"Pause of contemplation." 16+ Automatic translate

An exhibition of works by academicians and trainee artists at the Creative Workshops of the Russian Academy of Arts.

On April 20, 2018, at 16.00, the Tsar’s Tower of the Kazan Station will open an exhibition of works by academics and trainee artists of the Moscow creative workshops of the Russian Academy of Arts, dedicated to the 260th anniversary of the foundation of the Russian Academy of Arts and the 70th anniversary of the PAX creative workshops - “Pause of contemplation”.

Creative workshops of the Russian Academy of Arts is a unique, unparalleled phenomenon in art education. Modern workshops have more than half a century of history - this is a special page in the formation of Russian art, the value of Russian and world culture. When the Academy of Arts was reconstructed in 1947, when the quality of art education was emphasized, the most successful graduates of the institutes were given the opportunity to continue their studies under the guidance of an outstanding master-academician. Creative workshops have become a genuine school for the largest contemporary Russian artists.

The exhibition project helps to “take a look” at the system of academic art education (school-university-academy) through the prism of creative workshops of the Russian Academy of Arts in Moscow. In one exposition space will be presented the work of masters - academicians of the Russian Academy of Arts and the work of their students - trainees, and on specific works it will be possible to trace the continuity of the principles of the academic school. The works of the authors and photographs of the educational process will demonstrate to the viewer the sequence of stages of becoming a professional master.

The exposition will comprise more than 200 works of all types and genres of fine art - easel and monumental painting, a series of graphic works and printed graphics (etching, lithography, silk-screen printing), samples of books from Russian and foreign literature with illustrations and working materials of classics of Russian illustration, various types of sculptural works, theatrical decoration art and architecture. In a special section, an extensive series of photographs of master classes by the president of the Russian Academy of Arts Z. Tsereteli is demonstrated.

The exhibition presents works by more than 60 authors. Among them are the works of outstanding masters of Russian art, who stood at the origins of the formation of creative workshops E.A. Kibrika, brothers A.P. and S.P. Tkachev, D.A. Shmarinova, V.E. Tsigalya, N.A. Ponomareva, M.M. Kurilko-Ryumin, leading domestic artists - contemporary leaders of creative workshops - B.A. Messerera, A.V. Tsigalya, A.D. Shmarinova, E.N. Maksimova, V.N. Rzhevsky, the largest Russian artists - once a graduate of workshops, then heads and teachers of art academic institutions - T.T. Salakhova, A.A. Lyubavina, A.I. Rukavishnikova, A.I. Teslik, M.V. Pereyaslavets, B.A. Assumption, A.B. Suvorova, V.Yu. Zhelvakova, B.F. Belsky, N.V. Voronkova, D.A. Belyukina, D.N. Sandzhieva, A.I. Michri. The exposition also introduces the works of young, promising authors, including Z. Rzayev, M. Gataullina, M. Smolyaninova, E. Voronova, K. Voronova, P. Blokhin, K. Sopova, Yu. Yakushin, E. Rudenko, E. Sedova, I. Sedov, I. Orzhekhovsky, P. Lyubaev, M. Malashenko, E. Dubravina, D. Lushnikov, V. Murasheva and others. This is a whole layer of modern art life. By their work, young artists determine the main trends in the development of Russian art. Their giftedness, skill are embodied in wonderful works that will cause undoubted spectator interest and attention of professionals.

Studying in a creative workshop provides young artists with the invaluable opportunity of direct live communication with the master and a wide experiment in researching and introducing innovative techniques and technologies into the modern art and educational process. Artists doing creative practice in the workshops are active participants in the artistic life, winners of many prizes and awards. Each of the workshops has its own history, traditions and unique face, because its head is the one who has a unique combination of talent of the creator and teacher.

For the viewer, accustomed to the sophisticated intricacy of some contemporary art projects, a meeting with the work of the easel painting workshop of the legendary brothers-painters - academicians of the Russian Academy of Arts, USSR people’s artists Alexei Petrovich and Sergey Petrovich Tkachevs can become a real revelation. The full-blooded power of painting, the richness of colors, the plasticity of the brushstroke - as if the embodiment of the most unbridled energy of life. Historical canvases, portraits, still lifes, landscapes will form the basis of the picturesque section. They are solved by young artists in the forms of traditional full-scale painting, the author’s and spectator’s interest in which does not wane, and in modern stylistics with its typical conventions, plastic generalizations, figurative and spatial associativity.

Relatively recently, the number of workshops has replenished with a workshop of monumental painting. Its leader was Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation Evgeny Nikolayevich Maksimov - the largest master of monumental art, an outstanding teacher, the author of murals of Orthodox churches in many countries of the world, including the most complicated domed composition of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. In the context of the active process of reconstruction and construction of churches in Russia and abroad, the high demand for high-level professionals, the pupils of E. N. Maksimov successfully work in the field of church art. At the same time, the artists of the workshop create bright and original works in a variety of forms, techniques and directions of art. The exposition, first of all, amazes with the widest range and freedom of creative search, once again proving that a true academic school does not constrain, but liberates, the possibilities of the artist, making them truly limitless.

The workshop of graphic art under the guidance of the finest landscape painter and master of book graphics, academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, people’s artist of the Russian Federation Alexei Dementievich Shmarinov is distinguished by the nobility of restrained decisions, aristocratic forms and the depth of meaningful plastic searches. In the organization and design of the book space, depending on the task, either classical clarity or a bold spirit of experiment reigns. Artists with grace and ease create harmonious graphic images of books of a wide range - from classics to children’s literature. The exhibition presents sketches and prints for the works of A. S. Pushkin and Romain Rolland of the famous graphic artist, illustrator and painter, academician of the Academy of Arts of the USSR, People’s Artist of the USSR Yevgeny Adolfovich Kibrik, who once led the creative workshop of graphics. The graphic section is traditionally fascinatingly diverse: color and monochrome lithography, etching, silk-screen printing, works in the art of watercolor, pastel, pencil drawing, charcoal drawing. Young masters turn to the artistic comprehension of history, modern life, illustrate the works of Russian and world literature.

The sculpture, made in the walls of the workshop of a prominent representative of a wonderful creative dynasty, academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation Alexander Tsigal, testifies to the highly professional knowledge of the plastic language and the freedom of creative thinking. In both portrait and thematic compositions, artists strive for expressiveness and depth of image transmission. Modern plastic is emphasized architectonic, free to generalize and transform the form, which is dictated by the search for the most accurate expression of design.

Original, often unexpected, artistic solutions are offered by young masters of scenography. Under the guidance of the famous Boris Messerer, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation and Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, who heads the theatrical and decorative art workshop, the trainees developed sketches of sets, costumes and mock-ups for performances, some of which have already been put on the stage.

Acquaintance with this exposition will be interesting both for a wide circle of fine art lovers and specialists, as it provides a rare opportunity to look into the artist’s creative laboratory and learn about the results of the mysterious process of the birth of great skill.