Alexander Rukavishnikov had previously created one of Moscow’s most recognised monuments to Yuri Nikulin — the sculpture near the Moscow Circus, where Nikulin is depicted stepping out of a car. This new monument presents a different image of the artist.

Installed near Dynamo Stadium, the work refers to Nikulin’s long-standing connection with football and his support for Dynamo.

The figure is shown on a sculptural structure resembling stadium seating, capturing him not as a performer, but as a spectator — attentive, emotionally present, and part of the crowd. The monument is made of bronze and wood and continues Rukavishnikov’s approach to public sculpture: combining recognisable portraiture with a precise narrative context and a strong relationship to place.

Yuri Nikulin (Dinamo Stadium) 2026