Exhibition at SPbGASU
The exhibition "The Historical Heritage of Cuba through the Eyes of Modern Students and Professionals" has opened in the exhibition hall of the SPbGASU Faculty of Architecture.
"The idea for the exhibition arose last November during the official St Petersburg delegation's visit to the Republic of Cuba. We learned about a legendary figure in that country, Eusebio Leal Spengler, and decided to share information about him with our compatriots. The initiative was approved by the Governor and supported by the St Petersburg Committee for External Relations," said Aleksey Mikhailov, Chairman of the Committee for State Control, Use, and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments (KGIOP) of the Saint Petersburg Government.
Eusebio Leal Spengler (1942–2020) was a Cuban historian and restorer. Thanks to his efforts, the historic part of Havana was preserved and has received new life. In 1982, Old Havana and its unique system of defensive fortifications were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
An exhibition on the work of Eusebio Leal Spengler opened for the first time at the Peter and Paul Fortress on 1 July as part of Restoration Week, marking the 80th anniversary of the Leningrad School of Restoration. The organizers were KGIOP and the State Museum of the History of Saint Petersburg. The exhibition was prepared by the Historian's Office of Havana and the National Council for Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Cuba.
SPbGASU proposed that KGIOP extend the exhibition's run within its walls and supplement it with student works.
"In April, we held a short-term workshop. It was attended by students from the Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage and the Department of Urban Planning. During the introductory session, they formulated ideas and coordinated them with their supervisors: myself, Anton Korolev, a senior lecturer at the Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage, and Sergey Semenov, a professor iat the Department of Urban Planning. Five days later, the students submitted their papers, which focused on sharing emotional impressions of Havana," said Nadezhda Akulova, Acting Head of the Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage.
The students created 60x60 cm images of Cuba's historical heritage by hand. Nadezhda Aleksandrovna is confident that hand-painted images are an essential skill for every architect and restoration architect.
"Our goal wasn't just to copy the views of Havana, but to capture the spirit of the place and convey its emotions in a perfectly appropriate, laconic, and vibrant format," shared student Varvara Tuchina.
"Bright colors, turquoise doors, orange walls! Expressing all this solely through lines, without using color—that's a truly interesting challenge," says student Tatiana Muracheva.
"I have an unusual frame in the shape of palm trees—I think they evoke images of Cuba, a warm southern country. I've depicted a piece of Havana. People here are dancing, enjoying life, and meeting the wonderful weather and sunshine," explained student Aleksandra Chupakova.
The organizers plan to expand the exhibition with works by Cuban students on the theme of St Petersburg and make it a traveling exhibition. To this end, SPbGASU has submitted a draft memorandum of understanding to the Cuban University of the Arts.
The exhibition at SPbGASU on Cuba's historical heritage is running from 3 October to 16 November. Address: 8 Egorova Street, entrance from 2nd Krasnoarmeiskaya Street (SPbGASU Faculty of Architecture entrance). To visit, please register by calling +7 (812) 316-15-68.
