RUSSIA: MOSCOW NIGHT CLUB THEMED ON A REAL PRISON ASPIRES TO BE A SYMBOL OF FREEDOM AND FUN

Record ID: 863210

  • Title: RUSSIA: MOSCOW NIGHT CLUB THEMED ON A REAL PRISON ASPIRES TO BE A SYMBOL OF FREEDOM AND FUN
  • Date: 23rd January 2004
  • Summary: DANCING GIRL MORE PEOPLE DANCING
  • Embargoed: 7th February 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • City:
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVAC7CCG8MNCDUR5H3366B38EN1G
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: A Moscow night club themed on a real prison aspires to be a symbol of freedom and fun.
    It's a cold winter's night. From across the street the place looks like a well guarded prison camp - the search lights are on; a security guard and his dog patrol the perimeter fence, heavily fortified with barbed wire; another guard looks down from one of the watch towers.
    But take a closer look and it's easy to see the watchtower guard is a dummy dressed as a guard.
    In Russia, a country haunted and traumatised for years by memories of forced labour camps or Gulags, the opening of a night club themed on a Siberian prison may seem in extreme bad taste.
    But this is Moscow in the 21st century; where anything goes. So, welcome to "Zona" - which means "prison" in Russian.
    Opened recently, the night club is based on Perm 38, a Siberian prison camp complex. As you enter, guards give you a body search. Further inside, staff dressed as prisoners serve a mostly young clientele, who try and have a good time, literally behind bars.
    Zona was designed by Yuri Reshtnikov, one of Russia's leading modern artists, and the man behind a recent exhibition on Soviet-era Gulags.
    But what's the idea behind opening a nightclub like Zona? "...the idea, is more like a joke. The idea to take a prison theme into night club is not so new - often the symbol of restricted freedom is becoming a symbol for freedom and fun itself," said Yevgeni Nechipurk, Zona's Art Director.
    "In general in Russia the idea of prison is quite close to everyday life, because you can never be sure what may happen to you and you may end up in prison. Also in the past many of our people, our intellectual classes spent time in prison," said Nechipurk.
    So it appears it's art imitating life. Zona's clients seem to approve of the idea for the club. "I don't associate this with something else [like prison] but it is interesting for me, it is new. I have not seen anything like this in my life before," said Irina.
    Another clubber, Sergei said he found the Zona's prison style atmosphere exciting.
    "When you enter the club for the first time you feel the atmosphere, you see soldiers, guards with German shepherds (dogs), barbed wire it is exciting, when you enter it is just relaxing, so it is great," said Sergei.
    Zona's has been given the thumbs up by avid watchers of Moscow's growing club scene. Listings' magazines have given it good reviews. But how long it will be around remains to be seen.
    One word of warning though - if you don't like rats, then don't look down. Parts of the floor are covered in glass and reveal a population of white but apparently squeaky clean rodents.
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