Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

An exhibition “Teachers and students” has opened at Ilya Repin St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Fine Arts, Sculpture and Architecture.

“Thesis works of the 1950-1970s from the collection of the Scientific Research Museum are presented at the Titian Room, while the works of 20th-century artists from the collection of V.F. Pustarnakov Realistic Art Foundation are showcased at the Raphael Room,” said Ekaterina Sapogova, artistic director of foundation and the exhibition curator.

The project organizers include the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Heydar Aliyev Center, Scientific-research Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts, V.F. Pustarnakov Realistic Art Foundation and the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Yenicag.ru reported.

The exhibition is curated by Veronika Bogdan, Emin Mammadov, Ekaterina Sapogova and Maria Filatova.

“The project “Teachers and students” is a unique phenomenon in the modern exhibition activity. The spectators are presented the diploma pictures from the collection of the Scientific Research Museum, independent works of outstanding artists of St. Petersburg and Moscow from the collection of V.F. Pustarnakov Realistic Art Foundation, and the work of teachers and professors of Ilya Repin St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Fine Arts, Sculpture and Architecture,” said Sapogova.

Thematic paintings, portraits, still life, landscapes, included in the catalog and exhibition exposition, give a clear idea of ​​the time, aspirations, creative searches of more than 100 realistic artists. Temperamental, textured and colorful works tell about love to their native land, workdays, simple joys, important historical events. Participants of the exhibition are united not only by masterful performance and great skills, but also the fact that all these artists developed their own, recognizable artistic style. They brought something new to the art of realism. This exhibition is also interesting because we can trace the creative ways of teachers and their gifted students, some of whom later became not only worthy artists, but also found themselves in teaching activity. This is how the inseparable connection of generations is realized, so the best traditions of craftsmanship, professional secrets and, most importantly, the correct understanding of the meaning and depth of the meaning of art are carefully transferred from one artist to another,” she added.

“It's also important fact that such a large-scale exhibition is falls on the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the 90th anniversary of the outstanding artist Tahir Salahov,” she concluded.

The exhibition brought together artists born in Baku, Ferghana, Odessa, Kazan, Gorky, Vitebsk who came to Saint Petersburg or Moscow to get a classical art education. Many of them devoted themselves not only to creative, but also teaching activity.

The exposition includes study and diploma works, which allow tracing the way of the formation of such brush masters as Tahir Salakhov, who is represented by a sketch of the model, 1956’s watercolor painting (double setting in costumes) and the final monumental painting “From Watch” (1957). Among other graduates of the Surikov Moscow State Academic Art Institute are talented painters L.V. Gudskov (1922-1997) and S. L. Frolov (1924-1970).

This autumn the exhibition will be presented at Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.

The exposition will also showcase works of Azerbaijani artists from the collection of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

Next year, the exhibition will be held in the Russian Academy of Arts.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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