The exhibition is dedicated to the history of bread in Russia in the first half of the 20th century. The exhibition is structured as a fairy tale, the main character of which is bread, which has moved from the countryside to the city. On its journey, it becomes a witness to the restructuring of social institutions, utopian dreams, and ambitious urban projects, and also introduces viewers to the gastronomic and cultural traditions of the era.
The exhibition consists of seven chapters: «Bread. ««««««««««The birth of a hero», ««Bread goes to the market», ««Everything becomes bread», «Bread gains reason», «Bread gains power», «Bread becomes everything» and «Bread returns home». In his travels, bread meets bakers who were successful before the revolution, hides from the bagmen, goes along with the NEP, finds like—minded people among talented engineers, and eventually finds a new home, and most importantly, a new self, represented by 350 varieties of Soviet bakery products. His journey from the village table to the urban one spans more than 20 years (1917−1939), much like Homer’s Odyssey.
The exhibition features paintings, items of decorative and applied art, olfactory and interactive zones, works by contemporary artists, historical artifacts, and installations. The exhibition brings together more than 140 original works, including pieces by renowned artists — Boris Kustodiev, Kuzma Petrov‑Vodkin, Ilya Mashkov, David Shterenberg, Alexander Rodchenko, Mikhail Roginsky, Viktor Pivovarov, and others.
Viewers are invited to follow the hero’s journey through numerous interactive elements. In the first section, which is devoted to the «birth» of bread, visitors will learn how dough is kneaded in a tub; in the second section, they can experience what it’s like to be a bun seller behind the counter, and then delve into the study of bread substitutes (during the lean years, people had to bake bread from whatever was available). The fourth section immerses visitors in the atmosphere of the emerging food service industry: guests can study a typical menu of Soviet workers and take part in a survey of the Narpit chain of canteens, which played a key role in the development of the public catering system in the USSR. The fifth section, which tells about the growing influence of bread factories, introduces visitors to bakers of the 1930s and allows them to get a sense of the scale of industrial bread production through a game involving the cultivation of yeast, selection of ingredients, and shaping of dough. At the end of the exhibition, viewers will be greeted by a total installation created by artists Varvara and Sofya Cheltsove, where they can become part of an audio performance and immerse themselves in the spirit of a family feast.
