12 september – 14 january
The All-Russian Decorative Art Museum presents an exhibition-installation dedicated to the 150th anniversary of architect Alexei Shchusev, opening up the early period of the architect's work. The project is based on the collection of Shchusev's architectural graphics that dates from his early years. The collection entered the museum in 2020. This time the templates, sketches and dawings in the "Russian style", most of which relate to the famous Marfo-Mariinsky monastery, will be on show.
"In the work of Shchusev "there converged" all the main directions of our museum's activity: the interest in folk art, work with and collecting of the samples of decorative and applied art, the study and deeply meaningful use of traditions, the experience of other cultures, excellent knowledge of materials and technologies, - says Elena Titova, director of the All-Russian Decorative Art Museum. - In our opinion, Shchusev's genius lies not just in the fact that as an architect he succeeded in two systems – Before and after the Revolution - but in the fact that he managed to make a monumental, iconic statement without compromising himself".
Architect Yuri Avvakumov, the curator of the exhibition, begins the project with Shchusev's early "plans". “In addition to the Mafro-Maria Monastery, the audience will see the Church of Sergius of Radonezh on the Kulikovo Field, the Church of the Saviour in Natalievka, the Church of St Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari, Italy, and the Church on the estate of the landlord Bogdan in Kuguresti, Moldova, "composed" by Shchusev. In addition to templates and drawings by A.V. Shchusev himself, we specially prepared "inside-out models" - spatial models of the churches exhibited in our halls with fragments of paintings”. The "solemn procession" through the halls of the museum ends with an art model of the architect's most famous iconic building, the Mausoleum, which marks both the change of epochs and the change of the Shchusev style.
"Sometimes it seems to me," shares Yuri Avvakumov, "that behind the "facade" of the great architect Shchusev hides not one, but at least three different people: the first - until 1918, a virtuoso master of the Neo-Russian style, the second - until 1932, a practical constructivist, the third - until the end of his life, a court neoclassicist <...> Before 1918 - he creates a fairy tale, from 1918 to 1932 - utopia, from 1932 - myth. Choosing from his three hypostases, I preferred his first incarnation - an architect sincere and direct, driven by the motifs of Old Russian architecture".
In addition to the graphics, the exhibition will feature a part of the fabric collection that belonged to A.V. Shchusev and is kept in our museum, as well as a doll in Russian costume presented to the architect by Natalia Shabelskaya, the daughter of a folk art collector.
An extensive educational and excursion programme has also been prepared: lectures by Sergei Koluzakov, an expert on the work of A. V. Shchusev. V. Shchusev, public talks with art historians, designers and journalists on the attitude to heritage and the actualisation of the architect's methodology, a curatorial tour by Yuri Avvakumov, experimental film lectures by writer and journalist Ksenia Golubovich, interactive programmes and master classes for children and adults.
/ Tour of the exhibition "Composed by architect Shchusev" until January 14 by appointment;
/ Combined tours of the exhibition "Composed by architect Shchusev":
/ December 30 at 16:00;
/ January 3 at 16:00;
/ January 4 at 16:00;
/ January 5 at 14:00;
/ January 7 at 15:00;
/ January 13 at 16:00;
/ January 14 at 16:00.
/ Excursion "Russian style of architect Shchusev" until January 14 by appointment;
/ January 2 at 16:00;
/ January 6 at 16:00.
/ Interactive program with a master class "How the architect composed"until January 14 by appointment;
/ Inclusive program with a master class "How the architect composed" until January 14 by appointment;
/ Master class "Shchusev in 3-D":
/ December 2, 18:00;
/ January 4, 18:00.
"Poet Joseph Brodsky called Shchusev's architecture 'the gem of space'. His genius inspires professionals even today. Our capital is changing before our eyes, architecture is modernising, keeping up with the demand of the citizens. And of course, we are honoured to contribute to the preservation of a whole layer of Alexey Shchusev's work, to make his early works available to the city's residents and connoisseurs of his architectural style," said Dmitry Volodin, Vice President of Etalon Group for the Moscow region. - In the year of celebrating the anniversary of the maestro of architecture, Etalon is pleased to support the exhibition project of the All-Russian Decorative Art Museum of, designed to tell about the great heritage of one of the most famous architects of his time".
The exhibition is realised within the framework of the project of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, with the support of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives. #pfkyparticipant