Dmitry Petrovsky
St. Petersburg, Russia
Typography and calligraphy teacher, poet, photographer, graphic designer
Born in Leningrad, in 1949.
Having finished secondary school in 1967, he worked in the architectural workshops of OJSC LenNIIProekt and the Local Industry Department of the Leningrad Municipal Executive Committee where he acquired his first skills in artistic design, evolving into a professional graphic designer. At that time he learned about the works of Villu Toots and the Baltic school as well as studied manuals on broad-nib pen calligraphy.
In 1972, he entered the Industrial Graphic Art and Package Division (at present, the Graphic Design Chair), School of Industrial Art, V.I. Mukhina Leningrad High School of Art and Industry. (Now the Stieglitz Art and Industry Academy in Saint Petersburg)
As a student he took part in three creative contests.
In 1977, he graduated with honors.
In 1977/78, he worked as an artist/architect in the gas and light advertising workshop, OJSC LenNIIProekt
In 1978/79, he was an artist/ industrial graphic artist at the Leningrad-based Rostorgreklama LTD.
Since 1980, he has actively cooperated with publishing houses such as Avrora, RSFSR Artist, Vneshtorgizdat, RSFSR Artist artistic facility, as well as with other clients as a designer artist of graphic editions. In 1984/89, together with V.M. Baranovsky and independently, he made a series of advertising posters for Lenkontsert.
In 1980/1990, he taught font art and calligraphy at Leningrad High School of Art and Industry.
In the 1990’s, he cooperated with Tsentr TEKHNOPOST and performed work under the Federal Post order. He developed the draft emblem and logo for the Russian Post (1994/1996).
In 1993, he developed the emblem of the Post Triplet international symposiums in St. Petersburg. He developed comprehensive design of the documents for the Post Triplet symposiums in 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999 as well as the 77th session of YEVTELSAT Board (1998) and the Advertising by Mail international seminar (1998) in St. Petersburg.
Since 1999, he has taught font and calligraphy art at Northwestern Print College, Font and Calligraphy Course at St. Petersburg State University, College of Arts under the Faculty of Philology, and the College of Decorative and Applied Art.
Since 1994, apart from graphic design, he has actively worked as a professional photographer. His work was published in Natali magazine and newspaper, in magazines such as Women’s Petersburg, Business International, Healing Forces, Petersburg Panorama, Magic Tour, Russia & World, Interbusiness, and was used as illustration in numerous prospectuses and calendars and also displayed at numerous exhibitions.
He has taken part in exhibitions since 1975. He took part in a total of 46 group and solo exhibitions.
He is member of the Union of Artists of St. Petersburg and the Union of Designers of Russia.
Participation in poster and font art exhibitions:
1. Student’s poster contest devoted to the 30th anniversary of the WWII Victory. Leningrad, Repin Institute, 1975, 2nd place
2. International Contest of Environmental Poster, Bulgaria, Sophia, 1978, 2nd place (co-authored with M. Yolkin)
3. Let’s Defend the World exhibition, Leningrad, Manezh, 1986
4. 6th exhibition of book graphic art of Leningrad artists, Leningrad Division of The Russian Union Of Artists, 1987.
5. Personal exhibition of graphic art, painting and photography. V. Belinsky Central Library of Kalinin District, Leningrad, 1989.
6. Personal Exhibition of Graphics, Painting; Knowledge Library, Kalinin District, Leningrad, 1990.
7. Personal Exhibition of Artistic Photography, Graphic Art and Graphic Design at the Union of Artists of St. Petersburg, 1999.
8. 25th Anniversary of the Union of Artists of St. Petersburg Poster Section exhibition, 2000.
9. Participation in the Students” Work Exhibition, Decorative and Applied Art College, From A to Z. Science and Art of Font. St. Petersburg, Art City Gallery, 2002.
10. Organization and management of the exhibition of font work of students from North-Western Institute of Print, St. Petersburg State University and Institute of Decorative and Applied Art in St. Petersburg Center of Graphic Art (55 Liteiny Prospekt), 2003.
11. Second Graphic Art Biennale in St. Petersburg, BIN2004, St. Petersburg, Manezh, 2004.
12. 1st International Font Exhibition, the Union of Artists of St. Petersburg, 2005.
13. Solo Photography and Calligraphy Exhibition, Revived Mirages, S.P. Dyagilev Modern Art International Center, St. Petersburg, 2005
14. Visible Word. Science and Art of Font. the Union of Designers of St. Petersburg, 2007.
Calligraphy — the written beauty of feelings.