Alexander Mistrukov

Graduated from Perm Institute of Arts and Culture as «computational analyst in consulting», CEO of the Monument Protection Complex in Cherdyn city.

Quotes

• If we move to Perm, it will be solely for education of the children and qualified medical assistance. Though it makes me sad to think about it, because it is extremely interesting to work in Cherdyn.
• It is no particular someone, or something, or why that I do this work for. Our goal is to preserve uniqueness around us and pass it on to the following generations.
• I know those endorphins when your granddad tells you how they lived at the same house almost one hundred years ago. It is impossible at any regular apartment.

My story

I was born in Cherdyn on May 1, 1986; my father is the native Cherdyn dweller, my mother was allocated to Cherdyn. I finished school here, then left to Perm, entered Institute of arts and culture, graduated from it, and came back. My parents were my prime motivation, yet I returned thinking, «I'm here for a year.» Then I was offered a position of the head of the local department of culture (club, actually), and that's how it started. I spent five years at that position, studied the field inside and out. But you know, there is a wisdom that you must not spend more than five years in one place, you have to change your job. So I went on with following my father's steps. Sergei Vasilievich earlier was creator and CEO of the Monument Protection Complex. I don't know any other person so passionate about his birthplace. He showed me such level of love, and I understood it. And now I really like what I'm doing, I am even proud of it.

In 2018, Complex will be 20 years old; I am at its head for five years already. We are restoring and maintaining objects of cultural heritage, which there are plenty of in the Cherdyn area. Yet, sometimes locals don't understand where they live, do not see how valuable their environment is. They live in houses with statuses of cultural heritage object, yet they are surprised why people take pictures in front of their carved wooden gates.

Our main task is preservation of the authenticity of the cultural heritage object. Changes may apply only to the residential care on the way to the object and around it, so that it would be visually more attractive. You need always to continue moving forward. Tourist shouldn't be under impression that he has seen everything if it is his second visit to Cherdyn. You require constant reconstructions, changes for the better, so that our guests want to come back. Also, though it seems we are working only for visitors, when locals see how Cherdyn improves, they begin to value their surroundings.

In Pokcha, people really care about their historical objects. They can't do much but they are trying. In Bonduga, they try to attract attention to their only valuable object — half-destructed church, clean the mess around. People have some understanding.

We are ready to offer Cherdyn citizens to become part of this infrastructure — to preserve their mansion in order to open it to tourists later (give them an opportunity to have a sleepover there, or to hold their own event). So people can also make some money out of it. When we will involve citizens into tourist industry, they will start thinking differently. Such a way of cooperation is right and mutually beneficial, because without giving it is hard to ask something.