The Russian Academy Of Arts

Date: 26.06.2007
Source: ITAR-TASS
Reporter: Olga Svistunova

Moscow, June 27. /ITAR-TASS reporter Olga Svistunova/. Today, residents and guests of Moscow  have the  ultimate  chance  to see a unique exhibition. It is an unexampled exposition  comprising artworks by the most talented graduates of the Russian Academy of Arts (RAA) since its foundation in 1757.  Today,  the huge jubilee exhibition  in  Manezh Central Exhibition Hall in Moscow is closing to be displayed in St. Petersburg starting from the first decade of July.

The Academy’s exhibition in Manezh has become a popular attraction in the city for more than ten days.  Thousands of  Muscovites visited the exposition and the admission was free.  “This is our gift  dedicated  to the Academy jubilee” – reminded President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli in his interview to ITAR-TASS reporter.  But he does not think, that the exhibition has gained a success only due to the free admission. “Where else can you see at one time  about 3000   masterpieces of fine arts, among them -  canvases by Repin, Makovski, Levitan and Surikov, Aivazovski and Polenov, Korovin, Grabar, etc.” – enumerated Tsereteli.  Works by current academicians were also well represented in the exposition.

This time, President of the RAA Zurab Tsereteli,  noted for his exhibitions on a grand scale,  has shown only a minimum including one of his recent sculptures titled “Rostropovich  in a moment of immortality”,  an unfinished variation of which was approved  by the great musician before his death.

However, on July 20th, 2007 Zutrab Tsereteli is going  to have his full swing of success. It will happen in Sochi where opens his solo exhibition. It will also be held on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the RAA and its president has solid grounds for such a dedication. These include a personal jubilee of Tsereteli who has been heading the RAA for ten years already. As he confessed, this post is not a burden on him. “If I were a president of the Academy of Agriculture, then, maybe, it would be boring” – joked Tsereteli. He has added that the RAA jubilee will be celebrated in several cities and countries.  The program of events  in honor of the remarkable anniversary, with which UNESCO will be associated in 2006-2007, is to be over in late 2007.  The main celebrations will be held in St. Petersburg in November. It is in the city on the Neva river that the Academy was established in 1757 which, as President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin wrote in his letter of greeting on the occasion of the jubilee, “laid the foundations to the system of art education, played an outstanding role in establishing provincial art schools, institutions, museums and in search of talents who glorified this country”.