Anniversary exhibition of Myud Mechev’s works "I REMEMBER"

December 23, 2014 at 17 hours in the halls of the Russian Academy of Arts at the address: st. Prechistenka, 21, opens the anniversary exhibition of the works of the national artist of the Russian Federation, academician of the Russian Academy of Arts Myud Mechev "I remember."

The exhibition runs from December 23, 2014 to January 11, 2015.

The name of Mechev, the author of remarkable easel graphic sheets, a brilliant illustrator of the Karelian-Finnish epos “Kalevala”, the famous monument of ancient Russian literature “Tales of Bygone Years”, as well as the texts of the “Gospel”, is widely known in our country and far beyond its borders.

The exhibition “I Remember”, which included about 50 paintings and graphic works created in recent years and exhibited for the first time, is chamber and lyrical. The author, who has come a long way of life, wants to share with the viewer what has preserved his memory. Numerous trips around Russia, trips to European countries are reflected in the artist’s magnificent paintings and drawings.

M. Mechev was born in 1929 in Moscow in the family of the artist K. Panteleev-Kireev. He graduated from the Moscow Higher Art and Industrial School (former Stroganov). The artist began his career in 1949 in the All-Union competition for the best illustrations for the Karelian-Finnish epic “Kalevala”, he created more than 200 watercolors and drawings. A book with the works of a young author that came to light brought him well-deserved success, and subsequent editions of the epic in Russian and Finnish with engravings by the artist brought world fame. In 2009, Myud Mechev was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of the Republic of Karelia.

Since 1975, the artist has devoted 15 years of his creative activity to illustrating "Tales of Bygone Years." Since 1991, over the past decades, M. Mechev worked on illustrating the four books of the Gospel, creating more than 300 drawings, considering this topic the most important in his work. This outstanding ascetic work of the artist was awarded the gold medal of the Russian Academy of Arts. Later he created illustrations for the Acts of the Apostles, the Apostolic Epistles and the Apocalypse.

In 1993, His Holiness Pope John Paul II awarded Mud Mechev a Pontificate silver medal for humanism and achievements in art.

In his easel work M. Mechev addresses a wide range of topics - from monumental historical series, biblical subjects to works full of deep lyricism dedicated to the Russian North. The main thing in the artist’s work is his native land, the heroic pages of Russia’s distant past. Nature in the easel series created in Karelia appears in all the diversity and grandeur of its severe beauty. Marked by a lively sense of nature and the directness of the poetic perception of the world, the master’s works are diverse in composition and color. Often even the most chamber landscapes: “Snow. Zaonezhye ”,“ Luge road in Kizhi ”,“ The last pier on Lamb Coast ”,“ Road to Karelia. The view from the carriage window ”,“ Old Crow ”- gain an epic sound from the artist. A sharpened sense of beauty, subtle, sophisticated flavor marked his work: “Winter window with the setting sun”, “Reflection of the autumn forest”, “Autumn web”, “The onset of winter”, etc.

The artist unusually subtly and poetically conveys a light-air environment in landscapes dedicated to the cities of Italy (“Blue evening in Florence. Self-portrait with his wife”, “Snow fell in Venice!”), Gray skies and the silvery-cold nebula of St. Petersburg (Birzha), the majestic beauty and harmony of ancient Russian architecture ("Domes of the Novospassky Monastery", "Kizhi. View of the island from the ship").

Piercing lyricism permeates his still lifes - “Teapots of my childhood”, “Kerosinks of my grandmothers”, “Evening light”, “Ten-linear kerosene lamp” ”and others. Their heroes are ancient objects, tangibly voluminous, powerful, appearing like historical monuments, carrying in a reflection of the past. The warm orange light of an old kerosene lamp, kept as a family heirloom, or a lampshade above a table - the artist’s favorite motif - has been warming connoisseurs of his work for many years.

In easel works, as well as in historical engravings, book illustrations, M. Mechev acts as a successor to the best traditions of Russian art, demonstrating mastery of various graphic techniques: watercolors, gouache, pastels, mixed media, pencil, charcoal, etc.

M. Mechev is an honorary foreign member of the Kalevala Society (Finland), holder of the Order of the White Rose of the first degree (Finland), was awarded the Government of Finland with a large silver medal and Elias Lennrot bronze medal.

The master’s works are in the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Karelia, in many Russian and foreign museums, as well as in private collections in the USA, Vatican, Finland and other countries.