The Russian Academy Of Arts

Moscow, May 30. INTERFAX.RU – The President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli has more than once told us about the influence of France on his creative work. It is quite natural, that he is an active participant in the events in honor of the Year of France in Russia and the Year of Russia in France. Before his leaving for Paris, where there will be held several exhibitions of the Russian Academy of Arts, Zurab Tsereteli has told the INTERFAX about the expositions to be presented to the French public.

Zurab Konstantinovich, you have worked on the concept of the exhibitions. What can the French admirers of Russian art expect in early June?

We are prepared for the inauguration in June of an exhibition project “Russian Academy of Arts: Space of Academic School” in the Orangerie – Palais du Luxembourg, Senate of France. The Orangerie is a beautiful museum for temporary exhibitions that hosted shows of works by Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, Picasso, Modigliani and other great artists. Now, within the program of the Year of Russia in France in its exhibition halls for two months on display will be our exposition. The French viewers will see paintings, graphic art, sculpture, installations by contemporary Russian masters, members of the Russian Academy of Arts, including Tair Salakhov, Andrei Mylnikov, Anatoly Bichukov, Michael Posokhin, Dmitry Zhilinsky and many others. My works will also be there.

It is a good opportunity for the French art connoisseurs to get acquainted with the Russian academic art school and appreciate the significant role of the French culture in its formation. Developing the cultural cooperation between our countries we raise the level of spiritual ties between peoples of Russia and France.

As for me, I have been much influenced by works of the French masters. France is my love.

In the 1960s, I was lucky to visit Picasso’s studio in Paris and it was an unforgettable experience. He has become one of those who had a big impact on my work.

Among Honorary Members of the Russian Academy of Arts there are representatives of France…

Right, many eminent figures of fine arts from various countries have been elected its Honorary Members, including such outstanding figures of the French culture, as painter Arnaud d’Hauterives, fashion designer Pierre Cardin, architect Roger Taillibert and others.

And vice versa, our masters are members of the French Academy of Fine Arts (Academie des Beaux-Arts de l’Institute de France )

Of course. This Academy is also called the “Academy of Immortals”. The Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Arts Tair Salakhov and me are its foreign corresponding members. The tsar Peter the Great after his tour to Europe in the 1720s was elected a member of the “Academy of Immortals” and in 1724 he signed a decree on the establishment of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

The French Academy of Fine Arts hosts our second major exhibition “The Russian Academy of Arts – Persons, Events, Facts of History” that will feature archive documents, works of art demonstrating the centuries old cultural ties between Russia and France through the history of the Russian Academy of Arts. We will show the role of the French culture, the contribution of the French eminent figures of architecture, fine arts and science to the development of Russian art and academic art school.

You have paid your own money for the restoration of the canvas depicting a visit of Nicholas II to the French Academy. When can this picture be seen?

We want to present it to the public at the exhibition in Paris in June. In the French Academy of Fine Arts I have discovered a rolled up canvas by Andre Brouillet, 4.5mx3.5m, portraying the Imperial couple during the visit to the French Academy accompanied by the French President Felix Faure in the late 19th century.

The canvas has been kept in the storeroom of the French Academy of Fine Arts for many decades and was in a very poor condition. I decided to have it restored on my own in order not to lose the time for formalities. The restored picture will be presented at the exhibition in the French Academy of Arts and in the fall of this year it is planned to display it in Moscow.

Zurab Konstantinovich, you have presented many of your works as a gift. Can the French expect a sculptural gift from you now?

In France there are my monuments to Honore de Balzac in Agde and to Pope Jonh Paul II in Ploermel. I would like to make one more gift in the Russia-France cross year to those who love Three Musketeers by Alexander Duma – to install in Gascony, in D’Artanyan’s homeland, a sculptural composition with four bronze Musketeers. The model of this sculpture will be on show at the above exhibitions in Paris.

Your special relations with France have been marked by the President of France: you have been presented with the National Order of the Legion of Honor. Have you expected such a high appreciation of your work?

In February when I received a letter from the President of France Nickolas Sarkozy and learnt that I had been honored as a Chevalier of the Order of the Legion of Honor, I was very much surprised. I have got used to criticism in my address that gives me energy and stimulates my work and here - such a high appreciation from the authorities of my favorite country.

Interviewer Yury Kologortsev

 

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