Frankie Shalom speaks to Emily Couch, who lived in Russia as a British-Chinese student, and Vijay Menon, who travelled on the Trans-Siberian Railway and wrote the book A Brown Man in Russia about his experiences. They discuss the trials and joys of travelling in Russia as non-white Westerners, and talk about their experiences of Russians’ reactions to their presence. This episode was presented and recorded for Pushkin House by Frankie Shalom. The editor and series producer was Rafy Hay. Our thanks to Emily Couch and Vijay Menon. Listen here on the Pushkin House website, on Apple podcasts, or v ..read more

What is a banya? What do Russians do when they go to the steam-room, and what are those conical hats they’re wearing? Madeleine Cuckson speaks to Banya No. 1 founder Andrei Fomin to answer all the questions you might have had about the traditions and future of the Russian bathhouse. This episode was presented and recorded for Pushkin House by Madeleine Cuckson. The series producer was Rafy Hay. Our thanks to Andrei Fomin and everyone at Banya No. 1 ..read more

Ada Wordsworth speaks to Maria Kuznetsova, Alina Z, and Alina D, three young Muscovites who took part in protests this week against Alexei Navalny’s recent incarceration. They describe the reasons for their support of Navalny - even in the face of political disagreements with him - as well as the reaction of their friends and family, and the possible outcomes of the protest. This episode was presented and edited for Pushkin House by Ada Wordsworth, and produced by Jorrit Donner-Wittkopf. The series producer was Rafy Hay. Our thanks to all the participants ..read more

Ada Wordsworth speaks to Alexander and Suzy, two young Russians. They recount their experiences of coming out to family, friends and colleagues; describe the differences in Russia between the ways gay men and lesbians are treated; and tell us about their hopes and expectations for the future of LGBT+ rights and opportunities in Russia. This episode was presented and edited for Pushkin House by Ada Wordsworth, and produced by Jorrit Donner-Wittkopf. The series producer was Rafy Hay. Our thanks to Alexander Ankudinov and Suzy for participating. Contains some strong language ..read more

Unearthing stories of the construction of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Borimir Totev talks with Niall Hobhouse from Drawing Matter, Economist writer, Tim Abrahams, and Pushkin House Director, Clem Cecil, about architectural visualisations, realities on the ground, and a few of President Trump's tweets. This podcast episode was edited and produced for Pushkin House by Borimir Totev ..read more

Restoring your own grandfather's building. What can we learn from the legacy of the Narkomfin building in Moscow? Clem Cecil talks with the building's chief restoration architect Alexei Ginzburg about Narkomfin, the building designed by his grandfather Moisei Ginzburg, one of the leading members of the Constructivist group. Alexei and his wife Natasha recently published in facsimile, the English translations of Moisei's books about architecture: 'Rhythm in Architecture' and 'Dwelling'. This podcast episode was edited and produced for Pushkin House by Borimir Totev ..read more

How do women today relate to and build cultural bridges with Russia? Borimir Totev talks with three leading women about the ways in which they relate to Russia. Our conversation with Natasha Butterwick explores her tenure as owner of the online platform Russian Art and Culture. We discuss the role of women in pre-revolutionary and contemporary Russian cinema with Dr. Rachel Morley from the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, author of the book 'Performing Femininity: Woman as Performer in Russian Cinema'. Finally, we are taken on a journey to the snow covered streets of Moscow with t ..read more

Sergei Medvedev on the resurrection and future of the Russian authoritarian state How has the Russian state evolved since the fall of the USSR, and is there a way to oppose it? Sergei Medvedev is the winner, with his book The Return of the Russian Leviathan, of the 2020 Pushkin House Book Prize. Here, he speaks to Andrew Jack, journalist with the Financial Times and chair of the advisory committee of the Book Prize, about the current state of the Russian State. Medvedev recently lost his job at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow due to his outspoken critique of Putin’s regime, but he des ..read more

Young Pushkin volunteer Ada Wordsworth spoke remotely to three participants in the Fridays for Future strikes, who are on the frontline of climate activism in Russia: Arshak Makichyan in Moscow, Dasha Khamaza in St Petersburg, and Daria Anufrieva in Irkutsk. They describe the challenges and successes they've had in pressuring their local and national governments to respond to the gathering storm of climate change, and swimming against a current of apathy and scepticism from the rest of society. Presented and edited by Ada Wordsworth, and produced by Jorrit Donner-Wittkopf. Series produced for ..read more

In the latest of our archive recordings to be unearthed, we have here a 1969 lecture from the not-yet-29-year-old John Innes Stuart (1940-2003) - a renowned expert on Russian icons and historian of British biker culture. A remarkable character, Johnny was born in Aberdeen, educated at Eton, and was working as a porter at Sotheby’s auctioneers when his extensive knowledge of Russian icons was found to be greater than any of their experts. A convert at the age of 18 to Russian Orthodoxy, he went on to establish the Russian department at Sotheby’s in 1976, as well as his own consultancy with Ivan ..read more