Skopin Historical and Local Lore Museum

33 cities, 7 countries, 43 works – painting, photography, graphics. Such a “symbiosis”, according to the words of the head of the Department of Culture of Skopin Marina Retyunskaya, is presented in the museum.

Self-expression exhibition. Russia-America is a project of the creative group “Art of inspiration – Vladimir Andreev and his friends”, which includes musicians, sculptors, artists, photographers. A native of Russia Vladimir Andreev, who lives in New York, a few years ago decided to show the audience the art of Russian-speaking America. But over time, creative people from different countries began to join the project. Exhibitions were held in the United States, Europe, in our country, and everywhere local authors joined them. Vladimir Andreev has already helped someone find themselves in the profession, achieve international success and recognition.

So it happened in Ryazan, where the photographer Vladimir Kovanov attracted to the project the director and students of the Ryazan Art School named after G.K. Wagner, where he teaches. Several exhibitions were held at different venues of the regional center, and the works of our authors were seen in Moscow and New York. Vladimir Kovanov proposed the idea to show the collection in small towns of our region, received the approval of Vladimir Andreev and took on this educational mission. The first exhibition was held last year in Spassk, the second in Rybny, and the third, final, in Skopin. Further work will go to Kolomna.

Let the collection only reproductions of works pasted on foamboard, the exhibition should be mobile. But for residents of megacities, and for residents of district centers, this project is a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the creativity of people from different countries and cities. From New York, Paris, Sydney, Copenhagen, Tel Aviv, Budapest, Vladivostok, two Russian capitals – to Severomorsk, Volga, Taldom... Many of the authors are high-level professionals. For example, Muscovite Maxim Poluboyarinov is one of the most famous advertising photographers in Russia: his work is also in the exposition of the Skopin exhibition.

One thing surprises Vladimir Kovanov: our regional centers failed to attract local authors, none of them showed their works. This is an opportunity to express yourself internationally. Participants of the project receive a personal page on the Internet portal, their works get into catalogs, are exhibited in different countries - and this does not require any financial investments.

However, let’s hope that the contacts of Art of inspiration with Ryazan cities will continue. On Tuesday, Vladimir Andreev spoke by phone with Marina Retyunskaya, and they agreed on further cooperation.