An alien is shining love on Moscow 'like sunshine' to bring magic to its future

Moscow artist Andrey Bartenev wants to bring the magic of Russia's artistic history to the country's future in vivid colour. Bartenev laments: "After the 90s, the culture of modern Russian artists, like Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Tchaikovsky, all these huge Russian names disappeared." With the disposition of an optimist and style from another planet, Bartnev is bringing positivity to Moscow like rays from the sun. "You find Andrey Bartenev like you find sunshine. You're just walking and you find it," says Nikita, a dancer and performer who works with Bartenev.

I'm an optimist and I try to build something positive, because if we forget how to be happy we can miss our future.- Andrey Bartenev, artist

Bartenev's approach makes him feel like a bit of an outsider in his culture. "I feel like an alien, because in Moscow right now contemporary and modern art is not so popular." But embracing his alien persona, he brings colour and sunshine to Moscow: "I try to build something that is related to future and happiness, but in new modern language."

See more of Bartnev and his neon green choreographed alien dance in a Moscow square in the full episode of Interrupt This Program: Moscow and catch up on Seasons 1 and 2 before Season 3 premieres October 13th with episodes in Mexico City, Nairobi, Jakarta, Chicago, Karachi and Warsaw.

Art as political protest, as a means of survival, as an agent of change, as a display of courage and delight. Interrupt This Program explores art in cities under pressure. Interrupt This Program Season 3 premieres October 13 at 8:30pm.