By Vestnik Kavkaza
The 7th Moscow International Festival “Traditions and Modernity” opened on the 26th of June in the Central House of Artists. The festival is a significant event for the cultural life of the capital. More than 300 artists will present their works to the audience. Representatives of 21 countries got together, including Armenia and Azerbaijan. As is traditional, masters of art of not only Russia, but the whole post-Soviet space, Tair Salakhov and Zurab Tseriteli, are taking part in the festival.
The culmination of the festival will be the awarding of the professional prize – the bronze statuette “Vera.” The winners will be chosen in 8 nominations: painting, graphics, sculpture, photography, installation, decorative art, architecture, and museology. The award ceremony will take place on July 1s in the theatre Et Cetera.
The ceremony will be attended by socio-political activists, representatives of intelligentsia, and diplomats. The head of the Moscow Public Fund of the Culture Support and Modern Art Development, Vera Kiselyeva, opened the festival: “Today is a special day. You all have come to open our festival. You will see wonderful artists who are participants of the festival. We glad to see projects from Germany here. As this year is devoted to Russia and Germany, we have three wonderful projects. Everything is remarkable, to be honest. I would like to express my gratitude to you for coming. I love you so much. Always come to us!”
The ambassador of Azerbaijan Polad Byul-Byul Ogly appreciated organization of the arrangement. “I image how much effort has been made to organize such a wonderful exhibition. As the chairman of the Fund of Humanitarian Cooperation between the CIS Countries, I am very glad that almost all CIS states are presented by their artists at the current exhibition. And as the ambassador of Azerbaijan, I am happy to see works by the master of our painting, well-known Tair Salakhov, as well as young Maryam Alakbari. It is the festival of friendship, the festival of art, the festival of pictures, and the festival of all nations.”
Tair Salakhov explained why it was important for him to present works at this festival annually. “Even though I am the chairman of the jury, I take part in the festival as well. Do you know why? Once I was in a country where a biennale was held; and they asked me to bring my works. In the first hall of the exhibition they presented works by members of the jury. I asked them why they did it. They said that painters who took part in the festival should know who judged them.”
Tair Salakhov told Vestnik Kavkaza that masters from 21 countries met in the House of Artists. “It is very serious. As today in the world there are economic and political difficulties, bringing painters from 21 state to present their works creates an atmosphere of creativity, touching an idea, touching feelings of artists, their outlook in the past, present, and future. The festival continues creativity of contemporary artists.
I believe many participants of the festival will take their rightful place in the world of art. I think among all genres of creativity painters are the most self-sacrificing. A painter fights alone against canvas, loam, sculpture, and metal to create something he is concerned about. I have never seen a painter who would wake up and decide to make a poor work.
I am grateful to painters who participate in the exhibition, there are about 300 artists. We are shaking their hands today because they have brought their best works, their best feelings, their best intentions. They do it to be useful for the society. And I am happy modern Russia has opened its doors to our seventh festival. We welcome all countries!
Last year several painters from Azerbaijan took part in it. I appreciate very much Maryam, who is 21. I saw her exhibitions in Azerbaijan and other countries. She is a talented girl. She defeated her illness by her work. I was glad to open her exhibition in Baku, and today we open it here. I’s happiness. I greet all artists,” Tair Salakhov concluded.
The prize-winner of Vera, artist Igor Kormyshev, told Vestnik Kavkaza why modern society needed such events: “Today to establish something, to organize, to invite wonderful artists, to hold such a forum… Look at this freshness! I stand in front of Tair Salakhov, Zurab Tseriteli. Walk through the halls and look at the presented pictures. I believe it is wonderful and splendid. I wish there were more such nice exhibitions which would tell us about people’s lives, modern times and enrich us.”
