THE SMALLEST ORIGAMI CRANE

Author: Ozyorsk, Chelyabinsk Region
Origins of Creativity: Alyona Ivanova discovered the art of origami in her school years. After learning that in Japanese culture the crane symbolizes happiness and longevity, she began folding them as gifts for friends and loved ones.
Unique Feature: The sheet used to create her smallest paper crane measured only 4 by 4 millimeters. The delicate bird was folded entirely by hand, without the use of any tools.
Record: In 2015, the tiny paper crane from Ozyorsk was officially entered into the Russian Book of Records.
Interesting Fact: In addition to paper art, Alyona Ivanova writes poetry and songs, stages theatrical performances, and works as a translator.
Exhibit Significance: The piece demonstrates how a traditional handicraft can be transformed into a unique work of art.

A SYMBOL OF A HAPPY CHILDHOOD

Brought to Russia: 200 years ago
The toy that today is universally associated with Russian culture and heritage actually has Eastern origins. Its prototype was the Daruma doll, brought to Russia by merchants from Japan.
In Russia, it was first called “kuvyrkan” and later “vanka-vstanka” (“the roly-poly man”). The main production center was the Nizhny Novgorod Province, where brightly painted wooden dolls were sold at fairs. They were expensive at the time, so such toys were passed down from generation to generation.
Author: Irina Veselova, founder of the St. Petersburg brand ASIKNOVA CERAMICS.
Irina creates original interior objects designed to bring joy and warmth into everyday life. She carefully reinterprets Soviet design heritage, drawing inspiration from the beauty and simplicity of childhood toys.
Her ceramic works, infused with nostalgia, formed the “GOST” collection, which includes roly-poly dolls, wheeled horses, and candy figures — now featured in the trendiest design accounts across Russia.
Exhibit Significance: Thanks to its thoughtful design, the roly-poly doll remains — even in the era of high technology — one of the first gifts a child receives.

IN THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

Unique Features: length — 8.4 cm, height — 16 cm.
This miniature bicycle fits easily in the palm of your hand, yet it is fully functional — you can actually ride it by holding the handlebars and pedaling. However, mastering the balance takes practice and patience.
Author: Sergey Dashevsky, an engineer and inventor from Krasnodar, Russia.
In 2019, he created the world’s smallest working bicycle, earning a place in the Guinness World Records.
To prove that his invention was not just an intricate model but a functional machine, Sergey personally rode the tiny bike for over 10 meters in front of the jury.
Interesting Fact: Known as the “Krasnodar Kulibin,” Dashevsky not only designs and collects two-wheeled machines — he is also a two-time USSR champion and multiple world champion in velomobile racing.
Exhibit Significance: Sergey Dashevsky’s creations prove that the only real limit in art and invention is the imagination itself.

SCULPTURES ON PENCIL LEADS

City: Ufa, Russia
Career Beginnings: Salavat Fidai discovered his passion for sculpture while still at school — his first works were small busts of Lenin and classical figures carved out of chalk.
However, his true calling — creating microminiatures from pencil leads — came much later, after the age of forty, when he left his long career in the legal field.
Technique: To craft his incredibly detailed sculptures, the artist uses only a craft knife, fine brushes, and a magnifying glass.
Creative Process: Each piece takes anywhere from eight hours to several days to complete. For example, the intricate composition “Elephant Acrobat” took an entire week to carve.
Interesting Fact: Salavat Fidai ranks among the Top 10 TikTok artists worldwide, with over 12 million followers.
Exhibit Significance: Fidai’s art inspires self-discovery and reminds us that even in the most ordinary materials, one can find a universe of creativity and beauty.

THE LEFT-HANDED MASTER OF OUR TIME

City: Akademgorodok, Novosibirsk
Creative Achievements: Vladimir Aniskin is the only person in the world who has managed to engrave 2,027 letters on a single grain of rice, place a caravan of camels inside the eye of a needle, and carve a New Year’s tree on a horsehair.
His creations are so minuscule that they can be seen only through optical instruments.
The Shod Flea: Just like the hero of the classic Russian tale “The Left-Handed Craftsman”, Aniskin managed to shoe a real flea, attaching tiny metal horseshoes to its hind legs.
The shoes are so delicate that 200 of them stacked together would measure just one millimeter in height!
Interesting Fact: Vladimir Aniskin holds a PhD in Physics and Mathematics and specializes in the development of microsensors for aerodynamic research.
Exhibit Significance: The works of this modern-day Lefty reveal the astonishing union of artistry and scientific precision, proving that even the smallest creations can embody greatness in the hands of a true master.

GORODETS
Nizhny Novgorod Region
The central figure of the board — the “pharaoh woman”, a mermaid-like creature — is one of the most popular motifs in traditional wooden house carving. In the 18th century, such figures adorned homes and window frames throughout the Volga region.
Originally, these half-fish, half-women images were carved on wooden ships as protective talismans. When shipbuilding flourished in the Nizhny Novgorod area under Peter the Great, the motifs gradually migrated from water to land.

BORISOGLEBSKY
Yaroslavl Region
The board’s pattern is inspired by the ornamental window frames from the village of Borisoglebsky, which decorated local houses from the late 19th to the mid-20th century.
Distinctive features include bright colors, semicircular tops, and intricate openwork carving. Each craftsman strove to outdo others in the beauty of his designs, so no two houses in Borisoglebsky were ever alike.
These traditional window frames are now listed as part of Russia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

MIKHAYLOV
Ryazan Region
This board marks the beginning of a series of painted panels by Moscow designer Rustam Usmanov, inspired by historical window frames from various Russian regions.
The project reinterprets folk wooden architecture, showing how traditional craftsmanship can remain relevant today.
The laconic geometry of rhombuses highlights the symmetry typical of Mikhaylov carving, while blue tones are most characteristic of houses featuring these traditional frames.

Promobot – Russian Pioneer in Advanced Robotics

Promobot develops cutting-edge Russian robots capable of connecting to AI systems. Today, Promobots work in 45 countries as administrators, promoters, consultants, guides, and concierges, either replacing or complementing human employees.
Origins: The project began in 2013 when Perm Polytechnic University students Oleg Kivokurtsev and Maxim Utev, along with postgraduate Igor Yeremeyev from the university’s Electrical Engineering Faculty, created a snow-clearing robot. Shortly after their first deal, serial entrepreneur and business angel Alexey Yuzhakov joined the project. Working from a garage on the outskirts of Perm, the engineers assembled the first Promobot from parts ordered from China and purchased at scrap markets, developing a facial recognition system and a linguistic database based on open-source code.
Achievements:

• 2014: Won the GenerationS contest by the Russian Venture Company in the Industrial category and later the Startup Village competition in Skolkovo, earning a trip to the SLUSH contest in Helsinki.
• 2015: Established as a legal entity: LLC “Promobot.”
• 2016: Moved to a 600 m² facility in Perm’s technopark, expanding the team to 50 employees (programmers, assemblers, electronics engineers, and linguists). Began exports to Ireland and the Czech Republic, eventually signing contracts in 11 countries. Supported by the Internet Initiatives Development Fund.
• 2017–2018: Doubled production, launched the fourth-generation Promobot, and expanded delivery to 33 countries.

Significance: Promobot demonstrates Russia’s capability to produce autonomous AI-driven service robots for global markets, blending innovative engineering, software, and design.