Kergedan is a historic island on the Kama River in the Perm region of Russia. In 1564, the Stroganov merchants founded a fortified settlement there, named Kergedan (later known as Oryol-gorodok). It was from this very place that, in 1581, Ataman Yermak launched his legendary campaign, which led to the annexation of Siberia to the Russian state. Today, the historic territory lies partly submerged beneath the waters of the Kama Reservoir, transformed into a secluded island where the reclusive artist Alexander Sadykov lives and works in complete solitude.
Etymology of the name offers several interpretations. According to the Komi-Permyak version, "Kergedan" means "town at the mouth of the river" (from kar — town, and dym — mouth). Another tradition traces the word to Persian and Turkic languages, where kergedan translates as "rhinoceros" or, literally, "master of the desert." This dual heritage — an ancient fortress and untamed, primordial nature — renders Kergedan an ideal sanctuary for the creation of art in absolute seclusion.