Exhibition “A Festive Colour”. Works by Tatyana Mavrina, Nikolay Kuzmin and Sergey Sokolov
Exhibition period: March 24 - April 23, 2017
Location: Polenov's Dacha
The spring present for our Abramtsevo visitor is the exhibition “A Festive Colour” with easel graphics by Tatyana Mavrina and Nikolay Kuzmin, objects of decorative and applied arts by a modern master from Gorodets Sergey Sokolov.
The power of colour, the wonderful freshness and freedom are the first and main feelings from the painting by Tatyana Mavrina. We did not make a mistake – exactly from the paintings because whatsoever technics it is – watercolours or tempera – each work by this artist is picturesque. She opens the coloured and plastic world in every new study. An eternal youth of vision, inspiration, absence of fatigue really amazes. Hence author’s name of the exhibition – “A Festive Colour”, it is the name of diary entries and essay by Tatyana Mavrina (“Molodaya Gvardiya” (“The Young Guards”, 2006)) that we recommend to read. This is the book of a mature, original, the brightest artist of the 20th century.
What is our exhibition? It is about colour, about how the colour has changed in the works by Mavrina with the changes in her life, in her arts and crafts, in her view of life. We would like to remind that Tatyana Mavrina is the contemporary of the 20th century. She was born in Nizhniy Novgorod in 1900, died in Moscow in 1996. She studied at Nikolay Sinezubov, German Feodorov, Robert Falk at the Higher Technical-Artistic Studios (VKhUTEMAS/VKhUTEIN) in 1921-1929. Her teachers were the successors of the newest French art school. For the first time works by Tatyana Mavrina (at that time Lebedeva) have been shown at the exhibition “Rost” (1928). Then she participated in many exhibitions in USSR and abroad. The artist and her husband Nikolay Kuzmin were the part of the group “Thirteen” (1929-1931), which was the last independent art union of Soviet Russia. Thirteen graphic artists cultivated prompt, light sketch based on impressions from nature. The group had a core membership from the artists who had worked in the newspaper “Gudok”, with which Ilf and Petrov, Olesha, Kataev and Bulgakov cooperated in the end of the 1920s. Different people and different artists, but they were united by a sense of humor.
Our exhibition begins from the 1940s. The spectator could see unusually plastic, exquisitely tonal and airy watercolours by Tatyana Mavrina. In support there are watercolours and gouaches by Nikolay Kuzmin painted in the 1930-1940s. Kuzmin is known as an illustrator of classic works by Russian and foreign writers of the 19th – the beginning of the 20th centuries, as a master of delicate drawing with filigree precision. But we present his easel paintings: landscapes, bouquets, portraits. Most of them have never before exhibited and unknown for specialists and wide audience.
A distinctive section of the exhibition is devoted to tempera paintings by Tatyana Mavrina from the 1970-1980s. For us these works are valuable because they were painted in Abramtsevo and in the vicinities. Moreover, they were donated by Mavrina to the Museum, which is illustrative of one more edge of her talent – her self-forgetfulness.
When we were preparing this exhibition, we were thinking of love of the artist to decorative and applied arts, of her passion to collect. Therefore we ventured to include wood sculptures and Gorodets toys by a modern master from Gorodets Sergey Sokolov.
The force of Mavrina is in her vast knowledge; she was always herself, did not fear herself, she was honest with herself and with festive colour.
Culture and Daily Life of the First Half of the 19th Century. About the Daily Life of the Aksakovs Family
Exhibition period: March 15 - April 23, 2017
Location: Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” (23, Kooperativnaya str., Khtokovo)
Owner of Abramtsevo estate Sergey Aksakov became more popular to the Russian reading public by his first books about angling and hunting. These compositions written by him at the set of his life, won the hearts of readers by an excellent description of nature and life of different animals, birds and fishes.
But there is another side of angling and hunting that Sergey Aksakov described in his works. It is a cooking. He was not only the hunter and fisherman, but he had also a deep knowledge of the rules of cooking of the food from hunting.
The display allows us to imagine the set table of the Aksakovs and the noble family of the first half of the 19th century: in which glass and porcelain food and drinks were served and what recipes of Russian food of the Aksakovs’ times were used. All these slight details of everyday life of the Aksakovs help us to understand and to feel the historical and household background, which gave birth to the brilliant literary creativity of the Aksakovs.
Exhibition of Works by Boris Ioganson “Flashbacks from the Garden…”
Exhibition period: February 3 – March 19, 2017
Location: Polenov’s Dacha
The exhibition with metaphorical name “Flashbacks from the Garden…” is devoted to the creativity of Boris Ioganson. It presents works of the artist from the collections of the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”, family collections of Boris Igorevich Ioganson and Eleonora Viktorovna Paston.
Boris Ioganson is a recognized classic of the Soviet painting, an adherent of "socialistic realism".
Metaphorical name of the exhibition refers to the chamber painting and the real garden. We explain that Boris Ioganson was one of the first residents of the village of Artists in Abramtsevo, and since 1934 lived in his country-house workshop with windows overlooking the garden, painted the portrait of close people, sunny and winter landscapes, still lifes and self-portraits. These picture sketches of the artist became the main material of the exhibition.
The works are little-known. An exception is made for works from the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery “Salute” (1945) and “Portrait of the Honoured Artist of RSFSR of the State Maly Theater Daria Zerkalova” (1947). The paintings are reproduced, all other works (approx. 40) the spectator will see at the first time.
The drawings and sketches are no less interesting to the visitor. Boris Ioganson is an excellent drawer. He amazingly felt sensitive and character features. The static form is not interested for him. The artist needs a dynamics, counterpoint of compound movement, the contrast of colour and shade. The portraits of his mother Olga Radlenskaya are magnificent. And the special section of the exhibition shows the self-portraits of the artist.
Moreover, the exhibition presents evidences of artist’s travelling, his things. Ioganson was in love with the life, and this love to the world haв a direct impact on his things.
This exhibition is intended for true lovers of painting, historians studying the past of their country based not on the doctrine.
February 22-26, 2017 the Maslenitsa festival with carnival celebrations, entertainments, plays, songs and dances, master classes, fascinating excursions in the Museum and traditional food and drinks will be held in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. Price - 780 rubles per person.
February 25, 2017 the Great Maslenitsa will be held. Price – 500 rubles per person.
Order Phones: +7 (496) 543-24-70; +7 (916) 278-45-42
You are welcome!
Exhibition “Khotkovo Ceramics”
Exhibition period: January 18, 2017 – February 19, 2017
Location: Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” (23, Kooperativnaya str., Khtokovo)
January 18, 2017 Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” opened a new exhibition “Khotkovo Ceramics”. It presents works of pottery art by 16 ceramists from Khotkovo and works by pottery workshop “AI”.
The exposition includes art works of prominent Russian artists of decorative and applied arts, the renowned leading figures of ceramics such as Valentina Bulyugina, Gennadiy Degtyarev, Galina Odinokaya, Yury Leonov, Larisa Lekhova, Viktor Kotov and Galina Yambarsheva. Among the participants of our exhibition there are young talented authors, such as Anna Andrianova, Ekaterina Bazlova, Anna Philippova, Irina Babodei, Polina Korobitsina, Julia Goncharova, Vladimir Kornilov and Alexandra Tikhonenko.
All these people are united by their education in Abramtsevo Artistic and Industrial College named after Viktor Vasnetsov. Many of them are the teachers of the College now and live generally in Khotkovo and Sergiev Posad. Specialists regard the artists’ creativity to the distinctive Abramtsevo ceramic style. Characteristic features of this style are beauty and nobility of ceramic lines, the vitalizing spirit, positive world perception, sunny spectral colours and major keys, poetics and expression of everyday life and folk origin.
Khotkovo ceramists cherish artistic, folk and classical traditions, and particularly – the experience of Abramtsevo pottery workshop. Moreover, they do not fear new challenges and experiments. Artists actively use the language of sculpture and architectural design in the process of creativity of bright and unique artistic images.
The exhibition of Khotkovo ceramists draws a considerable attention of the viewers by the broad variety and vividness of individualities, artistic manners, richness of colour pallet, the courage of fantasy and creative search. The exhibition presents works from the collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” and collections of the artists-participants.
Exhibition period: December 16, 2016 – January 29, 2017
Location: Polenov's Dacha of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”
December 16, 2016 the department “Polenov’s Dacha” of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” opened an exhibition “Russian Style of Sergey Malyutin”. Sergey Malyutin (1859-1937) has had a long creative life. Abramtsevo artists such as Vasiliy Polenov, Konstantin Korovin and Mikhail Nesterov influenced on his artistic tastes and views. Since of the mid-1890s Sergey Malyutin worked closely with the Mamontovs family. He participated in the decoration of many performances of Russian Private Opera of Savva Mamontov. His name associated with the magnificent illustrations to the fairy tales by Alexander Pushkin, published in the printing house of Anatoliy Mamontov. Based on the folk art, decorative and applied art, lubok prints, using elements of the Old Russian ornamentation he succeeded in creating of his own unique style.
This exhibition presents painting, book illustrations, architectural designs, sketches of items of decorative and applied arts, theatre costumes and decorations by Sergey Malyutin from a rich and various collection of works by this prominent Russian artist, which is stored in the funds of the Museum-Reserve “Abramsevo”. Many items are exhibited for the first time.
Exhibition period: December 30, 2016 – January 11, 2017
Location: Department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo”
A Christmas and New Year present for our Abramtsevo visitor is the exhibition “A Festive Colour” with easel graphics by Tatyana Mavrina and Nikolay Kuzmin, objects of decorative and applied arts by a modern master from Gorodets Sergey Sokolov.
The power of colour, the wonderful freshness and freedom are the first and main feelings from the painting by Tatyana Mavrina. We did not make a mistake – exactly from the paintings because whatsoever technics it is – watercolours or tempera – each work by this artist is picturesque. She opens the coloured and plastic world in every new study. An eternal youth of vision, inspiration, absence of fatigue really amazes. Hence author’s name of the exhibition – “A Festive Colour”, it is the name of diary entries and essay by Tatyana Mavrina (“Molodaya Gvardiya” (“The Young Guards”, 2006)) that we recommend to read. This is the book of a mature, original, the brightest artist of the 20th century.
What is our exhibition? It is about colour, about how the colour has changed in the works by Mavrina with the changes in her life, in her arts and crafts, in her view of life. We would like to remind that Tatyana Mavrina is the contemporary of the 20th century. She was born in Nizhniy Novgorod in 1900, died in Moscow in 1996. She studied at Nikolay Sinezubov, German Feodorov, Robert Falk at the Higher Technical-Artistic Studios (VKhUTEMAS/VKhUTEIN) in 1921-1929. Her teachers were the successors of the newest French art school. For the first time works by Tatyana Mavrina (at that time Lebedeva) have been shown at the exhibition “Rost” (1928). Then she participated in many exhibitions in USSR and abroad. The artist and her husband Nikolay Kuzmin were the part of the group “Thirteen” (1929-1931), which was the last independent art union of Soviet Russia. Thirteen graphic artists cultivated prompt, light sketch based on impressions from nature. The group had a core membership from the artists who had worked in the newspaper “Gudok”, with which Ilf and Petrov, Olesha, Kataev and Bulgakov cooperated in the end of the 1920s. Different people and different artists, but they were united by a sense of humor.
Our exhibition begins from the 1940s. The spectator could see unusually plastic, exquisitely tonal and airy watercolours by Tatyana Mavrina. In support there are watercolours and gouaches by Nikolay Kuzmin painted in the 1930-1940s. Kuzmin is known as an illustrator of classic works by Russian and foreign writers of the 19th – the beginning of the 20th centuries, as a master of delicate drawing with filigree precision. But we present his easel paintings: landscapes, bouquets, portraits. Most of them have never before exhibited and unknown for specialists and wide audience.
A distinctive section of the exhibition is devoted to tempera paintings by Tatyana Mavrina from the 1970-1980s. For us these works are valuable because they were painted in Abramtsevo and in the vicinities. Moreover, they were donated by Mavrina to the Museum, which is illustrative of one more edge of her talent – her self-forgetfulness.
The force of Mavrina is in her vast knowledge; she was always herself, did not fear herself, she was honest with herself and with festive colour.
In Saturday, December 24, 2016 the concert “The Heart Has Wings…” was held in the Manor House of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. Musical works by Glinka, Gurilyov, Bulakhov, Varlamov and Fedotov created an atmosphere of musical salons of the beginning of the 19th century.
The participants of the concert were the soloist of Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre Olga Lutsiv-Ternovskaya (soprano) and Dmitriy Lutsiv (piano).
Exhibition “Abramtsevo-Kudrino Carving. Successors of Traditions”. Works from the Collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” and private collections
Exhibition period: December 9, 2016–January 8, 2017
Location: Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” (Khotkovo)
December 9, 2016 the exhibition “Abramtsevo-Kudrino Carving. Successors of Traditions” is opened in Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. It is devoted to the vivid example of decorative and applied arts of Russia – Abramtsevo-Kudrino carving. Its birth is due to Abramtsevo workshop, activity of which is related to a significant phenomenon of national and world culture. Abramtsevo Estate that in the 1870-1918s belonged to a famous family of patrons of arts and philanthropists the Mamontovs was destined to become a place, where the whole movement of birth and reanimation of the national spirit of Russian culture was born. An integral part of this artistic process was the work of Abramtsevo joinery.
From 1885 to 1912 more than 200 experienced craftsmen have graduated from Abramtsevo workshop. One of its graduates, a talented person, Vasiliy Vornoskov (1876-1940), who lived in Kudrino village, developed his own unique style of finishing of household and decorative workpieces with large finger-type shape of relief design – floral and animal ornaments.
In the 1920-1950s traditions of Abramtsevo-Kudrino carving were carried on by the masters of Khotkovo cutter cooperatives, and in the 1960-1990s – by the masters of Khotkovo factory of carved artifacts. But even today the traditions of Abramtsevo-Kudrino carving are still live in works by Khotkovo craftsmen.
This exhibition is intended to get its visitors acquainted with the works by artists and masters, who nowadays continue the traditions of Abramtsevo-Kudrino carving. It presents the works from the collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” and private collections.
Exhibition “… The True Friend and Husband…”. To the 225th Anniversary from the Birth of Sergey Aksakov
Exhibition period: January 2017
Location: Cultural Centre “Elizaveta Mamontova” (4a, Kalinina str., Khotkovo, Moscow region)
December 1, 2016 the cultural centre “Elizaveta Mamontova” opens a new exhibition “…The True Friend and Husband…”, dedicated to the 225th anniversary of the writer Sergey Aksakov. It presents enlargement prints of little known images from the collections of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”,the Aksakov Memorial House, Russian State Archive of Literature and Art and Russian State Library.
Every photo is accompanied by extracts from works by Sergey Timofeyevich and the epistolary archive of the Aksakovs family mostly unpublished. This valuable archive material allows appreciating spiritual and moral traditions, the cultural interests of Sergey Aksakov and his family.
The exhibition runs till the end of January, 2017.
Exhibition “Last Century in Abramtsevo”. In Memory of Vitaliy Manin
Exhibition period: October 26 –December 25, 2016
Location: department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo”
Exhibition “Last century in Abramtsevo” is devoted to the memory of Vitaliy Manin. It is held in the department of the Museum, which Vitaliy Manin established in 1971. Abramtsevo has generally been associated with the 19th century and the pleiad of talented artists of the Mamontov’s Circle: Viktor Vasnetsov, Vasiliy Polenov, Ilya Repin, Valentin Serov, Konstantin Korovin, Mikhail Nesterov and Mikhail Vrubel. But the contemporary art was closely linked with Abramtsevo of the 20th century. Artistic village across the river Vorya was famous for the names of its inhabitants and works which were created in its workshops. For example, the sketch of monuments “The Worker and Kolkhoz Woman” by Vera Mukhina which acquired international fame, was created at Abramtsevo.
In three years Vitaliy Manin collected a significant collection of Russian and Soviet art. The Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” keeps two travelling exhibition projects – “Picturesque Painting” and “Romantic Montage”, which were exhibited in the Far East, Trans-Baikal, both capitals of Russia, the Komi and the Buryat Republics. The centerpiece of these projects became works by the artists of artistic unions of the 1910-1930s, such as “Jack of Diamonds”, the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia, the Society of Easel Painters, Four Arts, and Moscow Painters. Vitaliy Manin himself chose these bright and intense works in Abramtsevo collection.
According to reminiscences of his contemporaries and colleagues, Vitaliy Manin was a man, who had his own point of view, his own opinion, which he always was ready to defend. Manin considered that “fine art hasn’t exhausted its potential, hasn’t reborn contrary to the arguments of defenders of postmodernism, and the art of the 60s of the 20th century is the peek point of the 20th century”. That is why he invited Viktor Popkov in Abramtsevo in 1970, and the artist created series of Abramtsevo works on black cardboards, which are presented in the exhibition “Last century in Abramtsevo”.
Manin supported “the disgraced” and absolutely talented artists. He arranged a solo exhibition of Nikolay Andronov in Abramtsevo.
The respected Kukryniksi, Dementiy Shmarinov, Nikolay Romadin, Vitaliy Goryaev, Semen Chuikov, Yury Chernov – residents of artistic village - often visited “Manin” Abramtsevo and with great interest observed the Museum transformations, participated in exhibitions of new Soviet department, discussed, resented, lived! And that particular creative field of last third of the 20th century was enlivened by Vitaliy Manin.
Exhibition “Last century in Abramtsevo” presents the canvases of first and second wave of Russian avant-garde (such as works by Piotr Konchalovskiy, Petr Williams, Alexander Shchipitsin, Alexander Labas, Nadezhda Udaltsova), samples of realistic art and works by artists-sixties. Moreover, the exhibition introduces series of graphic lists by Viktor Popkov in the period of the 1970-1974s, which have never been showed before.
The exhibition takes place in the department “Russian artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” and runs till December 25, 2016.
Exhibition “Theatre Begins from Abramtsevo!” in Vienna
Exhibition period: till November 25, 2016
Location: Russian Scientific and Cultural Centre in Vienna
"There's a well-known phrase attributed to Stanislavsky: “Theatre begins at the cloakroom.” We decided to change this aphorism and named the exhibition of drawings by remarkable Russian artists, such as Valentin Serov, Ilya Repin, Viktor Vanetsov, Vasiliy Polenov, Adrian Prakhov, Ilya Ostroukhov, their sketches of decorations and costumes, playbills of performances of Abramtsevo home theatre - “Theatre begins from Abramtsevo!”.
An idea of this exhibition is to demonstrate the birth process of a performance vision in Abramtsevo art world. Decoration of home performances, the choice of plays, their writing by Savva Mamontov, acting, directing, homely public atmosphere – all that later became the basis of the brilliant development of spectacularity on Russian music stage. Russian Diaghelev’s ‘Ballets Russes’ became the perfect example of it.
Collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” helps to reconstruct a rather expressive picture of Abramtsevo theatre life. These are portrait and genre scene sketches, scenery and costume designs, playbills of performances, photo documents. All exhibits are unique, and the most interesting is the album “The Chronicle of Our Artistic Circle” published in typography of Anatoliy Mamontov to the 15th anniversary of home performances. This album shows the tableau vivant, staged in December 1878, and presents comedy “Near an Art” (1894) written by Savva Mamontov. This material is the basis of the exhibition “Theatre begins from Abramtsevo!”.
November 3, 2015 on the People's Unity Day the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held All-Russian annual cultural and educational event “The Night of the Arts”. This year the slogan of it was “Time to Create”.
Arts and Crafts Department opened the new exhibition “Russia in Photos” by Moscow photo artists, participants of art unions “Historical Moscow” and “Moscow+offline”. Research workers of the Museum held tours of the exhibitions “Workshop of Cupboard with Column”, “Abramtsevo-Kudrino Carving” and “Porcelain by Popov Factory”.
The highlight of the event was the musical and poetic evening, devoted to creative works by Boris Pasternak. Poets from Khotkovo and Sergiev Posad, participants of creative unions “Kvadrat” and “Svitok” took part in it. They introduced their poems and songs to the lovers of poetry.
Location: Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” (Khotkovo)
Porcelain is often referred to as “white gold” and it is quite natural as to remember a rarity and high price of this material which was delivered from China to Europe by the caravan route. For a long time alchemists have tried to solve the mystery of “eastern miracle”, but only in 1709 Johann Friedrich Böttger was able to get first stable test samples. In 1710 the first manufacture was founded in Saksony where the porcelain from a recipe by Böttger was produced.
Dmitry Ivanovich Vinogradov was the first Russian chemist who developed Russian hard-paste porcelain and the founder of the Imperial Porcelain Factory.
In the ensuing decades the large number of private porcelain manufactures were established Russia. One of the best known enterprises was the porcelain factory founded by Alexey Popov in Gorbunovo village of the Dmitrovsky district.
The history of the factory begins in 1801, when the commissioner of Franz Gardner K. Milli founded his own porcelain factory in Gorbunovo village. But in 1806 he sold it to the merchant Alexey Popov. Sets for taverns were the first products of the factory but the growth of popularity of Popov’s porcelain was so high, that the factory became to produce more expensive products.
The exhibition “Porcelain by Popov Factory” presents items produced by Popov manufacture. Many works are displayed to the public for the first time. Also the exposition includes items made by European (Meissen, Nymphenburg, Pinkerhammer and others) and Eastern porcelain factories, which works have been a source of inspiration for Russian masters for a long time.
The exhibition is designed for a wide range of audience and will be interested both for specialists and all lovers of Russian porcelain.
Exhibition period: September 17 – December 11, 2016
Location: Polenov's Dacha
September 17, 2016 the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” opened a new exhibition “Savva Mamontov: Everyday Life”, dedicated to the 175th anniversary from the birth of an outstanding industrialist, patron of arts and the founder of Abramtsevo artistic circle. The exhibition got its name from his autobiography: “I am not a writer yet, - wrote Savva Mamontov in age of 28, - not a philosopher, not a profound public person, nothing remains after me – and I am hit in my pride. When I die, my grandson will know only my name, but he won’t learn my everyday life, and it is very offensive.”
Everyday life is depicted in exhibited drawings, photos, documents from the collections of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” and Kostroma Engineering School named after Feodor Chizhov. All the exhibits are united by theme of education in the broadest sense. They tell about both educations in the Mamontov’s family and schools for neighborhood children, founded by wife of Savva Mamontov Elizaveta. Separately, in small hall of the Polenov’s Dacha you will see the materials about educational institutions in the Kostroma province, established by Savva Mamontov under the will of his mentor in the railway business Feodor Chizhov.
Musical Evening “Exiting Sounds of Romance”
October 15, 2015 at 3.00 p.m. Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held the evening of composer, teacher, holder of many diplomas and prizes, laureate of All-Russian contests of musical compositions, laureate and the winner of romance competition named after Pyotr Bulakhov Vera Tinyakova. The romance is her favorite musical expression.
Works by Vera Tinyakova to poetry by Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov, Ivan Turgenev, Alexander Blok and Marina Tsvetaeva were performed by the soloist of the Moscow Philharmonic, the laureate of international contests and the amazing soprano Ekaterina Babich.
Also the program included the performance of piano player, the laureate of international and All-Russian contests Anna Satanovskaya as a presenter.
Admission is free.
Research and Practice Conference “Abramtsevo Readings – 2016”
October 13-14, 2016 the cultural center “Elizaveta Mamontova” (Khotkovo) held a research and practice conference “Abramtsevo Readings – 2016”. The topic “Savva Mamontov in the context of historical and cultural life of Russia during the end of the 19th – the beginning of the 20th centuries” was not selected at random: October 15, 2016 marks the 175th anniversary of the birthday of the founder of Abramtsevo Artistic Circle, an outstanding industrialist and patron of arts Savva Mamontov.
The researchers, fine art experts, local historians and representatives of certain professions and the fields of activity took part in the conference.
Photo Exhibition “Savva Mamontov: an Entrepreneur and a Patron” in Khotkovo
From September, 24 to November 1, 2016 the Cultural Centre “Elizaveta Mamontova” (Khotkovo) holds an exhibition “Savva Mamontov: an Entrepreneur and a Patron”, dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the Birth of Savva Mamontov.
Exposition includes copies of historical photos from the collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”, which reflect many-sided activities of Savva Mamontov. Among them are the portraits of famous artists, who often visited Abramtsevo and Moscow house of the Mamontovs, and pictures depicting the construction of Moscow-Yaroslavl-Arkhangelsk Railway Road.
Exhibition “Stories about Sunny Tiles”
Exhibition period: September 16 – October 23, 2016
Location: Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” (Khotkovo)
Exhibition presents Russian tiles of the 17th-19th centuries from the collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. Russian tile is a special phenomenon; it reflects centuries-old traditions of national ceramic manufacture, which were fared by experiences of Belorussian, Dutch and Swedish masters, and it has created the synthesis of plots characteristic both for Russian and European arts.
In a living tradition a term “tile” means ceramic glazed planch with holder on the back, designed for furnace décor or architectural structures.
The name of exhibition “Stories about Sunny Tiles” refers to self-titled research of remarkable art historian Yury Ovsyannikov, the base of which is the stories about the brightest periods of tile art. Any museum item has its’ own destiny and its’ own life way. And about any tile from the exposition it is possible to tell a short story.
The exhibition introduces visitors to a separate stage of tile art – the 18th century, particularly named “The Gold age of Russian tile”. Exposition also presents tiles of the 17th and the 19th centuries which can help to understand former and further evolution of this decorative art. The important place of the exhibition belongs to the ceramic tiles by Mikhail Vrubel and other artists of Abramtsevo workshop, which became a spectacular event in the history of tile art.
"Abramtsevo Landscape" at Vyatka Art Museum
The exhibition “Abramtsevo Landscape” is opened at Vyatka Art Museum. The exposition presents 50 picturesque and graphic works from the collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. A muted beauty of Abramtsevo nature: the Vorya river, estate ponds and alleys, hills and small woods, is depicted on canvases by Vasiliy Polenov, Mikhail Nesterov, Konstantin Korovin, Ilya Ostroukhov, Isaak Levitan and, of course, the brothers Vasnetsovs, whose names Vyatka Museum bears. A chronicle of life of Abramtsevo Estate of the last third of the 19th century is captured in enlarged copies of historical photos, which the visitors could see. The exhibition is devoted to the 175th anniversary of birth of the founder of Abramtsevo artistic circle Savva Mamontov.
The exposition includes also paintings from the funds of Vyatka Art Museum. Among them such works as a study “Forest” to the painting “The Snow Maiden” by Viktor Vasnetsov, “Moscow Surroundings” by Apollinary Vasnetsov and “The Bridge across the Vorya River” by Andrey Vasnetsovare presented.
Exhibition “Minotavriya. Painting by Viktor Zvyagintsev, Tatiana Malyukova, Ekaterina Lebedeva. To the Cross Year of Greece and Russia”
Exhibition period: September 10 – October 9, 2016
Location: the department "Russian artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo"
2016 is the Cross Year of Greece and Russia. This exhibition project of Moscow artists Viktor Zvyagintsev, Tatiana Malyukova and Ekaterina Lebedeva is inspired by the meeting of Minos and Greece. The department “Russian artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” presents easel works and ceramic experiences of painters.
Contrary to the name, the exhibition doesn’t shows mythological or animalistic paintings, it is quite different. It is about spatial color and perception of a painting as the picturesque reality with specificity of the light, mood and feeling.
Greece or more exactly mystical island Crete had happened in creative life of the artists in 2014. And ancient Crete has been in their life during 10 years. They literally have walked on paths of Taurus in New World, have swum its bays, have seen many junipers of its relict grove and depicted everything on their paintings.
The artists united the canvases with landscape motives of Crete and New World in one expositional area. In the name "Minotavriya" they gave a hint at the Minotaur, who lived in Knossos labyrinth, and cyclopean Taurus, whose paths and sacred gorges are still in beautiful Tavrida.
Musical Evening “In Traditions of the Mamontov’s Opera”
September 24, 2016 at 19.00 o’clock a musical evening “In traditions of the Mamontov’s Opera” was held in the Manor House of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. The soloist of Bolshoi Theatre Marat Gali (tenor) and Honored Artist of Russia, the soloist of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre Olga Guryakova (soprano) will appear before the Abramtsevo audience.
This event is on the occasion of this year’s 175th anniversary from the birth of Savva Mamontov.Savva Mamontov became the founder of the first Russian Opera theatre that was opened by the performance of the opera by Alexander Dargomigsky “The Mermaid” with decorations by Viktor Vasnetsov in 1885. Russian Private Opera has done much for national theatrical art and propaganda of Russian Opera heritage.
The concert program included works performed by Mamontov’s Russian Private Opera.
Musical Evening “In Traditions of the Mamontov’s Opera”
September 24, 2016 at 19.00 o’clock a musical evening “In traditions of the Mamontov’s Opera” was held in the Manor House of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. The soloist of Bolshoi Theatre Marat Gali (tenor) and Honored Artist of Russia, the soloist of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre Olga Guryakova (soprano) will appear before the Abramtsevo audience.
This event is on the occasion of this year’s 175th anniversary from the birth of Savva Mamontov.Savva Mamontov became the founder of the first Russian Opera theatre that was opened by the performance of the opera by Alexander Dargomigsky “The Mermaid” with decorations by Viktor Vasnetsov in 1885. Russian Private Opera has done much for national theatrical art and propaganda of Russian Opera heritage.
The concert program included works performed by Mamontov’s Russian Private Opera.
Musical Evening at Abramtsevo
September 5, 2016 a concert of the graduate of Moscow Children’ Art School No. 17, a student of Gnessin State Musical College, the winner of international and all-Russian competitions Yuly Mistyukov was held in the department “Russian artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo”.
The director, teachers and students of Khotkovo Children’s musical school No. 6 came to enjoy the live performance and to gain musical experience.
In coming days the musician will take part in international contest of accordion and bayan players “The World Cup” which is the first to be held in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. We wish him luck in this musical competition!
Location: Polenov’s Dacha of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”
August 5, 2016 Polenov’s Dacha of the Museum –Reserve “Abramtsevo” opens a new exhibition “Impressed by the Light. To the 100th anniversary from the birth of Andrey Lysenko. Painting of the 1940-1960s from the collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” and the artist’s family”. Exhibition continues the series of art projects, dedicated to masters of Novo-Abramtsevo community.
The elder generation remember a name of the Honored Artist of Russia Andrey Lysenko (1916-2000), an author of many works of the socialistic realism, such as “1941” (1961), “Protected Moscow” (1965), “Do Russians want the war?” (1984) on printed press. His works were replicated on postcards, stamps, in magazines.
The exhibition presents the art works of the master in a more restrictive sense. Being a pupil of famous painters of the 20th century – Boris Ioganson, Igor Grabar, Aristarkh Lentulov, Andrey Lysenko became a successor of traditions of Moscow school of painting. Names of his teachers are inseparably linked to Abramtsevo, and in 1967 the artist bought the summerhouse in artistic village and became a member of “Novo-Abramtsevo” cooperative. Here he created a variety of radiant landscapes, natural portraits of his relatives and close people, interiors of Abramtsevo house.
This exhibition might be interesting for to a wider range of audience. Probably, most people will feel “nostalgic" feelings for the "good-old" times, other could learn more about his works. In different years the artist was influenced by various schools or courses. He was fascinated by the Wanderers (Peredvizhniki), by socialistic realism, or he was in search of something new in “romantic realism”. But during all his creative life the artist was inspired and impressed by the light. By the light of life.
Location: Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” (Khotkovo)
August 3, 2016 the Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” opened new exhibition about the Orenburg-made downy shawls. It presents works by Orenburg knitters from funds of Orenburg Regional Museum of Fine Arts which houses the only collection in Russia of downy shawls.
Downy pieces of Orenburg masters have long became widely known not only in Russia, but far beyond its borders. Today it is a part of Russian cultural heritage. The Orenburg Shawl takes one of the honorable places among the traditional handicrafts of Russia. Downy shawls, scarves, stoles made by Orenburg knitters are valuable and unique examples of folk art.
This type of finely knit, down-hair lace shawl originated in the Orenburg area in the second half of the 18th century.
The Orenburg shawls are unrivalled in the fineness of work, originality of weave, elasticity, the strength of the fabric and the ability to keep warm. The open-work shawls (or so called “spider webs”) are most elegant. They are often called "wedding ring shawls" because, although the shawls are quite large, a shawl knit in the traditional fashion is so fine that it can be pulled through a wedding ring.
Famous glorified Orenburg shawl inspires wonder and admiration by all its beauty. Its visible tangible weightlessness, made by skilled masters-knitters, is a hymn to incredible richness of peoples’ talents, their creative fantasy and capable hands.
The exhibition introduces visitors to the works of the best knitters; it presents more than 30 items such as shawls, scarves and stoles. Guests could learn about the unique features of the dawn of local breed of goats and could follow the basic steps of the development of the craft.
On Monday, August 29, 2016 the Museum-Reserve celebrated the Day of the Savior – the Abramtsevo Church holiday.
At 10.00 o’clock a solemn liturgy took place in the Church of the Savior at Abramtsevo. The Superior General of the Church of Akhtyrsk icon of the Mother of God, archpriest Boris Mozhaev conducted a divine service.
After it a literary-musical program “The Savior” performed by theatre class of Children’s Art Shool No. 17 (Moscow) under direction of Natalya Bolshukhina was shown.
Then in Servants’ House of the Museum a performance for children “The Scarlet Flower” was held by a theatre school “O.S.T.R.O.V.” (Sergiyev Posad) directed by Galina Bakhareva.
Pupils from Khotkovo and Sergiev Posad including children with disabilities and children from orphanages under the patronage of social organization “SIDI” visited the event.
The event was attended by the great-grandson of Savva Mamontov Sergey Chernishov, his daughter Elizaveta and his granddaughters. Mr. Chernishev warmly welcomed all participants of the holiday and introduced his young granddaughter Vera named after her famous great grandmother “A Girl with Peaches” Vera Mamontova.
The All-Russian Action “Night of Cinema” at Abramtsevo
August 27, 2016 within the framework of All-Russian action “Night of Cinema” the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” screened the films, devoted to the history of Abramtsevo estate, its owners and guests.
In the Servants’ House a documental and historical film “The Aksakovs. Family Chronicles. Part 1” (The Director Igor Kalyadin) created by the order of TV Channel “Culture” was shown.
After the documental and historical film “Here is as a garden, no sadness…” about destiny of descedants of Vasiliy Polenov was shown.
In the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” from 10.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. the documental films “The Russian Artist Alexey Shmarinov” and “The Shmarinovs. Dynasty” were presented.
August 28, 2016 the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held the artistic exhibition-fair. This event took place at 2 sites: in the Museum park and in front of the Manor House. Many masters of fine arts, decorative and applied arts presented their works. Various entertaining and useful master-classes were held.
The Exhibitions of Alexey Shmarinov and Elena Suav are Going on
Dear Friends!
We are pleased to inform you that exhibitions “Alexey Shmarinov. Walks through Italy” and “The Felicity. Painting and Collection of African Art” by Elena Suav in the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” were of great interest to all visitors and received a lot of positive feedbacks. In this regard their work will continue till September 4, 2016.
Exhibition “The Felicity. Painting and Collection of African Art” by Elena Suav
Exhibition period: July 30 – August 28, 2016
Location: the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo”, the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”
This exhibition is dedicated to a great romantic, the world-wide known scientist-paleontologist and science-fiction writer, one of the brightest representatives of cosmic consciousness, who lived and worked in Abramtsevo, Ivan Efremov.
At the beginning of the 20th century the searches of new artistic means of expression led researches to invention of unique source of inspiration in traditional arts of the peoples of the world, whether it be the national Russian art, that was collected and studied by Abramtsevo Artistic Circle, or African art, or the giant monoliths of the mysterious Easter Island, or primeval art of Siberia.
Exposition of works by the artist Elena Suav, who is already familiar to the audience of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” from the exhibition “The Pedestrians in Time”, continues theme of succession of times, carrying over a place of her creative work from Old-Russian town Kitezh to a present-day Africa, that preserved its culture and traditions since ancient times.
Attention of the artist is focused on a search of expression of that particular spirit and culture, that belongs to the heroes of her works – representatives of people, who gave the world the greatest African art, that in many ways determined the occurrence of the mainstream of art of the 20th century – Russian avant-garde.
Elena Suav is the Moscow artist, a member of the Moscow Union of Artists, graduated from the Moscow Academic Art Institute named after V.I. Surikov. Then trained at the creativity workshop of theatrical-decorative art under the direction of Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, Peoples’ Artist of Russia Mikhail Kurilko-Rjumin. She is the Diploma Winner of the Russian Academy of Arts. Since 2010 to 2013 – an expert of ISAG (Institute of Fine Arts of the republic Guinea). Her works are in the collection of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts, in the Museum of Russian Art (MoRA) in USA, New Jersey City, in private collections in Russia and abroad.
Exhibition “Alexey Shmarinov. Walks through Italy”
Exhibition period: July 30 – August 28, 2016
Location: the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo”, the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”
From July, 30 to August, 28 an exhibition “Alexey Shmarinov. Walks through Italy. Graphics, watercolors, drawing” began its work in the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo”. Visitors could see inspired by trips in sunny and hospitable Italy the watercolors and graphic works by the greatest master, the People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, Repin Prize Laureate, and the Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts Alexey Shmarinov.
The picturesque Italian places, treasures of world art, faces and characters of Italians, narrow streets, bridges, highways, sounds, lights and shadows of big cities – everything was reflected in the master’s works. Among exhibited works there are the watercolors “The Traces of History. Italy” (1989), “Rome. Villa Abamelek” (1883), “Neapol in the Rising Sun” (1982), and a cycle of graphic drawings “From Rome to Florence”.
An art by Alexey Shmarinov is famous and recognized in Russia and abroad. His works are in major Museum collections. The loyalty to the best realistic traditions of domestic and world art, open mindedness, completeness of his artistic perception of the world – exactly these traits it is possible to see in his works. The exhibitions allows you to get acquainted with Italian culture, life of Italian people of that time, to walk along streets and squares of Rome, Genoa, Milan, Pompeii, Naples, Florence and to look the world art masterpieces through the eyes of the artist.
The Exhibition “The Workshop of Cupboard with Column” Is Going on
Dear Friends!
We are pleased to inform you that the exhibition “The workshop of cupboard with column” in Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” was of great interest to all visitors and received a lot of positive feedback. In this regard its work will continue in July.
You are welcome!
An Open-Air Vernissage in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”
Continuing the tradition, July 30, 2016 the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held an open-air art vernissage. It was organized in the form of fair exhibition and there was offered various master-classes.
July 8 is the day of the Assumption of the martyr Fevroniya and Orthodox Prince Peter. The Saint Peter and Fevroniya who lived in Murom in the 18th century became the protectors of family and marriage, an example of mutual love and family happiness during their lifetime.
A solemn liturgy took place in the Church of the Savior at Abramtsevo. The Superior General of the Church of Akhtyrsk icon of the Mother of God, archpriest Boris Mozhaev conducted a divine service. Then the staff of the Museum and parishioners warmly congratulated him on his 75th anniversary. With the blessing of rector of Moscow ecclesiastical schools Archbishop the Vereysk Evgeniy the Choir of Moscow spiritual academy performed before an audience.
Continuing the tradition, in this day the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held the charitable holiday for the children from Sunday schools of Khotkovo, for disabled children and pupils from orphanages and boarding schools – public organization “SIDI” (“The Moment of Hope”), the Orphanage “The Birch” (“Berezka”) and a city social rehabilitation center for young people of Sergiyev Posad.
For guests of the event the entertaining excursions in the Manor House, various master-classes and gorodki game were organized.
Holiday Program about Mamontov’s Theatre for Children
An art course of the Summer School “Play Theatre” continues in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. July 10, 2016 the Museum held the children’s Sunday program which was devoted to theatrical decorative art.
Young guests of the Museum – pupils from Moscow, Sergiyev Posad, Dmitrov, Korolev, Khotkovo heard the story about the appearance of decorative art. They learned about theatrical art of Abramtsevo Artistic Circle, how the decorations were made for one of the most famous performances of the circle – play by Alexander Ostrovsky “The Snow Maiden” and how Abramtsevo artists such as Vasily Polenov, Viktor Vasnetsov, Valentin Serov designed the stage and home plays.
The lesson of Summer School was held in theatrical hall of the Manor House. And then in creative workshop together with the Museum teachers-artists children made their own stage model with sketches of the scenery.
Abramtsevo Took Part in the Nekrasov Poetry Festival
July 2, 2016 the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” took part in the 49th All-Russian Poetry Festival named after Nikolay Nekrasov which traditionally took place in the State Literary and Memorial Museum-Reserve of N.A. Nekrasov "Karabikha".
The Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” prepared the children’s literary program “Prose about Nature” that attracted not only children but also adults.
Karabikha is the estate of a poet Nikolay Nekrasov in the past, and here were written his most famous works, such as “Moroz, Red Nose”, “Russian Women”, “Who Is Happy in Russia?”.
The Nekrasov Festival is held annually and brings together not only poetry lovers but also the literary museums. This year the holiday marks the date of the 195th years from the birth of the poet, the 70th anniversary of the Museum House “Karabikha” and the 80th anniversary of the Yaroslavl Region. Moreover, the president of Russia Vladimir Putin had signed a decree about commemoration of the 200th anniversary of birth of the poet in 2021.
Abramtsevo is a Birth Place of “The Worker and Kolkhoz Woman” Sculpture. For the Birthday Anniversary of Vera Mukhina
July 1, 2016 is the 127th anniversary of the birth of Vera Mukhina (1889-1953), a talented Soviet monumentalist, People's Artist of the USSR and USSR State Prize winner.
Vera Mukhina is the author of “The Worker and Kolkhoz Woman” sculpture (architect Boris Iophan). She designed this work in her summerhouse in Abramtsevo, where she settled in 1934. The sculpture has made a deep impression at the International exhibition of 1937 in Paris, where it crowned the Soviet pavilion. Opposite it was the pavilion of Germany that was built in form of the Roman numeral III and was crowned by an eagle – the coat of arms of the Third Reich. The contemporaries understood this “confrontation” as a symbolic “battle of ideas”. Later the sculpture was installed at the Exhibition Centre VDNKh in Moscow and has become an emblem of Mosfilm Studio.
Contests in the Framework of All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower”
Dear Friends!
From March 15 to May 15, 2016 the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” holds the contest of children’s drawing and contest of photo within the framework of All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower”, dedicated to the 225th anniversary of the birth of the writer Sergey Aksakov.
The subject of children’s drawing contest is an illustration to the literary work by Sergey Aksakov “Childhood Years of Bagrov Grandson”(follow this link and download the book).
Themes of photo works for the contest are the following:
“Memorial places, related to life and creative work by Sergey Aksakov”;
“Hunting and angling: interaction with nature”;
“Family Chronicle: moral destiny”.
This festival contemplates the cooperation with a wide range of audience and implementation of social projects.
The Exhibition “The Beasts Are Walking Slowly…” is extended
Dear friends and guests of our Museum!
Inform you that our exhibition about “Walking Beasts of Beauty Never Seen…” is extended till June 5, 2016.
This exhibition is truly interesting for all visitors, especially for children, who at once begin to count animals.
We strongly encourage visiting the exhibition – you will get a storm of positive emotions!
Soon the holiday of June 1, International Children’s Day. Come with your family!
To the Day of Slavic Script and Culture
Following the tradition established last years, May 24, 2016 the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held festive events dedicated to the Day of Slavic Script and Culture. This day the Orthodox Church glorifies the creators of Slavonic Script the holy Equal Apostles Brothers Kirill and Mephodiy. The Museum-Reserve celebrates the date of May 24 as the holiday of Russian book and Russian education, the day of Russian word, preservation of Russian language and national culture. A topic of the events of the Day of Slavonic Script and Culture in Arts and Crafts Department was determined as “Fairy-Tale World of Elena Polenova”.
Elena Polenova (27.11.1850, St. Petersburg – 19.11.1898, Moscow) is justly called the first Russian artist. She addressed to the Russian national traditions and created a bright tendency in modern art and design, having worked in a various art kinds and genres: from illustration to architecture, including graphics and decorative and applied art. Elena Polenova painted landscapes, historical paintings, studied in-depth and illustrated Russian fairy-tales.
Many years of her creative work were linked to Abramtsevo and Radonezh land. In Abramtsevo in 1886 Elena Polenova made the first illustrations to fairy-tales. Children’s fairy-tales became a special page in an art of the artist. Since that time and till the end of her life she did not left her lovely work. During the walks in surrounding villages she actively collected folklore for her illustrations. During 12 years Elena Polenova made illustrations for more than 20 Russian folk tales and proverbs, moreover especially she liked plots that are archetypal for Russian culture, not borrowed from abroad literary sources. Only one fairy tale “War of Mushrooms” illustrated by Elena Polenova has been published during her lifetime. However the high quality artistry of her works stimulated her followers.
Some her ideas in book’s design had subsequently been developed by artists of the union “World of Art”, and such masters as Ivan Bilibin, Sergey Malyutin, Georgiy Narbut, Dmitriy Mitrokhin, Vladimir Konashevich, Yury Vasnetsov saw themselves as her pupils and followers.
Pupils of Khotkovo general education school No. 5, pupils of Khotkovo art school “Steps” and the pupils from Art School named after Elena Polenova visited the exhibition “The Workshop of Cupboard with Column”, which presents works by Abramtsevo joinery according to the sketches by Elena Polenova, saw her watercolour drawings and picturesque paintings. Children were told about the cycle of fairy-tale illustrations by Elena Polenova, were showed illustrations on a plasma screen and were read some fairy-tales. Finally the children answered the questions of entertaining quiz.
May 21, 2016 the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held a grand and colorful holiday “Night in the Museum” traditionally devoted to the International Day of the Museums. Neither the cloudy weather, nor rain could overshadow an exhilaration of our guests and the participants of action. It’s really hard to describe a scale of the holiday: more than 120 performers on 5 scenes, many children and adults in elegant antique costumes, dances, songs, reciting of poems and many other!
* With a sinking heart young viewers were watching the dramatic history of life of the Hegumen of Russian country St. Sergius of Radonezh (Theatre of Shadows of the School near the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Businovo under the direction of Natalya and Ivan the Salman). The performance of theatrical class of Children’s Art School No. 17 (Moscow, teacher N. Bolshukhina) gathered a full room of guests.
* In this dreary day the Laureates of international and all-Russian contests Yuliy Mistyukov (the accordion) and Arseniy Zakharov pleased the guests of the event with the beautiful music. Concertmaster of Children’s Art School No. 17 and member of the Russian Composer Union Mikhail Simakov accompanied Alexey Butov (the flute).
* Anna and Maria the Shirshovs, Denis Khadzhimuratov, Eugenia Ananieva became the winners of Quest about the history of Abramtsevo estate.
* The winners of Audience Recognition Contests became ensemble of gusle players “Live Water” headed by Egor Strelnikov, and a toy master Tatiana Gromova. They received gifts and tickets of guest of honour of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
This year All-Russian action “Night of the Museums” was dedicated to the Year of Russian Cinema. That is why in Abramtsevo all the comers could watch films, the plot of which is closely links with the history of Abramtsevo estate, with owners of this place during the 19th century – the Aksakovs and the Mamontovs families.
The first film was created by a moviemaker, who often visits Abramtsevo is Mikhail Demurov. “Here is as a garden, no sadness…”, this documental film is devoted to Russian emigrants, it is a narration about destiny of Maria Polenova, who guested at Abramtsevo many times.
Honored Worker of Arts, film maker Igor Kalyadin performed before the guests. Thanks to his talent and professionalism in 2010 a unique video project “Family Chronicles. The Aksakovs” was launched on TV channel “Culture”.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, the legendary pilot-cosmonaut of the Soviet Union, a research scientist, and now the President of the State University of Land Use Planning (in the past it had a name “Land Institute” firstly headed by Sergey Aksakov) Viktor Savinyh came to Abramtsevo with his family. The descedants of the Aksakovs old noble family Tatiana Aksakova-Kuleshova and her husband, Doctor of Historic Sciences, an author of many articles and monographs about the Aksakovs family Valeriy Zhuravlev also visited our “Night in the Museum”. Thanks to him the book “The Aksakovs: Family encyclopaedia” was issued in 2015. The distinguished guests visited the Manor house and immersed into an incredible atmosphere of life of past owners of the Estate.
The representatives and students of the State University of Land Use Planning came to the action with the latest scientific results.
Also the participants of the festival at Abramtsevo became:
* music ensembles of Khotkovo: a constant participant and winner of the regional contests the Orchestra of Russian folk instruments “ Kolorit” directed by the Merited Worker of Culture N.I. Afanasieva; the Ensemble of accordion players “Mosaic” directed by L.V. Romanicheva and the Folk Ensemble “Khotkovskie Zatei” directed by Mikhail and Ludmila the Razvodovs;
* students of choreography branch of Children’s Art School No. 17 (Moscow, teacher – A.N. Golubeva);
* people’s team of Art Song Studio “Zhuravlinaya Rodina” (“Homeland of Cranes”) directed by V.R. and S.I. the Tsivkins:
* choreography teams of Sergiev Posad district directed by the choreographer A.N. Sleptsova - People’s choreography team “Kalinka” and Exemplary team “Solnishko” (“Sun”).
The soloist of “Song and Dance Academic Ensemble of the Russian Interior Ministry troops”, Laureate of international contests, a famous balalaika player and virtuoso Ivan Pivovarov and a concertmaster Anna Satanovskaya performed on two stages – in the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” and in the final concert in Manor house. Charming classic music has taken root in people’s hearts, and the estate seemed to come alive, having returned into time of musical performances of the Mamontov’s Circle.
Thanks to the open-air vernissage with participation of artists and craftsmen from different towns of Moscow region the action “Night in the Museum” became a harmonic consonance of music and art.
Location: department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo”
May 21, 2016 the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” opens a new exhibition “Vera Aralova. She wrote time” in the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo”.
Vera Aralova is a legendary name. Do you remember a black child from the movie “The Circus” starring Lyubov Orlova? This is James Patterson, the eldest son of Vera Aralova. Most recently the first channel of Central TV showed the series “The Red Queen” about a fashion model Regina Zbarskaya. Her professional destiny was closely linked to Vera Aralova, who in the 1950s worked as a fashion designer at the Central House of Models. Exactly the collection of clothes designed by Vera Aralova was the first Soviet collection that was presented in Paris and which has won recognition of sophisticated French fashion designers. One of the divisions of the exhibition is “The Studio of Fashion Designer” with samples of clothes of the 1950s from the collection of Moscow Museum of Fashion, original graphics by Vera Aralova and the portrait of Regina Zbarskaya.
Another interesting and important section of the exhibition is “Theatre”. Vera Aralova was an outstanding stage designer. She began to work in Kamerny Theatre directed by Alexander Tairov, then in Meyerhold theatre, and later she worked as a costume designer in the Moscow Art Theatre (MHAT), in Mossovet Theatre, in “Romen”, in Moscow Pushkin Drama Theatre, in the Moscow Young People's Theatre and in Lenkom Theatre. Costumes from the Museum of MHAT, in which the greatest Alla Tarasova and Angelina Stepanova performed, and also the sketches of costumes by Vera Aralova to the performances of different years will be displayed at the exhibition in Abramtsevo.
Vera Aralova is Abramtsevo artist and spectator. From 1959 she settled in her summerhouse in Abramtsevo and painted there. Pictural section of exhibition mostly reveals the meaning of the exhibition “She wrote time”. There are no ideological platforms in painting by Aralova. This is chamber painting of good colorist, who understands an essence of art image and feels keenly an aesthetic of time.
Many honored guests attended opening of the exhibition: People's Artist of Russia Svetlana Nemolyaeva, son of Vera Aralova a cameraman Tom Patterson, an art expert and art-director of the Central House of Artists on Krymsky shaft, 10 Natalya Avgustinovich, People’s Artist of Russian, full member of the Russian Academy of Arts Sergey Alimov, Honored Worker of Arts of Russia Ivan Rybakov and others.
Our Congratulations with the International Day of Museums!
Dear Colleagues,
Let each new visitor, who comes in your Museum, feels a pleasant surprise and emotional lift, and when leaving – everyone has a sweet sense of joy, a feeling of gratitude and the desire of future meetings.
We wish you inspiration, creative success, happiness and beauty!
We send our congratulations with the International Day of Museums!
Best regards,
The Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”
To Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War
May 8, 2016 on the eve of Victory Day the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held a flower-laying ceremony at the memorial in the memory of military hospital, which was in the estate during the years of the Great Patriotic War.
Venue: Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” (Kooperativnaya Street 23, Khotkovo)
This unique and wonderful exhibition shows more than one hundred works by the prominent Russian artists and masters! Visitors could see the famous Abramtsevo-Kudrino wood carving and will have the opportunity to look at the sketches of outstanding artists.
Do you know what is “the cupboard with column” and the purpose of it? In what exhibition in 1900 did the wood carved items win the gold medal? What the grand conception was the beginning of establishment of not only Abramtsevo workshop, but also the numerous artels and the whole direction of Russian crafts in different provinces of Russia? What role has the workshop played in the estate preservation during the revolution?
Visit us to find inspiration, new discoveries and impressions!
Opening of the exhibition is April 22 at 14.00 p.m.
Read more about the exhibition in the section "Exhibitions".
The Museum-Reserve is grateful to Oleg Danilov for the photos.
Dear Friends!
In the name of our Museum we congratulate you on the coming Easter of Christ!
Maslenitsa in Full Swing
Maslenitsa with carnival celebrations, entertainments, plays, songs and dances, master classes, fascinating excursions in the Museum and traditional food and drinks began in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. March 13 there will be the Great Maslenitsa with its burning.
Order Phones: +7 (496) 543-24-70; +7 (916) 278-45-42
You are welcome!
The channel “Radoneje” came to us and got acquainted with Maslenitsa traditions and opened in Polenov's Dacha exhibition “The beasts are walking slowly of beauty never seen…”.
Exhibition “The Beasts are Walking Slowly of Beauty Never Seen…”
Exhibition Period: March 4 – April 15, 2016
Venue: Polenov’s Dacha, the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”
It’s a rare case, when we collected the images of Abramtsevo animals in one exhibition! Thanks to artists our animals "are walking" on the cabinets, tables, chairs, ceramics, picturesque paintings, and on graphic and sculptural works. The exposition keeps a fascinating play from visitors: you can find and reveal the hidden animal images on each presented work, and here are more than 100 items, all but one of them. And there will always appear an attentive one who will find this unique exhibit without animal depiction! Are you interested in it?
Hurry up to look at the famous Abramtsevo owls, fabulous beasts, sea maidens, cats, fishes and the Mamontovs’ beloved pet “Snezhok” which was drawn by Valentin Serov.
Welcome to Polenov’s Dacha of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” from March 4 to April 15, 2016!
Don’t forget to take your children!
Read more about the exhibition in the section "Exhibitions".
New in Exhibition of Paintings by “Jack of Diamonds”
There have been significant changes in the exposition of exhibition “Picturesque Painting” or “Jack of Diamonds at Abramtsevo”. Our visitor will be able to look at for the first time being exhibited canvas by Pyotr Konchalovsky “Blossomed Apple-tree” (1937) and later works by Robert Falk (the end of 1940s – the beginning of 1950s), painted round Abramtsevo. The exposition became more retrospective, and this adds a new dimension and intensity to it. It is worth visiting again for a magic of Falk’s paintings!
Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve invites you to participate in the Maslenitsa Program between 7-12 March 2016, and the Great Maslenitsa in March 13, 2016.
Old entertainments and plays, master classes, involving tours and traditional Russian eats and drinks with samovar are waiting for you.
Maslenitsa is the best way to get acquainted with Russian Shrovetide customs and to enjoy a fantastic carnival.
Price for adults – 950 rubles, for children – 750 rubles.
Order Phones: +7 (496) 543-24-70; +7 (916) 278-45-42
Welcome to our Museum!
Exhibition “Abramtsevo Landscape” at Elabuga
Exhibition Period: since March 3, 2016
Venue: Elabuga State Historical-Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
Citizens and guests of Elabuga could see the collection of more than 58 original pictorial canvases of such world-renowned Russian artists as Isaak Levitan, Viktor and Apollinary the Vasnetsovs, Vasily and Elena the Polenovs, Pyotr Konchalovsky, Ilya Ostroukhov, Konstantin Korovin, Mikhail Nesterov, Vasily Rozhdestvensky, Robert Falkand the others.
Landscape works prevailed in the creative work of masters of the Abramtsevo Artistic Circle since the late 1870s, when this genre was still considered as a secondary in native fine arts. The artists liked Abramtsevo as the open-air working place for “trustworthy talks with nature”.
Visitors of this exhibition will be able to embrace a spirit and beauty of Abramtsevo through works by the greatest painters, to feel that magic atmosphere of masters’ work.
Exhibition “Vera Mamontova. Girl with Peaches”
Exhibition Period: February 9 – March 13, 2016
Venue: Kremlin Palace of Congresses (lobby). Vosdvizhenka street 1, Moscow
The exhibition presents photos from the collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. There you will see the first years of Vera’s life, moments of Manor’s life, her close circle – relatives, friends and famous artists.
Exhibition “Milusha – a Girl from the Portrait by Valentin Serov”
Exhibition Period: February 19 – April 10, 2016
Venue: the Novgorod State United Museum-Reserve (Novgorod the Great)
The heroin of this portrait is the niece of Savva Mamontov Ludmila. Milusha is her shortcut gentle name that was used in the Mamontovs family ambience. Something had drawn the attention of the artist to this girl, Serov came back to the process of her portrayal several times. Perhaps, visiting the exhibition you could reply to this question and to unravel a mystery of Serov’s muse.
The exhibition was ceremonially opened by the director of the Novgorod State United Museum-Reserve Natalya Vasilieva, the director of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” Elena Voronina and the exhibition's curators Irina Vasilieva and Andrey Gorodnyanskiy.
In the middle of April the exhibition will be moving into the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
Read more about the exhibition in the section "Exhibitions".
Location: Arts and Crafts Department (Kooperativnaya Street 23, Khotkovo)
Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” opened the new exhibition “Mix of use and beauty. Metal ware from the collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. The Metal collection includes more than 250 items, the most interesting of which will be presented to the audience.
Creating the domestic implements, masters tried to make them both practical and beautiful. Elegant twisted legs of candlesticks, various shapes and forms of samovars (boiling tanks), perfectly made sculptures of clocks – the beauty of metal attached an aesthetic value to the usual utility objects. That is exactly why amazingly blended use and beauty are united in every exhibit.
Come to our exhibition that will give you a good spirit and will charm by its ancient atmosphere!
Read more about the exhibition in the section "Exhibitions".
The exhibition “Picturesque Painting” of creative union “Jackof Diamonds” found a warm response among our visitors including young art lovers (going by comments book).
We are glad to inform all friends of Abramtsevo: the exhibition will continue its work till March 13, 2016.
Exhibition “Picturesque Painting”. Works by Artists of “Jack of Diamonds”
Dates: December 25, 2015 – March 13, 2016
Location: Department “Russian Artists of the XXth century in Abramtsevo”
December 25, 2015 the unique exhibition by the masters of art group “Jack of Diamonds” was opened in the department “Russian Artists of the XXth century in Abramtsevo”. Within an ironical-serious (by definition of the artists) framework “Picturesque Painting”, the exhibition presents to public more than 50 works by Pyotr Konchalovsky, Ilya Mashkov, Aristarkh Lentulov, Robert Falk, Vasiliy Rozhdestvensky, Nadezhda Udaltsova, Olga Rozanova and Elizaveta Potekhina.
Special attention shall be given to the works by Aristarkh Lentulov from his vivid experimental period of 1913, which the artist called as “colour dynamic”.
The visitor can see the miraculously preserved friezes by Pyotr Konchalovsky from 1909, which were made for merchant house from Ivanovo-Voznesensk. The merchant rejected and called them “bad done work”.
The connoisseurs of painting will be delighted with one of the earliest self-portraits of Robert Falk and will be pleasantly surprised by picturesque portrait of his first wife Elizaveta Potekhina.
The main idea of the exhibition is “the focus of Abramtsevo”. What does it mean? Come to the exhibition and see all by yourself!
Read more about the exhibition in the section "Exhibitions".
Transfer of Cultural Values from the Russian Federal Customs Service
January 26, 2015 in the International Day of Customs Officers, the employees of the Russian Federal Customs Service in cooperation with Sheremetyevo Customs donated cultural values to the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
The painting “Forest Landscape” and two books on French language by Molière have been found in a U.S. citizen by the officers of Sheremetyevo Customs in November 2003 during the procedure of customs control of flight from Moscow to Paris. Art and merchandising examinations confirmed that goods have cultural and historical value.
The representatives of the Federal Customs Service noticed that for a long time this is a momentous event, and objects of art were returned to the hands of professionals, who shall see the true value and present them to the public. The Director of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” confirmed that the objects will be examined and will take a worthy place in the permanent museum exposition.
After a solemn ceremony media agents interviewed the scientific employees of Abramtsevo Museum – Anna Kuznetsova and Svetlana Volkova.
The photos present the representatives of the Russian Federal Customs Service Andrey Kotyaev, Natalya Karaseva, the representative of Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation Nikolay Chernyshev, Director of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” Elena Voronina, scientific employees of the Museum Anna Kuznetsova and Svetlana Volkova, the museum employees and media agents.
An Architect Grigory Serov, the Grandson of the Artist Valentin Serov
January 15, 2016 an outstanding event took place at the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” – Grigory Serov with his wife Florance visited the Museum. This trip was possible with the help of Solzhenitsyn House for the Russian Diaspora.
Grandson of Valentin Serov lives in Beirut, speaks Russian well and is known in his native land as an architect, who designed a lot of state and private buildings both in Livan and abroad. Moreover, Grigory Serov paints in water-colours and jokes, that he is “an artist also”. Mister Serov noticed that he saw many interesting works by Valentin Serov, which he had never seen before; especially he was delighted to look at the studies of the artist. In particular, Grigory Serov as the professional architect highly appreciated the sketches of decorations to home performances by Savva Mamontov, made by the members of Abramtsevo Circle: “These sketches are wonderful and they prove how people of art without being architects feel the space”.
The wife of Grigory Serov Florance is also an artistic person, she sings, embroiders and is interested in music and painting. She highly appreciated the preservation of the Manor House and its exhibits, but her particular attention was focused in family photos, which show the grandfather of her husband in age of 22 years. From black and white photo the dapper and gimlet eyed young man looks at the visitor. Sure enough “The Girl with Peaches” was not left unnoticed: Florance told about various versions of this painting in internet.
On the day of their visit the unique exhibition “There is such a profession… Restoration of museum items” was opening in the Museum-Reserve. Grigory Serov told welcome remarks, congratulated the staff of restorers with exhibition opening and compared their work with the work of artists.
The photos present Grigory Serov with his wife Florance and their friends, Director of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” Elena Voronina, the employees of the Museum and the staff of Solzhenitsyn House for the Russian Diaspora.
During the Christmas and New Year holidays for younger guests the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held the entertaining show program “In search of beauty”. The children were able to talk to Father Frost, the Snowman, an Owl, Baba Yaga and the other characters, as well as to become the participants of magic adventures.
What is common between the portraits of Pushkin and Khomyakov, between the millinery of the 19th century, clay alto-relievo and China papyrus?
All these things passed through empathetic hands of the restorers of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”!
Restoration is both the science and the art, where the past, the present and the future meet. The profession of a restorer requires a person to commit himself to his craft, to be patient, to train for many years, to be a man of great erudition and to have the passion of a researcher and a discoverer.
For the first time over 40 years from the moment of the official beginning of restoration works in Abramtsevo Museum we open the unique exhibition, dedicated to the rescued masterpieces and their rescuers. The museum restorers have performed the restoration and conservation operations of different grades of complexity with more than one thousand of exhibits. And the most notable examples you can see in our exhibition.
Welcome to our Museum and learn more about the work of the restorers – people, who conquer time.
Read more about the exhibition in the section "Exhibitions".
The event is conducted under support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
Exhibition “Magic of Patterns. 74 Towels from the Homeland of Writer Sergey Aksakov”
Dates: December 23, 2015 – January 31, 2016
Location: Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”
(Kooperativnaya Street 23, Khotkovo)
Utiralnik, rukoter, rushnik, makhovik are the traditional definitions of a towel, which connected with the use of one specific thing.
December 23, 2015 the exhibition “Magic of Patterns. 74 Towels from the Homeland of Writer Sergey Aksakov” was opened in Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. Our Museum hosts the rich collection from Historic-Ethnographic Museum of the Orenburg State Agrarian University under the direction of the Doctor of the Historical Sciences Alla Fyodorova. The collection consists of towels of the beginning - the first half of the 20th century and represents all multinational population of the Orenburg Region, the homeland of Sergey Aksakov.
How the towels were used? What is their rites’ and ritual meaning? What is the meaning of symbols-patterns and what was their development during the centuries? You will learn everything about the towels on our exhibition.
The household topic is enlarged by the items from funds of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo: clothes of a bride and a fiancé, the trunk with a dowry and wooden household items, adorned by Abramtsevo-Kudrino carving.
For adults it will be interesting to learn about towels use in all areas of life, or about traditional and ritual embroidery, and children will learn how with the use of embroidery it was possible to design stylistically the plants, animals, ground, the sun and many others!
Read more about the exhibition in the section "Exhibitions".
In time for the New Year holidays the contest of Christmas-tree decoration was held in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. Anyone could participate in it. The winners of the contest received diplomas, and their decorations adorned the main Christmas-tree of the Museum. More than 100 people participated in the contest. Congratulations to our winners and thanks to all our contestants!
October 15, 2015 the exhibition «“Unknown” Abramtsevo» (painting, graphics, sculpture, porcelain) was opened in Polenov’s Dacha of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. All exhibits differ by their artistic merits, but nevertheless, they have something common – most of them are from the Mamontovs’ collection. Consequently, these works express the nature of the owners of the estate.
Concert in Abramtsevo
November 3, 2015 within an art performance “The Night of the Arts” a concert by the pupils of Khotkovo children’s music school No. 6 was held in the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” of the Museum. The performances of pupils, who are the laureates of musical contests, were warmly welcomed by listeners.
Within the performance “The Night of the Arts” November 3, 2015 the musical and poetic evening dedicated to the creative work of Vladimir Smoldirev was held in Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
The poet died before his thirty two birthday. Boris Slutsky saw his bright and peculiar talent: “Most of the poems by Smoldirev are written without rhyme. It should not be frightened… All Russian epic poems are written unrhymed. The history of rhymed poem goes back 200 years. The history of unrhymed poem stretches back to the old times – to the Kiev Russia and the Novgorod Russia. Unrhymed poem requires the poet to think more profound and eloquent. Smoldirev paves his own way, which is unlike any other.”
The employees of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” told about creative career of the poet, interpreter, an artist and one of the founders of literary association “Svitok” Vladimir Smoldirev, and recited his poems. The poet’s friend Vladimir Zheglov shared memories about him. Alexander Dorozhinsky sang songs to the poems of Vladimir Smoldirev. Members of literary association “Svitok” and authors of Khotkovo and Sergiyev Posad performed their poetry.
October 15 – 16, 2015 the traditional 16th “Abramtsevo Readings” were held in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. 2015 is the year of Literature in Russia that is why the main theme of Readings is “Abramtsevo in Literature”.
It’s well known that for the first time Abramtsevo acquired the status of a culture vestige as a literary center. A literary talent of Sergey Aksakov was developed in Abramtsevo. Here, in the living room of the Manor House Nikolay Gogol at first read the chapters from the second volume of his poem “Dead Souls”. Ivan Turgenev visited the estate, and here a literary ideological life of the Slavophils’ circle bustled, the main members of which were the sons Konstantin and Ivan the Aksakovs.
During the 19th – 20th century, in times of a new owner of the Estate Savva Mamontov, the creative life of Abramtsevo from the field of literature turned into the field of a painting, sculpture, architecture, theatre and decorative and applied arts. However this art kept a literary fullness perfectly, artists of the Abramtsevo Circle drew images for inspiration exactly from classical Russian and foreign literature.
More than 20 scientific reports, presented during the Conference, focused on the Mamontovs’, the Aksakovs’ periods, and history of Abramtsevo in the 20th century. All report materials will be published in the collection of scientific papers.
At the end of the first day a musical improvisation by teachers of the Children’s Art School named after Savva Mamontov (Moscow) and the performance after the play by Savva Mamontov “Vedi and Myslete” were performed. Employees of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” and members of the youth theatre “Ostrov” (“An Island”) played roles in it.
From October the 1st to October 10, 2015 the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held the All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower”.
In days of the Festival an exhibition of works by Arseniy Klopotovsky and the teachers of VGIK (the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography), meetings between the contest participants and specialists in the field of art and culture, musical evenings, master-classes, theatrical and interactive programs were held.
The festival’s contest program included contests of poetry, painting, art pottery and photo.
This festival contemplates the cooperation with a wide range of audience and implementation of social projects.
Terms of the contests are the following:
1. Contest of painting: children pictures with the subject “Illustrations to the fairy-tale “The Grandfather Frost”, plots: “The old woman and her daughter”, “The hard life of stepdaughter”, “How the old man drove his daughter to the forest”, “A girl and the Grandfather Frost”, “Coming back home with presents”, “The envious old woman”, “Such carpenter, such chips”.
The contest is conducted among school pupils, pupils of art schools, pupils of children art schools and pupils of the social institutions. The age limit is 6-14 years old. Works for the competitions should be made on a standard sheet of paper in DIN A4 size or DIN A3 size by paints or by markers. Each participant can give not above 2 works. The work should be signed legible overleaf in the following order: surname, name, age, city, a title of the educational institution (class), last, first and middle names of a teacher, contacts.
Receipt of applications for the contest participation is conducted from August 15, 2015 to September 25, 2015 in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” at the address: Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve, Museynaya Street 1, Abramtsevo Village, Sergiev Posad District, Moscow Region, 141 352.
Also it is possible to send the works via e-mail (scanned version in good quality):
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2. Contest of photo: photos with the subjects: “The Fairy-tale Forest”, “A house, a palace, a hut…”, “Children at Abramtsevo”.
Professional and non-professional photographers at the ages from 14 years old will be able to take part in the photo contest. Every participant can afford not above 2 works for each category. Participation in the competitions means the consent of the author to non-commercial use of his works by the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. Receipt of applications for the contest participation is conducted from September 1, 2015 to September 30, 2015.
All works are published in the official groups “VK”, “Facebook” and “Instagram” for the viewers’ vote. Works are in digitized form only in the following pages:
“Instagram” with hashtag: #абрамцевофестиваль; #abramtsevofestival
or via e-mail:
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Please, note that it is necessary to indicate the author, city, and you can add any comment, if you wish.
3. Contest of art pottery: for creative teams, pupils of schools, pupils of art schools, pupils of institutes of additional education. Subject of works: the fairy-tales.
The competition is conducted in 3 age categories:
- from 5 to 10 years old;
- from 11 to 15 years old;
- from 16 years and older.
Receipt of applications for the contest participation is conducted from September 1, 2015 to September 25, 2015 in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” at the address: Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve, Museynaya Street 1, Abramtsevo Village, Sergiev Posad District, Moscow Region, 141 352.
Each participant can give not above 2 works. In competition entry it is necessary to indicate an author, a teacher, educational institution, age and contacts. Travel and all other costs are at the expense of the posting party.
4. Contest of poetry: anyone (more than 16 years old) is free to take part in this contest. The poems on theme of the festival are accepted. Genre and a form of verse are free. Each participant can give not above 3 works.
Receipt of works is conducted from September 1, 2015 to September 30, 2015 via e-mail:
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together with competition entry, in which it is necessary to indicate the last, first and middle names of an author, city, and name of educational institution.
Closing Ceremony of the Festival “The Scarlet Flower”
October 10, 2015 the closing ceremony of the Second All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower” was held in the Manor House of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. This evening the music was played by the pianist Viktor Ryabchikov and finally all guests enjoyed the performance after the play by Savva Mamontov “Vedi and Myslete”.
Exhibition of the Winners of the Contest of Pottery Works
October 10, 2015 the exhibition of works by the winners and participants of the contest of pottery works within the Second All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower” was opened at the Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. The exhibition includes more than 75 works. In general, these works are made by the children and students of the children’s art schools and the creative unions, institutions of additional education of Moscow and Moscow region. The Jury comprised the following personalities: Evgeniy Leonov, Larisa Lekhova, Ludmila Ivanova, Irina Babodei, Galina Jambarsheva, Alexandra Grushko and Anna Andrianova.
The peculiarity of this exhibition is in the opportunity to look at the works by the jury of the contest, who are the famous ceramists, teachers and graduates of Abramtsevo Artistic and Industrial College named after Viktor Vasnetsov. Such artists as Evgeniy Leonov, Larisa Lekhova, Galina Yambarsheva, Irina Babodei, Polina Korobitzina, Anna Andrianova and Mikhail Tarasovsky exhibited their works. Moreover, the works of one of the first ceramists of Abramtsevo College Valentin Seryegin are displayed in the exhibition.
The union of works by the famous artists, eminent masters and the beginning ceramists, in the opinion of the employees of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” is an appeal to art, to fulfillment of the creative potential and individuality of the children and the young, and this connection corresponds to the aims of festival “The Scarlet Flower” – to preserve and to populate the traditions of the estate “Abramtsevo” of the 19th – 20th centuries, to arise the level of the artistic education and to develop appreciation of art of the young people.
October 9, 2015 an interactive program “All about pottery” was held at Abramtsevo Artistic and Industrial College named after Viktor Vasnetsov. The event was organized in frames of the Second All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower”.
Meet-the-Artist Event with Leonid Nosyrev and Vera Kudryavtseva
October 8, 2015 the creative meeting with art directors of animation films, scriptwriters, graphic artists and honoured artists of Russia, Leonid Nosyrev and Vera Kudryavtseva was held in Polenov's Dacha of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. This event was the part of the Second All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower”.
Meet-the-Artist Event with Arkadiy Melik-Sarkisyan
October 7, 2015 the creative meeting with a graphic painter, an art director of animation films Arkadiy Melik-Sarkisyan was held in Polenov's Dacha of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. This event was organized in frames of the Second All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower”.
October 6, 2015 within the Second All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower” the master-class by the artist Andrey Lysenko was held at the non-state educational establishment «Boarding School named after St. Sergius of Radonezh” (Sergiyev Posad, Toporkovo village).
October 6, 2015 the program “Abramtsevo-Kudrino Carving” was held at Abramtsevo Artistic and Industrial College named after Viktor Vasnetsov. It was organized for the children from an orphanage “Beryozka” and rehabilitation center “Optimist” within the the Second All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower”.
October 4, 2015 the literary-musical evening with participation of the soloist of the Volgograd Regional Philharmonics Sergey Kulakov was held in the Manor House of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. The event also featured an awarding ceremony of diplomas to the winners of the poetic contest within the Festival “The Scarlet Flower”, organized by the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
October 4, 2015 a meet-the-artist event with participation of Sergey Golovach was held in the Servants’ House of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. Sergey Golovach is the member of Photo Union of Russia, member of International Society of Designers and the member of Union of Russian Artists. The event also featured an awarding ceremony of diplomas to the winners and participants of the photo contest within the Festival “The Scarlet Flower”.
October 3, 2015 the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held the musical improvisation by Olga Nevskaya (soprano) with her pupils. Olga Nevskaya is a Prize Winner of the Competition named after Isabella Yuryeva and the owner of the Gran Prix of the Vocal Competition named after Feodor Chaliapin. Musical improvisation became a part of the Festival “The Scarlet Flower” organized by the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
Seminar about Cooperation and Work with Talented Children
October 3, 2015 the seminar about cooperation and work with talented people was held at the Manor House of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. The Laureate of international and All-Russian contests, the scholar of the fund “New Names”, a student of the 7th class of Moscow Children Art School No. 17 Arseniy Zakharov (the teacher - Lidiya Skopintzeva) and the Laureate of international and All-Russian contests, student of the 7th class of Moscow Children’ Art School No. 17 Alexey Butov (the teacher – Sergey Zhuravel) performed before an audience.
The seminar was held within Festival “The Scarlet Flower”, organized by the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
October 3, 2015 a conference meeting with Sergey Alimov was held in Polenov’s Dacha of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. The People’s Artist of Russia Sergey Alimov is the famous master of animation films, scene-designer, graphic artist, academician of Russian Academy of Arts and laureate of the State Prize of Russia. Also he is an author of the illustrations to more than 100 books. The children know him as the creator of cartoons “Boniface’s Vocation”, “Toptyzka” and many others.
October 2, 2015 an exhibition of wood carving works by the students, graduates and teachers of Abramtsevo Artistic and Industrial College named after Viktor Vasnetsov was opened in the mentioned college. This exhibition is running within the Second All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower”, that is organized by the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
The event was followed by an interactive program “Abramtsevo-Kudrino carving”.
October 2, 2015 the performance “Morozko” (or “Grandfather Frost”) by Moscow Drama Theatre “MEL” directed by Elena Makhonina was held in the Cultural and Educational Center “Dubrava” named after Archie priest Alexander Men. Guests of the event were the students and the children of social institutions of Sergiyev-Posad district. The performance was staged within the Second All-Russian Festival “The Scarlet Flower”. The Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” is deeply grateful to the deputies of Sergiyev-Posad district Alexey Deyak and Oleg Volchkov for their assistance in organization and conducting of a true celebration for children.
October 1, 2015 an exhibition of works “Narrative Thread of Fairy Tales” by Arseniy Klopotovsky and the teachers of the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) was opened in Polenov’s Dacha of the Museum-Reserve “Abramsevo”.
The 95th anniversary of VGIK coincided with the jubilee of one of the oldest masters of the cinema Arseniy Klopotovsky. Last year marked his ninetieth birthday anniversary. He studied at the VGIK and lectured there.
Arseniy Klopotovsky (1924-2013) was born in Kamenets-Podolsky, Ukraine. His father was an amateur painter and Arseniy has inherited the urge to painting from him. His first encounter with the VGIK held in the wartime years, when the institute was evacuated to Alma-Ata. Arseniy Klopotovsky firstly met the central theme of his art – the Russian fairy-tale in the VGIK. For one of course works he chose “Sadko”.
After the graduation Arseniy Klopotovsky came to the Gorky Film Studio, where he worked more than 40 years as an art director, while engaged in an easel painting and book graphics.
Another his activity was the teaching at the artistic and cinematography departments of VGIK. His students were not only from the republics of the USSR, but from the countries of Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. The main thing the master taught them together with the specialty was to think freely and creatively.
It seemed as if life was preparing the master for meeting with his favorite theme. It happened during the production of the film “New Adventures of a Cat in Boots” by Alexander Rou. Two taletellers – a film director and an artist have come a long creative way together during almost two decades. In this period such films as “New Adventures of a Cat in Boots”, “Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors’, “Jack Frost”, “Barbara the Fair with the Silken Hair”, “The Golden Horns”, “Fire, Water, and Brass Pipes” and "Maria the Weaver" were produced. Decorations by Arseniy Klopotovsky created the unique atmosphere of a magic world on the screen. Matte shots by the master amazed with the reality of fantastic world. They can be qualified as the prototypes of computer shots.
Letters of appreciation were presented to the partners of the Festival, such as the Administration of Khotkovo town, the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK), Abramtsevo Artistic and Industrial College named after Viktor Vasnetsov, Cultural and Educational Center “Dubrava” named after Archie priest Alexander Men and Khotkovo Secondary School No. 5.
Awarding Ceremony of Winners of the Contest of Painting
October 1, 2015 the awarding ceremony of winners of the contest of painting 2014, whose works were included in the book “The Scarlet Flower”, was held in the cultural center “Elizaveta Mamontova” (Khotkovo). The book was published by the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
Then the event was followed by the performance “The Scarlet Flower” based on the fairy-tale by Sergey Aksakov. The performance was staged by the artists of Moscow Provincial Theatre directed by Sergey Bezrukov.
September 29, 2015 the Russian Scientific and Cultural Centre in Vienna is unveiling a new exhibition “Abramtsevo. Then and Now” from the collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
This exhibition presents photos of the last third of the 19th – the beginning of the 20th centuries and the works by such artists of the 20th – the 21th centuries as Tatiana Mavrina (the Soviet artist, graphic artist, illustrator, Honoured artist of RSFSR, laureate of the State Prize of USSR), the distinguished artist in decorative and applied arts and the woodcarver Vasily Ermilov, a famous graphic artist, member of the Union of Russian Artists, Honoured Cultural Worker of Russia Ludmila Ermilova, and Anna Andrianova, a pottery designer, the graduate from the Abramtsevo Artistic and Industrial College named after Viktor Vasnetsov and a member of Union of Russian Artists.
The main concept of the exhibition is to introduce the cultural history of Abramtsevo to a foreign visitor and to show a continuation of the traditions of the plastic arts which were set up by Abramtsevo Artistic Circle at the example of works by the contemporary artists.
Delegation of the Russian Academy of Arts at Abramtsevo
September 17, 2015 the delegation of the Russian Academy of Arts visited the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. They had the opportunity to view the exhibition “From Abramtsevo to three oceans. Paintings of the 1940-1950s” by the People's Artist of Russia and the academician of the Russian Academy of Arts Alexey Shmarinov in Polenov’s Dacha and exposition of the Museum-Reserve.
Author of photos is N. Panyusheva, Deputy Head of Information Department of the RAA.
Photo Exhibition From the Collection Of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” Opened in Samara
September 15, 2015 the photo exhibition “Abramtsevo Artistic Circle” from the funds of the historical, artistic and literary Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” opened in the Museum of Modern Art in Samara.
The collection of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” consists of more than 25 thousands exhibits and includes painting and graphic works, sculpture, works of decorative and applied arts, photos and archives of the former owners of an estate.
This museum is one of the centers of the Russian Modern Art in the beginning of the 20th century. In the middle of the 18th century an estate was established there. In 1843 Sergey Aksakov purchased this place and created his best works there. Later in 1870 a railway entrepreneur, patron of arts Savva Mamontov bought the estate. Such prominent artists as Viktor Vasnetsov, Ilya Repin, Mikhail Vrubel and other artists, musicians and actors were the guests of the Abramtsevo estate. Artistic union of these masters went down in the history of art as Abramtsevo Artistic Circle (or Mamontov’s Circle). Members of the Circle created the architectural works, works of fine arts and decorative and applied arts, collected things of peasants’ life, staged and designed the performances.
Mamontov’s Circle formed the basis of national, the new-Russian style of Modern Art and defined the ideas of the community “World of Art”, Art Theatre by Konstantin Stanislavsky and the Russian Seasons by Sergey Diaghilev on the cusp of the 19th and the 20th centuries.
As a part of events arranged to coincide with the 25th anniversary from the date of Alexander Men’s death, September 12, 2015 an evening, consecrated to the memory of a Russian Orthodox priest was held in the Manor house of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. The Director of the Museum-Reserve Mrs. Elena Voronina welcomed the participants of the evening. The parishioner of the priest and a former staff member of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” Tatiana Makarova confided the memories about Alexander Men. A famous saxophonist, a writer and the People’s artist of Russia Alexey Kozlov performed before the audience.
“Gzhel: Art That Has Become a Fate”. Exhibition Of Works By the Artists Of Gzhel
September 12, 2015 an exhibition of the Gzelian artists, the graduates from the Abramtsevo Artistic and Industrial College named after Viktor Vasnetsov began to work in the Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
Our exhibition continues the great exposition project of the Museum-Reserve, dedicated to the 130 years of anniversary of the Abramtsevo College.
Margarita Podgornaya, Alexandra Tzaregorodtzeva, Gennadiy Denisov, Valentin Rozanov, Tatiana and Viktor the Khazovs, Sergey Simonov, Tatiana Feodorovskaya, Nikolay Turkin, Marina Kovalenko, Elena Sukhorukova, Jury Epiphanov and Vera Perunova, who have devoted years of their creative lives, many of them are the professionals, arts experts, collectors, are rightly considered the masters of ceramic art. Today they are the leading painters among the time-varying generations of folk masters.
All these authors, the honored and professional artists, the artisans, are the graduates from the Abramtsevo College. The characteristic feature of their art is an adherence to the Gzelian traditions and a profound understanding of their nature. The artists use a free, “synthetic” approach to acquisition of the artistic heritage of acknowledged luminaries of this craft, such as L. Azarova, N. Bessarabova, N. Kvitnitskaya, T. Dunashova, Z. Okulova and I. Khazova.
Exhibited works by the artists are recognized as the masters’ works and became the Gzhel classics.
Exhibition “From Abramtsevo to Three Oceans. Paintings of the 1940-1950s” by Alexey Shmarinov
August 29, 2015 in the Polenov's Dacha of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” an exhibition “From Abramtsevo to three oceans. Paintings of the 1940-1950s” by the People's Artist of Russia Alexey Shmarinov began its work.
Alexey Shmarinov, the artist and author of this exposition, defined the conception of exhibition as beginning of his creative career, picturesque experience and travelling impressions. A paradox of the situation is that Shmarinov is famous as a master of watercolors and illustrator of books. Exhibition eliminates all stereotypes.
Alexey Shmarinov is a painter with unique manner of painting. He was born in 1933 in Moscow. Graduated from Moscow secondary school of art with a gold medal (1952) and the faculty of painting of the Moscow Academic Art Institute named after Surikov (1958) with honours. From the memoirs of artist: “Summer of 1938. Our family is going to rest from Moscow to the country. I am 5 years old. In first fifty kilometers of the Yaroslavl road in Vozdvizhenskoye village the lorry struck into the field path to Radonezh and right to Abramtsevo. Then, sitting in the driver's cabin with my mother, I did not know the names of villages and countries that were on our way, and could not imagine that Abramtsevo becomes an integral and a very dear part of my life and will be my destiny...”
The artist named his exhibition “From Abramtsevo to three oceans”, considering that Abramtsevo is the beginning of his personal creative way. He had travelled a lot. Since the 1950s – Arkhangelsk, Dickson Island, Novaya Zemlya, East Siberian Islands. On board of the ice-breaker. Football on ice several hundred meters from the North Pole. Fairytale, foggy and steeped in legends Providence Bay. Journey inside jungle of East Pakistan. Egypt, India. Ceylon. In Indonesia and Vietnam as a sailor on merchant vessels. Later, in the 1960s – Italy, USA, Karelia, the Kola Peninsula. Alone in Kamchatka – on foot, riding a horse with a strange name Augustine, on biplane, on ship. He had dinner on edge of volcano Avachinskii, where he and his friend – journalist climbed. Lately in the 1970s he had been in the Near East, Central Africa, Khartoum, Addis Ababa, Axum, Lake Tana. And, of course, central Russia, that he had walked for miles around with his gun and dog.
This exhibition introduces the paintings of the artist created in the second half of the 1940s and the 1950s. Alexey Shmarinov also shows his travel diaries, photos of those years and graphic full-scale sketches.
Exhibition "Spreading the Sun" by Yevgeniya Maleina
August 29, 2015 in the Department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” an exhibition of ceramics and paintings "Spreading the sun" by Yevgeniya Maleina began to work.
Yevgeniya Maleina studied at the Higher Technical-Artistic Studios (VKhUTEMAS/VKhUTEIN) in Moscow since 1924 to 1930 under the guidance of Robert Falk, Alexander Drevin, David Shterenberg and Konstantin Istomin. Lived in Moscow, but often visited her home – Uzbekistan and Kirghizia. Wife of an artist Semyon Chuikov. She was working in easel painting and ceramics. A member and an exhibitor of the Society of Painters “ROST” in 1929, a member of Moscow Union of Artists since 1932. Honored Artist of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR). Greater part of her works is in Kyrgyzstan National Museum of Fine Arts named after Gapar Aytiev in Bishkek.
The name of this exhibition “Spreading the sun” was not chosen by chance. Back in 1924, Semyon Chuikov – the future Soviet painter, the future People's Artist of the USSR and the future academician had to solve a vital question: whom to become – an artist or a writer. He wrote the story “Vershinnaya byl” (“A Mountain Bylina”) about the fate of the Kyrgyz Red Army Commander. In epigraph there were such words: “… my tenderness strains to everyone, who is close to spreading the sun girl Gzenya”. He knew her all, because he loved her. It is just her, who stayed with us in her paintings.
Everybody, who knew Eugeniya Maleina, note, that she was talented in a view of life, attitude to life and people, talented in kindness and devotion, in value of events and time. There are not so many names of women in the history of art, and it needs to muse about it.
The artist Eugeniya Maleina is a true-born painter, and all her art is a world full of colour. This colour expresses complicated attitude of artist to life, it shows the world, in which an artist lives and that he reveals to audience. All exhibited works are painted at different times (the end of the 1930s – the beginning of the 1980s) and tell about people and things familiar to the artist and to us, and everything is written by a painting.
In the field of ceramics the artist began to work extemporaneously, independently, and she worked only for her own pleasure, moved by her internal need. According to family legend, her ceramic dishes were born in the kitchen as things which were possible to use in ordinary life. She was making her dishes, vessels and cups by hand. She was always the artist, her mastery was reached in time; and attraction of immediacy, courage and absolute freedom in expressiveness of feelings did its part. Ceramics by Eugeniya Maleina is a purely artistic feature.
Eugeniya Maleina won only one lifetime solo exhibition in Moscow in 1972. An exhibition in her memory was held in Bishkek in 2013. Exhibition at Abramtsevo runs here as a tribute to the memory of the artist, connected with Abramtsevo in a creative way, and as the sign of recognition of a great talent.
We invite our visitors to a pure and true world, to a world of art of “A girl Gzenya, who was spreading the sun”.
Art Performance in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”
August 29, 2015 on a glade near Polenov’s Dacha the open-air vernissage of artists from Abramtsevo, Khotkovo and Sergiev-Posad district ran. Also an arts and crafts exhibition and various master classes were held. The art performance was organized in conjunction with the holiday of the Church of the Savior. In the morning the festive divine service took place in the Abramtsevo Church.
Discussion of the Exhibition "I Beg You to Understand..." by Evgeniy Kolchenko at Abramtsevo
August 22, 2015 at the Department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” the presentation of catalog and discussion of the exhibition “I beg you to understand...” by Evgeniy Kolchenko was held.
Famous Oak in Abramtsevo Got the System of the Stabilization of the Crown
August 11, 2015 the event on the occasion of an installation of a modern system of the stabilization for the crown of the Abramtsevo oak was held at the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
In April, 2015 under the All-Russian Program “Trees are the Monuments of Nature” the oldest tree - the penduculate oak in age of 245 years - on the territory of the estate “Abramtsevo” has assigned a status “Tree is the Monument of Nature”.
Previously specialists of organization “Healthy Forest” examined the oak and found out, that one of branches of a tree hangs dangerously at the risk of breaking and damage. As a result, it was decided to install the system of crown fixation COBRA Kronensicherung. European-class wood care experts with international certifications ETW (European Tree Worker) according to the program of European Arboricultural Council will install the system, that will fix effectively and prevent the branch of historical oak from breakdown, and will keep it in the years ahead.
A Solemn Ceremony of Issuing and Cancellation of a Postage Stamp “Abramtsevo”
August 4, 2015 a solemn ceremony of special issuing of postage stamps, dedicated to the decorative and applied arts of Russia, was held in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. The stamp featuring an image of a ceramic tile from the museum collection was issued on this day with date stamp of the first day of the stamp cancellation under the title OPS 141352 Abramtsevo. The event was conducted jointly with the Publishing and Trading Centre “Marka” of the Russian Post.
Exhibition “Ways in Traditions” by the Artists Vasily and Ludmila the Ermilovs
July 30, 2015 the exhibition of works by Vasily and Ludmila the Ermilovs began to run in Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”.
Vasily Ermilov is the distinguished artist in decorative and applied arts and the woodcarver. He created his own unique style, individual “ermilov’s” drawing of Abramtsevo-Kudrino carving, he became its “living classic”.
Exposition includes such works of an author as decorative dish, chest, caskets, cups, decorated by “flowing, plastic” carving from traditional floral sprouts, leaves, flowers, branches, with different images of the signs of the zodiac, berries, birds, animals, fish, sailing boats, horsemen … Impressive manner of the master is the reflection of his soul, aspiring to a pure beauty.
Ludmila Ermilova is a famous graphic artist, member of the Union of Russian Artists from 1993, Honoured Cultural Worker of Russia from 1995, one of the most gifted artists of Russia, who creates in stylistics of the modern Russian folk graphics, a talented teacher. As an artist, she works in a wide range of graphical techniques: drawing in pencil, watercolours, gouache, pen-and- ink drawing. Themes and genres of her works are also manifold, visitors could see lyrical landscape paintings, elegant and stylish still-life paintings, genre compositions. She is also an author of illustrations to the books by Galina Dain. But the most representative and delicate gift of Ludmila Ermilova reveals in linocut printing technique and woodblock printing.
The artists are the permanent participants of regional, zonal, national, all-Russian and international exhibitions. It is possible to see their works in Abramtsevo State Historical, Artistic and Literary Museum-Reserve, State Historical Museum, Moscow Regional Museum of Local Lore, All-Russian Decorative Applied and Folk Arts Museum, Moscow Museum of Folk Graphics, Art Gallery “The House of Feodor Chaliapin” in Moscow, Art and Pedagogical Toy Museum of Russian Academy of Education in Sergiev Posad, in private collections in Russia and abroad.
The Day of Family, Love and Fidelity at Abramtsevo
July, 8 is the day of the Assumption of the martyr Fevronia and Orthodox Prince Peter. Traditionally this feast is celebrated at Abramtsevo. The worship service was conducted in the Church of the Savior by the Beneficiary of Akhtyrka Mothers of God Church archpriest Boris Mozhaev. Close friends of Abramtsevo and the parishioners with their children came to the Museum-Reserve to celebrate the holiday, devoted to glorification of the family. Moreover, charity events for children with health limitations were held in this day.
June 27, 2015 the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” of the Museum-Reserve "Abramtsevo" held the poetic meeting, devoted to the memory of two close friends: a poet Mikhail Dudin and an artist Boris Prorokov. The program included poems and songs by Mikhail Dudin, memories about friends.
Member of the Writers’ Union of Moscow Lev Usachev was the presenter of a meeting.
Exhibition "I Beg You to Understand..." by Evgeniy Kolchenko
June 26, 2015 an exhibition “I beg you to understand…” by a muralist, painter, graphic artist, sculpturer, teacher Evgeniy Kolchenko (1933 – 1997) began to run in the department “Russian artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” of the Museum-Reserve. During his lifetime Evgeniy Kolchenko was not always an acknowledged artist, his art was appreciated later, and this time two art schools, which he headed (in Sevastopol and Mytishchi), bear his name proudly.
The exhibition, dedicated to the 70th anniversary in Great Patriotic War, is of a true antiwar nature. “In the beginning of my existence, in my childhood, my life was surrounded by a bloody and barbarous war, - Evgeniy Kolchenko remembered. – It left open and bleeding wounds in my heart till now. And hate towards it.”
Antiwar paintings by Kolchenko show a cry from the depth. They are not an immediate impulsion. They are painted by “a silent, discerning brush, grasping at straws, straining against heart for long and all-time”. A central role in his art was the composition. It is not unexpected that works, united by the war theme, are accumulated; pictures are the words of one song. He named these series of works as “war paintings”, joining them into a cycle “I saw” and “If Russians want of war”. Exactly this cycle explains war not in the dynamics of military and labour achievements, not as battle cycle, but as some damning verdict to the madness.
Names of exhibited paintings speak for themselves – “Wounded Earth”, “Ordinary Fascism”, “Invaders”, “Holy War”, “Girl and War”, “Dolour”, “Wounded”, "Death Letters” and etc.
“For us that war is the past. For Evgeniy Kolchenko that war did not become the past, and pain of war, that was in him, that he wanted to get our attention in order to prevent them in today’s life, we read this pain in expressive intermittence and disconnectedness of his words: “I want, I beg you to understand the meaning of this war…” ” - fine art expert Natalya Midler says.
The exhibition is housed on the second floor of the department "Russian Artists of the 20th century" and is open for visitors till the end of August 2015.
June 13, 2015 in the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” of the Museum-Reserve a musical evening with participation of laureate of international contests, soloist of Moscow music theatre “Amadei” Konstatnin Ivanov (baritone) was held.
Art Performance in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”
June 13, 2015 on a glade near Polenov’s Dacha the open-air vernissage of artists from Abramtsevo, Khotkovo and Sergiev-Posad district ran. Also an arts and crafts exhibition was held.
Solo Exhibition “In search of Inscape” by the Distinguished Artist of the Russian Federation Jury Khmelevskoy
June 11, 2015 in Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” the solo exhibition of works by the distinguished artist of the Russian Federation, a famous Moscow sculptor, recognized master of decorative and applied arts Jury Khmelevskoy was opened.
Exhibit project “In search of Inscape” coincided with the 70th anniversary of an artist and presents works, created by him in different years. Special attention is paid to works made by the sculptor recently and shown to the spectators firstly.
Jury Khmelevskoy is born in June 8, 1945 in Strunino, the Vladimir Region. The sculptor lives in Khotkovo since 1971. Since 1975 member of the Artists Union of Russia, one of the first members of the temple art section of the Moscow Regional Union of Artists (2004). In 2007 he was awarded a title “Distinguished Artist of the Russian Federation”.
Themes of the author’s works are varied. He is close to themes of domestic harmony, beauty of human relations, happiness of childhood, love and harmony with nature. Among them “two creative ways” are especially distinguished: religious and historical. Plastically understanding iconographic canon, the artist transferred images of the saints from the plane to three-dimensional space and created a number of impressive images. These are “Apostle John”, “Apostle Andrew”, “Nikolas the Wonderworker”, “Sergius of Radonezh”, “Seraphim of Sarov”, “Dmitriy Donskoy”, “Alexander Nevskiy”, “Saint Ksenya of Petersburg”, “Saint Matrona of Moscow”, “Saint John of Kronstadt” and others.
Works by Jury Khmelevskoy are in collections of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”, the Sergiev Posad Museum-Preserve, the State Museum and Exhibition Center “ROSIZO”, Alexandrov Art Museum, the art fund of the Ministry of Culture, Gallery “The Bronze Miracle”, Belgorod Art Museum, and in private collections in Russia and abroad.
Exhibition of Works by Mikhail Vrubel at Abramtsevo
June 6, 2015 at the Studio of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” an exhibition “Mikhail Vrubel. Majolica, graphics, ceramics. From the collection of the Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve” opened. Mikhail Vrubel is one of the most outstanding figures of Russian art of the end of the 19th century – the beginning of the 20th century and for a long period of time he was connected with the Abramtsevo artistic circle.
Exhibits are from the historical collection, belonged to Savva Mamontov, and from items of the Museum, collected in subsequent years. There are also the sketches to works on a monumental scale, such as paintings of St. Vladimir’s Cathedral in Kiev, portraits of the participants of the Abramtsevo artistic circle, painted by an artist during trips to Italy with Savva Mamontov, design sketches to setting of A.V. Morozov’s mansion, sketches of costumes and decorations to performances of the Russian Private Opera and others. The most remarkable exhibits are ceramic works, produced in Abramtsevo pottery. And, of course, you can see the most famous works by an artist, such as “Snow maiden”, “Egyptian”, decorative vases and various stove tiles. Many works of art presented at the exhibition are the sketches, but nevertheless they fully feature the art of Mikhail Vrubel and show almost all periods of his artistic way. Some part of them is exhibited in Russia for the first time.
The exhibition will run till the end of November 2015.
Exhibition of Works by the Creative Union Kukryniksy
June 6, 2015 at Polenov’s Dacha of the Museum-Reserve an exhibition “Kukryniksy in Abramtsevo” opened. Exposition includes the works from collections of the Museum-Reserve and the Sokolovs family.
An exhibition is devoted to the art of the revered Kukryniksy. In an anniversary year of the victory in the Great Patriotic War it’s worth mentioning that Hitler hated the name of Kukryniksy and was going to hang all three artists at the Red Square in Moscow after capture of the capital by the Wehrmacht. In May, 1945, when they were the artists of the newspaper “Pravda”, Kukryniksy were in defeated Berlin. They were at the last shelter of Hitler – the hopper under the Reich chancery. And there an idea of the picture “The End” was arisen. War theme did not leave Kukryniksy even after war. They were at the Nuremberg Trials in the role of the correspondents. Entire month they painted caricatures of Gering, Gess, Ribbentrop and the other defendants. All drawings had been sent to the editorial office to by plane. Three years earlier in spring 1942 Kukryniksy were awarded the Stalin Prize. All one hundred thousand rubles they gave on the construction of heavy tank. In summer 1942 tank was off at the front.
Who are they – Kukryniksy? This is the union of artists, such a creative phenomenon. “Ku” is Michail Kupriyanov, “Kry” is Porphiri Krylov, “Niks” – Nikolay Sokolov. They have met in VKhUTEMAS in 1925. All together they painted beautiful pictures, worked under caricatures, posters “Windows TASS” during the Great Patriotic War, iconographs. The way of their work was free, simple, easy, and caustically.
In 1932 Kukryniksy decided to illustrate the novel “Life of Klim Samgin” of Maxim Gorky. As they did not have their own studio, artists went to Abramtsevo. At that time in a famous estate the Art center for a small number of people of art was established.
From the memoirs of Nikolay Sokolov: “Upon arrival to the estate first that we have seen was a house of grey colour with a mezzanine with three windows. We were placed in it. This humble house was very cozy on the white snow and trees background. Stove warmth, silence, antique furniture, “silent” portraits on the walls led us to forget noise and the bustle of Moscow. We learned that about a hundred years ago Nikolay Gogol had lived in our room, here he was working under his second volume of “Dead Souls” and then read it to the Aksakovs. At these windows the great writer was looking at Abramtsevo landscape and he was walking up and down wooden creaky stairs. There were a few people, who came here, and we knew all of them: film directors Grigory Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg, they were working under a film script of “Adolescence of Maxim”; Sergey Yutkevich, who was preparing the film “Counterplan”, and our coeval, young film director Grigory Aleksandrov… At Abramtsevo he and a writer Nikolay Erdman have been finishing the film script of new musical comedy “Jolly Fellows”. In the evenings we met in the Red living room, where Grisha Alexandrov sat by a grand piano and sang the Mexicana songs, remembered his meeting with Charlie Chaplin, or somebody told something interesting and funny. We depicted them, drew caricatures, and somebody made up poems to cartoons. Sometimes we sat in a cozy dining room, looking at a burning fireplace…
Not far from the Museum on a high bank of the river Vorya the dacha community was established. There painters and sculpturers, such as Igor Grabar, Vera Mukhina, Ilya Mashkov, Boris Ioghanson, Pavel Radimov, Boris Korolev and others settled. From the end of the 1960s I live at Abramtsevo every summer and paint there.”
The chamber easel art of Mikhail Kupriyanov, Porphiri Krylov, Nikolay Sokolov is unknown to a wide viewers’ range, and the uniqueness of this exhibition project is intended to meet a visitor with creative individuality of every artist of this union.
Art Performance to the Day of Slavonic Literature and Culture
May 24, 2015 the literary-musical composition “Boris Schergin. The pure pearls of Russian Literature” was held in Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. Boris Schergin is the Russian writer, folklorist, fairy tale writer, publicist and an artist. The peculiarity of his art is connected with folklore. He depicts the folk poetry as the original and unique way of vision of world and a person.
More than 30 years the writer lived in Khotkovo and rented a room in a village house.
The program included the narration about creative development of Boris Schergin, fairy-tales performed by the employees of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”, performance of the people’s choir of students from Moscow Regional Musical College named after Sergey Prokofiev and animated films on fairy-tales by Boris Schergin.
May 16, 2015 in Saturday the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” held an art performance “Night at the Museum”. By tradition this event is timed to the International Museum Day. The visitors had an opportunity to make “an exciting journey by the time train”. They could stop in the stations “Central”, “Creative”, “Fairy-tale” and “Musical”.
In the Central station guests could enjoy the performances of Laureates of International and All-Russian Contests from the Children’s Art School named after Savva Mamontov (Moscow), pupils of theatrical department of the Children’s Art School No. 17 (Moscow) and concert “I remember the sound of Waltz…” by Dmitry Demir, the soloist of Music Academy named after Lubov Kazarnovskaya, Tatyana Orlova was an accompanist.
In the Creative station they could participate in master-classes of bone and wood carving, textile applique works; in tents different artists offered their works.
In the Fairy-tale station in Servants’ house a children’s performance “Forgotten Castle” by Children’s and Youth School “Crystall” (Khotkovo) was performed and different interactive programs were held.
Finally, in the Musical station on the veranda of the Manor House a folk orchestra from the Children’s Art School No. 17 (Moscow) and the students of theatrical department from the Children’s Art School No. 17 (Moscow) acted.
To the end guests of the festive program listened the performance of the rock group “Sprout of Young Bamboo”.
Meeting with Director of the Aleksander Vampilov Cultural Center
May 14, 2015 the Museum-Reserve "Abramtsevo" held the meeting with Galina Soluyanova, Director of the Aleksander Vampilov Cultural Center and Deputy Chairperson of the Board of the Irkutsk Regional Fund named after Alexander Vampilov. For more detailed information about the center click here.
Exhibition “Live and Remember”, Dedicated to the 70th Anniversary of the Great Patriotic War
May 6, 2015 the exhibition “Live and Remember” at Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” opened, it is dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Victory of the Great Patriotic War during the 1941-1945s.
This exhibition is a tribute of deep respect and gratitude to the participants of the War, who defended our country at the cost of their lives and together with the whole nation won and conquered the peace for future generations.
The Museum-Reserve ”Abramtsevo” houses an interesting collection of objects and works of art, related to the Great Patriotic War. All these exhibits allow seeing the visual reminder about the whole-hearted heroism of the Russian soldiers, about courage of all nation in the fighting with the enemy along the entire front, at the machines in the rear and in art workshops.
During the war years Abramtsevo and Khotkovo did not were the theatre of military operations, there were no enemies, and they almost have not suffered from war time bombings. But in the victory our neighbors made the invaluable contribution: they were fighting at the front line, selflessly labored on the home front, treated the wounded in the hospitals, placed here. The original documents and photos from the department funds tell about it.
Next hall you could see front sketches ad graphic works of war time by such painters and graphic artists as Mikhail Kupriyanov, Porphiriy Krylov, Nikolay Sokolov, united in art association named “Kukryniksy”, Alexander Toporkov, Viktor Bibikov, Alexander Paramonov, Feodor Bulgakov, Renat Kotov and others.
For your attention there the series of exhibits, which were recently collected by the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”: photos of War participants, their medals, certificates, letters and other documents, are represented.
As a part of the ceremonial opening a literary-musical concert by the School of the Childhood and Youth “Crystal” took place.
Exhibition will run till the end of May, 2015. Admission is free.
Unveiling of the Memorial Sign
May 7, 2015 in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” on the eve of 70th anniversary of the Great Victory a memorial sign was unveiled in the former site of the Military Hospital No. EG 2898. This hospital functioned in the years of the Great Patriotic War and wounded soldiers were brought there from front line. The battles near Moscow took place in those days not far from Abramtsevo and Khotkovo.
The Head of Khotkovo Rita Tikhomirova, Director of the Museum Elena Voronina, Chairperson of the Veterans’ Council Ludmila Margulis, Russian People’s Artist Sergey Alimov talked in the opening ceremony. The Beneficiary of Akhtyrka Mothers of God Church archpriest Boris Mozhaev prayed for all soldiers, who protected independence and freedom of our Homeland, the living and the fallen. He shared his memories about years of War and the post-war years. The highlight of event was the moment when Rita Tikhomirova, Ludmila Margulis and Elena Voronina take the cloth off the memorial sign, than has the Red Star symbol and the inscription “In the years of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) the Military Hospital No. EG 2898 was situated here”.
War and labour veterans and members of public were the participants of this event. Pupils of the Khotkovo Secondary School No. 5 recited poems about war. The program featured music of the war years performed by ensemble of the Children’s Art School named after Savva Mamontov and ensemble of accordionists of the Khotkovo Secondary School No. 4.
Honour guard of soldiers of the Russian Army and field kitchen reminded working life of those historical events. This day graphics’ exhibition of an artist Boris Prorokov “Flowers and Years” was opened in the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo”.
May 7, 2015 an exhibition of Boris Prorokov “Flowers and Years” was opened in the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo” of the Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve.
Boris Prorokov is the graphic and poster artist, People’s Artist of the USSR (1971), corresponding member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR, laureate of the Lenin Prize and two the Stalin Prizes. In the years of the Great Patriotic War he served as an artist of the Head Office of the political propaganda of Navy of the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Pacific Fleets; painted the pictures for front print and leaflets, which were thrown from airplanes over the territory of an enemy. He participated in the heroic defense of the Peninsula of Hango, in the battles for Novorossiysk (at the Minor Land). He was contused in 1944.
War theme always dominated in his art. “The Victory Day over Germany is the greatest holiday in my life”, - he wrote. During the post-war years he lived and worked at the summerhouse workshop in the Village of Artists “Novo-Abramtsevo”. His solo exhibitions were held at the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” many times.
The exhibition completes its work in July 19, 2015.
May 2, 2015 the Manor House of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” hosted a concert by Mikhail Egiazaryan (piano) and Olga Nevskaya (soprano, the Gran Prix of the Vocal Competition named after Feodor Chaliapin and a Prize Winner of the Competition named after Isabella Yuryeva).
April 18, 2015 a solemn ceremony in honour of the 245th anniversary of Abramtsevo Oak and an official recognition of the status “Tree is the Monument of Nature” was held in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. This was in relation to the International Day of Defense of the Cultural Monuments. Oak in Abramtsevo belongs to the biological species “The penduculate oak” and is one of the oldest trees within the territory of Estate and alive contemporary of Sergey Aksakov, Nikolay Gogol, Ivan Turgenev, Abramtsevo Artistic Circle and all famous guests of the Estate over the last 200 years.
Oaks are one of the sights of Abramtsevo. They were depicted by many prominent artists. One of the best known works is the painting by Viktor Vasnetsov “Oak Grove in Abramtsevo” (1883). “Oaks in Abramtsevo put me up, how to draw “The Bogatyrs””, - an artist told. Abramtsevo oaks were also depicted by Ilya Ostroukhov, Valentin Serov and Pyotr Konchalovsky.
In 2013 life scientists, members of tree-ring laboratory of the Center of tree expertise “Healthy Forest” examined the tree and established it’s age, that was 243 years old. First sprout of this tree appeared in the 70s of the XVIII century and is the coeval of composer Beethoven and traveler Krusenstern.
Deputy Chairman of Moscow Regional Duma Nikita Chaplin, Co-Chairman and the Head of Executive Directorate of the Council for the preservation of natural heritage of nation (the Federation Council) Vladimir Zotov, Head of Ministry of Culture at the Central Federal District Administration Sergey Bogatyrev, Member of the Council for the preservation of natural heritage of nation (the Federation Council), the Chairman of the Certification Commission of All-Russian Program “Trees are the Monuments of Nature”, President of Non-Profit Partnership “The Strategic Alliance “Healthy Forest”” Sergey Palchikov, Director of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” Elena Voronina and Deputy Director for Science Elena Mitrophanova spoke at the opening ceremony of a tree-monument.
The Certificate, confirming the status and age of the tree, and also the Cup – symbol of the All-Russian Relay “Trees are the Monuments of Nature” were handed.
The Museum officials received a report about detailed examination of the oak with recommendation for ensuring its recovery.
Nikita Chaplin, Sergey Palchikov, Sergey Bogatyrev and Elena Voronina got the right for opening of memorial tablet including the information about species and age of a tree. This was followed by the performances of creative groups of folk songs and dances. At the end of the event the organization “Healthy Forest” (Moscow) carried out a master class on special care of the seedlings.
In the 5 years of existence of the All-Russian Program “Trees are the Monuments of Nature” a holiday in Abramtsevo is the first opening of a tree-monument not only in Abramtsevo, but also in the Moscow Region. This year is the anniversary for the Program, that started in 2010. It will take place in the other seven regions, such as Moscow, the Krasnodar Territory, the Belgorod, the Tamtbov, the Novosibirsk, the Nizhny Novgorod and the Volgograd regions.
April 18, 2015 the Manor House of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” hosted a concert by ensemble of Russian folk instruments “The Funny Folk-tune”. It was created upon an initiative of the Honored Art Worker of Russia Viktor Sheludko. The ensemble included like-minded teachers of the Children’s Art School named after Savva Mamontov.
April 17, 2015 the ceremonial Eater Service was held in Abramtsevo Church of the Savior. The service was officiated by the Beneficiary of situated in Akhtyrka Mother's of God Church archpriest Boris Mozhaev. To participate in this event the great grandchild of Savva Mamontov Sergey Chernishev, close friends of Abramtsevo and churchmen came there.
Early spring did not pamper much by spring warm weather this year, but nevertheless, in the middle of April in the park of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” the first snowdrops were already burst. They are not afraid of the whims of nature. And what is more, here in Abramtsevo you could hear a cheerful spring drumming of woodpeckers and melodic songs of birds. Our museum will be happy to welcome its visitors and friends in all weathers!
Fund-raising for the Monument to Prince Vladimir the Great
Russian Military Historical Society on acquired funds from philanthropists realizes a number of military and historical projects, one of which is the monument to Equal Apostles Prince Vladimir the Great in Moscow. More detailed information about donations is here.
Photo Exhibition from the Funds of Abramtsevo
In April, 2015 the series of exhibitions on photos from funds of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” continued, and they are devoted to the theatre activity of Savva Mamontov. Photo exhibitions took place in the Sergiyev Posad branch of the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) and the Children’s Art School named after Savva Mamontov. Now the photo exhibition is displayed at the Moscow Children’s Art School named after Ilya Repin.
Majolica of Abramtsevo in Chaliapin’s Estate
The Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” takes part in an inter museum exhibition project in honour of Feodor Chaliapin. From April 10, 2015 to June 28, 2015 the exhibition “Vrubel. Majolica. Abramtsevo” will run in the memorial estate of Feodor Chaliapin.
The exhibition presents numerous works from the museum funds of Abramtsevo. They help to recapture the creative atmosphere of Abramtsevo Circle of Artists, where under “inspiring despotism” of Savva Mamontov (named by his contemporaries “Savva the Great” and “The Moscow Medici”) a talent of Feodor Chaliapin developed. All the exhibits show the creative environment, which was surrounding Chaliapin. Among them there are the sculptural portrait of singer by Savva Mamontov and picturesque sketches to the opera “The Snow Maiden” by Viktor Vasnetsov, carved wooden furniture by Abramtsevo joinery and various historical images.
A unique event at the exhibition is the presentation of sculptures by Michail Vrubel on themes for the operas by Rimsky-Korsakov, such as “Spring” and “The Snow Maiden”, “Lel” and “Mizgir”, “Volkhova” and “Sadko”.
Visitors also will have the opportunity to enjoy the majolica by Vrubel such as tiles, vases, cache-pots and etc. Vrubel’s majolica is one of the most remarkable embodiments of the domestic version of Art Nouveau style – the Russian style, and the Abramtsevo Circle of Artists is truly considered the place of its birth.
In March 21, 2015 under the Year of Literature in Russia an exhibition “Vitaly Gorayev. My Home” opens at the exhibition pavilion “The Polenov’s Dacha” in Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve. There are the illustrations of various years by Vitaly Goryaev are shown, such as his works to the books of Agniya Barto “The house moved” (1951) and “Nastenka” (1970), Mark Twain “Huckleberry Finn” (1958), Yury Olesha “The Three Fat Men” (the 1960s), Lazar Lagin “Old Man Hottabych” (1971) and works of the 1970s to the compositions of the Russian classics as Alexander Pushkin, Nikolay Gogol and Fyodor Dostoevsky.
His contemporaries appreciated the books with his pictures as “an artistic event”. Mainly because these works were good, smart and original. Vitaly Gorayev conceived imagery of literary works and created new “visual concepts”. Gorayev’s illustrations transmit time, space and action with amazing expression. Created by a great graphic artist, the pictures captivate by plastic rhythms, virtuosity of lines, projective power and originality. They help to look at literary types, characters and “crocks” in the other way. Also the exhibition displays paintings by Vitaly Gorayev, which are rarely exhibited and extremely interesting for the pictorial-plastic solution. Russian sense is as so-called “lliteraturocentrism”. From here the name of an exhibition “My Home” follows. And the fans of “the iconic details” could see here a famous Bukhar bathrobe, in which the artist drew his illustrations to “The Idiot” by Fyodor Dostoevsky at his country house in Abramtsevo.
During the exhibition a film “Spiral of Life. Vitaly Gorayev” (film director Lubov Azamatova) is shown in the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo”. This is a very delicate, intelligent and thoughtful film about the great national artist of the 20th century, life of whom is connected with Abramtsevo from the middle of the 1960s. The following persons took part in the film: Taisia, Lubov and Sergey the Gorayevs, Igor Obrosov, Michail Ryumin-Kurilko, Taira Salahova, Andrey Dementev.
March 15,2015 in Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” an exhibition of works of the Russian honored artist Nikolay Turkin under the name “Different” opened.
There are more than 230 units are displayed in the exhibition: ceramics, painting and graphics. It runs till the middle of April, 2015.
This exhibition is the outright gift for a plenty of art amateurs, living in Khotkovo and Sergiyev Posad district near Moscow.
Nikolay Turkin is a remarkable person and a man with multiple interests. Now and today it is hard to believe in existence of the art of Russia without his creative work. He is a pottery designer, painter and graphic artist. He was born in Kirzhach town of the Vladimir Region in 1962 in the family of the professional pattern-designer Boris Turkin, studied at fine arts studio of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts (1969-1973), attended Moscow Secondary Art School after Vasily Surikov (1973-1977), and graduated the art pottery branch of the Abramtsevo Artistic and Industrial School named after Viktor Vasnetsov (1981).
He was working as an artist from 1981, and then as an art director of Production Association “The Gzhel” during 1985-1996, there he executed non-retrospective passeismic reconstruction of the traditional Gzhel multicolored majolica and created new original style on the basis of traditional patterns.
He is the Member of Union of Artists of the USSR (1987); awarded the honorary distinction of “Distinguished Artist of the Russian Federation” in 1996; Member of Moscow Union of Artists (1998), Member of an International Fine Arts Association of UNESCO from 1999.
Leading Artist of the Gzhel Experimental Pottery of the Union of Artists from 2004.
The participant of more than 100 exhibitions beginning from 1982.
His works are housed at the State Russian Museum, the State History Museum, All-Russian Decorative Museum, International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza, Italy, Museum of Folk Art in Fuping, China, State Museum of Ceramics “Estate Kuskovo”, State Museum-Reserve “Tzaritzino”, Museum of Gzhel Union, the Museum Exhibition Center “ROSIZO”, and in the museums and art galleries in Yuzhno Sakhalinsk, Perm, Kherson, Sergiyev Posad, Egorevsk, Ramenskoe, Zaraysk and Pereslavl-Zalessky, Alexandrov, Pavlov, Tula, in private collections in Russia and abroad.
In March, 2015 an exhibition “Abramtsevo Goddess” opens in the Studio of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo”. To the 140 years of Vera Mamontova. Photo documents and family heirlooms are displayed there.
This exhibition is devoted to Vera Mamontova, which the sculptor Mark Antokolsky named as “Abramtsevo Goddess”. Many artists such as Michail Vrubel, Viktor Vasnetsov, Ilya Repin, Valentin Serov depicted her on their canvases. The last artist painted her when she was 12 years old, sitting at the table of manor house. With time people named this portrait as “The Girl with Peaches”. Here you can see many portrait photos of Vera Mamontova, which were made at different times. Among family heirlooms there are wedding set of dishes, ABC book, a copy of picture “The Girl with Peaches” by Tatyana Vasnetsova (1926), all of these things were provided by the grandson of Vera Mamontova – Sergey Chernishev.
Concert of July Mistykov was held in Arts and Crafts Department of Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve
March 7, 2015 in Arts and Crafts Department of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” a concert of graduate of Moscow Children’ Art School No. 17, a student of Moscow State Music Institute named after Alfred Schnittke, the winner of international and all-Russian competitions Yuly Mistyukov was held. Works of such famous composers as Johann Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, Jan Meisl, Modest Musorgsky and the others were sounded.
Opening of the Exhibition ,,Romantic Montage,, in Irkutsk
In March, 2015 the exhibition “Romantic Montage. Works by Artists of the 1920-1930s from the Collection of Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve” opened in Irkutsk Regional Art Museum in the department of Siberian Art.
At the opening of the exhibition Director of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” Elena Voronina and the other staff members of the Museum were present.
– In this name we tried to tell about the basic framework of that time, – Supervisor of the exhibition and Senior Research Scientist of the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” Svetlana Volkova said. – Artists were young and bold; they were the dreamers and believed in their ability to develop perfect future.
During the opening ceremony such melodies of that period as “Time, Forward!” by Georgy Sviridov, “Hymn of Young Naturalists and Pathfinders” and the others sounded. The exhibition includes more than 80 works of painting, graphics and sculpture by the Members of the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia, Easel Painters’ Society, Association “Four Arts” and the Society “Moscow Painters. Previous stages of this project were on display in Abramtsevo, Moscow, Syktyvkar, Khabarovsk, Blagoveshchensk, Vladivostok and Chita. The exhibition will run till April 5, 2015.
Report about this exhibition of TV-channel “News. Irkutsk” is here.
In the days of Maslenitsa in the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” traditional outdoor festivities, old entertainments and plays for children and adults were held.
February 22, 2015 at 18 o’clock at the Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” a concert by Alexey Tikhomirov, the leading singer of Moscow State Music Theatre “Helicon-opera”, was held. Musical evening was devoted to the works of Feodor Chaliapin.
The concert included works of Modest Musorgsky, Alexander Dargomyjsky, Michail Glinka, Alexander Borodin and other composers.
February 20, 2015 at the Department “Russian Artists of the 20th century” of Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve the exhibition in memory of Alexey Kunshenko “Don Quixote of Abramtsevo” was opened. The works of the 1970-1980s from the collection of Museum-Reserve “Abramtsevo” are displayed there.
Alexey Kunshenko (1932-2015) is the veteran officer of our Museum. As an artist and fine art expert, he came to Abramtsevo in 1969. He studied Art of the 20th century and took part in the establishment of “The Soviet Department”. Over 35 years he was a director of it, which later was renamed as “Russian Artists of the 20th century in Abramtsevo”. Mr. Kunshenko collected enormous number of works made by masters of the 20th century and organized a lot of unique exhibitions. He also kept in the Museum’s archives “The Audiobook” with records of conversations with outstanding artists of Abramsevo.
Don Quixote, an immortal hero of Cervantes, is the very personation of will and self-sacrifice. It is possible to say that these particular features are the professional strength of Alexey Kunshenko.
He knew what his business was and why he lived on earth. Our life is built by knights of their matter and duty — Don Quixotes. Let them be dreamers, lunatics or eccentrics. First of all they express themselves as idealists. And there are no forces that could lead to stop at fulfillment of duty when Code of honor requires that.
Mr. Kunshenko worked in Abramtsevo Museum with a single devotion and served to this bright place in spiritual topography of Russia without fear and beyond reproach.
The display of works by Evgenya Maleina, Semen Chuykov, Alexander Pervukhin, Andrey Vasnetsov, Nikolay Andronov, Pavel Nikonov, Illarion Golitsin, Natalya Egorshina, Pyotr Prorokov, Evgeny Kolchenko, Alexander Dubinchik, Alexander Kuznetsov, Vyacheslav Stekolschikov, Viktor Popkov in the context of memory of the Mr. Kunshenko’s work in Museum is fundamental.
There was professional and friendly relationship between Mr. Kunshenko and the artists. Purchase and acception as a gift of their works to the Museum’s collection was argued and informal decision. Mr. Kunshenko picked the works over not for personal gain, but only for the sake of art truth and integrity of collection.
A conference meeting of the students of Sergiyev Posad branch of the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) and Leonid Nosyrev took place in Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve. The meetings with animators continue as a part of collective display with the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) “There, on the Unforeknowable Tracks”, that is running at Abramtsevo Museum. The artist promised to hold the same meeting in Abramtsevo once again and it shall be opened for all comers.
Biography details
Leonid Nosyrev is a director, scriptwriter, artist and animator. Honoured Artist of Russia (2003). He was born January 22, 1937 in Ivanteevka, Moscow region. As a professional artist, he came to the Souzmultfilm studio in 1961, and since 1969 he works there as a director. Since 1996 he is the teacher of the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK). One of the makers of famous animation anthology “Merry-Go-Round”. Took part in the creation of cartoons “The Story of a Crime”, “Toptyzka”, “Boniface’s Vocation”, “A Glass Accordeon”, “Bremen Musicians”.
The most successful his work was film adaptation of Boris Shergin’s tale “The Magic Ring”. In 1992 Nosyrev released a collection of his best films under the title “Oh, folks, ta-ra-ra!”. Yevgeny Leonov read a narration as well as appears in the film on the screen.
Exhibition ,,Retrospective of Search,, by Alexander Drozdovsky
In Arts and Crafts Department of Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve the exhibition “Retrospective of Search” by Alexander Drozdovsky, arranged to coincide with the anniversary of the 70 years of an artist and the 40 years of his creative and educational work, is running and lasts till the end of March, 2015.
There is featured the whole variety of the artist’s art in an exhibition: sculptural works, hammer plastics, the medallic art, cloisonné enamel and pictures at different times.
Location of Arts and Crafts Department of Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve is quite opposite to the Southern Gates of Pokrovsky Monastery in Khotkovo.
Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve would like to invite you to participate in the Program “Our Maslenitsa”.
The programs will hold from February, 18 to February 22, 2015.
Old entertainments and plays, master classes, involving tours and traditional Russian eats and drinks with samovar wait for you.
Price for adults — 900 rubles, for children — 650 rubles.
Groups of people are only by previous appointment.
Order Phones: +7 (496) 543-24-70; +7 (916) 278-45-42
Round Table Meeting in Abramtsevo
January 25, 2015 the Round Table Meeting on the results of exhibition “Happy Family, or “the last” of Abramtsevo’s Art Dynasties” took place in Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve. An exhibition was displayed in the department “Russian Artists of the 20th century of Abramtsevo”.
Artists, exhibitors such as Irina Marts, Andrey Lysenko, Anastasya Sokolova, Valery and Nikita the Chernoritsky and the others, as well as the employers of Museum including Director Elena Voronina, Deputy Director for Science Elena Mitrophanova, Head of Conservation for the Museum Elena Mokhova, Supervisor of the exhibition Svetlana Volkova, Researcher Ekaterina Voronina took part in the earnest dialogue. The participants of the Round Table Meeting exchanged views on the past event and discussed plans about further cooperation between artists of Abramtsevo and Museum. The employers of the Museum told about history of the department of Modern Art in Abramtsevo and about next steps in development and business expansion of the Museum.
Lecture on the subject “Abramtsevo. Owners and Guests” was read in the Children’s Art School named after Soslanbek Tavasiev in Vladikavkaz. Marina Tavasieva, an artist and employee of Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve, gave the mentioned lecture to the students of fourth form of Art School./p>
January 24, 2015 in Arts and Crafts Department of Abramtsevo Museum-Reserve the second master class of sculptor Irina Muraviyova was held. This time the students of Khotkovo Art School were her listeners. For the present this master class became a peculiar conclusion, the final of the exhibition of the painters of today “Starting Point”, during which the works of Irina Muraviyova were displayed.
