Vestnik Kavkaza visited the Caucasus modern art exhibition “Peaks. In the palms of the sky” and asked artists, art critics and ordinary visitors to share their impressions.
“Today I’m absolutely astounded by the level of visual art development in the Northern Caucasus and, in particular, in North Ossetia. Actually, I have been an admirer of the sculptor Vladimir Soskiyev’s works. I consider him to be one of the most gifted sculptors in our country, and not only here, because his special manner, his vision of our life, of different people, which he brought to modern art, and his love of his native land are amazing. That’s why I’m very happy to visit this exhibition today. I think we need such exhibitions, so that our multi-ethnic people might realize that the Ossetians are very talented, as well as other peoples of the Northern Caucasus,” a visitor to the exhibition noted.
Asker Mamedov, Honored Artist of Russia, told about his pictures presented at the exhibition.
VK: Could you please tell us about your works?
Asker Mamedov: One of them is called “Speaking Hands, or Flowers of Immortality”. The other is called “Shine of Love”.
VK: What do they mean - both the first one and the second one?
Asker Mamedov: In the first picture, “Flowers of Immortality”, you see speaking hands. One of them has got a brush, the other has got a palette, or, more exactly, another hand in which there is some blood instead of paint. It means that a painter creates his works with his own blood; in this way he creates all the life, the beauty and the love expressed in his works. The other work, “Shine of Love”, is dedicated to my granddaughters. It represents the evolution of light. There are a candle, a lamp, and a lantern in this picture. We saw every one of these objects during our life, and they symbolize happiness for me. That’s why I called this work “Shine of Love”. As for this exhibition in general and the subject of the Caucasian people in Moscow in particular, I would like to say that I’m Muscovite, and I live and work here, but, generally, these are great conditions for the development of relations between Russia, Azerbaijan, Ossetia and the Caucasus, or the Northern Caucasus. Peace, friendship and love are the main theme of all my works. This exhibition proves once again that all the peoples of Russia can live in peace, co-exist as good friends, create something new and make progress.
VK: Why are there two sculptures and one picture representing a turkey at this exhibition? What does it mean?
Asker Mamedov: Turkey is generally considered to be a symbol of wealth, beauty, like the peacock is, though the turkey is not so beautiful. It seems that it is a symbol of pride and beauty in the artist’s imagination. The turkey is very proud of itself, it doesn’t notice anyone. To my mind, the message was like this.
Olga Manizer, painter, presented her own outstanding works: “It was very interesting for me to make these dolls representing Armenia, Georgia, Ossetia and Azerbaijan, because the impressions of my childhood are connected with each country on this list, with my friends from these countries. This project is very important for me personally, and I’m happy that it became the part of this exhibition. The exhibition is splendid, all the painters are awesome here, as well as their works. It is wonderful that it is being held in Moscow.”
Her father Gugo Manizer told about the history of creation of his works: “This exhibition pleased me very much. Of course, it is very pleasant for me that I was invited here, I’m very grateful for it. I have visited the Northern Caucasus and the South Caucasus. There are three works here representing Mestia, the capital of Svanetia. It is a wonderful place. I have painted these works in Mestia from life. This is my vision which represents my perception of the nature of this land. I was certainly a bit surprised at the great number of watch towers there which were situated near almost each building. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any opportunity to rise to the top of these towers and to see this view from above. I painted something that I liked: This is a small street in Mestia; this is a view of Mestia; this is another view in the mountains of Svanetia. Here I have painted my wife and my daughter, who is currently present at the exhibition; I did it for a joke. I like the exhibition very much. A lot of artists are outstanding, to my mind. In the 1980s I used to visit Vladikavkaz every year and conduct an examination of the final-year students of a wonderful art school which was situated there. Nowadays this school still exists. That is how I became connected to this region. Nowadays I’m a lecturer at the Surikov Institute, and I often see students from Vladikavkaz, in particular students specializing in sculpture. So I’m acquainted with many of the sculptors who are present here. I wish them great success and to create wonderful works.”
Yelena Solovyeva, art critic, paid attention to the Dagestani pictures: "These works are quite significant for me. They represent the mountains of the Caucasus and the nature of Dagestan. The painter, Oleg Fergudagov, is from Dagestan, though he lives in Moscow. The work above that we see, “Winter Landscape”, is unique. Generally, mountains are represented as multi-colored; but these winter mountains are unified by the very spirit both of winter and of mountains. I appreciate this idea very much."
