The Russian Academy Of Arts

In 1992 the People’s Artist of Russia, Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts Nickolai Mukhin initiated an establishment of the School “Yaroslavl Icon” – the legal entity commemorating the best traditions of the 17th century celebrated Yaroslavl school of icon painting. The founders were: the Yaroslavl Diocesan Department represented by the archbishop Platon and “Kovcheg” company headed by Nickolai Mukhin.

On May 12, 1993 the Patriarch of Moscow and All-Russia Alexi II during his visit to Yaroslavl consecrated the School “Yaroslavl Icon” and gave his blessing to its founder Nickolai Mukhin for his work at the rebirth of the traditions of icon and relogious wall painting. For twenty years of its existence Nickolai Mukhin and his pupils executed icon and wall painting in 18 orthodox churches (over 10.000 sq. meters) in Russia and other countries: Japan, Malta, the United States, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Serbia and Croatia.

In 1996 Nickolai Mukhin became a winner of the competition for painting of the walls of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow that was being revived at that time. The winner was entitled to choose a theme which he preferred to paint. The School “Yaroslavl Icon” headed by Nickolai Mukhin was honored to paint the Nativity composition behind the alter, as well as to recreate the well-known canonical images of 28 miracle-working icons of the Mother of God.

In 1995 in Yaroslavl, with the blessing of the Patriarch of Moscow and All-Russia Alexi II in memory of the Assumption Cathedral demolished in Yaroslavl in 1931 and with hope for its recreation there was erected a unique sculptural image of the Holy Trinity authored by Nickolai Mukhin. “In order, when looking at the Holy Trinity, to win a victory over the hateful discord in this world …” – quoted the Patriarch in his welcoming address the words of Venerable Sergy of Radonezh. (The Assumption Cathedral was recreated and consecrated in 2010 in honor of the 1000th anniversary of Yaroslavl).

Today, art historians and researchers consider Nickolai Mukhin’s Holy Trinity as a spatial icon (hierotopy). The Oak of Mamre (also called the Oak of Abraham) - the oak planted during the construction of the sculpture and located behind it, White Chambers - the Assumption Cathedral: these are symbols of the canon of the Holy Trinity if it were painted by an icon painter on a wooden board. In the spatial icon, mediating the relation between earthly reality and the heavenly realm, a man becomes a participant of this space.

Now, many of Nickolai Mukhin’s pupils who started working under his supervision in the 1990s have set up their own co-operatives and are actively involved in the religious wall painting in Russia and abroad. Among his pupils are icon-painters and artists from Serbia, Netherlands, U.S.A.

Nickolai Mukhin is a Winner of the State Prize of Russia, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, Academician and Member of Presidium of the Russian Academy of Arts, he is a holder of numerous awards of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church in Serbia, has an honorable mention from the Metropolitan of All America and Canada the Most Blessed Theodosius.

Since its foundation the School “Yaroslavl Icon” has been headed by Nickolai Mukhin. At present the artist is working on the creation of an iconostasis for the Svyato-Vvedensky Church of the Serbian Orthodox Lepavina Monastery in Croatia. Nickolai Mukhin is actively involved in the enlightening and publishing activity, he is a frequent participant of conferences on problems of modern church art, as well as curator of the scientific and educational project of the Russian Academy of Arts “Art and Religion in the Space of Modern Culture”.









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