The second art festival at Mamison attracted nearly 4,000 guests.
The mountain resort in North Ossetia became a gathering point for contemporary art for the second time: from August 21st to 23rd, the Mamison Gorge was transformed into a unified cultural space for the Lisri festival. Over three days, nearly 4,000 Mamison guests experienced monumental sculpture, contemporary artists' experiments, and watched a light and music show on the walls of the village of Lisri.
An exhibition based on the resort's first art residency opened in Mamison's new exhibition space. Curators from newnow brought together works by Dani Pirogov, Ilya Tskhurbaev, Sasha Pavlovskaya, Georgy Orlov-Davydovsky, Lia Levin, and Margo Makarova. Each project is a personal statement about Mamison, born from an encounter with its history, culture, and nature. Georgy Orlov-Davydovsky's acousmatic track resonated particularly strongly: the artist transformed the melting of the Tsei Glacier into sound, inviting viewers to experience an auditory experience that exists on equal terms with the visual. Dani Pirogov's work prompted viewers to consider the continuity of movement in the landscape and the place of humans in this eternal transformation.
"The second art festival demonstrated that interest in Mamison and contemporary art is growing mutually. Therefore, we will continue to create an environment at the resort where our guests, nature, and art engage in equal conversation. We will continue to bring together vibrant and interesting people from Ossetia, the Caucasus, and the country." "The art festival's important mission is not only to inspire the region's creative energy but also to leave behind products that will attract visitors to Mamison at any time: Vladimir Soskiev's sculpture exhibition will run until the end of September, the gallery exhibition will run until the end of the year, and the exhibition space itself will become a permanent part of Mamison. The plant guide has established a new botanical direction for the resort, which we will develop," said Andrey Yumshanov, CEO of Kavkaz.RF.
The festival included a lively discussion titled "How Art and Local Identity Can Strengthen a Project." The discussion was moderated by Alexandra Fedorova, an expert in the cultural code of territories. Participants included communications expert Kermen Mandzhieva, Skolka brand founder Elena Baranova, artist Ilya Tskhurbaev, and curators Ulya Savich and Margo Makarova. In addition, the lecture hall hosted meetings with PhD candidate Daria Sukhovskaya, and nature lovers enjoyed tours with botanists and the legendary forester Roald Dominikovich Kaupush, as well as a presentation of a guide to Mamison plants, published especially for the festival. A local brand fair ran throughout the three days.
The evening program near the village of Lisri was a sell-out: a concert by Ossetian ethno-experimenters Ragon Bal seamlessly transitioned into a light show on the walls of ancient towers. Technology and tradition collided to remind us that contemporary art doesn't abolish roots, but reinterprets them.
"The concept of the light and music show 'Dream of the Mamison Gorge' is based on the idea of a living environment, where space is not a backdrop, but a full-fledged protagonist of the narrative." "Dynamic volumetric images are woven into the architectural landscape and, by transforming the space, transform it into an interactive theater where mountain motifs blend with modern technology, offering the viewer a unique emotional experience—a media dream under the starry sky," said show director Polina Khamraeva.
Admission to all events was free; the only requirement for activities at the upper station was a ski pass.