Khokhloma as the language of Russian culture discussed at the National Centre RUSSIA

---

Khokhloma is one of the most recognizable symbols of Russian culture. It symbolizes the richness of the Russian soul, the warmth of the hearth, and respect for the craftsmen's work. For many Russians, Khokhloma is a part of their childhood, memories of grandma's sideboard, festive dishware, fairs and folk festivals. This is the image of Russia, where manual labor, natural beauty and harmony are valued. This was stated by participants of the "Khokhloma: Ornament as a Cultural Code" session which was held as part of the "Peoples of Russia and the CIS Countries" festival. The event took place on 3 November under the auspices of the Security Council of the Russian Federation at the National Centre RUSSIA.

"Khokhloma is an ornament that has become Russia’s cultural code. The combination of three primary colors — red, black and gold, make it distinguishable from the others. Since ancient times, every color and ornament has had a special meaning in Russia. The red colour symbolized the sun and the vital energy of the people, gold — luxury, wealth and divinity. The black color meant earth, wisdom. The ornament itself also carries a deep meaning. In Russia, girls, while embroidering patterns on clothes, used to put a certain power into them. Embroidery on children's clothes would protect a child from evil spirits and diseases. A shirt embroidered by a wife for her husband, who went to war, was supposed to protect him and bring him home safe and sound. Each stitch was accompanied by songs and good wishes — it was an important part of Russian culture," said Maria Shakhova, moderator of the session, journalist, TV presenter, author of the "We and They" project. 

Khokhloma, according to her, carries a powerful symbolism. Thus, curls mean movement and life, berries — fertility, and birds — protection and luck. All this reflects the depth of Russian culture and character. That is why foreigners often talk about the "mysterious Russian soul" — because each of our symbols has a special meaning, Maria Shakhova is sure.

The golden color is the most mysterious, and the masters did not reveal the secrets of its creation, said singer, presenter and blogger Violetta Chikovani: "Only Russian masters were able to obtain this color. And this is not just a paint that is applied with a brush, but a special process: the product is coated with tin chloride (now aluminum is used instead of tin), then a special powder is applied. After that, everything is processed and fired in an oven. The result is a golden color. Until recently, it remained a secret, it simply was not disclosed, because everyone would ask: “How to do this?”— and no one managed to repeat it, because it was unique. And, in fact, it is precisely such painted wooden dishes that have always remained relevant." 

In addition, Violetta Chikovani noted that, among foreigners, the most popular Russian Khokhloma souvenir is a spoon. According to her, such items absorb the soul and story of the master who created them. She told a legend of the craftsman who fulfilled the orders of the tsar and painted all the spoons. At some point, he got tired and went to Krasnoyarsk, although he lived in Moscow. The tsar sent men after him and asked: "Where have you gone? I need you, I need your products that amaze us all." But the master burnt his house and disappeared without a trace.

"Khokhloma reflects our natural peculiarity. Russia has vast spaces, forests, fields, an amazing variety of nature, and the most beautiful women for whom all this amazing cultural code is created. Khokhloma appeared at the end of the 17th century to decorate the everyday environment, particularly the houses where women sought to make life more beautiful, more comfortable, and warmer. The task of our traditional culture is to make the world around us a better place, to create an atmosphere of care, love and good relations in the family. This craft, thanks to its artistic expression and history, really expresses the Russian soul and our cultural code. And the Russian cultural code is a soul embodied in lines, colors, compositions, and objects," said Andrei Burmatikov, creative director of the Alena Akhmadullina brand, expert in the integration of business processes in marketing, assortment planning, and visual merchandising. 

He said that this folk art originated in the city of Semyonov, the Nizhny Novgorod region. The first workshop school was founded by the artist Georgy Matveyev, who aimed to transfer the skills to young people. Prior to that, Khokhloma art was passed down from generation to generation exclusively within families. Matveyev put the business on an industrial basis. The enterprise for which the artist worked was one of the richest in the country — it even lent money to the state treasury. In the 19th century, items with Khokhloma ornaments were in every house, symbolizing prosperity. Today, according to Andrei Burmatikov, the task is to find a place for Khokhloma in modern life. To do this, the craftsmen can't just repeat the old forms — they need to create new ones.

The Peoples of Russia and the CIS countries international festival runs from 31 October to 5 November at the National Centre RUSSIA, the World Trade Centre, and the MosKino Film Park. Educational and cultural programmes, expositions and workshops are waiting for the attendees. The events are aimed at bringing together representatives of government authorities and the expert community.

The festival is organised by the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs (FADN of Russia), in coordination with the Security Council of the Russian Federation, the Presidential Executive Office of Russia, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, with the participation of the Ministry of Culture of Russia, Rossotrudnichestvo, the Government of Moscow, MosKino, Gazprom Media Holding, RUTUBE, the Russian society Znanie, the Russian Geographical Society, ROSKINO JSC, the Regional Film Support Foundation, and the Internet Development Institute.