On February 3, 2014, Sobranie Cultural Initiative Supporting & Preservation Fund and Stroganov Moscow State Academy of Arts and Industry concluded an agreement on cooperation for development of scientific and technical, cultural and educational and exhibitional activity, support of traditions and preservation of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation. Under this agreement, the partners shall support development of higher professional education in the Russian Federation, organize and implement joint educational programs, projects, art exhibitions, expositions, scientific and educational conferences, lectures, seminars, etc.

Besides, the Fund and the Academy agreed to promote international ties of participants of the above agreement by involving both Russian and foreign organizations and individuals for the purpose of extension of cultural, creative and other essential contacts of the participants both in Russia and abroad.

The 5th year students of the environmental design department of S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy have prepared proposals on improvement of town and industrial areas in Satka (Chelyabinsk Region).

A group of young designers offered their ideas on arrangement and decoration of public areas and a guest pedestrian route in Satka Production Site, which is extremely important for the enterprise as Satka Production Site provides excursions both for Magnezit Group clients and partners as well as school children and training school students under the vocational guidance program.

The attention of the second group was drawn by the area around Magnezit Community Centre where the students proposed to make additional leisure places as well as The Stone Garden decorative composition using local minerals.

The prepared projects are of applied kind and well elaborated. They will be implemented by the Academy students in 2016 as their diploma works with the organizational support of Magnezit Group, Sobranie Fund and the Administration of Satka Municipal District. 

In the framework of implementation of joint projects, Magnezit Group and Sobranie Fund put forward the initiative to arrange the contest of façade decoration of Magnezit Group administration building in Satka among the students and teaching staff of the monumental decorative painting department of S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy.

The main idea of the Contest is the implementation of the project of monumental painting of the wall comprising of two segments 13.8 x 6 metres each divided by windows. The contest designs shall be prepared in the form of a standard student’s course project. The wall shall be painted by water-glass paints on plaster.

The winner of the Contest will be defined by a collegial decision of the teaching staff of the monumental decorative painting department of S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy and the representatives of Sobranie Fund.

Upon completion of the Contest, the best project is assumed to be implemented during the summer practical training by the students of the monumental decorative painting department.

Final review of the works submitted to the competition announced by Sobranie Fund, the Local Government of the Satka Region and Stroganov University was completed in the chair of monumental/decorative painting of Stroganov Moscow State University of Industrial and Applied Arts. The project consists in painting the façade of the building of the Magnezit Group Headquarters during summer practical training of the students.

Let us remind you that in June 2016, Satka of the Chelyabinsk Region will host summer practical training of the students of the chair of monumental/decorative painting of Stroganov Moscow State University of Industrial and Applied Arts; this project will enable the most talented students to bring to life their bold ideas on the “canvas” of the unprecedented scale. The creativity space will be façade of the building of the Magnezit Group Headquarters consisting of two segments, each being 13.8 x 6 meters.

Students of the chair of monumental/decorative painting were quite enthusiastic about the challenge. All in all, 25 sketches were submitted to the competition, including 10 course works of the students of the chair of monumental/decorative painting, and other from students of other courses and majors. Besides, one of the academy teachers presented his vision of the façade wall. His work was considered non-competitively.

May 20, the final review of submitted projects took place in Moscow. According to the chair teachers, all projects featured high qualification level and creative freedom of students’ thought. The competent jury was also pleasantly surprised diverse style of sketches, skillful use of different techniques and painting methods. By results of review, the teachers gave grades to the projects.

Further, tough choice will have to be made by a special committee including representatives of Stroganov Moscow State University of Industrial and Applied Arts, Sobranie Fund, Magnezit Group and the Local Government of the Satka Municipal Region. 

The students will come to the Chelyabinsk Region in the end of June and will spend two weeks in Satka. The sketches that were submitted for the competition but did not win will be presented in a special exhibition.

We’d like to add that representatives of Stroganov University will decorate the building of Magnezit Group free of charge. This is how muralist students will be able to practice and improve their skills, while Satka will move one step further in transforming its urban environment.

For the reference:

The chair of monumental/decorative painting of Stroganov Moscow State University of Industrial and Applied Arts has existed since 1945 — since the time the college was reactivated. At present, it is the only chair in the country that turns out professional muralists. Every academic year is followed by practical training. It can be of two types — either duplicator or on-the-job training — students either copy Ancient Russian frescos in the field or implement their life-size projects in the architectural site.

Sobranie Fund, Magnezit Group and Stroganov University are connected through many years of fruitful cooperation. Thus, for example, in 2015, five-year students of the chair of the environment design developed the proposals aimed to improve urban and industrial territory of Satka. This covers possible arrangement of public areas of the Satka industrial site and creating additional leisure areas next to Magnezit Cultural Center.

In June 2016, Satka (Chelyabinsk Region) will host the summer intern of students of the chair of monumental / decorative painting of Stroganov Moscow State University of Industrial and Applied Arts. Winners of the competition announced by Sobranie Fund and the Local Government of Satka will paint one of the façades of the building of Enterprise Administration.

Let us remind you that the chair of monumental / decorative painting of Stroganov Moscow State University of Industrial and Applied Arts has existed since 1945 — since the time the college was reactivated. At present, it is the only chair in the country that turns out professional muralists. Every academic year is followed by job training. It can be of two types — either duplicator or on-the-job training — students either copy Ancient Russian frescos in the field or implement their life-size projects in the architectural site. This year, as proposed by Sobranie Fund for Support and Preservation of Cultural Initiatives and Satka Local Government, the most talented muralist beginners will prove knowledge they acquired during the academic year in the Chelyabinsk Region.

For this, in the end of 2015 the competition was announced among students for design of probably the largest-scale facility throughout the history of summer practical trainings of Stroganov University: façade of the building of Magnezit Group Headquarters in the Chelyabinsk Region. This is a wall that consists of two segments, each being 13.8 x 6 meters divided by window apertures.

Now, the best sketch competition is well under way: about 20 students are engaged, including the group of students under the supervision of Maxim Lytov, associate professor of the chair of monumental / decorative painting, and students of other groups.

The best sketches will be determined in two stages. The first stage will take place May 18 – 31 as part of the end-of-year exams of Stroganov University students. This is to be followed by tough choice that has to be made by the competent jury consisting of the representatives of Stroganov Moscow State University of Industrial and Applied Arts,  Sobranie Fund and the Local Government of the Satka Urban District. All sketches that were submitted for the competition but did not win will be presented in a special exhibition in Satka.

Students will come to Satka June and will stay in the Southern Urals for two weeks. During this time, they will not only implement their design ideas, but, together with their teachers, will conduct master classes for young people. Master classes participants will also be taught “in the field”: for this, Satka authorities will choose a dozen of walls of buildings and industrial facilities in the town. All events held as part of practical training of Stroganov University students will be included in the street art festival that Satka will host this summer.

It’s especially worth mentioning that the representatives of Stroganov University will decorate the building of the Magnezit Group and conduct master classes for residents of the Satka Region  free of charge. This is how future artists will be able to practice and improve their skills, while Satka will move one step further in transforming its urban environment.

Sobranie Fund, Magnezit Group and Stroganov University are connected through many years of fruitful cooperation. Thus, for example, in 2015, five-year students of the chair of the environment design developed the proposals aimed to improve urban and industrial territory of Satka. This covers possible arrangement of public areas of the Satka industrial site and creating additional leisure areas next to Magnezit Cultural Center.

Monumental painting of the facade of 4-storey building in Satka, the Chelyabinsk Region, was made by students and lecturers of Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Industrial and Applied Arts (Stroganov Academy), an old partner of Magnezit Group and the Satka District.

Let us remind that in June 2016 students of the Monumental and Decorative Painting Department of Stroganov Academy did their summer internship in Satka (the Chelyabinsk Region). Winners of the competition announced by Sobranie Fund and the Satka Administration paint one of the facades of the enterprise administration building. It is the wall that faces Proletarskaya Street. The wall consists of two segments 13.8x6 meters each, divided by window apertures.

“The painting is made in the best traditions of modernism of the first half of the 20th century in interpretation of modern creative graphic arts: bright application-like silhouettes and distinct contours of figures are intended to be viewed from afar. The work efficiently fits into the space of Proletarskaya Street, draft design of which was proposed by artist Ivan Korzhev, – Stroganovka specialists said. – Current decoration ensemble corresponds not only to street lamps and curbs, but also to the distant silhouette of ‘ The Reaping Hook and the Hammer’ monument. All this resembles the art of the first years of the revolution, anniversary of which the whole world celebrates in 2017. Bright positive colouring enlivens model development of Satka, supports image of the city center, is active at night time while reacting to the lighting.”

The following prototypes inspired the young authors: classical picture The Workers by great French artist Fernand Léger, painting The Plant by artist of Russian avant-garde of the 1920s Kliment Redko, and picturesque experiments of famous French architect Le Corbusier (the so-called purism).

Architectural and artistic beautification of the city continues.

We would emphasize that representatives of the Stroganov Academy will design the Magnezit Group building and will give master classes for residents of the Satka District free of charge. Thus, the future artists will be able to improve their skills, and Satka will take another step in transforming the city environment.

Specialized shift was held in Uralets children’s health camp in the Satka District of the Chelyabinsk Region guided by Valentin Dmitriyev, a lecturer of Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Industrial and Applied Arts (Stroganov Academy), the chairperson of the painting department of the National Design Institute, and a member of the Union of Artists.

From August 5 to 13, more than 30 guys – students of art departments of art schools of the Satka District and Chelyabinsk, and students of Zlatoust Pedagogical College – studied the art of painting, gladly creating several sketched a day. Based in Uralets children’s camp, the open plein air became a significant event for the young artists, they were fortunate to combine the useful and the pleasant in the summer holidays.

The week of collaboration between the professor and the young artists resulted in dozens of works, each of which was presented at the Uralets exposition which concluded the core shift. The onlookers saw views of the Ay River; cliffs raised over the river; majestic pine trees growing in the territory of the health camp, and the beautiful places which show up from the bank of the pond in the old part of the city where the Ural Mountain bench was installed during My Satka Festival.

According to Valentin Dmitriyev, painting classes contribute not only to increase of future artists’ professional level, but also to their spiritual enrichment. ”If a child finds an occupation to its liking, it will never get drug or any other addiction. Having worked with these children side by side for several days, I realized that they all are into painting. You should see the light in their eyes when they take brushes and paints in their hands, the excitement they paint with, – he says. – Of course, I could not teach them much for such a short time. I showed them techniques elaborated over years. The main success achieved by each of my young students was the state of ‘painting courage.’ The guys stopped being afraid to “hector” with brush on paper, they realized that the final result of this behaviour may be impressive.”

“Despite the fact that the guys are from different parts of the region, all of different ages, this is the most friendly group of third shift of Uralets. These girls and boys have a very busy life. They find time not only to paint, but also to participate in the camp’s life. We are very glad that our idea was a success, – art critic and curator of the core shift Natalia Vodoleyeva tells.

All guys are also satisfied with the core shift. ”When I was a child, I did not dream of becoming a professional artist, but painting calms me down, makes my everyday life brighter. Therefore, having learned about the plein air, I decided to take part in it without hesitation. The main goal was to learn to paint even better. Considering that opportunity to take lessons from such master of brush as Valentin Sergeyevich Dmitriyev occurs not every day, – says student of Zlatoust Pedagogical College Igor Klimentyev. 

Let us mention that Stroganov Academy is an old partner of Sobranie Fund and Magnezit Group. For several years, they have implemented a number of joint projects. Thus, in 2015, students of 5th year of the environmental design department developed proposals to beautify city and industrial territories of Satka. This year, a contest was held among students of the monumental and applied painting department for the right to paint one of facade walls of Magnezit plant administration building.

June 29, the final exhibition of works created by young artists of the South Urals during the open-air paintings took place.

For the second consecutive year, professors of Stroganov Moscow State University of Industrial and Applied Arts come to the children's holiday camp "Uralets" to share the secrets of excellence with young artists.

This year, students of art departments of art schools of Satkinsky and Ashinsky districts, as well as children art schools of Chelyabinsk became participants of the specialized shift – the open plein air. In total, 70 young artists gathered in Uralets children's camp.

Last year the plein air was held under the guidance of Valentin Dmitriyev, professor of Stroganov Moscow State University of Industrial and Applied Arts, the head of painting department of the National Design Institute, a member of the Union of Artists, who introduced children to the classical school of painting. This year, young professor and researchers Olga Orlovskaya and Gayane Tavakalova came to teach art to children.

Olga Orlovskaya is a member of the Russian Union of Artists, a regular participant in exhibitions of the Russian Union of Artists, youth and international exhibitions, a specialist in easel graphics and book illustrations.

Gayane is a specialist in easel painting and graphics, winner of the Russian Union of Artists Prize, organizer and curator of lectures and master classes devoted to the history and culture of the Stroganov Academy, within the framework of a special program of the Moscow Department of Education and Science.

For 10 days professors of the Stroganov Academy taught and showed methods of painting in plain language. It was possible to get acquainted with works finally created by children on June 29 at the end of the shift at an open presentation. On the same day, awards were given to the best of them, according to guests from the academy. 11 young artists were awarded with certificates of successful completion of the plein air.

"We are grateful to the administration of Satkinsky municipal district, academicians for supporting the idea of cooperation with the Stroganov academy," said Marina Migashkina, director of Uralets children’s camp.

Professors of the Stroganov academy who visited Satkinsky district for the first time, liked the nature very much, and they expressed their hope to visit this place again to artistically capture all the beauty. Moscow guests were presented with books about Satka and jam from oxalis.

Fine art restorer Philipp Guzanov will restore three paintings from the holdings of the Chelyabinsk State Museum of Fine Arts devoted to Magnezit plant. The paintings of Serafima Ryangina At High Furnace and Brick Shop as well as the painting of Boris Yakovlev The Mine. Satka were created in 1935. The project is implemented under auspices of S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy represented by Philipp Guzanov, which became possible owing to Magnezit Group and Sobranie Cultural Initiative Supporting & Preservation Fund.

In the 1930-ths, S. Ryangina and B. Yakovlev as many other artists of those days were impressed by the scope of industrial construction. The creative mission to the Ural resulted in industrial landscapes and portraits of workers exposed at Ural-Kuzbass exhibition in 1935-1936, which became a milestone event.

“The paintings require considerable restoration. The condition of the painting made it impossible to demonstrate them and they have been kept in the museum storage for many years. We are grateful to Magnezit Group and Sobranie Fund for the possibility to bring the beautiful paintings of the Soviet art masters back to life. The understanding of museum problems and readiness to assist in solving them at such a high professional level is quite a rare thing. It is also worth noting that participation in the restoration process will be a useful experience for our fine art restorers. It is excellent that three unique paintings will be at last available to the visitors of both live and virtual expositions of our museum,” says director of the Chelyabinsk Museum of Fine Arts Stanislav Tkachenko.

The restoration of the paintings will take place in the Art Gallery of the Chelyabinsk Museum of Fine Arts (92a Truda St.) from 21 November to 2 December 2017.

The Chelyabinsk Museum of Fine Arts with the assistance of Magnezit Group and Sobranie Fund intends to demonstrate the paintings “on the ground”, in Satka, Chelyabinsk Region, in 2018.

Ryangina Serafima Vasilyevna (1891-1955) is a Soviet painter, the Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (1955). She created subject paintings devoted to the work and life of the Soviet people (The Meal of the Worker, 1927, Friends, 1945 – both exposed in the State Tretyakov Gallery), portraits, landscapes and still-life paintings.

Yakovlev Boris Nikolayevich (1890—1972) is a Russian landscape painter. He was one of the first Soviet artists who drew his focus toward the industrial landscape painting praising the ‘romanticism’ of the socialist construction. His famous works are also devoted to industrialization of the country: Transport Gets Going (1923) and the lyric landscape painting Ploughland (1950-ths).

Guzanov Philipp Vladimirovich is a painter and a fine art restorer. In 1992 he graduated from Year 1905 Moscow Regional Pedagogical Art School where he studied in the class of V.I. Pastukhov. He graduated from S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy, where he studied under Professor P.G. Redechkin. Since 1992 he has been a fine art restorer in the State Scientific and Research Institute of Restoration restoring monumental and easel paintings in tempera and oil.

The Government of Chelyabinsk Region held the meeting of the Chelyabinsk Regional Department of the Russian Historical Society, where National History Fund, S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy and Sobranie Cultural Initiative Supporting & Preservation Fund signed an agreement.

The agreement is aimed at cooperation for promotion of the history of Chelyabinsk Region and preservation of the historical and cultural heritage of the Russian industrial families. In particular, the parties intend to participate in restoration of historical buildings of Satka and building the monument to the Count S.G. Stroganov, the founder of the town.

Executive Director of National History Fund Konstantin Mogilevsky, President of Magnezit Group, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Sobranie Fund Sergey Korostelev and Counsellor of Chancellor on International Affairs and Public Relations of S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy Kirill Gavrilin took part in the meeting.

The parties agreed to assist in implementation of cultural, educational and scientific programs in Chelyabinsk Region, including arrangement of exhibitions, publication of scientific papers, erection of monuments, holding of forums, conferences, round tables and other events. After the meeting, the guests visited Satka, where they reviewed the plans on restoration of its historical part and discussed the idea of creation of a network of small museums and reconstruction of Karl Marx Street, including decoration of private houses following the traditions of the Russian wooden architecture.

The first settlements in the area of future Satka town appeared in the middle of the 18th century due to construction of the ironworks and the workers' housing nearby. The plant was established by the Stroganovs, the most famous Russian industrialists in those days, in Satka forest district. Troitse-Satkinsky ironworks started its operation on 19 November 1758, which is considered the birthday of the town. At the end of the 19th century, a magnesite deposit was discovered near Satkinsky ironworks, and on 21 September 1901 the first high spalling-resistant bricks came out of a batch furnace of Magnezit plant. This is the starting point of the town new history. The long-lasting close unity of the town and one of the largest manufacturers of firebricks, Magnezit Group, resulted in construction of community and sport centres, hospitals, health centres, kindergartens, schools and infrastructure in Satka.

Sobranie Cultural Initiative Supporting & Preservation Fund was established in 2011 by Magnezit Group and private investors to promote cultural, artistic and social development of primarily Satka Municipal District of Chelyabinsk Region as the location of the main industrial complex of the Group. The main objective of the Fund is preservation of historical and cultural heritage, development of human capital and improvement of the quality of life.

Since 2013, Sobranie Fund has been successfully cooperating with S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy, one of the oldest painting and applied art educational institutions. The joint efforts are focused on improvement of the quality of life in Satka, animation of the local standard housing, creation of recreational areas and upgrading of infrastructure facilities.

The target of the Russian Historical Society is to unite the efforts of state and public figures, scientists, fine art experts and history enthusiasts to develop the Russian historical culture based on the objective study, cross-light and popularization of the national and world history and preservation of the national memory.

National History Fund is a non-commercial organization established based on Order of RF President No. 163 on 6 April 2013. The principal aim of the Fund activity is the popularization of the Russian history in the Russian Federation and abroad, preservation of the historical heritage and traditions of the peoples of Russian, as well as support of the historical awareness programs.

The artworks by Serafima Ryangina and Boris Yakovlev that make part of the collection kept by Chelyabinsk Museum of Fine Arts will be displayed in Satka Cultural Center in the period from November 20 to January 21. The exhibition is organized within the scope of the program called “Big art in small towns”.  

This exhibition has resulted from cooperation between Chelyabinsk Museum of Fine Arts, Stroganov Moscow Arts and Industry Academy and "Sobranie" Cultural Initiative Supporting & Preservation Fund.  

In the period from November 2017 to January 2018 Philip Vladimirovich Guzanov and Viktor Nikolaevich Chichilanov, fine art restorers of Stroganov Academy and Chelyabinsk Museum, carried out the global restoration of three paintings: Yakovlev B.N. “Mining plant. Satka” (1935, canvas and oil, 141 х 100), Ryangina S.V. “Shaft furnace” (1935(1934), canvas and oil, 150 х176), Ryangina S.V. “Brick-making workshop” (1935, canvas and oil, 149 х 174).

It is worth mentioning that all these works are of great value for the history of the country and museum.

Early in 1930’s, following the appeal made by Sergo Ordzhonikidze, hundreds of artists from Moscow and Leningrad went to the eastern regions of our country with the purpose of creating artistic images that would depict industrial transformations of the new state. At the request of Z.Y. Tabakov, director of Satka-based Magnesite Plant, Sergo Ordzhonikidze personally sent two artists – Serafima Ryangina and Boris Yakovlev – to one of the most important industrial sites of that time. Their works made part of the touring exhibition “Ural and Kuzbass in pictural art” that was shown in Ufa, Novosibirsk, Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk in 1935 and 1936. Later in 1938 it was called “South Ural in pictural art”. In 1940 the exhibits became the foundation for Chelyabinsk Picture Gallery that is now known as the Fine Arts Museum.

Active exhibition activities started after the war. Yakovlev’s and Ryangina’s works were many times involved in them.  

In December 2016 the aforementioned three paintings were displayed as part of the anniversary exhibition “At full tilt, at full speed!”. In fact, they were the main artistic and sense-bearing accents, and their overall condition and integrity was once again assessed and documented. Set-in dust, canvas deformation, paint blistering and peeling-off – all these defects required serious restoration, copying the original painting to a new canvas, using new, strong stretchers.    

This project is an excellent example of partnership and cooperation in the sphere of art and culture. 

To learn more about artwork restoration, click here http://fundsobranie.ru/afisha/5a1298dc4b2be3b84c8b4567

Any child gets acquainted with art and painting through illustrations found in children’s books. March 1 – May 30, "Magnezit" Museum will exhibit pictures of a famous Russian illustrator Anastasia Arkhipova. Visitors will see  known to many watercolor paintings to the fairy-tales of  Hans Christian Andersen, Grimm brothers, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde and others.

Anastasia Ivanovna is a Distinguished Artist of the Russian Federation, Corresponding Member of the Russian Art Academy, a world-famous illustrator. She made her debut with "the Lane to the Mountains" by Gurgen Gabrielan published by "Children Literature publishing house". The same year of 1977, a small-size book of "The Princess and the Pea" was issued with the edition unbelievably huge for a young artist – 5,000,000 copies. Already in the early period of her professional activities Anastasia Ivanovna was enchanted with the world of the fairy-tale, especially with the heritage of the famous Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen. For many of us, these wonderful paintings will always remain a part of childhood: "The Tinderbox", "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "The Little Tiny", "The Snow Queen", "The Little Match Girl" and many others.

Success of the artist was also noticed at the international art scene. In 1985, director of "Schreiber Verlag", German publishing house, had illustrations of the "Happy Hans", a fairy-tale of Grimm brothers, made by Arkhipova. Since that time, creativity of the artist became especially popular both in Russia and abroad. Books with her illustrations have been published in Brazil, USA, Korea, China and European countries.

Recently, Anastasia Ivanovna has been judging international and Russian contests, participated in international congresses, worked as the organizer of the "Book Image" National Contest, as the member of the Executive Committee of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).

Anastasia Arkhipova creates her miniature paintings using the classical watercolor technique, that is, allows the paint to dry and elaborates the second layer, and so on, getting back to the details creating multi-tiered, multi-colored watercolor paintings. According to Anastasia Ivanovna, this technique enables creating a complicated, extremely fine image. In her creative process, she spends most part of time studying characters, writers themselves, plunging into the epoch they worked in. This painstaking labor results in the unique image penetrated with the tender attitude to the characters, love and attention to detail, lines and context. The artist becomes the writer’s co-author creating her visual world for readers. The magic world of Anastasia Arkhipova presented the fairy-tale to many generations who safely keep in mind the images of favorite characters she had created.

The course of the world art history is intended for high school students and all people interested in the history of art. The lectures will be held by the leading lecturers of the Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts – professors K. N. Gavrilin, E. E. Dokuchaeva, a famous modern artist Egor Koshelev, whose works are included in the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery. Loo Tsi Uy, a teacher of the Beijing Teacher’s Training University, will hold the master class of calligraphy and traditional China ink painting. The artist Aleksandra Spiridonova will introduce the monumental painting in the format of lectures and master classes. 

Lectures and hands-on training will help hearers plunge into the beautiful world of the ancient and modern art, feel its peculiarities, learn to see and understand works of architecture, painting and sculpture.

The course is facilitated as part of the programme, Enlightenment Steps: from Education to Success, based on the agreement of cooperation between the Government of the Chelyabinsk Region, the Russian Academy of Education and Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, with Sobranie Fund and Magnezit Group engaged. 

Lectures and master classes will be held since February 27 until March 1, in schools No. 4, 5, 11, 40, and Satka’s mountain ceramics college, children’s art schools No. 1 and 2, in Magnezit Museum. 

Kirill Nikolaevich GAVRILIN, Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts, rector adviser, head of the department of history of art and humanities, professor, PhD in art theory, member of the Union of Russian Artists; 

Elena Evgenievna DOKUCHAEVA, Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts, professor, PhD in art theory, member of the Union of Russian Artists; 

Georgiy Konstantinovich KOSHELEV, Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts, associate professor, PhD in art theory, member of the Union of Russian Artists; 

Aleksandra Mikhaylovna SPIRIDONOVA, Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts, postgraduate student; 

LOO TSI UY, Beijing Teacher’s Training University, teacher, artist.

Stroganov Academy is one of the Russian oldest higher educational institutions founded in 1825 by count G. F. Stroganov. Throughout almost two hundred years of the institution history, many generations of artists, designers and art experts and researchers have collected rich art heritage here. 

On 22, 23 and 24 April Satka will host the second course on the history of the world art. This time, the participants will get practical training in various art directions, from painting to street art.

Anastasiya Arkhipova, a Distinguished Artist of the Russian Federation, a correspondent member of the Russian Academy of Arts, an illustrator, will hold a master class for children and a meet-the-artist session for adults. Many generations of people know her incredible water drawings for fairy tales. "Magnezit" museum is hosting the exhibition of her water drawings.

In the course of practical classes, Irina Miklushevskaya, a teacher of S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy, an art history PhD, will tell the children of Yu.M. Rozum Children Art School No. 1 about painting techniques and help to master them. The participants of the master class by artist Lu Tzy Yuj will continue mastering the skills in the ink wash painting, a traditional Chinese painting technique. 

Alexey Luchko (Luka) will hold My House workshop for children to tell and show how different materials, from plastic to wood, can be used in art. Being an architect by education, Alexey has become one of the most progressive young Russian artists who started his creative career with graffiti. For over ten years, he has been drawing on walls and canvases, creating collages and 3D compositions from wood and other materials as well as digital works which always clearly manifest his unique style. In the framework of "My Satka" international festival in 2018, he painted "Hangar 18" mural and created "Stall of Stalls" object d'art using former structures of Satka streets. The presentation of the object d'art will be held on 23 April.

The first course of Stroganov Centre programme was held at the end of February 2019. For one week, Satka schools and Magnezit museum were turned into educational sites to study the history of the world art: the artists, designers, researches from among the leading teachers and professors of S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy, Beijing Teachers University as well as the team of F.M. Dostoevsky Literature Memorial Museum delivered lectures and gave master classes.

The educational and cultural work of Stroganov Centre is carried out in the framework of Steps of Knowledge Improvement: from Education to Success programme. The programme has been developed under the cooperation agreement between the Government of Chelyabinsk Region, Russian Academy of Education and G.I. Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University. The main objective of the programme is to create conditions and opportunities for personal fulfilment and talent development of each citizen of Chelyabinsk Region.

New course of "Stroganov Centre" educational programme on the history of the world art is over. For three days, the students and teachers of children art schools, Magnezit veterans and youth as well as the people interested in art were obtaining deeper knowledge of the painting techniques and the art of various epochs. 

Internal Freedom 

Anastasiya Ivanovna Arkhipova is an illustrator, a Distinguished Artist of the Russian Federation, a correspondent member of the Russian Academy of Arts, an associate professor of S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy, vice-president of the International Council of Children’s Books. She has been creating water drawings for the books of the world’s fine literature for many years. Her works are elaborated masterpieces. Starting the work on each illustration, she deeply analyses the writing, the epoch depicted by the author, the historical context and the situation. 

“On the one hand, it is a complicated task. On the other hand, it is very interesting, because you penetrate the author’s vision, create the image, which is connected with your own thoughts,” said the artist introducing the master class for the students of Yu.M. Rozum Children Art School No. 1. She proposed the participants to think about a character and implement the image in a water drawing using the main idea of "The New Dress of the King" fairy tale – dependence on illusions and the public opinion. The young artists analysed their environment and the perception of it, broadened the understanding of the creative work and created unique images. Anastasiya Ivanovna pointed out, “Some of you have created quite realistic dreams. Others, to the contrary, have a dream which will be never fulfilled. Good job everyone. All of you have created interesting pieces. Cultivate your internal freedom. Put other tasks for yourselves... It is not a classical drawing but a process developing thinking to make you feel your individuality.”

Anastasiya Arkhipova answered the questions about her evolution as an artist and approaches to work during the meet-the-artist session in Magnezit museum hosting the exhibition of her illustrations. 

She told that she had been born in a family of artists and started drawing from the early age. “There were always a lot of friends coming and discussing the issues connected with fine art. It seemed it is the most interesting thing in the world, and an artist is the main profession in the world. I had no doubt I would choose it.”

Anastasiya Ivanovna illustrates mainly children’s books. However, her works include illustrations to not quite fairy stories, including "The Sorrows of Young Werther" by Goethe, Moliere plays, books about war. She also creates covers. “It is a special task. It is important to find a quintessence of a writing to make the illustration on the cover immediately attract the attention, reflect the essence of the story, match the font.”

There were questions about the process of selecting a subject, the time required to make a drawing, special tools used to draw small details. Some people brought the books kept in home libraries for many years and read to children of several generations to receive an autograph. “I have just signed a book, a very very old one, small, thin, in two colours – one of my first editions. It was Clever Hans by the Brothers Grimm. An unexpected and pleasant encounter.”

At the end of the meeting, Anastasiya Arkhipova thanked everyone and noted that she had not been able to visit the opening of the exhibition. “Unfortunately, I had an impression about it only by photographs. It is totally different to see it personally. It is nearly the same as to know that millions of people will see your works in books and to see the faces of the people looking at them right now.”

Gaining Proficiency

Ink wash painting requires skill mastery. The tradition of this technique dates back to 300-200 B.C. It is difficult to become a master in the ink wash painting. The features of the style allow no mistakes. The artists learn and practice for a long time. Before the work, the artist has to imagine the painting in details. It is impossible to change anything as we can do on a canvas. To avoid mistakes, the artist works ‘in one breath” without breaks. The participants of the master class held by Lu Tzy Yuj, a Chinese artist, a teacher of S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy, tried to grasp the subtle art of Chinese ink painting. 

The subject of the master class was a natural genre typical for the ink wash painting. The participants drew a plate full of cherries. The specificity of the technique allows to make a finished image of a berry with one stroke, and the rice paper, water and ink – to vary the colour density and the texture. “Chinese painting is not as simple as it may seem,” noted the master of the class. “Lines are much more important in it than the colour. There are 18 methods to draw lines.” 

The theme of painting was continued by Irina Miklushevskaya, an associate professor, an art history PhD of S.G. Stroganov Moscow State Art and Industrial Academy. Two master classes for the children of art departments of Satka district Children Art Schools were devoted to the technique of multilayer watercolour painting. 

Within the first class, young artists polished up their skills painting a still-life with a bunch of green grapes. “Just a month ago, your art school hosted the master class by Lu Tzy Yuj, a Chinese artists, a teacher of our academy. Its participants, including some of you, also painted grapes. I thought it would be interesting for you to compare two different art techniques,” explained Irina Nikolayevna the choice of the subject. The second master class was devoted to another subject – a sea sketch. 

Irina Miklushevskaya gave detailed comments, showed the nuances of the work with paper, shades, contrast and colour, shared her valuable advices and methods to elaborate on each work. The experience was adopted not only by young artists but their teachers as well.

A Sketch for the Native Town

A unique master class was held for the children of Yu.M. Rozum Children Art School No. 1 by Moscow artist and architect Alexey Luchko (Luka). 

“Lots of factors must be taken into account when making a sketch. Think of the things bringing the most joy to you, what you would like to see every day and what, as you think, people would like, what would look good in your town,” addressed Alexey the participants before the work. “The most important is to imagine that one day your idea might be implemented in life, your work might decorate one of the buildings.” The children cut magazine pictures and pasted them on foam board forms of buildings, drew and designed. The resulted sketches were distinguished, had a deep meaning encouraging to take care of the nature and the people around you.

Under his direction, the young artists could submerge into street art, feel and get through the stages from making a concept to creating a sketch for a particular building and for a particular audience in a form of a game. 

“I have been surprised by quite unusual approaches of the authors. Children think beyond any boundaries. They were only limited by a shape of the building,” noted Luka.

Stalls installation – a massive sculpture composition made from wrecks of former street structures – was also presented at the same time. This object d'art is both an echo of Satka history deconstructed and recreated in a new form and a marker of the town transformation, its new forms and events, a tribute to the memory and a beacon for changes.

The exhibition includes the items from the collection of "Magnezit" museum first shown to the public: programmes of theatrical performances of Satka amateur music and drama club in 1916-1917, as well as posters, programmes and tickets of silent films showed in Satka "Lutch" electrotheatre before 1917 revolution. 

On 28 December 1895, the first public "Lumière cinema show" was held in Grand Café in Paris at Boulevard des Capucines, and as soon as in the first half of 1896 the invention of Louis Lumière appeared in Russia. Many Russian photographs quickly learnt the new craft. As early as 1989, documentaries were filmed not only by foreign, but also Russian cameramen. In 1908, producer and entrepreneur Aleksandr Drankov made the first Russian film with actors – Stenka Rasin's Wild Revels.

The items presented at the exhibition are dated by 1914-1916. It was the time of World War I. The Russian cinematography of that time is characterized by instant response to the events discussed by everyone and a simple, clear plot of the films. Their names deserve special notice: "Bloody Idiot of Modern War", "Atrocities of German Barbarians in Czestochowa", "Death of American Billionaire on Lusitania Blown by German Submarine off the Ireland Coast". Despite simple plot of some films the cinema was popular among the spectators.

The merits of the Russian film-makers include, with some minor exceptions, their patriotic desire to use cinema for the educational purpose. They screened, sometimes in a primitive way, the works of the Great Russian writers, filmed scenes from plays. The exhibition presents the poster to film "After Death" (based on the work by Turgenev). The producer of the film based on Ivan Turgenev’s story Klara Militch was famous Aleksandr Khanzhonkov, the director – Yevgeni Bauer.

The artifacts were carefully collected and kept by record keeper of Magnezit plant Mikhail Grigoryevitch Ryzhikh. In 2019, they were renovated by Larisa Vladimirovna Bastrygina, a fine art restorer of the applied art scientific renovation department of the State Scientific-Research Institute of Renovation (Moscow).

Open Plein Air “Variations of the Beautiful” to be held in "Uralets" children’s camp from 20 to 29 June.

Guided by experienced teachers, young Chelyabinsk Region artists will learn various drawing techniques, as well as how to work with nature, light and materials. Summer session will continue the Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Industrial and Applied Arts (MSSAIAA) educational program on the history of world art culture which is a part of the project “Steps of Enlightenment: School and Education as Resources of Success” started in February.

For the second time, the core shift will be guided by member of the Union of Artists, MSSAIAA academic painting lecturer, head of the Department of General Art Disciplines of the National Design Institute Valentin Dmitriyev. In addition, drawing and sketching classes will be held by head of the Department of Artistic and Creative Work of the South Ural State Tchaikovsky Institute of Arts (SUSTIA) Yelena Markina. 

The schedule for the shift participants is structured to ensure that the children can change the learning environment and to have a rest, to spend time in team and to immerse themselves in art not only through practical studies. Long-time curator of the plein air, teacher of theoretical disciplines of the Children’s Rozum Art School No. 1, art historian Natalya Vodoleyeva created the study program for the cycle “Entertaining Art History.” It includes interactive lectures on nuances of understanding various cultural phenomena, quizzes on art types and trends, reviewing “trips” to world art masterpieces, work with metaphoric maps to develop association and imagination, and summer cinema sessions. 

The plein air will result in traditional exhibition of works of young artists of the Southern Urals.

Schedule: 

20.06. Class No. 1.

Vodoleyeva N.M. Creative meeting – acquaintance with teachers and participants of the plein air. 

Dmitriyev V.S. Days 1 and 2 – Landscape: sky and long shot (direct light, side light, against the light; landscape on a sunny day, landscape with clouds, cloudy day), A4 format.

Markina Ye.V. “Sky. Clouds” Materials: A4 format paper, gouache, brushes.

21.06. Class No. 2.

Dmitriyev V.S. Days 1 and 2 – Landscape: sky and long shot (direct light, side light, against the light; landscape on a sunny day, landscape with clouds, cloudy day), A4 format.

Markina Ye.V. “A bouquet of flowers (in the acquarello technique)” Materials: A3 format paper, watercolor, brushes, pencil, eraser.

Vodoleyeva N.M. Quiz “In the world of art.”

22.06. Class No. 3.

Dmitriyev V.S. Landscape from nature, introducing medium shot. Without architecture, A4 format.

Markina Ye.V. “Sketch of landscape for condition (rain, cloudy, sunset)” Materials: A4 format paper, brushes, watercolor.

Vodoleyeva N.M. “Gesture in graphic art” – an interactive class.

23.06. Class No. 4.

Dmitriyev V.S. Landscape with foreground and parts of architecture, A4 format.

Markina Ye.V. “Sketches of architectural parts” Materials: A4 format paper, pencil, eraser, helium pen, marker.

Vodoleyeva N.M. Creative trip to paintings of masters “What the painting tells?”

24.06. Class No. 5.

Dmitriyev V.S. Long work, complex landscape from nature, A3 format.

Markina Ye.V. “Sketch of landscape with water” Materials: A4, A3 format paper, brushes, watercolor.

Kharchenko S.V. (teacher – psychologist) – Vodoleyeva N.M. “Fairy tale in art. Image of the Frog Princess.” (a theoretical and practical class, work with metaphoric maps).

25.06. Class No. 6.

Dmitriyev V.S. Still life, quick sketches, sketches of plant elements, A4 format.

Markina Ye.V. “Drawing of dry wood, pine branches” Materials: A4 format paper, pencil, eraser, helium pen, marker.

Vodoleyeva N.M. Legends and tales in art.

26.06. Class No. 7.

Dmitriyev V.S. Final still life, A3 format.

Markina Ye.V. “Drafts and sketches of human figure” Materials: A4 format paper, pencil, eraser, soft material (coal, sepia, sauce, pastel).

Vodoleyeva N.M. Flowers in art.

27.06. Class No. 8. 

Dmitriyev V.S. Acquaintance with decorative painting, decorative landscape/still life, A4 format.

Markina Ye.V. “Plants and insects” Sketches from nature, class on composition: stylization of natural forms.

Vodoleyeva N.M. Summer cinema. Journey to the Wonders of the World.

28.06. Class No. 9.

Dmitriyev V.S. Decorative landscape/still life, A3 format.

Markina Ye.V. Master class “Oil Painting” Sketch of landscape on canvas.

Vodoleyeva N.M. “The house I live in is an interesting piece of architecture.”

29.06. Preparation to the final exhibition. Review.

A unique exhibition of the Chinese artist, doctoral student at the Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts Liu Zi Yu will open in the Magnesite Museum in Satka on January 31. 

“The landscapes of Satka are unforgettable, they make me come back here for the third time. Forests covered in snow, green huts, huge mines and quarries are beautiful like a fairy tale,” Liu Zi Yu said about his impressions of Satka. The artist has already held two workshops on traditional Chinese painting in this small Ural city. 

Chinese painting dates back to more than two thousand years. It developed into a combination of drawing, calligraphy and printing. Chinese paintings are very different from oil paintings of European realism: image is more flat, more attention is paid to the dramatic component, picture may have many focal points. Chinese paintings are often presented in the form of a scroll with a river depicted in all its length and coastal scenery, all in the same plane. This exhibition features many landscapes of Satka created by Liu using Chinese ink painting techniques.

“The view from the piece ‘Satkinskoe Field’ unfolded before my eyes when I first visited this mining site. I stood at the edge of a huge quarry, and trucks with ore at the bottom were of the size of a thumb. This deposit is over 100 years old, and it blew my mind. The distinct roads against the background of white snow were vigorously snaking through the quarry and opened up a broad landscape. Chinese painting focuses on lines, there are more than 18 different types of them. The sinuous lines of the quarry precisely reminded the lines in Chinese painting. I created this piece on the basis of this feeling,” the artist described his emotions. 

In addition, several works of the traditional Chinese huanyao (flowers and birds) genre are on display. To create a painting of this genre, the artist first draws a contour and then adds colors by dissolving it in water. The resulting semi-transparent layer is applied on the canvas. It takes several times, sometimes more than 10, to make an intense color.

Over the past hundred years, Chinese artists have adopted many elements of European tradition and enriched their artistic practices. Most of the works presented in this exhibition are the result of fusion of Chinese and Western painting traditions. 

Liu Zi Yu was born on December 23, 1978. He graduated from the Beijing Art School in 2000 and from the Theatrical Painting Department of the China Media University in in 2004. He worked at the Beijing Normal University from 2010 to 2015. He studied at the Surikov Moscow State Academy Art Institute at the Russian Academy of Arts from 2015 to 2017.

At the moment, he is a doctoral student at the Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design.

Liu Zi Yu’s works have been exhibited in China, Korea and Russia.

The live stage of All-Russian Creative School-Festival of Creative Competencies “StroganovFest2020” ended on 19 March 2021. More than 250 students of higher and secondary vocational education programs from different regions of Russia took part in this event. 

The project of School-Festival “StroganovFest2020” for creative youth became the winner of the All-Russian Competition of Youth Projects which is annually held by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs. However, due to the current epidemiological situation and the introduction of lockdown to prevent the COVID-19 virus, the live stage was postponed to 2021.

More than 1,500 applications were submitted to participate in the preliminary stage from student teams and individual participants from 85 regions of Russia. Competitive selection was held in 6 nominations: Brand Identity; Anti-COVID Design; Furniture Design of the Future; Multimedia Technologies in Design; Industrial Design. Subject and Spatial Environment; Restoration and Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage Objects using Interactive Technologies. An additional nomination Environment Design was added by the decision of the Jury.

The participants of the School-Festival presented their projects to the Expert Committee and received recommendations for further design development during the week. The leading design experts were invited to the Festival: Sergey Petrovich Khelmyanov, Head of the Department of Industrial Design, Assistant Professor of the Saint Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design; Yekaterina Arkadyevna Yelizarova, Object Designer, Designer of the Year (Elle Decoration Best of a Year Awards), creates collections for brands around the world from Italy and France to the USA and Great Britain; Sergey Anatolyevich Shashmurin, Head of Industrial Design Center of JSC “PA “UOMP” (Shvabe Holding of Rostec State Corporation), Chairman of the Sverdlovsk Regional Department of the Russian Designers Association; Viktor Olegovich Pigulevsky, Rector of the South Russian Humanities Institute, Dr. Phil., Academician, Member of the Russian Designers Association; Olga Borisovna Chepurova, Associate Professor, Ph.D. in Art History, Head of the Department of Design of the Orenburg State University; Sophia Nikolayevna Naumenko, Fine Art Restorer of the Grabar Art Conservation Center, Professor of the Department of Furniture Restoration Department of the Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts; Ilya Nasonov, Senior Teacher of the Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts, Lecturer of Universita di Bologna, Chief Designer of Nasonov Design Werke, Anastasiya Nikolayevna Malysheva, Head of the Simple Design studio.

The eventful program of the festival also included visits to master classes and production sites of partners, overview of the departments and laboratories of the Academy, the Museum of the Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts and workshop of the world famous sculptor Alexander Nikolayevich Burganov in the “The Burganov House” Moscow State Museum, lectures in design studios, where participants discussed the latest trends in design, as well as participation in the Big Hackathon, which, this year, was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of VKHUTEMAS (Higher Art and Technical Studios), the main creative university of the country which determined the path of design education in Russia in the XX century, the proximate successor of which is the modern Stroganov Academy.

As part of the closing ceremony, the winners and laureates of the creative projects competition were awarded. These were young professionals from different regions of Russia, as well as students of Russian universities, such as: the Ural State University of Architecture and Art, the North-Caucasus Federal University, Gzhel State University, the Altai State Institute of Culture, Don State Technical University, Astrakhan State University, Moscow State University of Technology and Management, Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University, Samara State Technical University, Vladimir State University, Russian State Social University, Kryachkov Novosibirsk State University of Architecture, Design and Arts and others.

For more information on the festival, photo reports and reviews of the participants and organizers of the School-Festival, follow the link.

Magnezit Group and Sobranie Cultural Initiative Supporting and Preservation Fund were among the partners of the Festival.

Based on materials from the Academy website.