In Moscow there is an art Museum dedicated to the great sculptor of the generation of the sixties, national artist of Russia, academician Yuri Smith.
The Museum transformed a former workshop of the Smith — halls of the old mansion, located in a quiet Moscow side street and, perhaps, little known even to Muscovites. Meanwhile, its walls remember Ilya Repin: the artist moved here in 1879 and held this house for three years, full of hard and fruitful work. Here Repin made up "religious Procession in Kursk province", "Tsarevna Sophia Alexeevna in the Novodevichy convent", and started "the Cossacks".
Yuri Nuts — has long held classic. Virtuoso professional, he had success and recognition in the Union and abroad. Nuts, he was Vice-President of the Russian Academy of arts, honorary member of the Academy of fine arts of Carrara, winner of the State prize and the Lenin prize, winner of the Gold and Silver medals of the Russian Academy of arts...
Numerous state prizes and awards the sculptor received, not even being a member of the party. In 70-e years Yury Nuts constantly participated in international symposiums on sculpture, held in Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Bulgaria and Cuba, and received first prize for works created there.
Nuts — the artist bright and multifaceted talent, he has worked in virtually all types of sculpture. He was fascinated by the problems of portrait and the plastic arts of small forms, but particularly successfully implement their ideas in monumental art, becoming one of the most significant Union of artists of Russia in the second half of the twentieth century.
Suffice it to recall the brilliant Pushkiniana Smith — his Pushkin adorns Minsk, Baku, Vienna, Rome, Paris, a monument‑ensemble Leskov in eagle, executed together with his son Gregory, for which the authors received the State prize of the USSR.
Every Muscovite knows the monument to Vladimir Mayakovsky in front of the Museum of Mayakovsky — one of the best works of the sculptor, headstone Andrei Mironov and the monument to the fallen defenders of the White house at the cemetery Vagankovsky.
An undoubted success and the result of "arduous" work of the sculptor — relief of our lady of Vladimir to the Church of Christ the Savior.
Among the many talents of Yuri Orekhov not the last was the gift of the leader, organizer and Converter. More precisely: good figure, a figure with a heart of gold.
Youri was a public man in the shower, on my own "otpravlyaem" inaccuracies of God's Providence, hardship the fate of colleagues and friends. Smith owes its creation the support Fund of sculptors of Russia "Sculptor", Chairman of the Presidium which Youri remained until his death.
The Foundation remains the only organization able to provide assistance and to protect its members legally and financially through the Fund were numerous orders for restoration and pictorial works, installation of monuments and memorials. This meant not least that the artists often suffered due to lack of work, were in demand.
Yuri Orekhov sent experience and organizational skills on a big case: the reconstruction of the sculptural decoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. It was important to build a group of experienced sculptors, equal in size to the authors relief compositions of the temple, a talented Russian sculptors of the second half of the NINETEENTH century, P. K. Klodt, A. V. Loganovsky, N. A. Ramazanov.
Smith managed to create at the Foundation of the "Sculptor" Association of sculptors, bringing together more than fifty internationally recognized masters from Moscow and St. Petersburg, and to provide creative leadership of the whole complex of works.
The main task of the Museum exhibition was seen by organizers to introduce Yuri Smith as a unique individual, possessing a rare blend of talents: a beautiful and versatile sculptor and an outstanding public figure, a natural leader and an amazing man who gave joy to everyone who are with him.
"The biggest value is the people," — liked to repeat it. This passionate, fascinated man was a generator of ideas, and the soul of the cultural community, he encouraged and involved in the life of art of people of different professions – from athletes to actors theatre. Vakhtangov, which Yuri Orekhov linked long-term friendship.
"Honest", "human" in the framework of the Museum exhibition, dedicated to Yuri Smith, is "in focus" takes on the same importance as professional work of the sculptor. In the context of the Museum image of George Smith becomes in fact an ideal model of Personality, the Supreme personality of national culture.
Keeping the subject and the artistic environment of a traditional Museum, curators of the exhibition sought to avoid the "showcase" frozen demonstration "behind the glass". Their goal was to create a "living" Museum exhibition, is able to simultaneously be a zone of activity and life on every level – artistic and narrow-minded.
The main task of the Museum exhibition was seen by organizers to introduce Yuri Smith as a unique individual, possessing a rare blend of talents: a beautiful and versatile sculptor and an outstanding public figure, a natural leader and an amazing man who gave joy to everyone who are with him.
"The biggest value is the people," — liked to repeat it. This passionate, fascinated man was a generator of ideas, and the soul of the cultural community, he encouraged and involved in the life of art of people of different professions – from athletes to actors theatre. Vakhtangov, which Yuri Orekhov linked long-term friendship.
"Honest", "human" in the framework of the Museum exhibition, dedicated to Yuri Smith, is "in focus" takes on the same importance as professional work of the sculptor. In the context of the Museum image of George Smith becomes in fact an ideal model of Personality, the Supreme personality of national culture.
Keeping the subject and the artistic environment of a traditional Museum, curators of the exhibition sought to avoid the "showcase" frozen demonstration "behind the glass". Their goal was to create a "living" Museum exhibition, is able to simultaneously be a zone of activity and life on every level – artistic and narrow-minded.
The basis of the Museum collection is made up of the model the most significant monuments of Yuri Orekhov and monuments, a magnificent gallery of portraits of prominent cultural figures, friends and family of the artist, easel plastic. Of particular interest are those present in the exhibition projects of the sculptor, including unrealized, sketches, and original options its some monumental works. In the Museum's collection includes works of different years executed in various materials: plaster, bronze, marble, wood.
In the memorial part of the Museum are fully saved objects, personal photographs of the sculptor and his family. Outdoor Museum stock consists of albums with high quality photos, revealing in its entirety the work of jury Smith.
Here you can see what is not included in the exhibit: a student of things, among them a masterful thesis; the amazing sculpture works of 50-ies – 60-ies, which are visibly present remembrance of the beloved Matveev; indisputable good luck of the ' 70s- the work done in the framework of international symposiums on sculpture and brought Yuri Smith world popularity. The part of the Museum's photographic collection represents the personal photo archives, where through the prism of the life of academician Smith etched the important events of the artistic life of Russia in the last third of the twentieth century.
Located in the former workshop, Repino memorial room of Yuri Smith – the semantic center of the whole Museum exhibition. Here all remained in their places, as was "with it." On a functional purpose of this exposition, and real living room with a home buffet and all the here, "chamber music evenings" or business meetings (in the centre is a table made by Walnut, which he loved to gather his friends, colleagues, and prominent figures of culture and science).
It's really his, and for the owner and for the visitor House, intelligent, warm, kind. Personal photos of the owner of the house-free exposure chamber sculptures on the window sills, masks and reliefs on the walls gives birth to the image "live", acting workshop Studio.
The Museum exposition is placed in the halls and courtyard of the mansion, demonstrating the author's ability to connect their creations with the surrounding nature and environment. The garden space allowed to exhibit a number of magnificent monumental works of Smith.
The courtyard provides a podium the experimental stage, supplemented by special design that performs the function of a kind of screen. Here it is planned to hold concerts, anniversary parties and festive events. Here took place the opening ceremony of the Museum.
Of particular interest is located on the ground floor workshop which gives an idea of the Herculean labour of the sculptor. Here are tools which worked, preparations for sculpture.
Special attention should be paid to equipment that was created for projects of the sculptor: in the 80-ies workshop Smith was one of the best equipped studios in Moscow.
Workshop, however, is not directly part of the Museum complex, because it continues to function as a working space. Here goes a real, not affected the Museum's mock life – are young and talented sculptors.
