4 Russian Conglomerates Who Dare to Spend Money for Art and Charity Events

Sharing is good, especially when you have millions who are unemployed, and the richest Russian businessmen prove that they are generous on this issue.

When a fire burned Notre Dame in Paris on April 15, 2019, France’s richest families quickly began a fundraising effort to restore the cathedral.

Fortunately, Russia does not need to raise funds, for example, returning the Kremlin after the fire. But if needed, there will be no problem with the lack of rich people who are ready to donate. As elsewhere, Russian billionaires are familiar with charity. We managed to get information from several billionaires and even raised funds for charity with money from winning bets at sportsbook gambling such as football, basketball, horse racing, etc. If you want to be like them, you can try to put some money on Judi Bola Indonesia, they are the best and the most trusted in gambling community on internet even in the world because they pledged to always secure your account information and giving the best customer service you have ever experience.

Here are 4 Russian Billionaires that can make you want to raise for a charity:

Gennady Timchenko

The founder and owner of a private investment company, the Volga Group, Timchenko, also owns many shares in Novatek (the second-largest natural gas producer in Russia), Sibur (a large petrochemical company), and several other leading companies.

Art and charity project: In 2010, Timchenko and his wife Elena founded the Elena Social Foundation and Gennady Timchenko (Elena and Gennady Timchenko Charitable Foundation) which helps the elderly (geriatric services), sports (especially hockey), and culture (specifically urban development) small and rural cities around Russia).

In 2014, Timchenko also mentioned that he was ready to “give everything [all of his assets] to the country or charity if needed.”

Alisher Usmanov

Since 2012, Usmanov has headed the USM Company, which brings together his various commercial companies, including Metalloinvest, one of the largest mining and metallurgical companies in Russia.

Art and charity projects: Usmanov heads several philanthropic foundations, including giving money to sports centers (especially fencing – Usmanov was a champion), health and fitness, and cultural projects.

Usmanov gave many expensive prizes to the museum and public funding. For example, in 2007, he obtained a collection of art from Mstislav Rostropovich and Galina Vishnevskaya, then gave it to the Russian government.

In 2019, The Sunday Times estimated its contribution to art, science, culture, and sports.

Mikhail Prokhorov

Widely known in Russia for his participation in the 2012 presidential election (in third place), Prokhorov owns 51 percent of the Brooklyn Nets basketball team in the NBA. Still, lately, his main wealth consists of assets in various companies.

Art and charity project: In 2004, when Prokhorov owned a stake in Nornikel, he held financing in his name. Initially, the financing was based in the city of Norilsk, where the Nornikel head office is located, but then it spread to other regions in Russia.

Vladimir Potanin

Vladimir Potanin controls the Interros Group, which holds a 33 percent stake in Nornickel, the world’s leading producer of nickel and palladium.

Art and charity project: Potanin has a charitable foundation in its name. The foundation helps professors and students at Russian through scholarships aimed at developing the museum sector in Russia and developing philanthropic activities. Based on its annual report in 2017, the Vladimir Potanin Foundation.

Among other projects, Potanin routinely supports the State Hermitage – one of the most important museums in Russia; he has headed the museum’s Board of Trustees since its establishment and personally donated in 2010. He also joined the Pledge Awarding by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, and he also promised to give half of his net worth to charity.

These 5 Illustrations by an Artist from Hungary

These 5 Illustrations by an Artist from Hungary Describe the Challenges Faced by Women every day, Can They Be Relatable?

A 32-year-old artist from Hungary named Lainey Molnar went viral on Instagram a few months ago. She has uploaded many illustrations about the stories of many women in various countries. Not only the illustrations are good, but the deep messages are in his works.

Check out the seven illustrations by Lainey Molnar about the stories of women who may relate to your current condition, as quoted from BuzzFeed.

A situation when Mother and Child are the Same Age

A situation when Mother and Child are the Same Age

You may have some who relate to the illustration above. In ancient times, many women married at a young age and had children. The illustration depicts the real condition of Lainey Molnar.

The mother already has two children who are quite big at the age of 31 years. While he is still single at the same age. Even so, the mood of both of them is happy at the age of 31 years. The mother did have a dream to be a good parent. Meanwhile, Lainey Molnar is a free spirit and wants to develop her creativity.

You may be experiencing this condition right now. At the age of about to enter or have entered their 30s and are not yet married, Indonesian women usually come under pressure from those around them. There are two ways women deal with this condition, namely relaxed and depressed. What method do you use?

Looking for a Serious Partner

Looking for a Serious Partner

At the age of 25 and over, women usually don’t want to play games in their love relationships. Women certainly want to find a serious partner to become a husband who will accompany them until the end of their lives.

When a man approaches a woman without certainty, many of them immediately think twice about whether to accept the man or not. Mature age indeed makes women think more maturely about their future, including matters of love.

Respect Your Own Choices

Respect Your Own Choices

Women have different body types. There are those who stay thin even though they eat a lot, there are also those who immediately gain weight even if they eat only a little. Seeing these conditions, a woman doesn’t need to think about the words of judgment from other people.

You can choose to close your ears and do what you want to do and benefit yourself. If you’re good enough at not thinking about what other people say, that means you’ve started respecting your own choices.

Normal Underarm Hair and Sweat for Women

Normal Underarm Hair and Sweat for Women

When it’s hot or when doing heavy work, some people will sweat excessively. Including women, who usually feel embarrassed when they are in this condition.

Just like when the armpit hair is long or a lot, women will immediately shave or wax the armpit hair. In fact, as a human being, it is a normal condition.

However, because you grew up in an environment that always demanded that women be “perfect” people, you will definitely take various actions to overcome the two conditions above.

When there are people who appear different by accepting the conditions above, there will definitely be irresponsible people who make negative and unimportant comments. If you already understand the concept of self-love or love yourself, maybe you will think of that comment as a passing wind.

Three Women with Different Choices

Three Women with Different Choices

From Lainey Molnar’s illustration above, there are three women with different life choices. There are women who focus on working, there are those who focus on being housewives, and there are those who do both.

The first two options are full-time jobs that are equally valuable to the woman who chooses that decision. Meanwhile, for women who do it side by side, it can be said as a superwoman.

These three choices are both good and you don’t need to think about other people’s comments who say that focusing on work, focusing on being a housewife, and doing both are bad choices.

Embroidered Zoetrope

There are many ways to create an animation. Starting from the simplest such as the ‘flip book’ technique as below, to super-sophisticated digital animation.

We found some cool work by an artist from Sydney, Australia named Elliot Schultz. As part of his final assignment, while studying at the Australian National University, Schultz conducted experiments to create animations with unconventional media, combining vinyl records with embroidery techniques, resulting in a very unique Zoetrope!

How’s the final visual? Please watch the following video:

Theo Jansen Creates the Newest Art on Earth

Theo Jansen is an artist with a scientist’s mind. He succeeded in creating a “creature” made of PVC pipe and could “live” only with the help of the wind power around it. Jansen’s creature is named Strandbeest. He is free to move in the coastal area around his house in the Netherlands.

Theo Jansen Creates the Newest Art on Earth

Jansen spent 24 years developing Strandbeest which he called a “new species on earth”. The initial idea came when he wrote a column in a newspaper about looking for ways to prevent the erosion of dunes in the Netherlands. The idea is that maybe he could create a creature on the beach, which is moved by the wind and could gather sand to build hills. “This is a way to save the Netherlands from drowning in the increasingly high North Sea,” said Jansen.

He then built a machine using plastic tubes from Do It Yourself (DIY) shops and forgot about his original goal of making “beest”. In fact, Jansen became interested in the possibility of creating new species of man-made animals. Just look at Strandbeest’s movements in the following video. Really like life!

China: The World’s Oldest Art

As Chinese New Year approaches, there’s nothing wrong with taking a little peek at the world of painting in China, right?

Chinese art has been around since the stone age, actually, since 10,000 BC. Most of it was still in the form of sculpture and ceramic art. After that time, Chinese art was classified according to the reigning dynasty, and each dynasty usually lasted hundreds of years.

Chinese art is considered as the oldest art in the world. Not surprisingly, many of the names of Chinese artists in the early period were not recorded. In the world of painting, painters from the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty mostly painted about humans. Not many people know, however, that the paintings that were later found by people were taken from the cemetery, and previously the paintings were protected with silk cloth and kept inside the walls of the tomb. The purpose of making this painting is to protect the people who are buried there and their spirits can immediately ascend to Heaven. There are also buts that paint the teachings of Confucius, apart from painting portraits of the dead.

New landscape paintings appeared in 907, and are known as the “Great age of Chinese landscape”. In northern China, many names of painters were recorded. They were Jong Hao, Li Cheng, Fan Kuan, and Guo Xi. These painters mostly painted towering mountains. Meanwhile, in southern China, there are the names Dong Yuan, Juran, and several other names that depict hills and rivers.

Buddhism then entered China around the First Century. In the 8th Century, this Chinese Art began to be heavily influenced by Buddhism. One of the painters from this period was Gu Kaizhi, who was born in Wuxi.

Gu took out 3 books on painting theory: On Painting, Introduction of Famous Paintings of Wei and Jin Dynasties, and Painting of Yuntai Mountain. According to him, to paint a human face, the most important thing is the eyes, because that is where the soul lies. Clothing and appearance are not important.

Three of Gu’s paintings have survived to this day, although they are only duplicates. Here are the paintings:

The Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies

The Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies

This painting illustrates 9 stories from a political satire about Empress Jia Nanfeng written by Zhang Hua. This painting was looted by British troops in 1900 and is still in The British Museum today. Unfortunately, there are 3 parts of this painting that are missing. Meanwhile, a duplicate of this painting is in the Palace Museum in Beijing, in complete condition.

Nymph of the Luo River

Nymph of the Luo River

This painting illustrates a poem written by Cao Zhi. There are 3 duplicates of this painting made during the Song Dynasty. One of the duplicates is in the Palace Museum as well, the other is in the Freer Gallery in Washington D.C. the third duplicate was brought to Manchuria by the last emperor in China, Pu Yi, when he was made a puppet emperor by the Japanese. When Japan surrendered in 1945, the duplicate of this painting disappeared, and was only found again 10 years later by the Liaoning Province Museum.

China: The World's Oldest Art

Wise and Benevolent Women

A duplicate of this painting was made in the 13th Century, and like the two paintings above, is now in the Palace Museum in Beijing. The painting, which consists of 10 sections and is 5 meters long, illustrates women in the Biography of Exemplary Women during the Han Dynasty.

Nowadays, Chinese art has certainly developed a lot. The ancient Chinese culture has entered the new media art, and Contemporary Chinese art emerged since 1980 as a result of the Cultural Revolution in China. Some of these modern Chinese artists are also very well-known in the international world. Not only Ai Weiwei, but there are many other artists. In fact, there is a female Chinese artist, Christine Wang, who has now moved to New York City and was once the curator for the Venice Biennial in Italy and is also on the UNESCO list because of her work.

Writing Fairy Tales Through Collages

At first glance, the work of artist Morgana Wallace looks like an illustration that tells about mythology and fairy tales from various places. When you look deeper, he actually uses a paper-cutting technique, not an illustration.

As a child, Victoria Morgana loved Egyptian and Greek mythology and folk tales such as King Arthur. He always pretends to make himself as a character in the story. As a result, the habit of making himself the character continues into adulthood. He makes creations from paper and makes the characters in the story. The reason is simple, he cannot write it. So he chose to make it.

Usually, the paper cutting technique uses a cutter, but what Morgana uses is monotyping, a printmaking technique in which a person makes a painting or drawing on a smooth surface (usually glass). Then, the image is transferred to paper using a printer. The reason Morgana does monotyping with paper is that it allows her to explore paper into something she wants.

What Morgana does is like a collage on a photo. It’s just that he uses paper as a medium. If he is wrong or not satisfied with his work, he can just replace it with another piece of paper. If you imagine making clouds that are layered. Compared to other media, Morgana admits that the paper-cutting technique is not spontaneous and sometimes feels monotonous. However, this challenge is what appeals to him, and is far outweighed by how the final product looks under glass and the interaction of layers of paper.

His works often involve Valkyries, dragons, sorcerers, queens, and all things fantasy. Interesting. When someone can’t translate what he likes writing, he looks for ways to make it in another way. Like what Morgana did, because she couldn’t write down the characters, she made them in the form of a unique picture collage.

There are always ways to express creativity, right?

10 Famous Chinese Artists in the World

The market for art in China has been growing fast, and art in China is growing fast on the international scene. In 2004, it is said that the price of works by Chinese artists increased by around 2000 percent. In the era of globalization, Chinese contemporary art has set foot overseas and won the attention of the international art scene. The existence of contemporary Chinese art also fully embodies the inclusion of society and the openness of contemporary Chinese culture, as well as the inherent spiritual values that are irreplaceable. This is all thanks to the artists and actresses in the art world whose works are loved by the general public and become the talk of the international art world. In order to welcome Chinese New Year 2015, We want to share information about 10 famous Chinese artists in the world!

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei

Ai Wei Wei is a contemporary artist from China who is active in making sculptures, installations, architectural designs, photography, art curation, and films. He collaborated with a number of local and foreign artists and has created many monumental works of art.

Not only his prowess in the art world, he is also frequently involved in political and cultural actions towards the government of the People’s Republic of China critically and openly regarding human rights and democracy. Because of this action, he was in prison for 81 days. Last October, he was awarded the most influential artist in the world by Art Magazine.

Huang Ran

Huang Ran

Huang Ran is a video maker. Video works that are full of drama, ambiguity, and emotion attract the audience’s attention because they are full of emotional conflicts that make the audience feel what is in the film. His most recent work is titled Blithe Tragedy.

Liu Xiaodong

Liu Xiaodong

Not long ago, Liu Xiaodong and six of his colleagues held a painting exhibition held at the National Gallery, Jakarta. Exhibition curated by Guo Fang Fang, M.A. And Rizki A. Zaelani presents a painting entitled, subject matter, which we are familiar with and familiar with about portraits, people, the environment, and everyday situations. Liu Xiaodong’s works often depict elements of populist life.

Yan XIng

Yan Xing

Yang Xing is a graduate of the Oil Painting Department of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, graduating in 2009. He was born in 1986 in Chongqing, but now lives and works in Beijing. All of his works are not only in the form of installations but also videos.

Liu Bolin

Liu Bolin

Invisible Man, that’s what people call Liu Bolin. Because he often presents magical photography works by making photo objects blend together like the background of the photo. He claimed to be inspired by Picasso and Warhol. It can take hours to bloat between background photos.

Ma Qiusha

Ma Qiusha

Ma Qiusha didn’t like fashion. For him, there is still much to be explored from the fragments of everyday life. The materials and objects that she uses every day become the abstract concept of his artwork.

Yue Minjun

Yue Minjun

Since 1990, Yue’s laughing form has become perhaps the most recognizable thing in contemporary Chinese art. Characteristically referring to the laughing Buddha and Maoist propaganda as a western stereotype of the laughing Chinese. Strange but straightforward, in every work, be it painting or sculpture, one can find works of surrealist art and historical satire.

Art Xu Bing

Xu Bing

Xu Bing has been a major player in Chinese art for over 30 years. His trademark, he creates installations that attract attention because it is very complex and large in size. Xu invented and taught art classes in Square Word Calligraphy, a method of writing English in a script that looks like the Chinese alphabet. His recent work focuses a lot on non-linguistic things, for example Aptly in the photo. He made it from a collection of building debris found at a construction site.

Art Qiu Xiao Fei

Qiu Xiaofei

Qiu’s works include oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, sculptures, and installations. The concept of his work involves a relationship between personal experience and history. Many of his paintings are based on photographs from his childhood.

The Best Universities for Arts Majors Around the World

Art schools are some of the most exciting and creative places in the world. If you’re interested in studying art, design, or other creative fields, you may be wondering which schools offer the best programs. Here are seven universities with some of the best art programs in the world.

Royal College of Art, London, United Kingdom

The Royal College of Art in London is known for its prestigious and rigorous programs in fine art, design, and communication. It is the only entirely postgraduate institution of its kind, offering advanced degrees in fields such as painting, sculpture, fashion, and architecture.

Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island, USA

The Rhode Island School of Design, or RISD, is consistently ranked among the top art schools in the United States. The school offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in fields such as illustration, graphic design, film, and painting.

Parsons School of Design, New York City, New York, USA

Located in the heart of New York City, Parsons School of Design is renowned for its fashion program, but it also offers degrees in graphic design, product design, and more. The school is known for its innovative approach to design education and its strong industry connections.

École des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France

Founded in 1648, the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris is one of the oldest art schools in the world. The school has produced some of the most influential artists and architects of the modern era, including Henri Matisse and Le Corbusier. Today, the school offers degrees in painting, sculpture, architecture, and other fields.

Tokyo University of the Arts

Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan

The Tokyo University of the Arts is Japan’s oldest and most prestigious art school. It offers degrees in a wide range of artistic fields, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, and traditional Japanese arts such as calligraphy and flower arrangement.

Central Saint Martins, London, United Kingdom

Central Saint Martins is part of the University of the Arts London and is known for its cutting-edge programs in fashion, graphic design, and fine art. The school has produced some of the most influential designers of the past decade, including Alexander McQueen and John Galliano.

California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, California, USA

Founded by Walt Disney in 1961, the California Institute of the Arts, or CalArts, is a renowned art school that offers degrees in animation, film, graphic design, and more. The school is known for its experimental approach to art education and its focus on collaboration and interdisciplinary work.

University of the Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

The University of the Arts in Philadelphia is a highly respected art school that offers degrees in fields such as painting, sculpture, and multimedia. The school is known for its emphasis on creativity and experimentation, and its alumni include many successful artists and designers.

School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is a world-renowned institution that offers degrees in a wide range of artistic disciplines, including painting, sculpture, photography, and fashion design. The school is known for its rigorous curriculum and its focus on developing the individual artistic voice of each student.

Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland

The Glasgow School of Art is one of the most prestigious art schools in Europe and is known for its strong emphasis on design and innovation. The school offers degrees in fields such as architecture, product design, and graphic design, and its alumni include some of the most influential artists and designers of the 20th century.

Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Emily Carr University of Art and Design is a highly regarded art school located in Vancouver, Canada. The school offers degrees in fields such as animation, illustration, and industrial design, and is known for its focus on experimentation and creativity.

Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

The Kunstakademie Düsseldorf is one of the most prestigious art schools in Germany and has a strong reputation for producing influential contemporary artists. The school offers degrees in fields such as painting, sculpture, and media art, and its alumni include Gerhard Richter, Anselm Kiefer, and Andreas Gursky.

Whether you’re interested in traditional art forms such as painting and sculpture or cutting-edge fields like animation and multimedia, there are many top-notch universities around the world that can help you develop your skills and pursue your artistic goals. By researching and applying, to the right schools, you can find the perfect fit for your interests and aspirations.

Benefits of Learning Art in General: Why It’s Worth Your Time

Art is a broad field that encompasses various forms, such as painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and many more. Learning art involves acquiring skills and techniques to create artworks that express your creativity and imagination. Although art can be a fun hobby, it also has numerous benefits that go beyond entertainment. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artist, learning art can help you in many ways.

Art also is an essential part of human culture, and it has been around since the dawn of time. It is a creative and expressive medium that has been used to communicate ideas, emotions, and stories. Over the years, art has been used for different purposes, such as entertainment, decoration, education, and therapy. Regardless of its purpose, art has many benefits that make it an excellent tool for personal growth and development.

Have you ever wondered why people spend so much time learning art? Is it just for fun, or are there other benefits to it? In this article, we will take a closer look at the benefits of learning art and how it can help you grow and develop.

Enhancing Creativity

One of the primary benefits of learning art is that it helps to enhance creativity. Art is a medium that encourages you to think outside the box, explore new ideas, and experiment with different techniques. Through art, you can express your imagination, ideas, and emotions in a visual form. By practicing art, you can develop your creative skills and learn to think creatively, which can be applied to other areas of your life.

Improving Problem-Solving Skills

Art is not just about creating beautiful artworks; it also involves solving problems. When you create art, you encounter different challenges that require you to think critically and find solutions. For instance, you may encounter problems such as how to mix colors, how to create depth, or how to create texture. By solving these problems, you can improve your problem-solving skills, which can be useful in other areas of your life.

Boosting Self-Confidence

Another benefit of learning art is that it can boost your self-confidence. When you create art, you are expressing yourself in a unique way. This can help you to develop a sense of accomplishment and pride in your work. Additionally, as you continue to practice and improve your skills, you will gain confidence in your abilities, which can translate into other areas of your life.

Reducing Stress and Anxiety

Art can be a form of therapy that helps to reduce stress and anxiety. When you engage in art, you are focusing on creating something, which can be a meditative and relaxing experience. Additionally, creating art can help you to express your emotions and reduce tension in your body. By practicing art, you can develop coping mechanisms that can help you manage stress and anxiety.

Enhancing Fine Motor Skills

Learning art requires the use of fine motor skills, which involve the small muscles in your hands and fingers. When you practice art, you are developing these muscles, which can improve your dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Additionally, improving your fine motor skills can have benefits in other areas of your life, such as writing, typing, and playing musical instruments.

In conclusion, learning art has many benefits that can help you grow and develop. Whether you are looking to enhance your creativity, improve problem-solving skills, boost self-confidence, reduce stress and anxiety, or enhance your fine motor skills, learning art can be a fun and rewarding experience. So, if you are interested in learning art, go ahead and explore the different forms and techniques available. Who knows, you may discover a new hobby or career path that brings joy and fulfillment to your life.

5 Longest Queue in Russia since the 90s

Russians are willing to queue for hours to fill their bellies, buy the latest devices, admire the artwork, and get blessings.

The Saint Nicholas Heritage of Myra

The Saint Nicholas Heritage of Myra (2017)

All Russia agreed to temporarily carry the legacy of Saint Nicholas when Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis of Moscow temporarily brought the legacy of Saint Nicholas from Bari – Italy to Moscow, most of the Orthodox congregations in Russia were overexcited.

Every day, hundreds of buses from all over Russia bring pilgrims to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. During the 52-day exhibition period, around one million people visited the cathedral. The average queue duration reaches six hours. A 61-year-old woman was injured and lost two teeth because of the riots in the queue. Fortunately, it was the only casualty among pilgrims even though the Russian capital was hit by a devastating storm that killed 18 people.

Valentin Serov Exhibition

Valentin Serov Exhibition (2016)

Valentin Serov is a famous painter in Russia, he managed to produce many famous works of art in the 19th and 20th centuries. Not surprisingly, for the past 50 years, the exhibition of the works of the artist in 2016 was said to be the most visited art exhibition in Russia.

Freezing temperatures up to -23 ° C doesn’t even discourage people from waiting for five hours. Visited by half a million people, the 117-day exhibition was extended for a week to give more people the chance to see it. Although the exhibition time has been extended, the public has begun to feel that the gallery will not be able to accommodate all those who are curious. Finally, some impatient people forced their way into the Tretyakov National Gallery. Anything did for art!

Ivan Aivazovsky Exhibition

Ivan Aivazovsky Exhibition (2016)

In the same year, the Tretyakov Gallery held another major event, the Ivan Aivazovsky art exhibition. Aivazovsky’s works attract more people than Serov. Therefore, the gallery prepares exhibitions much better for art lovers. Not only that, but the gallery was also even able to reduce various incidents and cut queue time. However, those who did not buy tickets online were forced to queue for days.

Cingulum Theotokos

Cingulum Theotokos (2011)

An inheritance in the form of a cingulum or belt which, according to some Orthodox congregations, was given by Our Lady to Thomas as a symbol of blessing, was brought to Russia from Greece in 2011.

It was exhibited in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, and a number of other cities throughout the country. For 70 days and visited by 552 thousand pilgrims, including President Putin. As a result, traffic was paralyzed and the surrounding roads were blocked because the queue lasted for five hours.

McDonald's first in Russia

McDonald’s first in Russia (1990)

McDonald’s first in the Soviet Union opened on January 31, 1990. Thousands of Soviet citizens lined up for the sake of tasting the American fast food restaurant menu—the line snaking for several kilometers on Pushkinskaya ploshchad in the center of Moscow.

That day, McDonald’s sold more than 30 thousand hamburgers; set a new record for the fast-food company. The queue lasted for more than six hours.