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A light installation titled “Brighter from These Words” has been installed on the roof of AZIMUT City Hotel Astrakhan, created by artist Vladimir Abikh as part of the “Room with a View” art residency. The project continues a series of public art works created by contemporary artists with the support of the AZIMUT Hotels chain in various cities across Russia.
In 2025, AZIMUT Hotels launched the “Room with a View” art residency for artists and architects, which has evolved into a full-scale public art program aimed at developing the cultural and architectural landscape of Russian cities. In October, the project unveiled its first art object, “The Sun Awaits the Dawn” by artist Grisha Sharov, installed on the steps of the AZIMUT Hotel in Nizhny Novgorod.
For Astrakhan, the art object was created by Vladimir Abikh, a contemporary artist working at the intersection of street and monumental art. He uses text as one of his main artistic tools, precisely integrating it into the surrounding environment. Abikh’s works are implemented in public spaces and often предполагают direct dialogue with the viewer, encouraging a fresh perspective on the familiar urban landscape.
During a research visit to Astrakhan, Vladimir Abikh created the work “Brighter from These Words.” The artist drew inspiration from the Soviet-era neon sign of the “Lotos” hotel, which previously stood on the site now occupied by AZIMUT City Hotel Astrakhan. At the time, the sign’s lights were visible from the street, the boulevard, and even from barges on the Volga River.
“My creative method is based on раскрытие the poetic potential of a place and finding the precise words to express it. I strive to capture the atmosphere of a place, learn its history, and discover words that resonate with it. It is always a search for a short yet meaningful and multi-layered phrase capable of evoking an emotional response—a search for words that make things brighter,” shared the author of the work, Vladimir Abikh.
About the AZIMUT Art Residency Project
The AZIMUT “Room with a View” art residency is a public art program aimed at developing the cultural landscape of Russian cities, built on the extensive geography of the AZIMUT Hotels network. The residency is curated by art historian Anastasia Pronina. According to the concept, an artist spends a week in a new city: exploring its history and environment, capturing the mood of local residents, and expressing their perception through art by creating a concept for a future work.
AZIMUT art residencies have been created as part of the AZIMUT ART contemporary art support program, implemented by the hotel chain since 2021. The company supports Russian artists by providing them with space and opportunities for creative work both within the hotel network and beyond—in the urban environment.
“At the first stage, we selected three cities representing the north, south, and central parts of Russia. Going forward, we plan to scale the project across all cities where the network is present,” said Maxim Brodovsky, CEO of AZIMUT Hotels. “The idea behind the new project is to take art beyond the boundaries of the hotel, making it accessible not only to our valued guests but also to all tourists and local residents, while highlighting the scale of the country with its diverse cultures.”
Anastasia Pronina, curator of the “Room with a View” art residency, art historian and researcher of Russian street art: “The idea of a residency in a hotel resonates with me прежде всего because it can become an ideal platform for artistic exploration and a creative journey. Considering the strong response we received—over 150 applications from 30 cities across Russia—it is clear that I am not alone in these associations, and our vision has resonated with Russian artists. In selecting the authors who traveled to Nizhny Novgorod, Astrakhan, and Murmansk, we looked for those who not only want to create art in public spaces but are also technically prepared to реализовывать projects of such scale. Creating something new in an unfamiliar city is not only a challenge but also a great responsibility.”
