Moscow's Altman Gallery in 'Novinsky Passage' has hosted a charity auction of graphic works by the world-famous artist artist Marc Chagall and Russian musician Andrey Makarevich. The Russian Jewish Congress, which organized the event, dedicated it to the upcoming Jewish holiday of Purim. Purim is when sweets are presented to each other and money given to those in need. This year, the holiday will be celebrated on March 24th.
"There is a Jewish tradition, before the holiday of Purim, or during Purim, to give gifts to those in need, so they would celebrate it well. Those gifts are called shalakh manos. And so these proceeds will be spent on shalakhmones for those in need, so they can have fun during the celebration of Purim," the president of the Russian Jewish Congress Yuri Kanner explained to Vestnik Kavkaza.
"From my point of view, Chagall is the main Jewish artist of the 20th century, and a large part of his work is certainly associated with Judaism and biblical themes. A famous biblical series is presented here, which was partly made for the opening of the Chagall Museum in Nice," head of the Public Council of the Russian Jewish Congress, Altman Gallery owner Yegor Altman told Vestnik Kavkaza.
The host of the auction, showman Mikhail Schatz, noted that the event was successful: "All the works exhibited at the auction were sold. All the money that we managed to gather will go to the recipients. Families who really need this money."
According to the data of the Russian Jewish Congress, the auction sold five author lithographs of Chagall's 'Bible Series' with scenes from the Torah, and two female portrait paintings by Makarevich. Jewish philanthropists became buyers of lots: representative of Women's League of the Russian Jewish Congress, Olga (Daniela) Gutina, a member of the Board of Directors of Russian Jewish Congress, Pariy Alexander, head of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish community of Syktyvkar, Leonid Zilberg, and others. For the last lot – a lithograph 'Adam and Eve exiled from Eden' – a fierce struggle started, and the final bid was more than three times the estimated price. In total, the works of both authors managed to go for 747 thousand rubles. They will be used to support children from socially disadvantaged Jewish families. This event was the start of a new Russian Jewish Congress charity program, in which anyone will be able to participate soon.
Famous members of the RJC Public Council were among the guests of the evening: singer Masha Kats, theater director Josef Raihelgauz, the Director General of 'Silver Rain Radio' Dmitry Savitsky, documentarian Elena Yakovich and TV host Leonid Yakubovich.
