Anna Denderina
An exhibition of works by Anna Denderina, a renowned monumental artist and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Arts, has opened in the exhibition hall of the SPbGASU Faculty of Architecture. The exhibition is part of a creative collaboration between the university, the St Petersburg Academy of Arts named after I.E. Repin, and the Monumental Painting Workshop under the direction of Aleksandr Bystrov.
The opening of the exhibition was attended by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the St Petersburg Academy of Arts Andrey Sklyarenko, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Arts of the St Petersburg State University Olga Denisenko and the Head of the Career Guidance Network of the State Unitary Enterprise "Petersburg Metro" Viktoria Polikarpova.
The event was opened by Yulia Yankovskaya, Head of the SPbGASU Department of Urban Planning. In her speech, she emphasized the importance of the exhibition for the educational process and professional development of architecture students.
The speaker noted that Anna Denderina is the author of major monumental projects, including the design of the Gorny Institute metro station in St Petersburg, the murals of the Aleksandr Nevsky Cathedral in Chelyabinsk, participation in the restoration of the frescoes of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow: "She is a very renowned artist, and I think it's important that our students see how works of monumental art are integrated into the architectural environment."
In her welcoming remarks, Anna Denderina noted that the exhibition was dedicated not only to the final result but also to the process of creative exploration: "Almost a year has passed since the opening of the Gorny Institut station. Passengers see a completed artistic solution, but here I want to show the process: sketches, versions, including rejected ones. The path of a monumental artist is a long search."
The artist also emphasized the need for close collaboration between architects and monumentalists: "A monumental artist cannot implement his ideas without an architect. We can't work 'for nothing.' I want to appeal to future architects: don't forget to include mosaics, stained glass, and other works of fine art in your projects. We can't do without you, and our shared future is in your hands."
During the opening, it was noted that the exhibition hall of the Faculty of Architecture was becoming a platform for professional dialogue and exchange of experience not only within the university, but also between creative teams from various educational and cultural institutions.
Andrey Surovenkov, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Head of the Department of Architectural Design, addressed the event's participants with greetings. He emphasized that modern architectural projects required an interdisciplinary approach and collaboration between specialists from various fields. "One specialist can no longer create the perfect project. We need to share experiences, collaborate, and utilize the professional and artistic potential of colleagues," he noted.
Sergey Mikhailov, SPbGASU Vice-Rector for Educational Activity, also delivered a welcoming speech. He noted the university's prospects for developing partnerships with external professional communities and the importance of such exhibitions for training sought-after specialists: "This interest is mutual, and we will make every effort to ensure that such collaborations yield results and serve the common cause of education and professional development."
In conclusion, Sergey Vladimirovich thanked Anna Denderina for her decision to present her works at the university and wished the exhibition's visitors vivid impressions and interesting professional interactions.
