ZURAB TSERETELI. SCULPTURES. EN

ZURAB TSERETELI THE FIRST BOOK sculptures

AUTHOR OF THE SERIES MARIA CHEGODAEVA glenart

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Tsereteli Zurab Konstantinovich

My Art He comes fromSeries the ancient Georgian Born on January 4, 1934 in Tbilisi. family of princes Tserereli.

In 1958 he graduated from the Tbilisi Academy of Arts .

Since 1963, member of the USSR Union of Artists.

Since 1988 - Member of the USSR Academy of Arts .

Since 1994, the People’s Artist of Russia .

Zurab Tsereteli is a Corresponding Member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando (Spain); a Corresponding

My Art France; UNESCO Goodwill SeriesAmbassador.

Member of the Academy of Fine Arts of

Z. Tsetereteli has won many domestic

and foreign awards: Commander of the Order of the Legion of Honor (France) since 2010; Cavalier King Cross - the Order «For Civil Merit» (Spain), in 2012; Full Cavalier of Order «For the Merit for Fatherland» (Russia), 2014; UNESCO Medal «Five Continents» for supporting young talent.

My Art Series

My Art Series 2

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THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR THE THEORY AND HISTORY OF FINE ARTS

THE RUSSI AN

ACADEMY O F A RT S

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ARTIST

ZURAB TSERETELI

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THE FIRST BOOK. SCULPTURES

ZURAB TS My Art Series

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Artist

ERETELI

AUTHOR OF THE SERIES Maria Chegodaeva

glenart 7

Cover design sculptur of Zurab Tsereteli: "Kazimir Malevichi". 2008.

©Glen Art d.o.o., 2014. © Zurab Tsereteli © Maria Chegodaeva, 2014. © Dmitry Chegodaev - design, 2014.

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ARTIST ZURAB TSERETELI

Exordium Maria Chegodaeva

11 Life in Bronze Maria Chegodaeva

19 My Contemporaries 30 The Great Masters 58

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Exordium Maria Chegodaeva

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How to define, to explain the nature of Tsereteli’s art? How to find the right key to his exceptionally diverse art and unbounded creativity? There has been written and said a lot about Tsereteli as a major modern Russian artist, a figure of world importance: about his public role, his pedagogical principles , about the crucial role he has played for the Russian Academy of Arts. His methods of work are under scrupulous study, as well as his exceptional passion for creativity, his ability to experiment, to draw, to paint, to sculpt tirelessly, without measure. And still something very essential is beyond anybody’s grasp, comprising me.

The answer to this tantalizing question I find in the reflections of an Ortodox Church protopresbyter, Fr Alexander Shmeman, a sage and philosopher, Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s friend, who had emigrated from the country and in the 1970s hosted programs on Radio “Svoboda” broadcasting to Russia.

“What is a true work of

in as much as they are about

art and what is the secret of its

the same thing like an image

perfection?” asks Shmemann…

and its implementation, a form

“It is a perfect match, a

and its contents, an idea and

complete confluence of Law

the reality. And so, Grace is Law

and Grace. Thus, in line

but transformed into freedom,

with Apostle Paul’s religious

rid of anything “legalistic” i.e.

spirituality, Divine Grace is

negatively fencing, purely formal

opposed to Law but least of

in itself. And it is most evident

all because they are about

in Art. It begins with Law, or the

different (opposing) matters and

craft that, in essence, equals

because one of them, Grace,

obedience and humility, the

simply destroys and takes up

acceptance of the form. It

the place of the Other, Law.

realizes itself in Grace: when the

Grace is impossible without Law

form does become the contents, 11

brings it out to the full, it is the

content whether in portraits

contents itself”.*

or flowers, fantasy and color

So, the essence of true

experiments, huge monuments

art for Shmemann is a perfect

and canvases or chamber album

professional mastership of

folios . Embodied in paints and

form, the ability to subordinate

bronze, the artist’s free soul is

oneself to the absolute laws of

in the union with God. This is

art set by many a generation

so clearly manifested in Zurab

of great masters – but also it

Tsereteli’s art, in his spontaneous

is implementing the laws into

childlike religious feeling.

creative freedom, leaving behind

It is this organic synthesis

everything dictated, “legalistic”,

of faultless craftsmanship, of

imposed from the outside. Fr

following the laws of composition

Alexander Shmemann calls such

and drawing, of oil painting and

a unity of subordination and

a very complicated technique

freedom “the Grace” and views

of high enamel, of rigorous

it as the highest manifestation

knowledge on the one hand

of Christianity, faithfulness to

– and unleashed emotional

Apostle Paul’s precepts.

freedom inherent in Tsereteli

“Not only does the form

more than in any other modern

reveal the content, it becomes

artist, on the other, that I will try to

the content itself.” Is it possible

dwell on in these three books.

to better formulate the core

Tsereteli entered the

of Zurab Tsereteli’s art? The

world of art in that happy and

multifaceted, infinitely various

tragic period when Stalin’s spell

“form” of his paintings, sculptures,

suddenly dissipated and the

graphics, mosaics is always the

XXth century broke open and

* Fr Alexander Schmemann. The Journals. 1973-1988. Friday, September 27, 1974. Moscow, 2005. P.112 12

welcomed young artists to

“severe style”, the last rise of

its infinite variety of art, that

revolutionary illusions. The art

previously for us, the children

of protest and epatage boldly

of the 1940-1950s, had been

denied all canons of socialist

under a strict ban all along

realism but involuntary and

through our conscious life.

often unconsciously relied on

And it is together with the

the Academic school which

kaleidoscope of world painting,

though emasculated and

the avalanche of styles, trends

depleted was still preserved

and tendencies, that we

in art schools of the Stalin’s

had missed out on, and then

epoch and instilled professional

suddenly, just in a wink, they

literacy in young innovators

fell on us, that we became

and trained their “eye” and

aware of the inconsistency of

“hand”were taught artistic

our own history, its “surrealism”,

literacy and got (acquired)

its dreadful twists, illusiveness,

professional “hand and eye”….

phantasmagoria. Our art

By his age or creative

of the 1960-1970s sprouted,

aspirations Tsereteli is a man

pushed and affirmed itself

of that time. He keeps loyalty

through a complex mixture

to the great principles of art

of suddenly opened up

conquered virtually with blood

possibilities for artistic creativity

nor has he ever betrayed all

and self- wretchedness,

across his long life the main

spiritual frustration, through

values of his youth : a keen

the overwhelming joy of

attention to the world art of

experiment and the bitterness

the XXth century, to its “colossi”

of political disappointment.

Picasso, Matisse, Gaugin,

Like a belated flower of

Chagall, Modigliani and the

the world avant-guardе,

loyalty to the school of his

a reminiscence of the 20s,

teacher Vassiliy Ivanovich

a bitter reaction to the

Shukhaev, an exceptional

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master of drawing of the old

artisanal fabrics and carpets…

academic school.

But what’s more important is that

But still it is only one side

this art is Georgian in its basics,

that connects him with the

in the perception of the world,

artistic movement of the 1970s.

in its mood, melodic sound

From the very outset of his career

and rhythm. People of Georgia

there was something in him that

and its nature live in Tsereteli’s

rather noticeably singled him

works: distant snow-capped

out from painters and sculptors

peaks, blue-green carpets of

who worked in a similar direction,

lavish vegetation, red rock

something that made his figure

outcrops, brownish walls and

exceptional, quite independent

roofs of villages above the sea of

and original. And, of course, the

golden sunflowers in full blossom.

first thing that catches the eye

Ancient peaked Georgian

in Tsereteli’s works is its evident

temples,contemplative oxen

ethnic nature. His art is Georgian

pulling their cart appear either

to the bone, it embodies Georgia

on his picturesque canvases,

not only because it follows in

decoratively ornamental

the traditions of the Georgian

mosaics, stain glass or sculptural

painting of the XXth century that

reliefs. The invariable, centuries-

sound in the voice of Pirosmani

old folk lifestyle, the hard work

and that the national ornament

of winemakers, coalmen,

has established its place in his art.

woodcutters, carters, the festive

In the twinkling fragmentation

poverty of street musicians again

of countless mosaics are clearly

and again break in Tseretely’s

visible not only national motifs but

works – in painting, in graphics, in

also the typical materials such as

sculpture. Along with them and

the world renowned Georgian

next to them come to life ancient

embossing, the texture of folk art

sacred books and tombstones,

– plated belts, women’s jewelry

the images of Georgian saints,

incrusted with precious stones,

martyrs and kings, the graceful

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ornate lettering of the unique

the same careful attention,

Georgian script. The great and

his beautiful Georgia and as

tragic history of Georgia gains is

beautiful Croatia stand out in

revived.

his works individualized and

But here is what especially

magnified. Tsereteli evokes them

important and valuable about

from the depths of his visual

Zurab Tsereteli. His passionate,

memory and presents them in

unselfish love for his Motherland,

all their monumental grandeur.

its nature, art, people quite

For some moment they occupy

organically combines in him with

the artist’s full attention and

his interest and love for every

together with him that of the

country, every nation in the world

audience, occurring in the

- with sympathetic attention

center of the universe and then

to the tragic fate and unique

give way to other impressions,

appearance of the people of

merging fading the motley,

Israel, with the admiration for the

many-faced life of the modern

amazing nature of Croatia, with

world.

the homage to the genius of the

Tsereteli literally “bathes”

XXth century Charlie Chaplin.

in the world, feels himself

Only loving one’s own country

everywhere at home – in New

one can love the whole world

York and in Paris, in Tbilisi and

in a way that Zurab Tsereteli

St.Petersburg, in every city and

loves Paris, Madrid, Jerusalem

town of Russia which happened

and Dubrovnik…People from his

to host his exhibitions. He passes

beloved Georgia encountered

for a local in Vitebsk where, as

on the mountain paths during

it seems, the very air breathes

his ethnographic expeditions

of Shagall, or in Italian Bari,

he was so keen on in his young

the city of the repose of St.

years, or met in bazaars in Tbilisi

Nicholas of Myra, in Puerto Rico

and old men in the old streets

where Columbus sailed to on

of Jerusalem observed with

his Caravel … For the young

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pupils of his masterclass he is also

And said: Verilly, I say unto

“one of them”: as their equal he

you, except ye be converted

selflessly creates and rejoices

and become like children, you

with the children.

shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven

“…At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said: Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?

So, who shall humble himself as this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven…”

(Matt.18/1-5)

And Jesus called a little child, set him in the midst of them

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Child is The Great Master…

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Life in Bronze Maria Chegodaeva

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The first thing that rings a bell at the mentioning of Zurab Tsereteli’ name is that he is a sculptor. In this quality Tsereteli is known everywhere: both in Russia and across the world. His “Peter the Great” at the fork of the Moskva river and “The tragedy of Peoples” on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow, “Balzac”, “Pope John Paul” in France, “St. Nicholas the Miracle-worker” in Italy, “The Tear of Grief” in New York, “The Holocaust” in Israel are always present in people’s life, accompany them in their everyday urban existence.

Various reliefs on biblical themes and figures of kings fill the Central Hall of the Tsereteli Museum in Prechistenka street in Moscow. “The Apple” , a giant “forbidden fruit”, an impressive story about the fall of Adam and Eve, and in the same space, equal in size and significance with the Old and New Testament characters, with the saints and emperors, stand “Rostropovich”, “Joseph Brodsky”, “Shostakovich”, “Vysotsky”, “Solzhenitsyn”…

In Tsereteli’s sculpture, more

a piece of wood or in shapeless

than in his painting or enamel,

viscosity of clay the living flesh of

reigns the “law” which manifests

their future creation.

itself in his absolute, sometimes

And God created man in His

reaching the point of an

own image, in the image of God

illusion, fidelity to nature and in

he created him; male and female

the perfect mastership of the

he created them. And God

Academy school. At the same

blessed them…(Genesis 1/27).

time there is such an absolute

Indeed, Tsereteli does not

emancipation, such a power over

just sculpt, he creates his people

form, which are characteristic

like God created Adam from

only of great sculptors, who can

clay, and inhales in them life

foresee in a block of marble, in

and spirit, “blessing” them to a 19

long existence in the world. The

different nationalities and faiths,

sculptor has made nearly most of

Zurab Tsereteli considers it his duty

his monumental sculptures and

to oppose it with what he owns

memorials without thinking about

– his art. Some can find it naïve:

material reward, though they

how can a piece of art, no matter

required considerable emotional

how talented its author, to stand

costs and physical strength, and

in the path of Evil?. Yes, it can! In

- just donated them to various

the same way as Mercy triumphs

cities and countries. The sculpture

over Hatred, Beauty over Ugliness.

“Good Wins against Evil” in front

“Beauty will save the world” - this

of the UN headquarters and his

famous Dostoevsky’s formula

monument “Happiness to Children

became Zurab Tsereteli’s program

across the World” are located

manifest.

in the USA. “St. Nina” and “St.

There are people who are

George” in Tbilisi are the master’s

oversensitive to a physical pain,

generous gift to Georgian people.

even a minor scratch causes

His monument to St Nicholas of

suffering. Zurab Tsereteli is

Myra was gifted to the Italian city

oversensitive to an emotional pain,

of Bari.

to everything that worries, touches

“I am an artist, my “weapon”

and concerns people in our

is paper, modelling clay, bronze.

merciless world. An artist by “the

It is my voice, my outcry. My

grace of God”, he is committed

professional duty is to make and

to his calling: reflects, expresses

give”

in art what overwhelms his heart, possesses his thoughts, catches his

According to Tsereteli’s strong

eyes in a visible, plastic form. He

beliefs there is nothing like Art to

does not remain indifferent to the

resist Evil. So in our days, when evil

terrifying spread of AIDS, to the

takes different but equally ugly

tragedy in New York, to the grief of

forms, infects almost everyone

Beslan or to the painful memory of

– children and adults, people of

the Great PatrioticWar…

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“The Tragedy of Peoples”

at. The figures seem to be falling

on Poklonnaya Hill. Captured in

back and at some point they turn

bronze the moment of a cold-

into stones and debris, become

blooded execution of innocent

part of rectangular granite stelae

people, not only those who

having the same engraved

make up Tsereteli’s memorial,

inscription in the languages of

but hundreds, thousands, millions

the peoples of our former Soviet

standing implicitly behind them.

Union which runs: SACRED BE THEIR

An endless line of naked, shaved

MEMORY, BE IT PRESERVED FOR

men, women and children move

CENTURES. Some stelae stand

in a regular rhythm, doomed

upright, others are inclined, these

to death by the black force of

stelae-tombs repeat the rhythm

fascism. Real people, vulnerable

of the figures and themselves loo

in their nakedness – a father, a

like stone ghosts, bodiless and

mother, a boy… The mother in the

monolithic, as eternal as granite.

last outburst of infinite love covers

The moment of transition from life

with the palm of her hand her little

to death captured in stone and

son’s eyes so that he couldn’t see

bronze…

the pointed at him gun muzzle. The

And what if it is the other way

last impression is believed to be

round – from death to life? The

particularly clearly imprinted in the

longer you look at these sorrowful

consciousness of the dying and

figures, at this motionlessly moving

stay on in the afterlife. So let the kid

line the stronger is the awareness

in his last moment feel the gentle

that these shadows do not lean

warmth of his mother’s hand rather

back, do not turn into stones: it

than the chilling breath of the

is the stones that come to life,

murderer…

rise, straighten, stand upright,

The figures behind them

become people in full flesh,

gradually become more abstract,

with each figure more real and

less individualized, hollow-eyed,

individually portrayed. It’s not the

with facial features barely hinted

eternal death but the eternal

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resurrection that the master

devices and rigorous customs

commemorated in his sculptural

check-up procedures can outwit

group! Not the passive submission

the devilish ingenuity of those

of exhausted, brought to a state

inhuman creatures set on evil ?

of full indifference “dumb lambs”,

The Monument to the

but the confident calmness of

Victims of September 11, 2001,

immortal human souls who are

Tsereteli’s gift to the United States

no longer in the power of any

of America, is particularly apt

torturers, out of reach of any

as a symbol, an image clear in

violence! They come and come,

meaning to practically everyone

step out from the ground, out

and capable to touch any human

in infinite numbers – all those

heart. A 30-metre high bronze stele

destroyed and murdered, all

repeats the shape of the giant

those who suffered on Earth in our

tower of New York Trade Center,

distressful and contradictory XXth

but the tower body is cracked,

century.

ripped out with a terrible ragged wound and in this extremely

The flagrant terrorist attacks marked the beginning of the XXIst century, despite all the

painful opening a mournful tear hangs forever.

The choice of location

high hopes of the humanity for

for the monument seems to

it to be the age of reason and

be an extremely good one.

goodness. The most terrible thing

“The Tear of Grief” is installed

about such attacks is that they

on Cape Bayonne Point at the

are unavoidable, inevitable. What

entrance to New York Harbor. It

could possibly stop a maddened

meets every ship arriving in New

fanatic obsessed with the idea

York and reminds the arriving

of sacrificing his life for the brutal

passengers of the victims, who

extermination of hundreds,

were people like them, who or

thousands of innocent people?

whose ancestors once arrived

What kind of most sophisticated

into the promised land of power,

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wealth and maximum security as

the loss of balance , the danger

it seemed then …

of collapse… But the higher the

One can’t help noticing

stronger, the more stable and at

that many of Tsereteli’s projects

the same time more dynamic gets

that are at face value not linked

the movement of the ascending

to religion still evoke religious

arrow; the dead children rise to

assosiations. The Monument to the

life, become alive, resurrect, get

Victims of September 11 reminds

wings, ascend to Heaven, to God,

of a Russian Church belfry: the

one God for all….

tear pending in the painful ragged

If each of us like Zurab

opening of the tower is likened to

Tsereteli considered it our duty to

a bell that tolls for the dead. The

do everything we can, we would

Тear-belfry protects, defends the

all together put an end to the

great city as vulnerable to attacks

savage fanatism as well as such

of Evil as a small village at the

“fruits of civilization” as greed,

other end of the Earth.

spiritual poverty, “freedom” from

Could Tsereteli have failed to

consciousness, cynical and selfish

react to the Beslan tragedy with

indifference of well-to-do people,

all his heart and artistic talent?

the qualities that enable the Evil to

The tragedy of Beslan turned in

score its horrifying victories.

his hands into a plastic image of enormous emotional strength.

It is only natural that Zurab

A bronze arrow, bent like a bow,

Tsereteli considered it his duty to

is directed to the sky. On the

carve a monument to Pope John

granite pedestal are scattered

Paul, an outstanding Christian

unfinished children’s games,

figure of our day, as the theme

unread children’s books. The lower

of Christianity is one of the most

part of the stele is made up of

important in his work. Tsereteli

the dead bodies. They are lean

grew up in an old Georgian

towards the ground adding to

intelligentsia family, who deeply

the monument the air of fragility,

honored traditions and never

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ran out of faith and where he

topped with a cross. I am the

reverently took in the advice of

door; if anyone enters through

the elder: “I was taught quotes

Me, he will be saved… Pope John

from the Bible, it was laid down

Paul seems encourage us to enter

in childhood, it shaped my

the Door and prays for everyone

character. I was brought up by

who comes in. It would be difficult

my Grandma, she would say: if

to find a more accurate and

you are given a slap in the face

impressive image.

“give the other cheek”. Maybe the other cheek he did not offer,

One of the best sculptures,

but the slaps he had to endure

created by Tsereteli, is the statue

more than once he treated with

of Joseph Brodsky, a brilliant poet,

a true Cristian attitude. He always

who he knew personally. He was a

follows Christian commandments

man of a dramatic, contradictory

both in life and in art. The figure

life. The shame of that wretched

of Pope John Paul, whose whole

episode fifty years ago is still

life was the implementation of

burning. Well-known men of letters

Jesus’s appeal to his disciples:

in Leningrad refused the brilliant

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cast

young poet the membership

out devils, could not but inspire

in the Writers’ Union knowingly

the master to one of his most

condemning him to the status of

outstanding works.

a “parasite”, an outlaw to be sent

Tsereteli recalls his meeting

in exile to the so called forced

with the Pope with a great

labour, to the logging, according

reverence. He has kept in his soul

to the severe laws of the time…

the memory of Pope John Paul’s

Eventually Brodsky had to leave

wonderful appearance, in his

Russia. The world welcomed him

recognizable pose with hands

as a great poet, praised and

folded in prayer, and revived it

honored him, he was awarded

in the monument. The sculptor

the Nobel Prize. But in his heart

portrayed the pontiff in a doorway

hardly had he ever overcome to

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the end the pain and bitterness

interesting people, famous and

of those days in Leningrad and

unknown, whose sculptures he

the everlasting longing for his

has made. . He honored them

native city.

with a monument - not in a town

Tseretely with shrewdness

square or a cemetery but where

saw this staggering, paradoxical

they always stay close to him,

duality of Joseph Brodsky’s fate.

where hundreds of people every

And he based on it the plastic

day come to meet with them

solution of the sculpture. The

- in his museum, in the eternal,

poet is presented simultaneously

everlasting art.

in the official robe of a Nobel

The portrait gallery is perhaps

Prize laureate and in a rough

the most remarkable in Tsereteli’s

coat of a woodcutter. There is

museum. Heroes and martyrs,

nothing unnatural, affected in this

great actors, writers, artists, well-

combination. The weird clothing

known political figures… Their

somehow becomes secondary,

physical presence and palpable

unimportant, as in the first place

contact with them are nearly

goes out a calm dignified

frightening.

figure, the poet’s handsome,

Anna Akhmatova and Bella

visually resembling him, head, his

Akhmadullina, Alexander Blok

thoughtful and melancholy face.

and OsipMandelshtam; Mikhail

As if in some bewilderment Brodsky

Bulgakov and Boris Pasternak;

holds in his hand the “Newtonian”

Yury Bashmet and Andrey

laureate’s cap from his head. And

Voznesensky…And more and

it seems as accidental and of no

more still further on – Mayakovsky,

importance for him as a worker’s

Danelia, Ryazanov, Nureyev…A

rough coat and kersey boots.

series of reliefs accompanies us

Joseph Brodsky stands

along the entire long hall. Always

in the Prechistenka Museum

bearing a perfect resemblance

next to Vladimir Vysotsky and

to the portrayed people the

dozens of other dear to Tsereteli

sitting and standing figures are

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sometimes lightly colored (Bella

his “Square”, the figure of Picasso is

Akhmadullina) but more often

made in the style of Picasso and his

they just glare with the metallic

favorite contrasting combinations

shine of bronze. Always placed

of colors echo in his portraits.

in their own peculiar worlds,

Here I would like to say a few

surrounded by the trappings of

words about the peculiarity of

their work like pages from their

realism in Tsereteli’s sculptures.

books or reels of their films, they

They look alive to the point of

are active, creating, dancing

illusiveness, they are absolutely

(Nureyev), playing the viola

devoid of any traces of naturalism.

(Bashmet) or singing… Here is

It holds true for Pope John Paul’s

again noticeable so inherent

ctatue and of the sculptural

in Tsereteli combination of Law

portraits of men of arts and

and Grace: following nature,

politicians. Their “naturalism” look

impeccable craftsmanship and

is actually the “superrealism”.

spiritual, emotional freedom, the

In the 1920-s Tairov, Voloshin,

power of creation, endowed on

Zamyatin referred to it as

the sculptor and his heroes.

“neorealism”, “mystic”, “fantastic” realism “on this side” of the avant-

Kazimir Malevich, Amedeo

garde. Tsereteli’s heroes, living

Modigliani, Henri Rousseau and

now and those who passed

Niko Pirosmani are dispersed

away, some of them recently

all throughout the museum.

others a century ago, exist in a

A group of great masters of

kind of infinite time space; they

postimpressionism, Tsereteli’s idols,

are immortal, resurrected by the

gathered to discuss the work of one

power of art. Such “superreal”

of them… Alive, bearing the same

power which is found in Tsereteli’s

striking resemblance as the portraits

sculptural portraits I have seen

of our contemporaries, they

only in one true work of genius

accompany us. Their works come

– in Henry Moore’s monument

to life with them: Malevich holds

to Winston Churchill in front of

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Westminster Abbey in London.

Raise the dead…

Russian Academy of Arts, as it ws conceived and designed by him, Peter is one of Tsereteli’s favorite

Peter the Great. Tsereteli’s

images, repeated many times.

statues, static and motionless

Peter safeguards and protects

as all sculptures, are always

the Academy, his creation, his

full of an intense inner life,

brainchild, which Tseretely literally

often hidden from the eye, but

resurrected three centuries later…

sometimes it breaks out in a swift movement. Rudolf Nureyev’s

In quite a unique way

figure is presented in a rapid flight

Tsereteli’s earthly sensual love

continued by the folds …it’s even

for life and all its gifts is lit up by

difficult to determine whether it is

religion. He has made a great

his cloak or a gust of windstorm,

number of works on the themes

caused by the danсer himself –

of the Old and New Testament,

“the windstorm of his body”…

for example, the sculptures and

Peter on his fantastic ship

crosses in Moscow Cathedral

impetuously breaks from vast

of Christ the Savior. The doors of

seas into the narrowness of the

the Cathedral were also cast

Moskva River and triumphantly

in his workshop. Or the bronze

stays on, causing such an outrage

relief icons in St George the

and active protests, such a

Glorious Church on Poklonnaya

strong desire to drive away the

Hill in Moscow. “They are church

unwanted stranger as if it is not

frescos that gained volume.

a monument, even ,perhaps,

The frescos seem to awaken in

disputable to somebody’s liking,

the volume, to get a new life. In

but a real, live guest, whose

St George’s Church in place of

uninvited visit is worse, as the

mural paintings I made reliefs so

saying goes, than a Tartar attack.

that the Trinity could gain volume

The great reformer of Russia,

as well as St George could gain

who practically founded the

volume”.

27

Tseretely strongly believes

show the images of saints. Here

that there is nothing like art that

are the statues of great figures of

can attract to religion masses

Church such as mother Teresa, All-

of people and children in the

Russia Patriarch Alexy, All-Georgia

first place. Statues in Catholic

Patriarch-Catholicos Ilia.

cathedrals, frescos and icons

One of the latest Tsereteli’s

in Orthodox churches were for

projects is a giant figure of Jesus

believers the visual Scripture. In

Christ put up on a sharp stone cliff,

Tsereteli’s gallery on Prechistenka

embracing and blessing the world

the entire Bible appears in his

with the wide spread arms.

sculptural images. Monumental

And lifted up His hands

bronze reliefs and three-

and blessed them. And when He

dimensional sculptures narrate

blessed them, He was going away

about the Creation of the world,

from them and carried up into

embody the Twelve great feasts,

Heaven (LK.24/50)

28

29

30

My Contemporaries

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

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43

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45

46

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1. Anna Akhmatova. 2000.

High relief. Bronze.

2. Bella Akhmadulina. 2000.

High relief. Bronze.

3. Yury Bashmet. 2000.

High relief. Bronze.

4. Alexander Blok. 2000.

High relief. Bronze.

5. The Farewell. Joseph Brodsky. 2004.

High relief. Bronze.

6. Mikhail Bulgakov. 2000.

High relief. Bronze.

56

7. Marina Tsvetaeva. 2008.

High relief. Bronze.

8. Osip Mandelshtam. 2000.

High relief. Bronze.

9. Boris Pasternak. 2000.

High relief. Bronze.

10. Eldar Ryazanov. 2003.

High relief. Bronze.

11. Rudolf Nureyev. 2000.

High relief. Bronze.

12. Andrey Voznesensky. 2000.

High relief. Bronze.

57

58

The Great Masters

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64

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66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

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13. Kazimir Makevich. 2012–2013.

Bronze.

14. Dmitry Shostakovich. 2006.

Bronze.

15. Catherine II the Great. 2004.

Bronze.

16. The sculptural group "The Great Masters".

Marc Chagall, Amedeo Modigliani, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh.

2007. Bronze.

17. The sculptural group "Russeau and Pirosmani". 2007. Bronze.

18. The monument to Pope John Paul II. 2006. Bronze.

90

19. The sculptural composition "Peter the Great". 1997.

Bronze.

20. Amedeo Modigliani 2007.

Bronze.

21. The sculptural composition "Christ". 2013. Bronze.

22. Apostle Paul. 2005.

Bronze.

23. The sculptural composition "The Tragedy of Peoples". 1995–1996 .

Bronze.

91

92

Z UR A B T S ER ET EL I

Z UR A B T S ER ET EL I

AUTHOR OF THE SERIES MARIA CHEGODAEVA

AUTHOR OF THE SERIES MARIA CHEGODAEVA

ZURAB TSERETELI

ZURAB TSERETELI

THE BOOK THREE

THE SECOND BOOK

DRAWING AND ENAMEL

painting

Academician Маria Chegodaeva

"Мy Art" Series Z UR A B T SE RE T EL I

ZURAB TSERETELI THE FIRST BOOK sculptures

AUTHOR OF THE SERIES MARIA CHEGODAEVA

93

AUTHOR OF THE SERIES MARIA CHEGODAEVA

O LGA BULGA KOVA

PA UL N I KO N OV

PAUL NIKONOV

OLGA BULGAKOVA AUTHOR OF THE SERIES MARIA CHEGODAEVA

Academician Маria Chegodaeva

"Мy Art" Series L EV SH EP EL E V

IG O R P CH EL NI KOV

LEV SHEPELEV AUTHOR OF THE SERIES MARIA CHEGODAEVA

IGOR PCHELNIKOV AUTHOR OF THE SERIES MARIA CHEGODAEVA

94

AUTHOR OF THE SERIES MARIA CHEGODAEVA

PET R GR I GO R I EV. C ATHER I N E K UD R YAV TS EVA

V I C TO R I A N I KO N OVA

VICTORIA NIKONOVA

PETR GRIGORIEV AUTHOR OF THE SERIES MARIA CHEGODAEVA

CATHERINE KUDRYAVTSEVA

.. "Мy Art" Series

Academician Маria Chegodaeva

MARIA CHEGODAEVA

ALBINA AKRITAS

D MI T R Y ZH IL I NSK IY

A LB IN A A K RI TA S

AUTHOR OF THE SERIES

DMITRY ZHILINSKIY AUTHOR OF THE SERIES MARIA CHEGODAEVA

95

Maria Chegodaeva

ZURAB TSERETELI KNJIGA JEDAN. SKULPTURA

Serija "Moja umjetnost "

Nakladnik

Glen Art d.o.o.

51222, Primorje 43, Bakar, Hrvatska Lektura

Alicija Višnevetska Priprema, obrada i dizajn

Dmitri Čegodaev Tisak

Grafik, Rijeka

CIP zapis dostupan u računalnom katalogu Sveučilišne knjižnice Rijeka pod brojem 000000000

ISBN 123-4-567-89012-3

1 234567 890123 96

97

98

Academician Maria Andreyevna Chegodaeva, the author of “My Art� series, presents: Zurab Tsereteli Pavel Nikonov Igor Pchelnikov Leo Shepelev Olga Bulgakova Dmitry Zhilinsky Victoria Nikonova Ekaterina Kudryavtseva Peter Grigoriev Albina Akritas

My Art Series 99

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