,000 The village of the inanimate. And this is not a horror movie

  • Don George
  • BBC Travel

Photo by Carl Court / Getty Images

Shikoku Island is the smallest of Japan’s four main islands. It is here that the casual tourist might stumble upon something that gives goosebumps at first.

I decided to explore the deepest part of Shikoku. This small island is not very much visited by visitors anyway, but I seem to have climbed where no tourist has gone before.

Gripping the steering wheel of my rented car, I drove cautiously along a narrow road that would sooner or later lead me across a mountain valley to one of the vine bridges. There was not a soul around.

I drove through a deserted village, a dozen houses of which hung precariously over the river on metal piles, overcame a sharp turn and saw three figures not far away.

People were sitting at an electric pole. They wore rubber boots, rough farm pants, and windbreakers. On hands – white gloves. Baseball caps on their heads.

Everything would be fine, but there was something unnatural in their poses. Not completely human.

When I got very close, I realized that these were not people. Their plump faces were made of white cloth, buttons were used instead of eyes, and their eyebrows were stitched with black thread.

I drove a little and soon saw another human-sized figure pushing a wheelbarrow.Another figure was pulling weeds in the field. Five more sat on a bench at the bus stop.

Photo author, Don George

Photo caption,

Traveling through the countryside of the Japanese island of Shikoku, the writer Don George drove into a village inhabited by scarecrows

While I was trying to understand where I got and what kind of alternative reality surrounds me, I saw on a new figure on the side of the road. And this time she was strikingly human.

She was in a gray overalls and black sneakers, her hands were in gloves, her head was covered with a hat.I turned my eyes to the road and … Stop! The figure took a step!

I hit the brakes. The figure took another step!

I pulled over to the side of the road, got out of the car and cautiously approached the figure in the hat, not yet knowing what to expect.

“Sorry!” I said loudly. The figure didn’t seem to hear me. “Excuse me!” – I almost shouted.

The figure slowly turned towards me.

From under the hat looked at me the face of a living person, soft features, shining eyes. “Yes?” the woman replied in Japanese.

“Excuse me, may I ask you?”

I pointed to the figures on either side of the road. “Do you know who made these amazing creatures?”

For a couple of seconds she stared at me, and then broke into a smile. “I did it!”

Photo author, Don George

Caption,

The dolls’ faces are made of white fabric, the eyes are buttons, and the eyebrows are made of black thread

This is how I met Ayano Tsukimi, the mistress frightened the island of Shikoku. This was in 2013, when I was traveling through a green valley in the very wilderness of the northeastern part of the island, where a road was laid only 50 years ago.

My wife grew up on the island of Shikoku, and her brother told me a lot about these places where life is not easy and lacking urban amenities – thatched cottages, barley fields, vine bridges …

But my brother-in-law never mentioned the village, inhabited by scarecrows.

Seeing the surprise in my eyes, Ayano-san burst out laughing.

“May I ask you about them?” – I said.

“Of course!” He answered. “Would you like some tea?”

We passed two boys (or rather, dolls that look like boys) playing next to a rusty bicycle, and a woman sitting in a barn with her back to the road.

Ayano-san took me to her humble home. On both sides of the entrance to it were other figures: a girl in a school uniform, a mother with a baby on her knees, an elderly gentleman in a business suit with a cigarette in his hand.

I took off my shoes and stepped into the tatami-covered room, where the button-like eyes of many human-sized dolls – the creations of Ayano-san’s hands – looked at me.

Among them was a couple in traditional wedding kimonos, standing solemnly at the back of the room. I felt like a character on the TV series “The Twilight Zone”.

Ayano-san sat me down on the tatami next to the traditional irori fireplace and left to make tea. Then she returned with a small lacquered tray containing two cups and carefully placed one in front of me.

I bowed and thanked. She looked at me, and laughter sparkled in her eyes. “They look unusual, don’t they?”

“That’s right. Please tell me about them.”

Photo by Don George

Caption,

Don George with Ayano Tsukimi, who inhabits the village with scarecrow dolls – “kakashi”

“I grew up here, but when I was in high school, I moved with my parents to Osaka.I lived there, got married, gave birth to children. At some point, my parents returned here, and when my mother died, I also returned to help my father. This was in 2002. I made the first kakashi … “

” Sorry, – I interrupted her. – What did you call them? .. “

” Kakashi. Figures that peasants put in the field or in the garden to scare away birds. “

” Ah, kakashi! Scarecrow. “

” I made the first kakashi to scare off the birds when I noticed that they were pecking at the planted seeds.For the same, I made a few more. And then a neighbor who lived in a house across the street died. I missed her a lot because I got used to talking to her every day. And I made a doll that looks like her – just like I used to do the scarecrow. And now I could greet her again in the morning. ”

“ Time passed, ”she sighed and shivered. – More and more of my neighbors were dying. To keep the memory of them, I started making these figures. So they continued to live side by side. ”

She paused.I sipped my tea and watched. A cloud seemed to run across her face, blocking her sunny smile for a moment.

But the cloud quickly disappeared. Ayano-san pointed to a figure sitting on the tatami behind me – a gray-haired woman (hair is made of thick yarn), dressed in an elegant kimono.

“This is my mother,” she said. “I still talk to her every day … Want to take a walk?”

Photo author, Don George

Photo caption,

Ayano Tsukimi: “To keep the memory of my fellow villagers, I started making these figures.”“There was an elementary school here,” she said. “Year after year, the number of students grew smaller and smaller, and once it was simply closed. Now those students who live here take the bus to school. Half an hour one way.”

I did not hear regret in her voice, she just stated the facts. “Let’s go inside!” she suggested, opening the school doors.

We walked in and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Scarecrow dolls were everywhere. The headmaster’s doll was importantly watching what was happening in the lobby at the entrance. The teacher dolls gathered in the teacher’s room, and in the classroom, 20 pupil dolls obediently sat at their desks, with open textbooks, and looked seriously at the teacher standing at the blackboard.

The theme of the essay was written on the board: “What I want to become when I grow up.”

By the time we finished our excursion, the sun began to drop to the horizon. I had to get back to the hotel before dark, so I hurriedly said goodbye and promised to come again.

As I drove back along the winding road, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, there was something undeniably disturbing about these figures, especially about the children’s dolls, which looked like horror movie characters stepping off the screen into our lives.

But on the other hand, the warmth emanating from Ayano-san, the shrillness of her story, sunk into my soul.

A year later, on a sunny spring day, I returned. This time I brought with me a group of eight American tourists who wanted to see the vine bridge. When we got to Nagoro, a village inhabited by dolls, I asked the driver of our minibus to stop. Ayano-san was standing on the threshold of her house.

I jumped out of the car. “Hello Ayano-san!” I shouted, waving my hand.

She looked at me, puzzled. Then she looked closely. “Oh, welcome back!” – she said. And she invited us into the house to introduce everyone to her creations.

Photo author, Don George

Photo caption,

Ayano-san’s dolls depict peasants, her neighbors, schoolchildren – all those who once lived here

For the past year I have been thinking about how she makes her figures. And so I had the opportunity to ask her herself.

According to Ayano-san, each takes about three days.She starts with the face — takes a square piece of thick white cloth and pulls it tight, wrapping it around the piece of batting that is usually used to stuff blankets.

Sewing it up in the back, she adds some batting to shape the nose, sews buttons in place of the eyes, and skillfully stabs and stitches the fabric to form lips.

Ears require special care, she pays great attention to their shape. “I want my kakashi to hear well,” she explained with a smile.

She wraps rolled newspapers with wire to form arms and legs.A lot of newspapers are required on the torso.

When the body is ready, she carefully dresses the doll – all things are brought to her or sent by fans from all over Japan.

Finally, she places the new shape where she planned it in advance. The wire frame allows you to give the doll’s pose a natural look.

When she finished her story, we burst into applause. Ayano-san’s smile lit up the room.

Photo by Don George

Photo caption,

Each doll takes three days of work

Since then I have been returning to Nagoro every spring.Now other foreigners also come here. During this time, Ayano-san became a celebrity.

In 2014, a German director made a short documentary about her, about a dozen articles were written (many of which did not avoid mistakes typical of journalism of our time – one of them, for example, claimed that Ayano’s father died, while he continues to dig with enthusiasm in his garden, as I witnessed in May).

A number of articles often use the word “creepy” when describing what they see.However, I now look at what Ayano-san is doing in a completely different way.

The history of Nagoro Village is not unique. This happens to hundreds of villages throughout Japan. Children grow up, they don’t like rural life, they are attracted by the temptations of big cities – convenience, work, entertainment. And they leave. And they never come back.

The situation is common, but Ayano-san’s response to it is truly unique in its sincerity.

Several times a week, she takes fabric, batting, newspapers, wire and clothing and begins tinkering with a new figure representing someone’s recently deceased grandparents.Or someone’s son who went to town. And sometimes just a visit to the village of a person who left a mark in Ayano-san’s heart.

She decided to restore the population of her village with the help of these fearless scares, and she fills them not only with batting and newspapers, but also with her art, soul, love and dear memories.

Photo author, Carl Court / Getty Images

Photo caption,

Now people from all over the world come to see Ayano-san’s creations

In some ways it symbolizes the whole of Shikoku, a stunningly beautiful, but forgotten and impoverished island, whose population copes with the daily pressures of life with his inherent resilience and ingenuity.

Farmers grow rice, Japanese mikan oranges, shiitake mushrooms, wheat, tomatoes – as they have done for centuries.

Fishermen leave at dawn and return during the day with nets full of iridescent silver fish – yellowtail, dorado and bonito.

The island is famous for its 88 Buddhist temples, attracting pilgrims here, seeking to honor the memory of the founder of one of the schools of Japanese Buddhism Shingon-shu Kobo Daishi.

Local residents greet pilgrims with smiles and bows, offering them rice, oranges and biscuits on their way.

As I understand now, Ayano-san also helps us to overcome our path in life in his own way.

When I visited her in May of this year, I met another resident of the village and asked what she thought about the figures.

“At first they scared a little,” she said. “Both us and the newcomers. But gradually I began to like them. There is even something calming in them. I recognize in them people who have already passed away, and then, that they are still with you, okay. ”

Photo author, Don George

Photo caption,

Now there are 27 people left in the village, but the number of kakashi has increased to 200

In May Ayano-san invited me and my companions to her home again.I asked how many dolls she has made since 2002.

“I think about 450,” she replied. “Approximately every three years I have to replace them with new ones. Now there are 27 people in the village – and 200 kakashi!” She burst out laughing.

Someone in our group asked if she would leave the village for Osaka when her father died.

There was a silence, she thought, looking somewhere into the distance – perhaps, skipping before her mind’s eye the fields, the bus stop, the school, the road where her kakashi are standing, sitting, doing their daily activities.

Finally she spoke. “I don’t think so,” she said. “I feel good here. I am among friends.”

“Besides – look! – she turned to us, her eyes sparkled, her face spread into a wide smile. – They bring new friends to my village!”

To read the original of this article in English, visit BBC Travel .

Ash rain fell on Turkish resorts

As of Thursday, 122 people (all local residents) were affected by fires in Turkey, three of them died.

– Firefighters managed to localize the fire in Manavgat a day later, – sums up our compatriot Vladimir Hotko, who lives in Alanya and leads informative blogs about Turkey, on social networks, – Now the fight against fire is being conducted in Akseki.

Manavgat is a town 76 km from the city of Antalya and 4 km from the resort village of Side and the coast. The area there is wooded: according to the locals, on the afternoon of July 28 it was so hot that in the sun the pine groves in the mountains burst into flames like matches, after which the fire began to rapidly spread around and everything was clouded with acrid smoke.Who set fire to the forest remains unknown.

Soon, the resort village Avsallar and the entire Akseki region, where he found his first human victim, an 82-year-old villager, was on fire. By Wednesday evening, the fire spread to other provinces – Osmaniye, Adan, Kayseri, Ushak and Mersin. Manavgat is on fire for the second day: aviation, firefighters and volunteers worked in the disaster zone all night. Houses are collapsing, yards burn out and livestock perish. Eyewitnesses report in groups that one village has burned down, another is burning down…

– Residents take the surviving animals to green areas, – Vladimir Hotko shares on the Web. – The Governor said that the inhabitants of the settlements, who fell into a fire trap at night, were saved, but three of them, alas, died. A total of 122 people were injured, 58 people are now on treatment. Condolences to the families and relatives of those killed and injured.

The authorities of Antalya say that the fire was caused by dry heat with strong winds. The region has suffered tremendous damage, with villages, farmland, green spaces and livestock most affected.On Thursday morning, the official reports of the Turkish authorities were encouraging that the Manavgat fire had been localized, that they managed to get off with “little blood” – “only” a few villages and dozens of hectares of forest were burned out. And tourist sites, except for the sky covered with smoke and blazing with glows and burning in the air, they say, are not in danger.

– I can see from my balcony how he was “localized”! – informs a tourist from a hotel in Side. – They try, yes, but they cannot extinguish, and the fire spreads quickly.He is already near the residential quarters of Manavgat, as far as I can see from my floor. I won’t leave the hotel for anything.

By Thursday afternoon, the fire had traveled more than 300 kilometers and reached the province of Mugla, where the popular resort of Marmaris is located. At the height of the beach day, the fire approached the Marmaris suburb of Icmeler and the tourist area.

– The entire mountain behind the hotels along the coast is burning and the flames are spreading very quickly! – report our tourists, watching what is happening from the roof of a private guesthouse, which is rented from locals.- The area of ​​the fire is huge! What a pity for nature!

According to the Turkish authorities, 3 Russian Be-200s (multipurpose amphibious aircraft) were deployed near Marmaris at once. Meanwhile, the flame continues to move westward and has already reached the tourist Bodrum (about 100 km from Marmaris in a straight line). Local authorities claim that the evacuation of guests from the hotels has already begun.

– Are you being evacuated? – we are interested in Russians vacationing in a coastal hotel in Marmaris.

– Everything was calm in the morning, the sky was clear, no burning.So far, only the excursions have been canceled and asked not to leave the hotel. Friends called us, they are in a hotel in Side, so they turned off the light and the Internet. So far, everything works for us. Locals say that everything was on fire around this time last summer. And nothing was extinguished.

– But the videos we post on social media look really creepy.

– Well, these are forest fires, they are always visible from afar. And the whole coast was clouded with smoke. Pictures of the bright orange sky are being sent from Antalya.

– Are you scared?

– We hope for prompt extinguishing, nevertheless we have expensive hotels here, tourists from all over the world, and not a remote village with elderly villagers and rams … residential buildings.

Residents of Manavgat assure that their victims so far are only from smoke – asthmatics, heart disease. “Our lungs are burning with our forests,” the Turkish Minister of the Environment, Mr. Kurum, wrote on social media.

“Ashes fell on the beach”: Russian tourists described the fires in Turkey

Watch the related video

“All fires are 3-4 kilometers away from me,” says a Russian-speaking resident of Manavgat. – In the morning my family and I woke up from the fact that we were suffocating. The city is in smoke, our balcony is covered in ashes. The Akseki area, they say, generally burned out. The streets are empty, everyone is at home, there is no need to force. People themselves intuitively feel the real threat to life and save themselves, as they can, there is no need to persuade.

– Are the tourists hiding too?

– Our city is 4 kilometers from the sea, so there are no hotels here. But there are usually a lot of tourists, they come to us from all the surrounding resort villages for shopping and cafe-restaurants. But now there is no one, of course.

And this is what our tourists see from hotels in the vicinity of Antalya.

“All night helicopters were buzzing overhead and still buzzing here and there, but less so,” says a Russian guest of another hotel.- In the morning we tried to freshen up, but this is impossible: the water in the sea and the pool under a layer of ash. Then the electricity was turned off. And this means immediately minus the air conditioner and the Internet. It immediately became unbearably stuffy. But, fortunately, they turned it on quickly. Maybe half an hour, or maybe 40 minutes. Our guide said that the lights in local houses were turned off for almost the whole day, which means the air conditioners too. And on the thermometer today it was +47.

A Russian-speaking family, renting an apartment in the Side area from locals, wanted to move to the west in the morning, towards Bodrum.But, alas, the fire got there first.

“It’s raining from the ashes here, it’s unpleasant,” the unlucky domestic vacationers complain. – Fethiye, Marmaris and Bodrum considered the way out, but now everything is burning there too.

From Thursday lunchtime, all tourists, including those already departing and not yet arriving, are already experiencing. Those who will soon fly home fear that the fire will seize Antalya with the airport and flights will be canceled.

– I would not want to, otherwise, as usual, they will offer to get out at their own expense! We all watched the wind here, is it blowing towards the airport? The locals reassured us that in front of the Antalya river, the fire would not pass.And the authorities will not surrender Antalya for anything. So it is, the fire went the other way. One block of Alanya seemed to be on fire, but it was quickly extinguished. So, I think we will safely fly home.

Those who have already paid for a tour to the coveted Turkish Riviera are also worried, but at the time of the dream come true it turned out to be blazing:

– We will take off on August 4! – worried mother of the family from the Moscow region. – I called my travel agency, I thought maybe to cancel the trip or at least change the hotel, otherwise we are right on the fire, it turns out, we are going.I smoke to breathe for 250 thousand a week! But the travel agency replied that all replacements and cancellations are only at their own expense, since Turkey did not declare an emergency, which means that tourists do not have force majeure and we are not supposed to return any money.

– In general, the tour operator answered me that the fire had been extinguished and hung up, – a vacationer from Saratov who is flying to Antalya on August 2 is indignant.

But the most frightened are those who have just arrived in Antalya. The rest has not yet begun, and the problems are already in full swing – in the most literal sense.Smoke, smog, fumes, ash, stinging eyes and nose.

– It’s good that our tourists were canceled excursions, – a resort visitor, who has just arrived from Russia, tries to support himself with black humor. – Otherwise, ours would have thrown a bull into this business. My owners are local, from whom I usually rent a room, they are sitting with a generator, there is no electricity. They write to me that tomorrow is even hotter. And I thought, maybe change plans?

For those who are not tied to a paid hotel, in Russian-language messengers, where the disaster in Turkish resorts is discussed, sentences like this appear: “Who urgently needs to go to Istanbul, write.I’m going by car, I’ll take it on board. ”

“I’ll leave for Istanbul, even if the owner doesn’t return the rent to me,” says a Russian woman with her five-year-old son, who is renting a house from a private owner in the Kemer region. – There is such smoke here, and I have an asthmatic child.

The most optimistic of all are Russian-speaking guides who urge guests – both those who have already arrived and those who are just about to – not to panic:

– Don’t worry, they’ll put out everything. If you have already arrived, strictly follow the instructions of the hotel, everyone is on the alert, no one has forgotten about you.The Turkish authorities always prioritize people’s lives, and only then everything else. Houses are on fire, businesses are on fire, but people are being saved.

There was a video of fires in the Turkish resort of Marmaris: evacuation is in progress

Watch the related video

TS3 – Ashes in your eyes

Chapter Eight. “Star of the Gone”.

Laughing at the top of her lungs, Kim fell on the hot sand, and with her arms outstretched, she remained there.
Her dear ones and relatives also soon ran to the rocks and stopped to rest.
“God,” Rachel breathed, “how magical it is!” Did you see their eyes Kim ?! They come to life!
-Soon everything will be as before! Katie said. “Lady Trains was right!
So they sat and chatted for several hours, and each of the Sunshines felt an unprecedented warmth in his soul and complete peace in his heart.
Finally, Kim rose to her feet.
“That was great guys,” she said, “but I want to make sure we did everything right. I want to see a rainbow.
Six pairs of eyes stared at the girl in bewilderment.
“Darling, but there has been no rainbow for three months,” said Parker with conviction. – Yes, and where could she come from in the middle of the clear sky, and besides, in the evening? This does not happen …
– I’ll go to Stony Falls.
-And what of that, Kim? Does this place generate rainbows by itself? I don’t …
– But I think so! interrupted Kimberly’s husband. – Moreover, I know! She should be there today! I remember, – then her face clouded over and took on an affectionate, half-childish expression.- when I was very little, a little older than Rosie, my dad, Jack, took me to see those waterfalls. Then it was raining heavily, almost a downpour, but we drove anyway. And already when we were there, the water stopped pouring from the sky. So abrupt and very unexpected. It was as if someone had turned on a tap upstairs. And just then a rainbow appeared in the sky. She was as beautiful as life itself. Huge and sparkling, it swam out of the trees and hung in an arc over the mountains, trees and the entire Valley. Since then, I have occasionally traveled to Stony Falls, and very often I have seen a rainbow there.I think, and now she will not deceive me. I’ll just go home for a bike and go there right away. And you wait for me here, wait and hope! – And Kim left the surprised company with a light heart.
***
While the girl was getting to the Great Falls on Stony Falls, evening fell, and the soft twilight enveloped everything around in its veil.
Of course, the rainbow would never have appeared.
But for some reason, there was a wild, insane hope in Kim’s soul that this miraculous phenomenon would visit the abode of heaven this time.
The girl looked around.
Yes, she has not been to the waterfalls for a long time, and has already managed to almost forget them.
Right in front of her was a wide dark lake, in the water of which huge white water lilies swayed.

And from the high gray mountains straight into the lake a furious seething stream broke down, bubbling and roaring like a hellish cauldron.
Two trees grew near the lake, and there were benches in front of them.
Kim was delighted with the whole sight, and she was even more confident that the rainbow would certainly appear.
Suddenly the girl wanted to swim.
She threw off her cardigan and dress, took off her shoes, and was left in only underwear.
Kim entered the water of the lake.
At first, her legs burned with cold, but then this sensation disappeared, giving way to a feeling of pleasant coolness.
Then Mrs. Sunshine dipped up to her waist and swam.
Velvet-soft water gently held Kim’s body and obediently parted under the movements of her arms and legs.
Kim swam and recalled that as a child she swam here even during thunderstorms.
She swam for a long time, and finally, completely freezing, decided to go ashore.

After getting dressed, she decided to sit here a little longer – she really liked this place.
And suddenly …
– Little Kimberly, can you hear me? Talk to me, I’m so lonely.
The girl turned sharply and saw that Lamia Trains was sitting on a bench not far from her, sadly, as always, looking at the waterfall.
But she didn’t look the same as usual.
First, the woman was not wearing mourning and a hat with a veil.
Instead, the mad lady wore an incredibly long white dress with a black hem.
(“It looked like a wedding,” Kim thought automatically.)
And secondly, her long blonde hair, always hidden under her headdress, was now styled into some kind of unprecedented high hairstyle.
In all her appearance, she reminded Kim of one of those avant-garde creations that are now in great demand among the creative intelligentsia.
And, for some reason, it seemed to the girl that the widow’s hair and clothes seemed to emanate a light glow…

Overcoming anxiety from nowhere, Kimberly walked over and sat on the bench next to Lady Trains.
-What are you still young, – the woman suddenly said with a sad smile. She was clearly not crazy at that moment. In her words there was a sense of reason, blurred, distorted by pain, but still reason. – How old are you, Kimberly, baby? Sixteen? Eighteen?
“Twenty-two, if anything,” Kim clarified in confusion.
– It can’t be … You haven’t changed at all over the years.I remember you as a baby, about seven years old.
-Lady Lamia, why are you on the pond today and not on the beach? – An awkward question broke from Kim before she could shut up.
The widow shook her head:
-My dear Kim, I’m waiting for my Eric. My beloved husband. That is why I am dressed like a bride – yes, I feel like a young girl again. Don’t I have a pretty hairdo, Kim? Do you think he’ll like her? the woman asked and looked trustingly into Mrs. Sunshine’s eyes.
Barely holding back the tears rushing out, Kimberly nodded:
-Very beautiful, Lady Lamia.Your Eric will definitely like it.
-Thank you baby! – the widow was sincerely delighted. “He’ll come tonight, come and take me with him.” To the stars …
Lamia’s face was now written with the greatest happiness that a person is capable of – but mixed with eternal grief, this created a strange expression on her pale face.

Suddenly she rose sharply and walked forward, all the while for some reason looking at the sky.
Reaching the edge of the road, Lamia smiled again, but now nothing darkened her smile.
Her white outfit became just boiling white, and her hair seemed to be burning with a light fire.

The woman turned to Kim, and shouted:
-Farewell, baby! .. You did what you could, and you’re done. Everything will return …
After which it seemed to turn into a single clot of light, and suddenly, with a crystal-ice ringing, soared up.
And a second later, Kim, struck to the core, saw how another, brightest star lit up in the vault of heaven.

Goodbye Lamia Trains… – Kim whispered with her lips. – Hello, Star of the Gone …
Leaving, the girl once again looked at the sky, and was stunned.
Among the stars, in the sky woven by the caring hands of the Lord, shone of unprecedented magnitude and beauty RAINBOW.
But there were not seven colors in it, as usual.
There were eight .
The eighth color was the color of snow and stars, the same Color of Hope that Hope Rainbow spoke of from Kim’s dream.
-It’s back , – Kimberly muttered laughing through her tears.- Finally, everything is back

Grozny celebrated its 200th anniversary – Society

GROZNY, October 5. / Corr. TASS Marina Sheina /. The capital of the Chechen Republic – Grozny – widely celebrated its 200th anniversary on Friday. By decree of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, this day was declared a day off, a new park and boulevard appeared in the city, a large ethnographic town with dances and food was created, 200 weddings were held according to Vainakh traditions, and the winner of the Festival of Culture and Sports of the Peoples of the Caucasus was determined.

Like a Phoenix from the Ashes

Residents of Grozny say that they cannot look “at their new Grozny”, they call it “a phoenix that has risen from the ashes.” Many of them survived the hostilities and returned to their hometowns without finding their homes. They are grateful to the leadership of the republic for the decision to restore the capital in a historical place.

“Today is a holiday not only for the residents of Grozny, but also for all residents of the Chechen Republic, these are not just nice words. I came from the Shali region, it was also destroyed, it was worse here than in Stalingrad.And right before my eyes, life was restored, houses, roads, infrastructure appeared. In such a short period of time, not only Grozny was revived, but the whole of Chechnya, “said Magomed, a resident of the city of Shali.

Thousands of guests from all over Russia and abroad arrived in Grozny. Deputy Mayor of the Italian city of Monza (10 km from Milan) Simone Villa is surprised by the cheerfulness of the locals. “A very good impression of Grozny, although I know that it was rebuilt after the hostilities. Despite this, we see happy faces.It is great that these people are so strongly connected with their traditions, with their native land, “a guest of the city told TASS.

Former Italian senator from Lombardy Roberto Mura noted that he is visiting Grozny twice this year. “I came here in July with a delegation of Italian entrepreneurs. My task is to find ways to develop our economies. at the stage of negotiations, “he explained to TASS.

According to tourists, Grozny surprised them with its openness, cleanliness, ability to preserve the traditional way of life and at the same time follow global trends. They believe that the locals remember their city in ruins, they are afraid of losing it again and therefore they cherish it this way. Grozny reminded them of Dubai, Tokyo and Singapore at the same time, but, of course, with “elements of the Caucasus.”

“I never once had the thought of leaving here, because we have everything here – study, work, prospects and beautiful nature,” a young resident of the city Eliza told TASS.

Lezginka in an ethnic town and 200 brides

On Friday, even the rainy and cool weather did not interfere with the large-scale celebration, although it was warm like summer months all week. Thousands of people dressed warmly and came to the central square of the city, where a large ethnographic town with farmsteads of all regions of the North Caucasian Federal District developed. Dagestan showed a show of young tightrope walkers, Karachay-Cherkessia treated them to mineral water and stewed lamb. Stavropol gave tea from old samovars.Everywhere they danced lezginka, it smelled of kebabs.

On this topic

“I am here for the fourth time, and Grozny is constantly changing for the better … You can feel a fighting, strong spirit here. Yesterday we completed the military sports games of senior students, the Chechen team won first place, they set a new benchmark. We appreciated the capabilities of the Russian Special Forces University, They are impressive. It has now been decided to hold the Games here annually, perhaps next year they will become international, “Igor Sungurov, executive director of the Union of Cities of Military Glory, told TASS.

A large queue lined up on the territory of the flower park to photograph 200 Chechen weddings – according to the number of years since the foundation of the city. The ceremony was held according to Vainakh traditions, and local residents explained to tourists that, according to custom, only brides could attend. Grooms should not appear in public on their wedding day, primarily in front of adults.

At the Bilimkhanov stadium, within the framework of the IX Festival of Culture and Sports of the Peoples of the Caucasus, the best athletes of the North Caucasus Federal District competed in national sports.The winner in the team competition was the Chechen national team. Plenipotentiary of the President of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) Alexander Matovnikov said that the jubilee X festival will again be held in Chechnya.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Fencing Federation (FFR) Alisher Usmanov, who arrived at the festival, said that a fencing school will open in Grozny.

The festive day ended with a concert in the summer amphitheater of the Grozny-City high-rise complex. To keep the guests warm, they were carefully given blankets.They saw a large-scale theatrical show about the history of the city with the participation of 400 artists from various creative teams of the republic, a performance by Timati, Valeria, Nikolai Baskov, Abraham Russo.

All guests were treated to a festive cake with a diameter of 3.5 meters and a height of 6 meters, its weight is more than a ton. This culinary masterpiece was prepared by Renat Akzamov – culinary pastry chef, champion of the Russian Federation in confectionery skills.

Safe and prosperous region

Dozens of delegations came to congratulate Grozny on the anniversary.Russian President Vladimir Putin conveyed his congratulations. He noted that Grozny and its residents went through serious trials during the Great Patriotic War and faced the brutal aggression of international terrorism against Russia, and now, literally before our very eyes, the city is turning into a dynamic and forward-looking.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev called Grozny one of the most beautiful in the country. According to the Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, the deputies of the Chechen Republic effectively work in the State Duma, “they are responsible for the performance of their duties.”

This day is special for the head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov – on October 5 he celebrates his birthday, he turned 42.

Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov

© Elena Afonina / TASS

“There has never been such an event in history, the capital of the republic was recently in ruins, there was not a single whole building, roads … In a short time, we removed tens of millions of tons of broken concrete, bricks, rebuilt the most beautiful city on Earth, this feat of the Chechen people, accomplished with the support of the President of Russia.It should be recalled that the city appeared thanks to the strong will and unyielding personal courage of the first president, Hero of Russia Akhmat Kadyrov, “Kadyrov said at a solemn event dedicated to the 200th anniversary of Grozny.

Minister of the Russian Federation for North Caucasus Affairs Sergei Chebotarev noted at the celebrations that the republic’s authorities “managed to turn the republic into one of the safest and most prosperous regions.” “You managed to lay a solid foundation for the development of the Chechen Republic.Thanks to you and your team, we are firmly convinced of the successful future of the republic and the well-being of its residents, “the minister noted.

New parks and history

For its 200th anniversary, the city has changed. On the eve, another beautiful place appeared – the park named after the King of Jordan Hussein bin Talal with an area of ​​more than 6 hectares with the first skate park in the city. A new pedestrian boulevard named after Makhmud Esambaev has also opened in the center of Grozny. On City Day, it looked more like Moscow’s Arbat, was festive, lively and crowded.Dozens of lamps and more than a hundred comfortable benches have been installed here, thousands of flowers and trees have been planted.

But tourists paid more attention to tall ancient trees with a dense crown. Local residents recall that before the hostilities in the second half of the 1990s – early 2000s, their city was one of the greenest, and now it is striving for it again.

On the eve of the anniversary, another very important event took place – Chechen archivists published a book about the 200-year history of the city.During the hostilities, up to 85% of all archival documents were destroyed and lost – this is almost a million cases, the book partially restores the lost history. “Today, the archives store more than a thousand documents about the history of the city, many of which have been published in the publication. We also collected information from various previously published publications about Grozny, from periodicals, because after the hostilities, people almost did not have these books,” – Madina Chenchieva, the head of the department for the use of documents of the Archival Department of the Republic, explained to TASS.

Director of the National Library of Chechnya Satsita Israilova added that all libraries in Chechnya were destroyed, almost nothing was preserved from the national and local history literature, many works were lost forever. The residents of Grozny themselves, as well as many regions of Russia and foreign countries, are helping to restore the history of the Chechen people. “On the eve of the anniversary, the Pushkin Children’s Library (St. Petersburg) presented us with a thousand children’s books, and the Kazakh authorities handed over publications about the period of deportation of Chechens to Central Asia and Kazakhstan,” she said.

About Grozny

The history of Grozny began in 1818. Initially, it was a fortress founded by the Russian general Alexei Yermolov six versts from the entrance to the Khankala gorge. Over time, the fortress lost its military significance and became the commercial and administrative center of the region. The Soviet period for Grozny was marked by the rapid development of the economy, social sphere, culture and art.

During the fighting, the city was almost completely destroyed. There was even a proposal to move the capital of Chechnya to another place, but the city was restored, and its status was preserved.The main construction within the framework of the restoration took place in 2007-2009. Today the capital of Chechnya is a modern, well-equipped city with new attractions, including the Heart of Chechnya mosque and the Grozny-City high-rise complex.

90,000 What you need to know: Zhang Huan

Text: Tatiana Sokhareva 09/18/2020 9276

On September 9, 2020, the exhibition “Zhang Huan. In the Ashes of History ”is the first personal project in Russia by one of the most successful contemporary artists in China.Zhang Huan became famous for his radical performances with mandatory elements of masochism and anti-government fervor. Today he settled down and practically moved away from bodily practices, making a choice in favor of the production of material objects and spiritual self-improvement. The Hermitage project occupied the Nicholas Hall of the Winter Palace, and another of the works – the impressive cosmic Buddha – was housed in the courtyard of the museum and has already managed to provoke the indignation of the conservative-minded public.”Artguide” tells what constitutes the artist’s style and attitude.

Zhang Huan. 12 square meters. 1994. Shot from the video documentation of the performance. Beijing. Source: artnet.com

At first glance, Zhang Huan appears to be one of the most controversial contemporary artists. In the past, he was a radical who liked to play on the nerves of the Chinese government and tickle the nerves of an impressionable public. Today he is a Buddhist monk living in the world, who loves minimalistic canvases based on the “Tibetan Book of the Dead” than bodily experiments with elements of masochism.In his youth – a graduate of the Central Academy of Arts in Beijing and a big fan of Jean-Francois Millet and Rembrandt, who became famous for actions and performances with the smell of rot and blood stains. He began his artistic career in the poorest area in the suburbs of Beijing, known as a haven for all kinds of marginalized people and the dregs of society. He is now one of the most commercially successful artists in the world, employing over a hundred people. Chinese critics regularly attack him for pandering to stereotypes about Eastern culture.Western – suspects of ideological machinations and flirting with the imperial principle. And with all this, his works are invariably distinguished by their inner integrity.

The artist belongs to another damned and lost generation, which, after leaving the Academy of Arts, was out of work and was forced to gnaw out space for an artistic experiment on its own. He was born in 1965, a year before the start of the Cultural Revolution in China, when ideological guidelines and artistic attitudes changed once again.The period of Huang’s youth and formation is considered the first chapter in the history of Chinese modern art, largely grown on Western models. At this time, oppositional sentiments and the desire to rebuild the art system in a modern way captured more and more artists. However, Ai Weiwei in the film Ai Weiwei: Never Apologize (directed by Alison Climan, 2012) argues that in the 90s the cultural life of China remained rather poor and regulated, although a course was already set to expand boundaries and search for a new visuality …

Zhang Huan in his studio in Shanghai. Source: asianculturalcouncil.org. © Zhang Huan Studio

After studying, Zhang Huan, in the company of the same radical outcasts, settled in the suburbs of Beijing, next to the city dump. The artists called this place East Village after the image and likeness of the New York borough. Quite quickly, it became the center of avant-garde art and gained scandalous fame: the artists living there were known as dangerous hooligans who turned against the more commercially successful creators from the well-equipped western part of the city.The works of Huang created at that time should be attributed to the Apollonian type of actionism – rational, verified to the last gesture and extremely radical. With their help, he explored the emerging new reality and his own inner world, while simultaneously exposing the old ulcers of social and cultural life.

Outwardly, these actions were very similar to what the Viennese artists did in the 1960s (and later many other Western performance artists), but they were built on completely different foundations.During the performances, Zhang Huan assumed the role of a spectator of his own thought, a detached, self-absorbed observer. The main feature of his artistic language was anti-subjectivism, taken from Buddhist practice as well.

Today, the artist’s success is usually associated with his ability to fill the traditional Western art forms and genres with new content related to the heritage of Chinese culture. “I discovered that my body can become my artistic language.For a long time I was looking for ways how to go beyond the two-dimensional space of painting, and found that what I needed was always with me. But bodily practices have never been political, social, or cultural commentary. Rather, it was a personal necessity, ”the artist said in one of his interviews. Subsequently, his relationship with corporeality became more complicated: the artist abandoned the radical performances he did in his youth, but the body and manual labor (often quite exhausting and hard, gradually acquiring a conveyor scale) remained an integral part of his works.

Zhang Huan. Angel. 1993. Documentation of a performance at the National Art Museum of China, Beijing. Source: zhanghuan.com

Angel (1993)

Zhang Huan performed his first performance in the courtyard of the National Art Museum in Beijing. This performance for many years determined the attitude towards the artist as a radical and brawler. He appeared in front of the public naked and smeared with a red liquid that looked like blood (in fact, it was food coloring), spread a canvas on the floor and began to torment a plastic baby doll.Even taking into account the fact that the blood was not real, the sight looked rather outrageous and frightening, giving rise to many acute social associations. First of all, with the demographic policy of the Chinese government, which prescribes one family to have only one child and provoked a series of forced abortions in the country. Also, the bloody scene reminded of the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 (when the protesters were dispersed by the military in Beijing during a demonstration for liberalizing the regime.- Artguide), during which hundreds of students who came out to protest were killed. The performance was so scandalous that the exhibition was hastily closed, and Zhang Huang was fined 2,000 yuan. Conservatively-minded critics called him “crazy” and “pervert” who gets naked in public and provokes the viewer just because he can’t draw. However, this did not stop the artist. During that period, Ai Weiwei supported him, advising him not to give up performative practices.

Zhang Huan.12 square meters. 1994. Documentation of the performance. Beijing. Source: artnet.com

“12 square meters” (1994)

A year later, Huang shocked the impressionable public again by smearing his body with fish oil and honey and entering a public toilet building in a poor neighborhood where he rented an apartment with other artists. For exactly one hour he sat motionless while flies covered his body and face. All this time the artist was in a state of meditation.At the end of the performance, he slowly plunged into the water in a nearby pond. This work was inspired by Zhang Huang’s memories of his own childhood, spent in a densely populated village, where everyone was forced to endure hardship and actually live below the poverty line – often in unsanitary conditions. Later, the artist said more than once that “the best way to get rid of anxiety, free from fear and return to a state of rest is to torture the body.” Starting with this work, physical tests, shading the artist’s inner quest, become an indispensable part of his works and reflections.

Zhang Huan. Add one meter to the unnamed mountain. 1995. Documentation of the performance. Source: publicdelivery.org

“Add one meter to an unnamed mountain” (1995)

Another of his early performances – “Add one meter to an unnamed mountain” – is based on Chinese folklore. The semantic core of the work is the ancient proverb “Mountains beyond the mountains”. To illustrate it, Zhang Huan and his companions climbed to the top of the nearest mountain and lay on top of each other, thus creating another peak.Professional surveyors were even invited to document the work, who measured the height of the mountain, taking into account the neoplasm from the bodies of the artists. Subsequently, Zhang Huan explained that this work tells about humility: climb this peak, and you will see another one in front of you; your desires will never be fully satisfied, and the conquered peaks will only give rise to a new need to act and go forward. At the same time, with the help of this performance, the artists drew attention to the fact that man is inseparable from nature, no matter what technological or cultural boundaries he builds.

Zhang Huan. ½. 1998. Photography. Source: zhanghuan.com

“½” (1998)

In 1998, Zhang Huan and his wife moved to New York, the city of dreams, where he hoped to “try his luck” after eight years of persecution, disregard, and anti-censorship in Beijing. During this period, the artist gradually moved away from performing practices and art of direct action, but still works with his body when creating works. The problem of language acquires particular relevance for him.Shortly before leaving, he invited his friends to leave him a couple of phrases as a keepsake, writing them right on his body in black ink. Thus, the life story of the artist was literally written on his face, but for most Western viewers the text was unreadable. This work became a metaphor for the experience of emigration, which Zhang Huan was soon going to acquire, not yet knowing whether he would be able to become understandable in the context of Western culture or whether his art would be greeted in the same way as these writings on his body – surprise, misunderstanding, annoyance.

Zhang Huan. My America. 1999. Documentation of a performance at the Museum of Asian Art, Seattle. Source: www.wright20.com

My America (1999)

Zhang Huan expressed the most vividly painful experience of assimilation in a foreign country in a work entitled “My America” ​​(its second name is “Difficult to acclimatize”). The performance took place at the Museum of Asian Art in Seattle. During the performance, more than fifty American volunteers stood around the artist and threw stale bread at him.So he wanted to convey the feeling of discomfort from the ordeal associated with the process of getting used to a new culture. Zhang Huan also played up the well-known stereotype about the “mysterious culture of the East”: in his work, it is the Western society that appears incomprehensible, frightening and inhospitable for a foreigner. He said that upon arrival he “felt like a person from a third world country” (“I wanted to change this feeling, undermine it in order to feel like the center of the world, and all the other countries I visited were peripheral”).

Zhang Huan. Family tree. 2000. Performance Documentation, New York. The Howard and Joy Osofsky Collection. Source: noma.org. Courtesy Zhang Huan Studio and Pace Gallery. © Zhang Huan

Family Tree (2000)

Soon he returned to the problem of language – in the work “Family Tree”. For her, Zhang Huan asked three Chinese calligraphers to cover his face with hieroglyphs – fragments of Chinese folk tales, stories from the life of his family, poems, names of relatives – it is not so important what exactly, the main thing is that the inscriptions are connected with the artist’s personal history.Zhang Huan documented intermediate results within 24 hours. In the last of the nine photographs, we see a face completely covered in black paint, as if the native speech absorbed the person, erasing what was once his personality. “It’s culture that slowly smothers us and makes our faces black,” the artist explained. – I can’t say who I am. My personality disappeared under the weight of family history and culture. ” Thanks to this and similar works, over time, Huang became one of the most sought-after authors in America who made the transition from one cultural paradigm to another.Although the artist admitted that he still felt like an outsider, because you can’t get away from your identity.

Zhang Huan. My New York. 2002. Documentation of a performance at the Whitney Biennale at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. Source: sothebys.com

My New York (2002)

The epitome of the identity crisis that overtook the artist in the United States was “My New York” – perhaps his most spectacular performance of the American period.During the Whitney Biennale, Zhang Huang, covered in a white shroud-like cloth, was taken to the courtyard of the museum. When the artist took off his robe, it turned out that all this time he was dressed in a frightening-looking costume made of pieces of raw meat. In it, Huan went for a walk around the city, releasing white doves on the way. The meat costume served for him as the embodiment of the animal nature inherent in man, which, according to the artist, is more noticeable and significant in New York than in Beijing. At the same time, Huan viewed his robe as armor, which gave him a more imposing appearance and made him not feel vulnerable.The white doves, in turn, symbolized compassion: the performance took place a few months after the 9/11 attacks, and the city was still plunged into sorrow. Combining these images, the work absorbed the spectrum of feelings experienced by the artist during his stay in New York – in a city that he empathized with, which he feared and with which he pinned many of his hopes.

Zhang Huan. Ash head with long ears. 2007. Steel, ash, wood. Source: artsy.net

“Ash head with long ears” (2007)

In 2005, the artist decided to return to China.This period was marked for him by a rather abrupt transition to a new aesthetics, which blossomed against the background of changes in the artist’s worldview and spiritual life. Returning to his homeland, Zhang Huan accepted monasticism and turned to new techniques and problems. “The Ash Head with Long Ears” is one of his first works inspired by the image of the Buddha and absorbing his features. The work is made from the ashes from the incense collected in twenty Buddhist temples in the vicinity of Shanghai – an ephemeral material, fragile and subject to decay and destruction, like everything that surrounds us.At the same time, the head bears some resemblance to the head of the artist himself. “I really want my inner state to become more Buddhist. Changing oneself outwardly, lengthening the earlobes [long earlobes are one of the features of the Buddha image. – Artguide], I’m getting closer to enlightenment, ”said Zhang Huan.

Zhang Huan. June 15, 1964. 2008–2012. Ash on canvas. Photo: Alexander Murashkin. Courtesy State Hermitage Museum (courtesy of Pearl Lam Galleries)

June 15, 1964 (2008-2012)

The core of Zhang Huang’s exhibition at the Hermitage is his most imposing and monstrous painting made from the ashes – a 40-meter portrait of Mao Zedong surrounded by leaders of the Chinese Communist Party.The painting reproduces a photograph taken on June 15, 1964 – hence the name. It is usually seen as a kind of parody of the big style. The pantheon of state functionaries – from the tyrant to the small bipods that keep the state machine afloat – was created by the artist from an impersonal and self-destructive material that literally smolders before our eyes. At the same time, the image can be very conditionally called figurative – the ashes do not allow to convey the individual features of the heroes of the picture, in fact, depriving them of their subjectivity.It took three years to create the work. Up to ten of Zhang Huang’s assistants worked on it every day. From a distance, it resembles the minimalist monochrome canvases of Gerhard Richter and Anselm Kiefer, but ash is more capricious material than those used by European artists. Using it, Zhang Huan emphasizes the emasculation of meanings, images, faces, ideologies and once again shows that everything passes away – and the tyrant’s patronymic is inevitably forgotten over time, and only a handful of ashes remain from official photographs from the state archive.

Zhang Huan. Rebirth # 1. 2019. Canvas, acrylic. Courtesy State Hermitage Museum (courtesy of Pearl Lam Galleries)

Rebirth (2019)

In a more philosophical vein, the work “Rebirth”, a series of paintings from the “Heavenly Burial” cycle, refers to the Tibetan burial ritual of the same name described in the “Tibetan Book of the Dead”, speaks about the impermanence of life. According to him, after death, the body is not buried in the ground or cremated, but left to be eaten by scavengers.It was them that Zhang Huan depicted on a sterile white background. In the Buddhist tradition, this ritual is associated with compassion for all living beings. Death is seen as a natural part of the life cycle, and getting rid of the mortal flesh is a harbinger of new life. At the same time, from the point of view of style, Zhang Huan chooses something between traditional Chinese painting and abstraction. The red color also symbolizes for him a return to the origins of his own creativity – to the first performance created with the help of artificial blood.

Zhang Huan. Hermitage Buddha. 2020. Copper, steel. Photo: Alexey Bronnikov. Courtesy State Hermitage Museum

Hermitage Buddha (2020)

“I would not say that I create Buddha figures as such. I express the meaning of life through images that Buddhists can understand, ”Zhang Huan said about one of his monumental sculptures. The image has constantly appeared in his work since the day he returned to China from America: most often it is a monster from outer space, which symbolizes various aspects of life and death, aspirations and hopes, and also expresses the idea of ​​the impermanence of all things.One of the artist’s most famous sculptures, the Three-Legged Buddha, appeared in the courtyard of the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 2007. Then Zhang Huan noticed that his “monster from the East seems incompatible with the London art environment – as if he could break loose and jump into the sky at any moment.” Traditionally, Buddha sculptures are made of bronze, wood, clay and copper. However, the artist often breaks this tradition by using animal skins, incense ash and many other unusual materials.His Buddha always has the features of a mythical monster. So it happened with the “Hermitage Buddha”, which was based on fragments of sculptural images found by the artist in Tibet.

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