Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Winzavod Center for Contemporary Art – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On October 15, 2025, a major relaunch of the "Once Upon a Time" exhibition, which became a true cultural phenomenon last season, will open in the historic dungeons of the Winzavod Center for Contemporary Art. This is not just a refreshed exhibition, but a rebirth of its format. The first chapter of the project attracted over 80,000 visitors and became a "place of power" for families, the art community, and tourists.
Now the project's creators are presenting a sequel, "Once Upon a Time: The Kingdom of the Russian Fairytale," expanded with new spaces, stories, and characters. The project is maturing: it not only entertains but also explains the structure of a fairy tale, the archetypes and meanings behind familiar plots. The format and content have been reimagined: from the visual environment to the narrative, from the route architecture to the ideological core. After the re-exposition, the project now features new semantic and visual pairings.
"Working on the new version of the project, we explored the constant elements of the Russian fairy tale—its plot, archetypal characters, and ways of embodying magic. The exhibition shows how these constants—reflections of the collective imagination and worldview of the past—have changed over time: from folk tales to original and Soviet tales, where familiar motifs acquired new interpretations and meanings. We also delve into the mythology of our time to see which phenomena today are 'accumulated' with an aura of wonder and enter into dialogue with tradition," notes project curator Polina Kotova.
The exhibition opens with a hall where visitors are greeted by images of A.S. Pushkin, A.N. Afanasyev, V.I. Dahl, and V.Ya. Propp—collectors and researchers of the Russian fairy tale. This area sets the tone for the updated, "mature" exhibition.
Furthermore, new "wow" objects have been erected in the Winzavod Center for Contemporary Art's underground spaces: a giant bogatyr's head, a life-size Baba Yaga in the Bilibin style and her ominous hut, a winter kingdom, and a renovated "Mushroom War" featuring King Pea. There's also a stable with the Little Humpbacked Horse, a smithy with a Tula anvil, and fairytale animals. A special highlight is the expanded Hall of Soviet Fairy Tales, which recreates the atmosphere of a Soviet interior with iconic film images, artifacts, and illustrations, including, for example, the Soviet version of "The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish" and "The Frog Princess." For fans of the "golden era" of Russian cinema and animation, this space will be a nostalgic feast.
The exhibition's immersive spaces are designed to immerse viewers in a fairytale-like experience: wandering through a dark forest, encountering wondrous creatures, and returning to a bright expanse. It's not just a spectacle, but also an experience of personal transformation. Based on viewer feedback, the project's organizers have made the exhibition more accessible, enriched with explanations and symbols, while preserving the magic of the first season.
The exhibition features works by contemporary Russian artists: Dania Pirogov, Elena Kovylina, Artur Krivoshein, Alexey Vasiliev, Alexander Vinogradov and Vladimir Dubossarsky, Alexander Krylov, and others.
"This isn't just an exhibition, but a space for meaning and dialogue between generations. Through familiar images and plots, viewers will be able to see how fairy tales were created, how their characters were conceived, and the ideas behind the stories we've known since childhood. Here, you can re-immerse yourself in a fairy tale, see its structure, and understand how true magic is born from simple images," comments project producer Ilya Dybov.
Children, adults, and even four-legged guests are welcome here – if last season the exhibition was dog-friendly, now it is also cat-friendly.
The exhibition is open until January 31, 2026.
Age limit: 6
Exhibition organizer: MTS Live
Exhibition implementation: Triumph Gallery
Curatorial team: Polina Kotova, Ivan Repkin
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