HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL x Moscow City Tourism Committee: Global Talents in the Russian capital

The HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL and the Moscow City Tourism Committee collaborated on two major projects: the international photo exhibition for BRICS countries “Big Cities in Moscow” and the international short video competition WOWMOSCOW, which was won by Takha Audyarahma from Indonesia. Her video will premiere on August 24 as part of the Moscow International Film Week program.

Participants from both projects joined an art residency featuring a parallel program that examined contemporary approaches to depicting cities across a range of visual media.

On August 8, the “Big Cities in Moscow” photo exhibition was officially launched in the Underground Museum of the Zaryadye Park.

Speeches were delivered by Evgeny Kozlov, Arseniy Meshcheryakov, Irina Chmyreva, and representatives of the invited institutions — Niyatee Shinde from India and Liu Xiaoxia from China. Following the presentations, Irina Chmyreva led a tour of the exhibition for the speakers and participating photographers.

Evgeny Kozlov — First Deputy Head of the Moscow Mayor’s Office and the Moscow Government, Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee.

Arseniy Meshcheryakov — Head of the HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL, designer, art director, founder of the Agey Tomesh Design Bureau and the WAM Books Publishing House.

Irina Chmyreva — Art Director of the International Festival of Photography PhotoVisa, PhD in Art History, curator, photography historian, member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA), Russia.

On August 9, a closed panel discussion titled “Contemporary Urban Photography” // “Urban Photography: Art, Documentary or Something Else?” took place.

The discussion brought together exhibition participants and other members of the professional community: Irina Chmyreva (moderator), Niyatee Shinde, Liu Xiaoxia, Masha Goldman, Vladimir Levashov, Tom Lisboa, Natalia Korneyeva, Alexander Petrosyan, and Alexey Narodnitskiy.

The participants explored how contemporary urban photography reflects life in megacities and shapes the perception of urban environments. Each shared their experience of using photography to initiate dialogue with city residents. They also discussed key books on urban photography — published in various countries — that challenge the boundaries of the genre and resonate internationally. The meeting concluded with a Q&A session, focusing not only on technical aspects but also on the importance of honesty in portraying life in a big city.

On August 10–11, Zaryadye visitors could participate in two master classes held by world-renowned photographers in the Small Amphitheatre. The following photographers shared their experiences: 

• Niyatee Shinde, President of the ZIIP Foundation, Mumbai, India;
• Shanth Kumar, photographer, India;
• Samyia Khandevill, photographer, India;
• Venkatesan Peevee Perumal, photographer, India;
• Gulshan Khan, photographer, South Africa;
• Maria Goldman, Director and Co-Founder of the International Festival of Photography PhotoVisa, Russia;
• Alexander Petrosyan, photographer, Russia;
• Liu Xiaoxia, Director of International Programs, Pingyao International Photography Festival, China;
• Liu Yang, photographer, China;
• Ren Guanglin, photographer, China;
• Li Fan, photographer, China;
• Leticia Lampert, photographer, Brazil;
• Tom Lisboa, photographer, Brazil.

Both master classes were moderated by Irina Chmyreva, Art Director of the International Festival of Photography PhotoVisa, PhD in Art History, curator, photography historian, member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA).

On August 10, the finalists of the International Competition of Short Videos about Cities WOWMOSCOW arrived in the Russian capital. They represented China, Brazil, Iran, Indonesia, India and Russia.

• Li Jiaxin Li, China — Quietly hiding on the banks of Lijiang River
• Takha Audyarahma, Indonesia — distant memory of a city
• Feofan Uspensky (co-authors: Uliana Shchukina, Vladislav Protsenkov), Russia — City's Breath
• Laura Grazziotin, Brazil — The city that hurts
• José Ricardo Gonçalves Val, Brazil — Curitiba: Urban Maze
• Hadi Sheibani, Iran — Mashhad: A City of Unwavering Cultural Flourishment
• Umang Tyagi, India — Haridwar, "Gateway to gods" | Cinematic video
• Yiping Zhao (co-authors: Haoyang Liu, Wenxin Zhu, Peijie Wu), China — The Stone Statue of the Tang Imperial Mausoleum Series-1
• Pritam Patowary, India — Rongali (ৰঙালী) — Colors of Nature
• Nikolay Kukin (co-author: Evgeny Makarov), Russia — A City on Water

In Moscow, they took part in a rich cultural and educational program. They visited iconic city landmarks, including Zaryadye Park, VDNKh, metro stations, the HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL campus on Malaya Pionerskaya, and other significant locations, enjoying immersive tours that captured the capital’s atmosphere. Alongside this, they were busy preparing to pitch their projects.

The pitching took place on August 14, and it was won by a representative from Indonesia – Takha Audyarahma.

Her victory was announced on August 15 during a ceremony at the VDNKh Cinema Museum. Takha, together with a professional film crew, is now working on her short video about Moscow, which will be screened on August 24 at the Small Amphitheatre in Zaryadye Park as part of the Moscow International Film Week program.

Territory of the Future. Moscow 2030 is a dynamic forum and festival that highlights groundbreaking innovations shaping every aspect of urban life for both residents and visitors of Moscow. Running from August 1 to September 8, over 30 venues across the city are hosting a variety of cultural, sports, educational, and interactive events focused on the future development of one of the world’s most advanced megacities.

Attendees won’t just learn about Moscow’s latest achievements — they’ll also get an exclusive look at the city’s ongoing transformation and a glimpse into what Moscow is set to become by 2030.