The Ostankino Television Technical Center is a complex of buildings designed for the production and broadcast of television programs. The center includes 60 studios and a large concert hall. Leading television channels have their headquarters within the complex.
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Challenge
To commemorate Ostankino’s 45th anniversary, a decision was made to create a graffiti mural reflecting the history of Russian television. The tunnel connecting the television center’s buildings, over 150 meters long, was chosen as the canvas for this artwork, covering an area of more than 700 square meters. The uniqueness of the project lay in the tunnel’s limited ventilation, which made the use of toxic aerosol paints problematic.
Solution
At the outset, the technical aspect of the project seemed impossible. Television staff and invited celebrities frequently used the tunnel, and the strong smell of aerosols would have led to numerous complaints. I had to develop a unique stencil-based painting technique that minimized the use of spray cans and scheduled the work for nighttime, when the tunnel had the fewest people.
Management
The management side of the project required unconventional solutions. Painting 700 square meters required multiple artists, each with their own distinct style. To ensure consistency, the process was divided into stages: sketching, composition assembly, stencil cutting, and transferring the artwork to the wall. Artists were responsible for specific stages rather than individual sections of the wall. This approach improved quality and reduced production costs.
Creative
My goal was to immerse viewers in the history of television. To achieve this, I designed the composition as a timeline, with one year flowing smoothly into the next. As a result, when people walk through the corridor, they feel as though they are traveling through time.
Result
The mural features over 500 people and events related to television. It has become a signature piece for the Ostankino TV Center, and reports about television are often filmed with the tunnel as a backdrop. Over the following decade, the artwork was updated with new historical events and became an informal symbol of recognition for television professionals.
Upon completion, the project was nominated for inclusion in the Guinness World Records, and Google featured it on their maps
Roles: technology development, management, art direction, production optimization, creative direction
