How do we imagine Russian babushkas? Lovely, cuddly beings that bake pies, knit socks, and exude warmth.
But what if they had a darker side? What if they weren’t the angels they seem? Illustrator Eduard Nabiullin from Moscow uncovered another aspect to their nature.
The main character in his fantasy cyberpunk series is Babushka Petrovna. Be sure that she and her feisty sidekick Kuzminishna won’t let you jump in line to ask a “quick question”!
Ever heard anything about Russian folk treatments? Many babushkas swear blind by them and, instead of pills, will readily apply cabbage leaves to sore spots and make herbal remedies. And, of course, there’s no better cure for the common cold than… glass jars on the back held by suction! (Another babushka lifehack – anything can be cured with urine!)
Babushkas go through bureaucracy like a knife through butter, and they’ll happily pick a fight if the water gets turned off – heaven help those on duty.
And if they have a bone to pick with social security, no one is safe. The department where babushkas go to get various subsidies and benefits has existed since Soviet times, so they are well skilled in all kinds of combat techniques.
Minor officials will try to fend them off by asking for additional documents or closing early for lunch, but the martial spirit of the babushka cannot be broken!
'Knockin' on Welfare's Door'
Eduard NabiullinAnd how do you like the handsome Arkhipych? To think how much he’s had to endure from cyberpunk babushkas... Forget about no smoking!
Sure, the pictures are humorous, but they do reflect the mindset of many elderly folk who grew up in completely different conditions and are, of course, way tougher than today’s mollycoddled youth.
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