Creative and exhibition activities of the International Association of Artists — Descendants of Noble Families in Saint Petersburg

Abstract

There is the International Association of Artists-Descendants of Noble Families in Saint Petersburg, which includes more than twenty members. In 2022, it turns 20 years old. The initiator of this artistic association is the Saint Petersburg muralist, icon painter V.V. Zavaritsky. The Association includes artists V.V. Afanasyev, N.S. Danilevsky, O.A. Ivashintsova, A.A. Ivashintsova, D.D. Ivashintsov, V.N. Pitanin, N.I. Rein, K.A. Troitsky, B.E. Engelhardt and others. Some authors, such as Z.P. Arshakuni, G.S. Bogomolov, V.V. Vatenin, Ya.I. Krestovsky, L.K. Lazarev, K.V. Vyshpolskaya, K.A. Troitsky, V.Ya. Trubetskaya, L.Ya. Trubetskaya even posthumously continue to be listed in the Association, what, of course, emphasizes the noble intentions of the organizers are to preserve the names of the departed colleagues in the history of art. These are such artists as Z.P. Arshakuni, G.S. Bogomolov, V.V. Vatenin, Ya.I. Krestovsky, L.K. Lazarev, K.V. Vyshpolskaya, K.A. Troitsky, V.Ya. Trubetskaya, L.Ya. Trubetskaya.

The Association of Artists-Descendants of Noble Families unites artists of different origins, periodically inviting authors who have not yet joined this association. That is, conceptual and aesthetic program solutions of expositions are more important than the principle of selecting participants solely by origin.

The Association's activities are developing in several directions. The reflections of various artistic trends of the Leningrad-Petersburg fine art of the second half of the 20th to the 21st century have great importance. The Association constantly sets itself the task of expanding the cultural space, so it cooperates with many contemporary authors who continue the traditions of Leningrad-Petersburg art. An important problem of her activity is the rethinking of Russian history. Throughout its activities, it strives for the revival and affirmation of spiritual and moral humanistic ideas, the vivid embodiment of which they see in the culture of pre-revolutionary Russia. Not only the origin of the authors is important, but also the high artistic level of the works presented, as well as their semantic content associated with upholding high spiritual ideals, Christian moral positions and careful attitude to the past of Russia. The exhibitions of the Association of Artists-Descendants of Noble Families strive to actualize many pressing problems related to modern spiritual life, understanding of traditions and attitude to the historical past, for which one can be grateful to them. The authors are not just collectively sad about the departed “Belle Époque”, but also express their concern about the state of today's time. The article analyzes the exhibition of the Association in Saint Petersburg called “Let every breath praise the Lord!”.