Zern Pavilion

Vlad Kissel has installed Zern, a wooden, teardrop-shaped pavilion, in one of moscow’s open squares. The structure’s main timber framework also contains other natural materials. At its center, located directly beneath the striking oculus, the artist has included living plants. a bundle of flowers and various botanical grasses sprout from the pavilion’s circular podium.

Kissel’s drop-shape construction references traditional, Slavonic architecture and aesthetics. By using this shape, the overall installation takes on a new meaning — an emphasis on our close relationship with past generations and the evolution of the culture’s artistic tendencies.

The structure’s geometric nature highlights the complexity of the shape’s construction. The overall structure has a commanding presence in the open square. Vegetation also surrounds the exterior foundation of the structure. Like the interior vegetation, the pavilion, itself, seems to grow from the surrounding greenery.

The structure is composed of a series of wooden, puzzle-like pieces. Despite the use of rectangular wood segments, the structure maintains an effortless curve.