On August 22, 2012 on the centennial day of the People’s Artist of the USSR Alexandr Pavlovich Kibalnikov, a creative meeting to commemorate the remarkable sculptor was held in the Cossack stanitsa Beriozovskaya (Danilovskiy Rayon, Volgogradskaya Oblast).
The red carpet welcome was arranged by Volgograd Regional Branch of Creative Union of Russian Artists in the framework of the annual open air painting session of Volgograd artists.
In the hall of Beriozovskaya Cossack school, relatives of A.P. Kibalnikov, representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, Cossaks and mass media people of Volgograd, artists and poets.
Father Vassiliy (Zapol’skikh), Priest of Epiphany (Bogoyavlenskiy) Cathedral, spiritual adviser of artists, hold a service and blessed those present to begin and proceed a good deed to commemorate the remarkable artist of out Motherland, their fellow-townsman, Alexandr Pavlovich Kibalnikov.
Vassiliy Dmitrievich Kroutskevich, the Honoured worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Chairman of Volgograd Regional Branch of Creative Union of Russian Artists opened the Conference dedicated to the memory of A.P. Kibalnikov. Nina Dmitrievna Shevchenko, the Chairlady of trade union organisation of the Volgograd Branch of the Artistic Union, presided over the meeting.
The audience welcomed the relatives of the great sculptor Alexandr Pavlovich Kibalnikov; Valentina Alexandrovna Kibalnikova told people what she remembered about her father, thanked his fellow-townsmen for keeping memories of and respect for the outstanding artist, invited Volgograd artists to take an active part in Moscow exhibition dedicated to A.P. Kibalnikov’s memory.
Vladimir Victorovich Kibalnikov, the sculptor’s nephew, shared his memories and impressions of Alexandr Pavlovich.
Commissioned by President of the Creative Union of Russian Artists Konstantin Vassilievich Khoudiakov, Margarita Yurievna Siourina, corresponding member of International Academy of Arts and Culture, in charge of preparing the exhibition dedicated to A.P. Kibalnikov’s centennial at Moscow Academic Art Lyceum represented Moscow at the Conference of Volgograd artists. She told the sculptor’s fellow-townsmen of the forthcoming exhibition in Moscow, and of her working to edit a book: ‘Alexandr Kibalnikov. Chronicles of life and work’.
Artists and poets of Volgograd Regional Branch of Creative Union of Russian Artists spoke at the Conference, they told of their initiatives, many of which deserved individual and detailed coverage.
For example, Gennadiy Alexandrovich Bogoslovskiy the editor of literary and art ‘Rodnik’s’ Journal, a poet and an artist, presented the latest issue dedicated to A.P. Kibalnikov’s centenary.
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 Literary and Art Magazine ’RODNIK’S’ JOURNAL № 8, 2012 (Word-file, 3 Mb) |
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Pavel Alexandrovich Zlobin, the artist, painted a portrait of A.P. Kibalnikov approved by the sculptor’s daughter. We consider the portrait as the beginning of work over the image of the outstanding master; at the coming exhibition at Moscow Academic Art Lyceum, we expect this series to be developed, and heartily wish Pavel Zlobin to create and bring to Moscow a new and more perfect work.
Nikolay Nikolayevich Dorofeev, the Director of Beriozovskaya Cossack school who actively participated in this meeting and as well as in many projects and activities of Volgograd Regional Branch of Creative Union of Russian Artists, offered to listen to Cossack choir of Beriozovskaya Stanitsa, of which he is the chief musician.
In the programme, there was also a Cossack choir of the Goudkovs, where all of them both little and old keep up good old Cossack traditions.
Before the Conference, we spoke to Volgograd artists, were getting familiar with their creative projects, talking to them; although behind schedule, we looked through their works and selected some for the exhibition at Moscow Academic Art Lyceum.
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Watercolours by Vassiliy Kroutskevich, graphics by Yuriy Shchetinin, icon painting by Tatiana Ivanichkina – this is not all by far that has impressed us and deserves to be presented at the exhibition dedicated to A.P. Kibalnikov’s centenary in Moscow (see ARTISTS’GALLERY).
Volgograd Regional Branch of CURA executes serious work: they have initiated opening forty picture galleries and exhibition halls in villages, towns and stanitsas of Volgograd Region, over 500 art exhibitions have been held, seven museums opened, including «Memorial Room of A.P. Kibalnikov’s» in Orekhovo village. But the opening of the Danilovskaya Picture Gallery named after A.P. Kibalnikov expected in 2012, the project conceived and developed by Kroutskevich, is going hard, with the local authorities totally indifferent and refusing to negotiate and back the remarkable initiative of Volgograd artists.
«They keep saying just that: where are we to get the money, should it be from our pocket???» – says Nikolayevich Shendakov, the historian, ethnographer and artist. No comments. We, too, have to listen to the same words all the time…
We are not embarrassed, it’s so trivial.
We were quite comfortable even without representatives of the local executive bodies on the 22nd of August in Beriozovskaya Stanitsa.
Here the main driving force of Russia was represented in full and for all times: people of church, warriors and people of art.
People who think, love, and respect their history.
People who read, write, sing and paint.
People who come up smiling and who don’t lose their gifted heart.
So – we are to guide the future…
Beriozovskaya Stanitsa is situated not far from Alexandr Pavlovich’s birth place, an average sized Orekhovo village on the bank of the Medveditsa river. …Regretting to leave Volgorad artists, we are setting off straight to Orekhovo, to the great Russian sculptor’s brother, Victor Pavlovich Kibalnikov, who lives modestly and peacefully on the banks of this not wide but very deep river, where one hundred years ago Yevdokiya Nesterovna Kibalnikova gave birth for all the wide world to a baby Sasha.
The weather turned nasty. The wind was ripping and tearing, it grew cold. At the entrance to the village, we were met by a semi- tumbledown, semi-restored church and an obelisk to fallen warriors…
We found Kibalnikov’s house, where he had lived in his childhood, where his parents had lived. Today, the house is owned by some other people, but we have not met anyone; we had a feeling of total desolation; the feeling was getting stronger with every step into the yard, over high and wet grass of the neglected orchard…
Not the sad lines by Yesening «…not regretting, not calling, not weeping…», but bitter «…cry, you heart, cry…» by Block was hammering in our temples.
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For several years Vassiliy Dmitrievich Kroutskevich has been insisting on buying this house out to turn it into a creative camp for the artists. Valentina Alexandrovna Kibalnikova is ready to fund this purchase partially… Well, that is it. And the authorities of all types and colours have the same answer (see above), the one about the pockets. Here the banks of the Medveditsa river are spreading wide, the views and beautiful, so judge for yourselves…
From the banks of the Medveditsa river, we went to Victor Pavlovich Kibalnikov’s place, wet through but very happy for some unknown reason. Journalists Tamara Victorovna Proskouriakova (staff correspondent of ‘The Volgograd Pravda’) and Gennadiy Nikolaevich Klionov (editor of the ‘Dialog’ newspaper) from Volgograd were writing down Victor Pavlovich’s reminiscences about his brother, the wonderful sculptor, the author of War Memorial in Brest Fortress, and monuments in Moscow, Saratov, Ryazan, Volgograd. Victor Pavlovich was telling about the ordinary childhood of a country boy, of his uneasy destiny and of titanic work for the glory of his Motherland. Motherland does not forget its titans. Has no right to forget.
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We were offered a generous meal, and then Victor Pavlovich started to recite poetry. He recited a long poem without a hitch, for some twenty minutes. On wives’ unfaithfulness…
And again it seemed something from Block’s: «Oh, my Rus’! The wife of mine…»
It was getting dark. In the dusk, we were leaving Orekhovo to go to Petrov Val, to the hospitable place of Vladimir Victorovich Kibalnikov who had been taking us around villages and stanitsas of Volgograd Region for almost three days. And tomorrow at five, we would be going to Saratov by train…
To the city of Alexandr Pavlovich Kibalnikov’syoung years and creative maturity.
To the city where the first and the last monuments by the Master stand.
Margarita Siourina,
September 28-31, 2012