On December 23, 2021, the presentation of the album-catalog "Age and Eternity in the Fine Arts of Russia and Mongolia" took place at the Embassy of Mongolia in Moscow. Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, head of the Bureau of Creative Expeditions, painter Vladimir Anisimov and Deputy Chairman of the Regional Branch of the Urals, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Academy of Arts, member of the Presidium of the Academy, art critic Mikhail Shishin addressed the Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary Ambassador of Mongolia to Russia Ulziisaykhan Enkhtuvshin.
The album catalog became the final point of a large-scale art project dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Mongolia, which was celebrated in the two countries this year. The main events of the project were exhibitions of works by contemporary Siberian and Mongolian artists in Barnaul, Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude. The regional unions of artists of the Altai Krai, Irkutsk Region and the Republic of Buryatia played an important role in organizing these exhibitions. The project was coordinated by the Regional Branch of the Urals, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Academy of Arts.
The album for the first time presents thematic collections of works by Russian and Mongolian artists from the collections of partner museums of the project: the Irkutsk Regional Art Museum named after V.P. Sukachev, the National Museum of the Republic of Buryatia, the State Art Museum of the Altai Krai. The publication also includes works from the workshops of Irkutsk artists and the LeArt Gallery (Irkutsk). The collections are preceded by introductory articles by museum staff and directors.
Published by the Irkutsk Regional Art Museum with the financial support of the Irkutsk Region Administration, the album-catalog gives a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the work of those Siberian artists for whom the natural and cultural-historical heritage of Mongolia has become one of the leading themes of creativity. Many Mongolian artists, project participants who graduated from Russian art institutes, demonstrated a connection with the Russian school of fine art and a deep interest in Russia and the Siberian regions. This, the Russian participants of the presentation stressed, proved once again that the establishment of diplomatic relations back in 1921 laid a strong foundation for cooperation between cultural figures of the two countries. Presenting all the events of the anniversary year, M.Y. Shishin said that a special issue of “The Art of Eurasia” Journal was released, in which the idea of the connection of two artistic cultures received multifaceted confirmation in the articles of art critics.
According to V.N. Anisimov, Mongolia attracts Russian artists very much. The accumulated experience of creative expeditions to Cuba, India, Thailand, Indonesia and other countries allows us to say with confidence that wonderful works can be created about Mongolia, which will be successful in both countries.
The Ambassador highly appreciated the project and the album, noting that art plays an important role in bringing peoples closer together, and expressed readiness to provide effective support in organizing exhibitions and creative expeditions around Mongolia. Mr. U. Enkhtuvshin expressed great interest in continuing the education of Mongolian students in art universities in Russia.
The participants of the presentation agreed to continue meeting and informing each other on common topics, agreed on the need to hold joint exhibitions of Russian and Mongolian artists in Moscow and the regions of the country. The art project implemented in 2021 provides another basis for the further development of fruitful contacts, as well as research on the artistic culture of Russia and Mongolia.