Russia's first International Exhibition of Calligraphy will be showcased in Saint Petersburg

Written language is the beginning of a civilization's history. First steps in this field were made five thousand years ago. Pictographs, Sumerian cuneiform, Egyptian and Chinese hieroglyphs, Phoenician, Greek and Latin alphabets are the milestones of writing in the world. As soon as the first phrase appeared, the art of writing immediately was born, which can be considered as one of the oldest ones on earth.

The world "calligraphy" literary translates from Greek as “neat handwriting”, it means "writing rules" in Chinese, from Hebrew it is translated as "the art of beautiful and legible handwriting", and in Japanese it means "the way of writing". All of these meanings tell us about the beauty of a written text.

The International Exhibition of Calligraphy project kicks off on September 16th, 2008. This outstanding event will allow citizens and guests of Saint-Petersburg to be the first in Russia to see a unique exposition, which exceeds 300 works of the most recognized representatives of calligraphic schools from 24 countries collected in one place. The items of the past and present are joined together in one exhibition. The exhibition of 200 exhibits will impress you with samples of Slavic writings, historical manuscripts and manuscripts of the nations of the world, rare letters and documents belonging to the noble Russian family, the Romanovs, and taken from the vaults of the State Historical Museum. The visitors will see a vast gallery of rare, scarce and unseen manuscripts and miniature books from private collections, writing materials and utensils of all ages, and will be able to scrupulously examine modern originals and distinct samples of applied calligraphy.

A highlight of the event will be a presentation of the one and only handwritten copy of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The exclusive document was executed by a top-flight team of calligraphers and publishers led by Chobitko Pyotr Petrovich, Pesidium Chairman of the National Union of Calligraphers, Member of the Russian Association of Artists, professor of the Art and Industry Academy. Delicately designed, the folio is to be unveiled on September 17th and is to have a special place in the exhibition.

Around 40 Russian and foreign calligraphers will give master-classes for students and schoolchildren everyday within the exhibition programme. The exhibition will feature round table discussions, seminars, calligraphic performances and contests for amateur calligraphers. An exciting programme will get your little ones busy as well. Several master-classes for Orphanage 23 of Saint-Petersburg will also be given as a part of the event.

The project was supported by:
the Presidential Administration of Russia;
Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation;
the Chairmen of the Committee on Culture, Education, high school, the Committee for Press and Mass Media Cooperation of the Government of Saint Petersburg;
Director of the Hermitage;
Rector of the Moscow State University;
President of the Saint-Petersburg State University;
Rectors of MGIMO, I.E. Repin State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture of St. Petersburg, the Stieglitz Art and Industry Academy in Saint Petersburg;

Director of the Russian State Library, Director of the National Library of Russia in St Petersburg, Director of the State Historical Museum, Director of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts Museum;
Chairman of board of the World Club of Petersburgers;
Many other famous public characters from Moscow and Saint-Petersburg.

The project’s partners:
The MGIMO Alumni Association;
the Russian State Library;
the National Library of Russia;
The World Club of Petersburgers;
Astoria Hotel;
Sokolniki Exhibition and Convention Centre;
The Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy.

Media partners:
Rossiyskaya gazeta, newspaper;
Argumenty i Fakty (Arguments and Facts) weekly newspaper;
Baltic news agency;
Particular gratitude is given to the Committee for Press and Mass Media Cooperation; Union of Journalists of Saint-Petersburg.
The project’s organizers:
The National Union of Calligraphers;
MVK, the International Exhibition Company;

The official opening of the International Exhibition of Calligraphy will take place at I.E. Repin State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture of St. Petersburg at 2.00 pm on September 17th, 2008. И.Е. Репина Российской Академии художеств по адресу: Address: 17, Universitetskaya Embankment.

The official opening ceremony will be attended by representatives of: the Government of Saint-Petersburg, the diplomatic corps of Saint-Petersburg, the Russian State Library and the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg; the World Club of Petersburgers, creative unions and organizations of St. Petersburg, charity foundations, educational institutions of St. Petersburg, and also famous political and public figures.

Source: 1st Century: here and now! News portal

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