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BIG ZERO YANKOVSKAYA
BIG ZERO YANKOVSKAYA

BIG ZERO YANKOVSKAYA

It's been 65 years since Yuri Gagarin made the first flight into space. This achievement led to the creation of the watch brand Raketa (meaning in Russian “space-rocket”), which is also celebrating its 65th anniversary this year. To mark the date, Raketa is launching its Baikonur watch, a unique model designed for cosmonauts. Aboard the International Space Station, it is more convenient for cosmonauts to track time in 24-hour cycles, so the key design feature of this watch is its 24-hour dial with contrasting black and white sections to easily distinguish day from night. An additional crown sets a second time zone, enabling cosmonauts to keep track of both Greenwich Mean Time, used on the ISS, and the local time of their family on Earth.

Time is a pivot theme in art, explored by many artists across various periods and artistic languages. Time is swift and relentless; some moments can feel like a quick instant, while others like a lifetime. For the Russian artist Masha Yankovskaya, time is a subjective inner experience. Time filters through people, social roles, cities, countries, lifestyles, fashion trends, and tastes as we live on. Our own “Я” (Ya, translated as “I”), our identity and personality, remains with us throughout the years. This inner “Я” is stronger than the course of history. Our identities linger on for many generations in artwork, for example. The collaboration between Masha Yankovskaya and Raketa watch brand is a fusion of artistic expression and engineering tradition. While Yankovskaya’s art has an explicit female identity, it may be equally resonant with both male and female experiences.

The watch design features Masha's signature red colour which is also symbolic for Raketa. The center of the dial features a rotating star drawn from the artist’s vivid visual language and referring to her Star painting from the Tarot series. As part of the Major Arcana, the Star is the 17th card that stands for hope, inspiration, and healing. In Raketa’s watch, this concept translates into the seconds hand, combining a symbolic artistic dimension with the rhythm of time. The star also echoes the topic of outer space, historically significant for the Raketa brand which emerged following Yuri Gagarin's triumphant flight. Masha Yankovskaya's signature “Я” replaces the 6-hour marker, emphasizing individuality and personality. “Я” is not only the artist's initial but a conceptual gesture that underscores the egocentricity of Yankovskaya's art, dedicated to inner experiences and reflections. Here, “Я” becomes the reference point centering our perception of time. The model comes as a limited edition of just 100 individually numbered watches.