A Tale of Timeless Years: the history of church art will be presented at the Manege
More than 500 works have been placed in the Moscow Manege on an area of 3.5 thousand square meters. m. The organizers selected them from 3,000 applications sent by craftsmen from all over Russia. Among the 216 participants are both recognized artists and young authors. Painting, sculpture, graphics, icon painting, mosaics, jewelry and church sewing — exhibition "Christian Tradition. Our Days" covers almost all types of artistic creation. But in addition to the works of contemporaries, guests will see historical relics — the relics of Dmitry Donskoy and the Dmitrov Cross of the 13th century. Izvestia was among the first to appreciate the scale of the exhibition.
Art in the process of being born
Work is in full swing in the Arena. Employees make markings on the floor, paste explications, and someone even updates the paint on the canvases. At first glance, everything looks like a large construction site. But among the ladders, tools, and unfinished structures, beauty gradually emerges: the works find their place, semantic connections are built, and the scale of the grandiose event is already discernible behind the fuss.
On November 4, the exhibition "Christian Tradition. Our Days", dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Its task is to show the development of modern church art in the context of more than a thousand years of Russian history and Orthodox culture.
The exhibition is divided into four giant halls. Each is a separate chapter of a conversation about faith, history, and culture. Historical relics, including the Dmitrov Cross from the end of the 13th century, are located next to the works of the 21st century. At the entrance, visitors will be greeted by shrines — the relics of the Blessed Prince Dmitry Donskoy and St. Euphrosyne of Moscow. It will be possible to attach to them.
— Why is there such a huge interest in Christianity among artists and contemporary cultural figures? The ancient philosopher Tertullian answered this question: the human soul is Christian by nature," said Metropolitan Tikhon of Simferopol and Crimea in an interview with Izvestia.
The first hall, The History of the Fatherland, guides guests through key pages of Russian history: from the baptism of Rus to modern times. On the walls and in the space of the hall there are images of princes, saints, generals, and spiritual figures.
The story is shown through the prism of Orthodoxy. Step by step, the guests of the exhibition will see how faith influenced the formation of the state and public life. Among the authors are Vasily Nesterenko, Ilya Glazunov, masters of the Studio of Military Artists named after Grekov.
One of the stops is Dmitry Bilyukin's painting "It's hard for me, Father." The painting depicts the young tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov and his father, Patriarch Filaret. The young emperor will have to rebuild the country that was devastated after the time of troubles, and next to him is his father, who passed through Polish captivity and became his adviser.
The next historical chapter is the era of Catherine the Great. Here, the artists from the canvases tell about the annexation of the Crimea, and about Chersonesos, and about the foundation of Sevastopol. There is also a copy of the sculptural composition by Ekaterina and Grigory Potemkin.
— This is an image of people with a difficult fate. They were a legitimate husband and wife, married by the church. Catherine the Great and Grigory Potemkin. Two companions. Two great figures of their era, who inherited Crimea, Novorossiya, and a great power. Now such a sculpture has been created for Sevastopol. We are waiting for a favorable time," said Metropolitan Tikhon.
The author of the sculpture, Honored Artist of Russia Vitaly Shanov, has more than a dozen works on display at the exhibition. All are copies of his monumental works.
Unexpectedly, a portrait of Alexander Pushkin, bent over the manuscript of The Captain's Daughter, fits into the historical gallery. On the opposite wall is Ilya Glazunov's large—scale painting "Dispossession". The crimson colors, the multitude of diverse figures and the temple with the slogan "Glory to the Great Stalin" reflect the tragedy of the Russian countryside of the 1920s and 1930s.
The exposition moves from Glazunov's canvas to the Great Patriotic War. Once again, we are talking about the clergy, who, despite previous persecutions, supported people in besieged Leningrad and the occupied territories. Among the heroes of modern artists is St. Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky), an outstanding surgeon who continued to serve people even in exile.
The historical line reaches to the present day. And at the end of the hall, there are works about modern defenders of the Fatherland and priests accompanying fighters in the SVR zone.
From biblical subjects to church vestments
The second hall — "God and Man" — changes its intonation. Instead of a historical panorama, there are Sacred Scriptures, gospel stories and images of saints. One of the central points is Aliya Nurakisheva's graphic series dedicated to the events of the Old and New Testaments.
Nearby there is modern icon painting, samples of facial and gold embroidery, as well as the ceremonial vestments of Patriarch Kirill. The whole world of church art is revealed to the viewer, which usually remains part of the temple space and is rarely available for such a detailed examination.
There is also an unusual cinema hall. A film about Christianity is projected onto the vaulted ceiling — from the creation of the world to the crucifixion of Christ. Interestingly, the creators of the painting used artificial intelligence. But, as Vladyka assures us, only as a tool in the hands of professional directors, screenwriters and actors.
The path leads to the third hall, dedicated to restorers, icon painters and masters of monumental art. From 2022 to 2025, 46 churches were restored, and 13 more are planned to be restored by the end of 2026. The lightboxes feature icons of particular importance to the clergy and society. Among them is the Savior, who witnessed the Battle of Borodino. In addition, guests will be able to view the authentic Dmitrov cross of the 13th century.
Talking about faith often leads to a conversation about beauty. If the first three chapters were devoted to the history and preservation of heritage, the final one was devoted to the very nature of beauty and its place in human life.
In the second part of the hall, the viewer will find everyday landscapes and uncomplicated plots. At first glance, simple everyday subjects and unpretentious landscapes. However, it is precisely in them that the artists' intention lies — to show the beauty of everyday life, which usually escapes us in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
— Having opened our hearts, we look at it in a completely different way. Driven by the modern pace of life, we tend not to notice such things. They hinder us, slow us down, and prevent us from achieving the goals we are constantly encouraged to strive for. And sometimes, perhaps, we should stop and look at what surrounds us," says Nazar Kurylenko, senior tour guide at the exhibition.
The exhibition aims to show church art not as a frozen museum monument separated from modern life, but as a living tradition that continues in the works of artists, the work of restorers, the restoration of churches and the search for new forms.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
