(October 14 - November 14, 2009 Sokolniki Exhibition and Convention Centre, Moscow)
Throughout a month, from October 14 till November 14 Moscow has been the capital of the world calligraphy. The connoisseurs of the art of beautiful handwriting still remember the I International Exhibition of Calligraphy which overwhelmed St. Petersburg last autumn (September 16 – 21, 2008). The festival of calligraphy in Moscow appeared to be a more large-scale, more exciting and – if it is possible – more beautiful event.
When an exquisite art of calligraphy is the question, a saying “a picture paints a thousand words” is nothing but fundamental truth. Over 30, 000 visitors have come to see and evaluate the beautiful and rich exposition, exciting demonstrations and master classes, stylish and breathtaking design, music, flower compositions, surprises, well-planned information and navigation systems.
The photos will remind and make it possible to once again sense the amazing festival atmosphere where Beauty, Mystery and Art reigned as kings.
Anticipation
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| Exhibition area – 5,000 sq.m. of neatly organized space |
Opening. Music. Flowers. The leader calligraphers from a quantity of countries, representatives of religious affiliations, diplomatic missions, culture institutions, mass media outlets and project friends.
Display. The exhibition comers were able to see the calligraphy masterpieces by one hundred artists or thereabout from thirty-four countries. And even more: unusual mini-collections, unique exhibits, rare script book editions, applied calligraphy objects, tools and materials.
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| One day is nothing to get familiar with the entire exposure |
And more surprises…
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| Unexpected details to create their own unique atmosphere |
Amongst other memorable exhibits the show attendees could observe:
• Masterpieces of “Sacral chamber”,
• The World's largest Mezuzah, the unique calligraphy artwork chronicled in the Guinness World Records
• A thirty meters-long script scroll,
• Arabic writing woven in the carpet of 4,5 meters in length,
• Birchbark manuscript, parchments, Chinese and Korean manuscripts,
• Decalogue, the book of unique and complicated design And many other things...
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"Remember not the sins of my youth and ignorance of mine …"
psalm 24, verse 7
Author: Petr Chobitko (Russia) |
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"Remember not the sins of my youth..."
psalm 25, verse 7
Author: Avraham Borshevsky
(Israel) |
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"This day let no reproach be (cast) on you..."
surah 12 (Yusuf), ayah 92
Author: Nassar Mansour
(Jordan) |
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First and the only for now Handwritten Constitution of the Russian Federation
Author: Petr Chobitko
(Russia) |
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Decalogue (Ten Commandments)
Publisher “Rare book from St.Petersburg” |
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The World Famous Mezuzah
Deuteronomy 6 : 4-9, 11 : 13-21
Listed in the Guinness World Records
Author: Avraham Borshevsky
(Israel) |
Master classes. As part of the exhibition event programme there were held seventy-two master classes which were always a success.
The Muscovites and guests of the Russian capital were able to observe the illustrious calligraphers of the time at work:
• Barbara Calzolari (Italy) who worked for the Pope Benedict XVI and the leaders of the G8 countries,
• Evgeny Drobyazin, author of the calligraphic text of the National Anthem of Russia which Silvio Berlusconi presented to President Dmitry Medvedev during the G8 summit in L’Aquila,
• Nja Mahdaoui, the prize-winner of a quantity of contests, the member of the UNESCO international jury on distribution of art awards,
• Chairman of the National Union of Calligraphers Presidium Petr Chobitko,
• President of the Guild of Calligraphers of Turin Massimo Polello,
• And other renowned calligraphers of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Israel, Italy, France, Tunis, China and Serbia.
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| Masters from around the world share their creative secrets |
The exhibition demonstrated the specimens of artistic handwriting and provided an opportunity for all the concerned to write with a pen like our grandmas used to do or to use for this purpose a qoose-quill like the great-grandmothers…It was possible to learn more about one’s character traits by analyzing one’s handwriting, to create the first hieroglyph or try one’s hand in traditional Japanese art of paper folding and make an origami letter…
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| Fascinating introduction to the art of beautiful writing |
Excursions. Schoolchildren, students and retirees. Museum workers, designers… There were organized sixty excursions for them. Neither the flue epidemic nor the long distances interdicted the public from visiting the show. People were arriving from the Moscow region and more distant cities like St. Petersburg, Cheboksary and Nizhny Novgorod. The visitors and guides enjoyed communication.
Closing. Summing up the results, last autographs and free art
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| Summing up, the last autographs, free flow of creativity… |
It is impossible to grasp everything the comers of the II International Exhibition of Calligraphy saw!
It is worth while seeing with one’s own eyes. For instance, at the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy in Moscow or at the III International Exhibition of Calligraphy in Velikiy Novgorod in 2010.
To see, surprise, admire and memorize and never to leave the amazing art of calligraphy!
Exhibition organizer: Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy
Under support of: National Union of Calligraphers and Sokolniki Exhibition and Convention Centre.
Project partners: RÖDER HTS HÖCKER GmbH, SWISS Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Maxima Hotels, Tourist Hotel, CONCERT.RU, KASSIR.RU, Russian State Library, Russian National Library, MGIMO Alumnae Association.
Media partners: Culture Radio, RBK Daily, Rambler Media, Diplomat, magazine.
