God’s gift. Icon painter Sofia Machigina. Teacher. Students. Companions

Exhibition project “God’s gift. Icon painter Sofia Machigina. Teacher. Students. Companions” is a wide palette of the current state of the unique icon-painting tradition of the Kuban. This is a kind of review of the achievements of the current generation of icon painters in the southern region, as it presents the results of many years of work not only by Sofia Machigina, but also by her students, other artists and restorers.

The Russian Academy of Arts, continuing the glorious traditions of the Imperial Academy of Arts, supports creative talents, helping them grow and develop. Mature artists who have already received recognition in the regions of Russia are no exception. Such an author is the hereditary Kuban icon painter Sofya Anatolyevna Machigina, whose works will become the basis of this exhibition. An extensive exposition will include icons created by modern masters in the technique of wax and egg tempera, sketches of iconostases and photographs of completed temple paintings, religious paintings and parsunas, watercolors and mosaics, embroidered church utensils - covers and banners, as well as restored ancient enamels and prayer images. The exhibition will be a significant contribution to the preservation of our heritage, the development of spiritual culture and Russian icon painting. According to the scientific supervisor of the project, academician of the Russian Academy of Arts Anna Vadimovna Ryndina: “God’s Gift is given not to keep it in vain, but to share it, develop it and give it to people. Sofya Anatolyevna does this through her students and associates.

Sofia Machigina was born in Adler (Sochi), she is a deeply religious person and it was no coincidence that she came to icon painting - her grandfather Alexander Machigin, who comprehended the secrets of art under the guidance of the famous P. N. Filonov, painted St. Catherine’s Cathedral in the city of Krasnodar. Continuing the creative traditions of her ancestors, Sofia Anatolyevna after graduating from the Children’s Art School. V. A. Ptashinsky and Krasnodar Art School chose icon painting as the main business of her life. She began her career in the icon-painting workshop of M. S. Osipenko in the city of Krymsk, and continued to improve her talent, becoming a student of the outstanding Kuban icon-painter, the first priest-icon painter, who received the high title of Honored Artist of Russia, Archpriest Georgy Ivashchenko. The exhibition will feature his work and personal belongings, liturgical items, publications, photographs, publications. Sofia Machigina gained a lot of experience while working in the Moscow icon-painting workshop "Divo" at the Church of the Holy Spirit of the Descent.

Being already a mature master, she studied at the graphic arts department of the Kuban State University. The artist is the chairman of the Krasnodar regional public organization "Creative Union of Icon Painters" named after. Prince E. N. Trubetskoy and a leading specialist of the Center for the Study and Development of Cossack Culture of the State Budgetary Scientific and Creative Cultural Institution of the Krasnodar Territory "Kuban Cossack Choir". For over thirty years, Sofya Anatolyevna has been working in the field of serving the high and bright art of icon painting, and this exhibition for her is a kind of milestone, a report to her Teacher, to her ancestors - the Kuban Cossacks, who have always been distinguished by deep faith and loyalty to the Fatherland. Therefore, the presence of holy images revered in the Cossack environment is so natural in her work - the Savior, the Mother of God,

The creative style of the author is based on strict adherence to Orthodox canons, it is characterized by a deep elaboration of images, a well-thought-out coloristic decision, and a harmonious compositional construction. The icons of her letters delight and comfort the faithful in many churches and home iconostases of the Orthodox in Russia and abroad. S. A. Machigina not only paints icons, but also participates in the painting and beautification of churches, restores ancient icon-painting images, returning them to the liturgical space of the church and saving family shrines. She passes on her skills to her students, who continue her work and are already teaching a new generation of icon painters. The exhibition presents the work of only some of them.

Within the framework of the exhibition, it is planned to hold a number of scientific and educational events, including a round table with the participation of leading experts in the study of church art. Following Moscow, the project will travel to other regions of our country and end in Krasnodar, strengthening the spiritual unity of our Fatherland with the “Gift of God”.

Scientific supervisors of the project: Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, member of the Presidium, Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Arts Tatyana Aleksandrovna Kochemasova; Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, Doctor of Arts, Professor Anna Vadimovna Ryndina.

Head of the organizing committee of the exhibition: head of the working group on the heritage of the Council for Culture and Art under the head of the administration (governor) of the Krasnodar Territory Alexander Anatolyevich Solovyov.

Project coordinator: Andrey Viktorovich Gamlitsky.

The project was implemented with the support of: Administration of the Krasnodar Territory,

Administration of the municipal formation of the city of Krasnodar, "Creative Union of Icon Painters" them. Prince E. N. Trubetskoy, Kuban community of the city of Moscow.