Perm Once AgainMapMay 15–17, 2009 The reader probably thinks that everything is bad in Perm.  The reader probably assumes that the only interesting thing in Perm is the lampposts.  The reader probably believes that the only culture in Perm is the graffiti tags on the walls.  No, dear reader. Communism has not triumphed in Perm.  Communism will triumph There was some culture here before, although not a whole lot.  And now Perm wants to become the new “cultural capital of Russia.”  When I was last here (in 2003), a feeling of stagnation and hopelessness hung in the air. Now you can come here for the weekend and have a fantastic time.  Police Many new places have already opened.  Museum is open Many more will open soon.  A new hotel will be built on this site Where else besides Moscow could you attend the opening of an art exhibition put together by renowned curator Katya Degot, then go to the opera that same night to see One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich with digital libretto surtitles like at La Scala in Milan, and then hear Psoy Korolenko’s live performance accompaniment to the silent film classic Bed and Sofa the following day?  Perm has its own bus on its signs.  The bus stop has an old low-frequency antenna (a remnant of a failed experiment, like in Kostroma) and a digital display already hanging next to it.  Intersections have signs with the names of the cross-streets.  Bolshevik Street, Perm-II 3,2 Some of the pedestrian lights have a “wait” section.  Wait for it. |
