Competition of Christmas decorations in the Hermitage. "Fabulous Hermitage"
This year, the Hermitage, together with the Aira company, decided to create a competition for creative people. Those who wished had to make a Christmas tree toy that would become a wonderful decoration for one of the best museums in Europe.
Residents from all over the country took part in the competition, and the jury members faced a difficult choice. Out of thousands of works, it was necessary to select only the three best.
The jury included:
· Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovsky, General Director of the State Hermitage;
· Nikolai Maksimovich Tsiskaridze, rector of the Academy of Russian Ballet named after A.Ya. Vaganova, premier of the Bolshoi Theater, People's Artist of the Russian Federation, laureate of State Prizes of the Russian Federation, member of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Culture and Art;
· Michael Smith, artistic director of Cirque du Soleil productions;
· Yuri Vladimirovich Berestov, organizer of the competition;
· Mark Olich, artist, ballet photographer;
· Erzhena Dondokova, creative designer.
About all the subtleties of selection in the material NEVSKY NEWS.
On December 18, a ceremonial award ceremony for the winners of the competition took place in the State Hermitage building. The participants really managed to make the fairy tale come true, since the toys sent to the competition delighted everyone without exception.
The organizers decided to start the event with something surprising: the guests witnessed the operation of the Peacock clock, which is a permanent exhibit of the Small Hermitage. The mechanism was made at the end of the 18th century by the English master James Cox and is still in working order. According to experts, this is the only large automatic machine from the 18th century in the whole world that has survived to this day unchanged.
After this, the guests went to the award ceremony, which was attended by a Russian ballet dancer and teacher, soloist of the Bolshoi Theater ballet in 1992-2013, People's Artist of Russia (2001), People's Artist of North Ossetia, twice laureate of the State Prize of Russia (2000, 2002) , three-time winner of the Golden Mask theater award - Nikolai Tsiskaridze.
The winner was Olga Murashova, a student at the University of Industrial Technologies and Design. Her toy in the form of an openwork swan won the hearts of all jury members.
She created a bird toy from the Dying Swan miniature.
Second place went to Yulia Chaitsyna, who made a work in the style of Henri Matisse's painting "Dance". The participant noted that she made it using ancient technology using natural paste, paper and cotton wool. The toy is composite, so the figures can be hung on the Christmas tree either together or individually.
The figures are coated with special reflective paint, so they glow in the dark.
"It was difficult to choose toys because the competition had no age restrictions. Both children and professionals took part in it. We tried to choose objectively, looking not only at the quality of the toy, but also at the age of the participants. First of all, we paid attention to the idea and creativity. Third place went to eleven-year-old Ekaterina Zhivilova. She had a very good idea and the entire design team insisted on this particular participant- says the organizer of the competition Yuri Berestov. - There were a lot of works, we wanted to divide the participants into categories, but we decided to combine and select only three, but the most beautiful ones. I hope that the competition will become a tradition. It turned out to be successful, there were many participants, so next year we will hold it again and raise the bar.
The best toy and three winners will be chosen by a creative council, which includes designers, artists and representatives of the ballet world. Among the honorary members of the council: Yuri Vladimirovich Berestov, organizer and sponsor of the competition; Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovsky, General Director of the State Hermitage; Nikolai Maksimovich Tsiskaridze, rector of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, premier of the Bolshoi Theater, People's Artist of the Russian Federation, laureate of State Prizes of the Russian Federation, member of the Presidential Council of the Russian Federation for Culture and Art; Michael Smith, artistic director of Cirque du Soleil productions; Mark Olich, artist, ballet photographer; Erzhena Dondokova, creative designer of the Aira company.
Photos of works will be accepted until November 15 at [email protected] marked "New Year's competition-2018". Details can be found on the website. Residents of all Russian cities are allowed to participate.
The winners will be given a two-day trip to St. Petersburg with an award at the State Hermitage Museum, as well as a tour to Lake Kezenoy Am. The most talented will see the palaces of the Northern capital, the revived mosques of the hospitable city of Grozny and the impressive highlands, where “Ayra” created an “Open Air Museum” in the ancient settlement of Khoy.
"The Fabulous Hermitage". A festive evening dedicated to the upcoming Year of Ballet was held in St. Petersburg: 2018 will mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Marius Petipa. At the evening, awards were given to those who made the best Christmas tree decorations for the Hermitage. The winners were chosen by the Expert Council headed by Mikhail Piotrovsky. How were the fir trees of the main museum decorated? This is not the only secret that Elena Voroshilova learned.
The Hermitage, like any palace, is filled not only with treasures, but also with hiding places, the keys to which are securely hidden. But on the eve of Christmas, magic keys open magic doors. The secrets hidden behind them continue to excite both adults and children for a long time.
The famous Peacock clock, which comes to life once a week, is one such wonder. The chief watchmaker of the Hermitage, Mikhail Guryev, has been following the whims of the ingenious mechanical bird for more than twenty years.
“It was originally a big toy, it produced a gross effect,” says Mikhail Guryev, head of the laboratory for the scientific restoration of clocks and musical mechanisms of the Hermitage.
An English toy, which is almost three hundred years old, intended for the Chinese emperor, is in the collection of Catherine the Great. The Russian Empress paid six thousand rubles for it. At that time, this was the price of a luxurious mansion.
“Of course, for the 18th century it was a curiosity. Until now, this exhibit attracts the close attention of visitors,” notes Deputy General Director of the State Hermitage Svetlana Adaksina.
There are several Christmas trees in the Hermitage Theater, just like in the times of the Romanovs. Then they decorated the fir tree for each member of the imperial family. Guests are greeted by “Nutcrackers”. After all, next year has been declared the Year of Ballet.
“Nowhere, in any other country, has ballet become a national treasure and a national art. This could only be afforded by the Romanov family. Yes, the Italians and the French came up with this. But in the 18th-19th centuries, Russia bought everything, multiplied it and created even better and greater things. And then, in the 20th century, she taught everyone how to do it,” says Nikolai Tsiskaridze, rector of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet.
At the Hermitage Theater, the winners of the competition for the best New Year's toy for the Hermitage receive awards. Olga Murashova, who took first place, made an openwork ball with a dying swan.
“At first I wanted to make just a swan, but I’m a perfectionist, and it didn’t turn out very realistic,” smiles competition winner Olga Murashova.
The evening ends with a New Year's concert by students of the Vaganova Academy on the stage of the Hermitage Theater, where the fragile beauty of dance has always been appreciated. A Christmas tree on Palace Square, lanterns entwined with garlands on the embankment... The Hermitage is ready for the New Year!
