Exhibition in Manezh Central Exhibition Hall in Moscow

15.06.2007

Inauguration of the Exhibition in Honor of the 250th Anniversary of the Russian Academy of Arts  in the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall  in Moscow  on June 15, 2007

The exhibition in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Arts was held in Manezh from June 15 - June 27, 2007.  The large jubilee exposition has showcased the history and current functions of this foremost art entity of Russia that through its art institutions, schools and museums executes educational, research, museum and exhibition activity in the field of fine arts, architecture, design and art history.

The historical division of the exhibition started with the Academy foundation initiated by I. Shuvalov in the reign of Empress Elizabeth and enhancement of its role  by Catherine the Great who approved the Academy charter. Visitors could trace the gradual development of the academic system of art education  in Russia for over two centuries.  The display contained masterpieces of the collection of the Research Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts and its affiliates. Among them were  works by such celebrated masters as  A. Antropov,  I. Asknasia, I. Kramskoi, V. Tropinin, N. Utkin, F. Bruni, K. Bryullov, V. Polenov,    N. Ghe, A. Losenko, L. Lagorio, B. Veniga, B. Villewald, P. Shindler, I. Myasoedov, V. Sverchkov, A. Ryabushkin, I. Lanskoi, K. Savitski, I.Repin, I. Levitan, A. Golovin, F. Malyavin, A. Benois, N. Feshin, V. Savitski and many others.  The exhibition also presented a huge canvas by V. Yakobi “Inauguration of the Imperial Academy of Arts on July  7th,  1765”, a portrait gallery of the  Academy trustees,  its presidents and remarkable teachers, as well as unique architectural models including  a splendid model of the Smolni Cathedral designed by B. Rastrelli.

The show featured elaborate drawings of architectural projects, magnificent buildings, ensembles,  monuments created by noted Russian architects V. Zakharov,  A. Voronikhin, C. Rossi, O. Monferran, O. Bove, K. Ton and others.

The best traditions of  home art and architecture  have been inherited by artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.  Of big interest were works by our contemporaries: President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli;  its academicians B. Efimov,  G. Korzhev,  V. Ivanov, A. Mylnikov, D. Zhilinski, T. Nazarenko, N. Nesterova, P. Nikonov,  A. Vasnetsov, I. Obrosov, A. Vasnetsov, P. Ossovski, E. Zverkov, V. Sidorov, E. Maximov, E. Drobitski, the Tkachev brothers, T. Salakhov, A. Shmarinov, I. Golitsyn,  M. Miturich, A. Acritas, etc.

Visitors could see a selection of sculptures by such masters as V. Tsygal, A. Bichukov, Y. Chernov, A. Rukavishnikov, M. Pereyaslavets,   A. Pologova, A. Burganov and others testifying to the high level of modern sculpture and  diversity of its genres and techniques.

The architecture and monumental art section of the exhibition presented a retrospective of projects, photographs, models giving an idea of the activity of modern Russian leading architects M. Posokhin, Y. Platonov, Y. Gnedovski, V. Krasilnikov. Individual architectural projects were exhibited together with projects designed by big  teams of architects who had been involved in  recreation of art decoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.

Wonderfully diverse was the exhibition’s selection of decorative and applied art as well as theatrical decorative art  which included artworks by such celebrated  academicians B. Messerer, M. Kurilko-Ryumin, E. Kochergin, V. Levental, D. Borovski, L. Savelieva, V. Maloletkov, D. Shushkanov, L. Shushkanov.

Visitors had an unparalleled opportunity to see works by the Academy members from many regions of Russia.   

The exhibitions also offered books, albums and other editions on Russian and world art authored by the Academy art critics, documentary photographs displaying a chronicle of the Academy activity from the mid-19th century to the present day.

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