Incarceration of Bopposov during the Games of Manchaari, depicted in a photograph
In quaint Walba, nestled 33 km from Ytyk-Kueyel, the renowned eccentric Mikhail Bopposov is up to his old tricks again. This time, he's building a haystack for the upcoming Mancalary Games in Tattin district.
Mikhail, a name that's not widely known in mainstream art circles (up to December 2023), first made a splash in 1998 when he fashioned a tank out of cow dung. Ever since, he's been turning heads with his unconventional creations, featuring sculptures of creatures like snakes, rabbits, roosters, dragons, and a horse-drawn carriage for the Chinese zodiac years. In a nod to current events, he even crafted a bull spewing smoke from its nostrils and trampling a coronavirus.
In 2022, when Mikhail fell ill, his brothers, Ivan and Innokenty, took up the torch. Ivan sculpted a dragon double-duty as a trash can, while in 2021, he refurbished a "Yupiter" motorcycle into a homegrown "Ford-T" car.
For the Mancalary Games, Mikhail's latest masterpiece is a glittering haystack emblazoned with "Mancalary XXII" in the courtyard of one of the Bopposov brothers. The 22nd installment of the Mancalary Games, a Spartakiade of national sports in Yakutia, has been taking place every four years since 1968.
Although Mikhail might not have a big name in the global art scene, his unique talents have certainly put Walba on the map. His unconventional, creative, and often controversial works have left a lasting impression, proving that art knows no bounds.
Mikhail Bopposov, despite not being recognized in mainstream art circles by December 2023, has seized attention since 1998 with his unorthodox creations, such as a tank made of cow dung, sculptures of animals, and even a horse-drawn carriage for the Chinese zodiac years. In 2022, when he fell ill, his brothers, Ivan and Innokenty, continued his work, with Ivan creating a dragon trash can and refurbishing a motorcycle into a homegrown "Ford-T" car. For the upcoming Mancalary Games in 2022, Mikhail's latest project is a glittering, Mancalary XXII-emblazoned haystack in one of the Bopposov brothers' courtyard. This quirky artwork, along with their previous pieces, has significantly contributed to placing Walba on the international lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, and home-and-garden maps.
