Worker and Kolkhoz Woman

The sculptural composition was created specifically for the 1937 Paris World Exhibition, which was held under the motto “Arts and Technology in Modern Life”. The author’s concept belonged to the famous architect Boris Iofan, who also designed the grandiose Palace of the Soviets on the site of the demolished Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The project was brought to life by the outstanding monumental sculptor Vera Ignatyevna Mukhina. The creation of the monument took only three and a half months of intensive work. The sculptural group was manufactured at the Moscow enterprise “Stalmost”, and the stainless steel sheet cladding was produced in the workshops of the Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering. The assembly work was supervised by design engineer Pyotr Nikolaevich Lvov.

Prototypes and Inspirations for the Sculpture

Initially, the composition was conceived with nude figures, inspired by the ancient Greek sculpture “The Tyrannicides” from the 5th century BCE. However, the acceptance committee demanded that the characters be clothed. This is how the famous flowing scarf in the kolkhoz woman’s hands appeared — originally intended as drapery to cover the bodies. Real people posed for the figures. The prototype for the kolkhoz woman was NKVD telephone operator Anna Bogoyavlenskaya, who had an athletic build. The worker’s image was created from two people: dancer Igor Basenko served as the model for the body, while builder Sergei Kasner gave the sculpture his more “proletarian” face.

Triumph at the Paris Exhibition

For transportation to France, the monument was disassembled into sixty-five parts and loaded into twenty-eight railway cars. At the Polish border, difficulties arose — the crates did not fit through a tunnel, so some elements had to be cut further. In Paris, under Lvov’s supervision, the composition was assembled in just eleven days. The pavilion was faced with Samarkand marble, decorated with high-relief sculptures and images of the coats of arms of the Soviet Union and its republics. Worker and Kolkhoz Woman, installed on a thirty-four-meter pedestal, seemed to soar above the entire exhibition. The success exceeded all expectations. The French press called Mukhina’s creation the greatest work of the twentieth century. Pablo Picasso, Romain Rolland, and Louis Aragon admired the composition. The Soviet pavilion received 270 awards, including 95 Grand Prix, and Vera Mukhina was awarded the Grand Prix gold medal for her work. France even offered to purchase the monument, but the Soviet government decided to return the symbolic composition to its homeland.

Return to Moscow and Installation at VDNKh

After the exhibition ended, the sculptural group was dismantled and transported to Moscow. In 1939, the monument was installed in front of the northern entrance to the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (VSKhV, now VDNKh). However, the initial installation differed significantly from the Paris version. The sculpture was placed on a ten-meter pedestal — three times shorter than the original. This deprived the composition of its intended dynamism and sense of flight. Until the end of her life, Vera Mukhina dreamed of moving her creation to the Vorobyovy Hills or to the Moscow River spit.

The Mosfilm Emblem

Since 1948, the image of the monument has become the official emblem of the Mosfilm film studio. The sculpture first appeared on screen in the 1939 film “Foundling”, and later in the films “The Radiant Path” and “Hello, Moscow”.

Large-Scale Restoration of the Monument

By the beginning of the twenty-first century, the monument had significantly deteriorated. In 2003, a decision was made for a major restoration. The sculpture was disassembled into forty parts for detailed study of corrosion damage. The work lasted six years under the direction of sculptor Vadim Tserkovnikov. On December 4, 2009, the grand opening of the restored monument took place. The composition was installed on a specially constructed pavilion-pedestal 34.5 meters high, as close as possible to Boris Iofan’s original design for the Paris exhibition. The façade features the coat of arms created in 1937.

Architectural Characteristics and Dimensions

The monument is made of chrome-nickel stainless steel using the innovative (for its time) technology of contact spot welding, previously used in aircraft construction. The high light-reflecting effect of the material creates a striking visual impression in sunlight. Main parameters:

• Height of the sculptural group — 24.5 meters
• Height of the pavilion-pedestal — 34.5 meters
• Total weight of the structure — 185 tons
• Length of the pavilion — 66 meters

The monument is among the tallest monuments in Russia, alongside the Peter the Great Monument, “The Motherland Calls”, “Alyosha”, “The Battle on the Ice”, and the Lenin Monument in Volgograd.

Museum and Exhibition Center in the Pavilion

On September 4, 2010, a museum and exhibition center opened inside the pavilion-pedestal. Since 2017, the pavilion has been part of the VDNKh complex.

Exhibition and Displays

The museum presents the detailed history of the monument’s creation. Exhibits include designs, models, photographs from different periods, and personal belongings of the creators. A miniature copy of the sculpture allows visitors to examine every detail of the work. Museums in Moscow and other Russian regions regularly organize temporary exhibitions of various themes. Lectures, master classes, seminars, and meetings are also held here. The pavilion is equipped for comfortable visits:

• Several elevators for easy movement
• Wide ramps between floors forming a square spiral
• Mother-and-child room
• Souvenir shop

Observation Deck on the Roof

The roof of the pavilion serves as an observation deck offering panoramic views of the capital. On clear days, open-air concerts are held here at the foot of the monumental figures.

Guided Tour Program

On weekends, the tour “Worker and Kolkhoz Woman. Through the Years and Eras” is offered. Visitors learn about the history of the sculpture’s creation, Vera Mukhina’s work, the Paris World Exhibition, and the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. Tour details:

• Time: Saturday and Sunday from 17:00 to 18:00
• Meeting point: at the pavilion entrance
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Group size: up to 20 people
• Cost: 700 rubles including ascent to the observation deck

Symbolism and Ideology of the Monument

The composition depicts dynamic figures of a young man and woman striding forward as if in flight. In their raised hands they hold the hammer and sickle — the emblem of the Soviet Union. Architect Boris Iofan sought to show the unity, friendship, and determination of the working class and peasantry as the masters of the Land of the Soviets. The monument symbolizes the Soviet era and the ideals of free labor, equality, and justice. The expressiveness, energy of outstretched arms, and the flowing scarf embodied a young Soviet country striving toward new heights and achievements.

Practical Information for Visitors

Address and Location

The monument is located at: Moscow, Prospekt Mira, 123B, in the Ostankinsky District of the North-Eastern Administrative Okrug, to the right of the main entrance to VDNKh.

Opening Hours

The pavilion is open daily from 11:00 to 21:00; Monday is a day off. The monument itself can be viewed from outside 24 hours a day.

Admission Fees

Entry to the grounds and viewing the monument from outside is free. The guided tour with roof access costs 700 rubles. Visiting exhibitions inside the pavilion is generally free.

How to Get There

By metro: VDNKh station (Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya line) is a 10-minute walk away. When coming from the city center, exit toward the front of the train and walk about 700 meters along Prospekt Mira. By bus: “Ulitsa Sergeya Eyzenshteyna” stop, 100 meters from the pavilion. Routes: 33, 56, 286, 496, N6, T14, T76, minibus 333. By tram: “Ulitsa Sergeya Eyzenshteyna” stop, route 17. By monorail: “Ulitsa Sergeya Eyzenshteyna” or “Vystavochny Zal” stations. By car: multi-level underground parking near the pavilion, 40 rubles per hour. By taxi: use Yandex Taxi, Citymobil, or other ride-hailing apps.

Interesting Facts about the Monument

• After its triumph in Paris, huge quantities of merchandise featuring the sculpture were produced worldwide — stamps, badges, postcards, posters
• Almost the entire team led by commissar Ivan Mezhlauk, who oversaw the installation in Paris, was later repressed
• There were denunciations claiming that the flowing scarf concealed the facial features of Leon Trotsky, but Stalin personally inspected the monument and found no resemblance
• In 2019, a reduced copy of the monument was installed in front of the UMMC Museum of Automotive Technology in Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Sverdlovsk Oblast
• The monument is recognized as a federal cultural heritage site

Tips for Photography

The best shots are obtained by slowly approaching from VDNKh metro station or the monorail stop. Photograph the monument from different angles to feel its power and dynamism. Recommendations for successful photos:

• Shoot the entire composition from a distance so the whole structure fits in the frame
• Use natural framing — tree leaves or flowers create a vivid natural border
• During concerts on the pavilion roof, you can take unique photos at the foot of the sculptures
• Walk around the monument on all sides to choose the best angle

What to See Nearby

VDNKh — the country’s main exhibition with pavilions, fountains, and museums, open 24/7. Ostankino Tower — television tower with an observation deck, open 10:00–23:00. Monument to the Conquerors of Space — another iconic Soviet-era monument nearby. The Worker and Kolkhoz Woman monument remains one of Moscow’s most recognizable symbols and an outstanding work of twentieth-century monumental art, attracting tourists from all over the world.