What do you think can be represented in the composition of such a fountain? The first thing that suggests itself is the tales and poems of K. I. Chukovsky, “Doctor Aibolit” and “Barmaley”. But when you see the Barmaley fountain, the question will be completely different: what connects its sculptural composition with the above tales? Here we will try to answer this question.
Transport Affected
In 1935, the design of the Station Square in Stalingrad (now and historically - Volgograd) ends. Here began the installation of sculptures brought for the new fountain. The newspaper "Stalingradskaya Pravda" reported that during the transportation several children’s figures suffered, and it takes time to restore them. When the restoration process is completed, the sculptures will be installed in the bowl and painted white.
Author's solution, or What is the Barmaley fountain?
Six children aged 10-14 years: three boys and three girls circle in a circle around a crocodile with an open mouth. Pioneers are dressed in shorts (skirts) and T-shirts, a traditional pioneer tie is tied around the neck. They enjoy life, a happy Soviet childhood. There are eight frogs underfoot. It is not clear, where does the Barmalei? If we recall the work of the wonderful Soviet poet-storyteller Korney Ivanovich Chukovsky, then only another tale is “The Stolen Sun”, in which “the greedy crocodile swallowed the sun in the sky”. But if you follow the text, it was not the children who went to rescue the sun at all, but the bear: “He crumpled it and broke it:“ Give us our sunshine here! ”And indeed there is not a word about the pioneers in the fairy tale.
In addition, the proportions of children's bodies also raise questions. If you look closely at the anatomy used in art schools to portray children, fountain children have short legs, too long torso and broad shoulders, as well as very long arms. But their faces speak of openness to the world and happy childhood in a Soviet country.
True, the childhood of both fountain and quite real Soviet children was not eternal. In 1941, fascist Germany destroyed this fragile ringing world.
Requested allegories
The fountain stands out in special dissonance against the background of buildings destroyed during the bombing. Children are dying around, and the fountain pioneers as far back as 1942 were quite alive and well. And they danced merrily around the crocodile.
However, you can look at this photo from the other side: the fountain with dancing children can serve as a symbol of steadfastness and courage, children's courage and courage of the pioneers who, along with adults, defended their homeland (remember the exploits of the pioneer heroes who fought with enemies not only at the front , but also in clandestine organizations, in partisan detachments, at machine tools and in hospitals). In this case, the crocodile also becomes an allegory - the image of an angry grinning enemy, frightened under the threat of spiritual strength and stamina, saved before the desire to live in peace, friendship and harmony.
The fate of the fountain
But the tragic fate did not pass over the fountain children: in the same 1942, when there were fights for Stalingrad captured by the Nazis, the Barmalei station and fountain were destroyed. The building of the station turned into ruins, and the fountain children were mutilated, as real children and their destinies were mutilated. Some of the sculptures had various injuries, while several had their heads torn off - they were lying nearby as a reminder of the cruelty of fascism. Only by 1945 was the fountain restored. But it existed only until 1950 and was dismantled. In his place they broke a flowerbed. Then she was removed. They poured asphalt and made a paid parking lot in the 80s.
But the question of restoring the Barmaley fountain since 1960 did not stop worrying the inhabitants of Stalingrad. True, representatives of the art world did not consider this idea a good one, since, in their opinion, the composition did not represent any particular cultural value, both from the ideological and aesthetic point of view, and besides, it was also typical - in other cities of the country there are several synonymous fountains.
The history of the Barmalei fountain continued thanks to the action of bikers. On their initiative, a new similar composition was created, slightly different from the previous proportions, poses and faces of children. They brought sculptures to Stalingrad.