The international art project "Way of the Cross"

The Khazine National Art Gallery of the State Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan opens an international exhibition project, The Way of the Cross, dedicated to the centenary of tragic events in Russia related to the October Revolution of 1917. The exposition is a continuation of the anniversary exhibition held in the year of the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty in Tyumen, then in Tobolsk and Sviyazhsk.

In 2018, the exhibition, held at the Khazine National Art Gallery of the State Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan, is a reference point in the series of travel exhibitions in various regions of our country. Ahead are Tyumen, Tobolsk, Kurgan, Novosibirsk, Gorno-Altaysk, Barnaul and other cities. The project, designed for two years, is carried out as part of the Experimental creative workshops of the Creative Union of Artists of Russia with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Russian Academy of Arts, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The exposition included more than 150 works reflecting the whole range of religious art (icon, gold embroidery, miniature, carved icon, mosaic), as well as religious painting, graphics, applied art and art photo.

The project was attended by artists from the Religious Art section of the Russian Union of Artists from various regions of Russia, as well as artists from Georgia and Finland.

One of the main ideas of this project is the idea of preserving and developing the historically established traditions of the religious school of icon painting and the traditions of the Russian spiritual heritage, which have been formed over several centuries. The project is designed to identify new positive trends in the Russian culture of Orthodox art, show emerging schools and trends, give an opportunity to a huge number of viewers not only to join the original Russian traditions, but also to see new things in the Orthodox culture of Russia.

Nikolay Petrovich Chibisov, project manager:

The name of the project is connected with human destinies. Everyone, no matter whether he believes or not, carries his own cross in life. Some people break down under his yoke, others report him with honor. When the tragic events of 1917 turned the prevailing foundations, history, ideology, fates, breaking and destroying everything in its path, not everyone could stand in this cycle. Who was nobody - he became everything, but the new world was never built. People with their ideology went underground. Closed churches continued to serve God, gathering the flock, and people kept faith in themselves, carrying them through life and passing them on to others. No ideology could replace the holy of holies. In memory of these tragic events, this project was organized, which will be held throughout Russia by the procession, carrying its cross and contributing to the preservation of the national culture of Russia.