On December 19, 2024, the exhibition Animalist Art. In Jest and in Earnest will open in the Museum of the 20th–21st Century Art of St Petersburg. The partners of this exhibition, unique in its artistic significance, are thirty-six museums, galleries and private collectors of Russia. The rich visual material presented at the exhibition is to demonstrate the theme from different sides and sometimes at completely unexpected angles, which will help spectators to familiarise themselves with the main trends in the development of this genre in the art of the 20th century.
The exhibition includes over 150 works, paintings, drawings and sculpture, not only by the artists concerned with the study of animal life, but also by those who did not regard themselves as part of animalist art. Works by the world famous individuals, such as Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin (1878–1939), Niko Pirosmani (1862–1918), Boris Grigoriev (1886–1939), Natan Altman (1889–1970), Kliment Redko (1897–1956), Svyatoslav Roerich (1904–1993), Vasily Svarog (1883 - 1946) and contemporary painters, Zaven Arshakuni (1932 - 12), Vitaly Tiulenev (1937 - 97), German Yegoshin (1931 - 2009), Vladimir Yashke (1948 - 2018), Anatoly Belkin (born 1953 ) are shown beside undeservedly forgotten artists, who will be a real discovery not only for art lovers, but also for the experts on animalist art.
The genre is revealed through various thematic blocks, portraits, where the authors focus on the animals’ visual characteristics and their behaviour, animals in nature, that is, in their natural habitat, as well as human and animal relationships.
In the portraits section animals, dogs, cats, foxes, bulls, swans, roosters and peacocks, sometimes appear like human beings, imbued, as it were, with feelings and emotions. Indicative in this respect is the portrait of a red dog by Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin (1919), which is a true gem of the exhibition. In it, the artist has created a very lively image of a small and kind creature with an inquisitive look of intelligent eyes.
Very expressive is the bronze Owl by Alexander Belashov (1973). The bird is depicted in motion, a split second before it flies upwards, pushing off from the ground with its powerful paws.
Animals in nature single or in groups, interest the artists from the point of view of conveying a special psychological atmosphere. Animals are capable of showing their character and disposition, kind or predatory. Filled with tension, the characters express a variety of emotions, joy and delight from the unity with the world around them, the tragedy of loneliness or loss, a state of calm or the energy of action.
One of the most popular themes in 20th century animalist art is the relationship between human beings and animals. In search of harmony between the human world and the animal kingdom, artists turn to subjects where animals or birds live beside people, engaged in their daily routine. Animals are no longer secondary elements of the composition; they are on a par with human characters. In some paintings, this theme is imbued with poetic and romantic mood, e.g. Silence by Svyatoslav Roerich (1964), A Boy with Bulls by Mihai Grecu (1987), Khakassian Girls by Vitaly Kalinin (1937); in others it is tinted with humour, like in the Lady with Snails by Viktor Danilov (2002) or Tea Party by Alexander Buchkuri (1933). Not infrequently, the artists draw their subjects from life around them, endowing the characters with human qualities, which sometimes leads to amusing and paradoxical results. For example, the Private Territory by Viktor Danilov (2007) is, in fact, a parody of the idyll of dacha life. Likewise, the Duet, filled with warm humour, by Zoia Munaieva (1989) is undoubtedly a real-life scene.
“The purpose of the exhibition Animalist Art. In Jest and in Earnest is not only to give a new impetus to the study of animalist images and motifs in fine art, but also to offer a gift to children and adults who, at one time, were children themselves. The sincere and touching works devoted to the animal kingdom are not likely to leave anyone indifferent. The space of the museum rooms will definitely be an appropriate place for aesthetic enjoyment, for serious philosophical reflections, for sincere surprise, and, of course, for smiles”.
Marina Dzhigarkhanian
Director
The Museum of 20th–21st Century Art of St Petersburg
Participants of the project
Moscow
Moscow Museum of Modern Art
The State Museum and Exhibition Center ROSIZO
The State Museum of Oriental Art
Moscow Museum and Exhibition Association Manege
The State Darwin Museum
Moscow State Zoological Park
St Petersburg
Museum of 20th–21st Century Art of St Petersburg The State Russian Museum
The Research Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts
Tsarskoe Selo Collection Museum
Sosnovy Bor
Sosnovy Bor Art Museum of Modern Art, Branch of the Museum Agency
Arkhangelsk
The Russian North State Museum Association
Veliky Novgorod
Novgorod State Integrated Museum-Reserve
Vladimir
Vladimir and Suzdal State History, Art and Architecture Museum-Reserve
Vologda
Vologda Regional Picture Gallery
Voronezh
The I. N. Kramskoi Voronezh Regional Art Museum
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts
Ivanovo
Ivanovo Regional Art Museum
Irbit
The V. A. Karpov Irbit State Museum of Fine Arts
Kaluga
Kaluga Museum of Fine Arts
Kirov
The V. M. Vasnetsov and A. M. Vasnetsov Vyatka Art
Museum
Morshansk
The P. P. Ivanov Morshansk History and Art Museum, Branch of Tambov Regional Museum of Local Studies
Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum
Nizhny Tagil
Nizhny Tagil Museum of Fine Arts
Пермь
Perm State Art Gallery
Petrozavodsk
The Republic of Karelia Museum of Fine Arts o
Petushky
The Rooster Museum, Petushki Area, Vladimir Region
Ramenskoye
Ramenskoye History and Art Museum
Rybinsk
Rybinsk State History, Architecture and Art Museum-Reserve
Ryazan
The I. P. Pozhalostin Ryazan Regional State Art Museum
Samara
Samara Regional Art Museum
Saratov
The A. N. Radischev State Saratov Art Museum
Tambov
Tambov Regional Picture Gallery
Tarusa
Tarusa Picture Gallery, Branch of Kaluga Museum of Fine Arts
Тверь
Tver Regional Picture Gallery
Tula
Tula Museum of Fine Arts, Branch of Tula Museum Association
Ufa
The M. V. Nesterov Bashkir State Art Museum
Galleries
KGallery
Collections
Georgy Botka’s Collection
Igor Sukhanov’s Collection
Sergey Borodkin’s Collection
Eduard Matushkin’s Collection
