By now I am sure you know of my fondness for public statuary and civic embellishments that adorn cities. They give an insight to the soul, if not of everyone in society at least those with power. The zeitgeist of the time if you will. The above is a fresh piece of art in a street in St. Petersburg, in Russia. The letters spell out Zamestim the Russian word for “we shall rebuild” and each letter is sitting atop a firm or company that pulled out of Russian following her invasion of Ukraine. The idea that Russia will not miss these institutions and will replace them with its own. Its very jolly, colourful and great fun, and more than slightly looks like someone shouting at a hurricane. It is all clearly beginning to hurt. One large reason why these companies and others were in Russia in the first place was because there was not a great history or tradition of industry and manufacturing. Are you old enough to remember the Skoda as was, or the inimitable Trabby? Ah them’s were the days.
Meanwhile as a caution to the top, here is a photograph of a Russian army vehicle that had taken a pause from killing hospital patients and raping children to stealing all their washing machines to slip back home and sell.
Sanctions are beginning to bite.
Copyright David Macadam 2022