THE LINK OF GENERATIONS: EXHIBITION OF WORKS BY EFREM ZVERKOV AND WINNERS OF EFREM ZVERKOV LANDSCAPE COMPETITION
Venue: Exhibition halls of the Russian Academy of Arts
The Russian Academy of Arts presents an exhibition of works by the People's Artist of the USSR, Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, Laureate of the State Prizes, Honorary Citizen of the Tver Region Efrem I. Zverkov (1921-2012) and paintings by winners of Efrem Zverkov Landscape Competition. Entitled "The Link of Generations" the exhibition features over 50 canvases.
Our time will reach our descendants primarily through artworks. The name of Efrem Zverkov, the eminent master of painting who created his own trend in the national landscape art, has gone down in the history of Russian and world art and gained a wide recognition in Russia and other countries. He was among those leaders who in the 1960s paved new ways in national art. Efrem Zverkov was the first among Moscow artists to explore the Russian North. In the late 1950-s - 1960-s he made six longtime creative trips to the Republic of Komi and Arkhangelsk Region. Being the successor of the cultural tradition, a genetic carrier of the national mentality, in his landscapes he realized the traditional system of spiritual values bringing into life the idea of commonality of the genesis of man and nature. The North region made a great impact on his creative activity and character of his interaction with nature. He was one of the first artists of "severe style" in landscape painting. During his work in the North Efrem Zverkov could reveal his great talent of a landscape painter and much influenced the development of the landscape painting in this country.
In 1972, according to the edict of the Soviet Government five leading painters were sent to Italy with a major exhibition, those were Dmitry Zhilinsky, Petr Ossovsky, Geliy Korzhev, Efrem Zverkov and Victor Ivanov. The exhibition was a great success in Rome and later in capitals of several other countries. That was the beginning of the international recognition of the above masters' art.
Born in the Tver Region, Efrem Zverkov subtly sensed the poetry of nature of the central part of Russia, masterfully conveyed its changeable appearance, atmospheric and seasonal conditions. Using the specific features of oil painting he achieved the unity of volume, color and spatial solutions. The artist's solo exhibitions were shown in the most prestigious halls of Russia: the Russian Academy of Arts, the Moscow Kremlin, the State Tretyakov Gallery. Many paintings by Efrem Zverkov are in collections of the State Russian Museum, State Tretyakov Gallery, of more than 50 museums in Russia, as well as in state and private collections worldwide.
The canvases presented in the exhibition at the Russia Academy of Arts demonstrate the main philosophical idea of the artist who walked the roads of the Great Patriotic War from 1941 till the victorious days in May, 1945: "Every, even the smallest corner of our native land is absolutely precious and people should preserve this enormous world, our great planet named Earth". The creative heritage of Efrem Zverkov who became a recognized classic of fine arts during his lifetime is in demand by new generations.
The retrospective exhibition of the great master also comprises works by the winners of Efrem Zverkov Landscape Competition, students of A. Venetsianov Tver State Art College. This Competition was set up in 2006 on the initiative of Efrem Zverkov and N. G. Sirotina - Director of the Art College, Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts. It is hard to overestimate the significance of this Competition for preservation and promotion of the unique traditions of Russian school of painting.
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