KBSU became a platform for the RAA project aimed at developing the art of the North Caucasus

From October 15 to 20, the third stage of the scientific and educational project «Traditions and Innovations in the Works of Contemporary Artists of the North Caucasus» is taking place in Nalchik, initiated by the Russian Academy of Arts together with the Union of Artists of Russia and the Ministry of Culture of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.

On October 16, an educational and enlightening block of events of the project aimed at developing the art of the North Caucasus was held at the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh.M. Berbekov.

Director of the research Institute of Theory and History of Fine Arts of the RAA, academician of the RAA, secretary of the Union of Artists of Russia Sergey Stupin reported that a master class and lectures from leading art historians of the RAA will be held for students of the Institute of Architecture, Construction and Design and the College of Design of KBSU, as well as for students of Pyatigorsk State University.

A master class on painting on the theme «Still Life» was held by People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, head of the Department for Work with Regions of the Russian Academy of Arts Konstantin Petrov, whose favorite materials are watercolor and pastel.

The lecture «Folk roots of a folk artist. On the 90th anniversary of Zurab Tsereteli» was given by the head of the Department of Art Education Problems of the Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Arts, academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, Doctor of Art History Tatyana Astrakhantseva.

This year, the President of the Russian Academy of Arts, People’s Artist of the USSR and the Russian Federation, academician of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli celebrates his 90th birthday. He has many achievements, including being a laureate of the Lenin Prize, State Prize, ambassador of peace to UNESCO, etc. We all know him as an accomplished master. But I was interested in tracing his early work, his folk roots. How he developed into a great artist. What influence did his native nature, Georgian culture, his relatives, etc. have on him? This is precisely the era that is least paid attention to when studying Tsereteli’s work,

— Tatyana Astrakhantseva commented.

The lecture by art critic, senior research fellow at the Art Criticism Department of the Russian Academy of Arts, Honored Artist of Russia, Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts Tatyana Boytsova was devoted to the peculiarities of the formation of fine art and the art education system in the North Caucasus.

Students study the history of Russian and foreign art, but very few know how the art space was formed here, in the Caucasus. We will talk about the masters who worked in the Caucasus before, about their traditions in art. I want to delve deeper into history, to tell how our ancestors, through difficulties and resistance, built the art environment in the Caucasus,

— Tatyana Boytsova explained.

It should be noted that within the framework of the Russian Academy of Arts project «Traditions and Innovations in the Works of Contemporary Artists of the North Caucasus», the results of the Third International Competition «Caucasus. Attraction of the Future» among young professional artists under 35 permanently residing in the North Caucasus Federal District, as well as in Crimea, the DPR, LPR, Adygea, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia will be summed up.

I would like to emphasize that this is a competition for young artists under 35, but these are professional masters. Our task is to support professionals, the academic school, and tradition. On October 17, we will open two exhibitions at once — in the National Museum of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic and in the Kabardino-Balkarian Museum of Fine Arts named after A. L. Tkachenko. Against the backdrop of the competition exhibition of the winners, an exhibition of professional academicians will be held. This is the elite of Russian art, these are academics from the South of Russia who sent their works from the Republic of Crimea, Rostov Region, Krasnodar Region, all the national republics of the North Caucasus,

— said Sergey Stupin.

On October 18–19, the II International Scientific Conference “Fine Art of Young Professionals. The Greater Caucasus and the South of Russia” will be held, dedicated to the problems of young art. A collection will be published based on the results of the conference.