Children– Victims of Adults’Vices

Болотная площадь (Bolotnaya square) is a small park located between the Moskva river and the banks of Водоотводный канал (Vodootvodny Canal), close from the Tretyakov Gallery.

Sculptor Михаил Михайлович Шемякин (Mikhail Shemyakin) offered a sculpture composition “Children – victims of adults’ vices” to the city of Moscow. The installation of the composition took place in the park and was inaugurated in September 2001.

The composition consists of 15 figures. In it centre, a blindfolded girl and boy are playing, surrounded by human and animals figures represented adults’ vices such as alcoholism, drug addiction, sadism, ignorance, etc. It was conceived by its author as an allegory of the fight against the world evil.

Shemyakin wrote about his composition:

“Скульптурная композиция «Дети — жертвы пороков взрослых» задумывалась и осуществлялась мною, как символ и призыв к борьбе за спасение сегодняшнего и будущих поколений. Долгие годы утверждалось и патетически восклицалось: «Дети — наше будущее!». Однако, для перечисления преступлений сегодняшнего общества перед детьми понадобились бы тома. Я, как художник, этим произведением призываю оглянуться вокруг, услышать и узреть те горести и ужасы, которые испытывают дети сегодня. И пока не поздно здравомыслящим и честным людям надо задуматься. Не будьте равнодушными, боритесь, делайте все, чтобы сберечь будущее России”.

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“I conceived and realised the composition “Children – victims of adults’ vices” as a symbol and as an appeal to the fight for the salvation of today’s and tomorrow’s generations. Children are our future! During many years, it was an ambitious slogan. But the enumeration of crimes committed by the society against children will fill in big volumes. As an artist, by this oeuvre, I appeal to look around, to hear and to see all the woes and the horrors, which children undergo in our days. And while it is not too late it is necessary for the clearheaded and honest people to take thought. Don’t be indifferent, struggle, make everything possible in order to save the future of Russia”.