Vera Award 2017

The solemn awarding ceremony of the XII International Fine Arts Prize “VERA” took place on June 10 at the Moscow International House of Music. The “VERA” award was the final result of the international festival of fine arts “VERA”, which was held from June 7 to 11 in the Central Exhibition Hall “Manezh”.

The hosts of the award ceremony were. Euclid Kyurdzidis and Maria Kiseleva.
This year’s jury included the Honorary President of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. Irina Antonova, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Eleonora Mitrofanova, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the International Foundation for the Support of Culture and Development of Contemporary Art Mark Leivikov, art historian Lyudmila Marts, UNESCO expert George Petrescu and President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli. The prize was awarded in 19 nominations in 6 areas: painting, graphics, sculpture, photography, applied art and museum work.
The award winners were both honored masters and young promising artists. Painter and sculptor Mikhail Shemyakin with his project “Imaginary Museum” and jewelry collection received the award “For Contribution to Art History”. Laureates also became Kuvin Anatoly Ivanovich, the maestro of Russian painting Vasily Nesterenko, jubilee Karakhan Seferbekov, ceramics artist Vladimir Kovalev and other famous authors.

Traditionally, the festival presents the largest Russian galleries. This year a beautiful collection of still lifes by Russian artists of the Silver Age was presented by the Mamontov Gallery (which received a prize for a still life by Kuznetsov P.V.), ART HOLDING by Tatiana Nikitina (a prize for a sculpture by Salvador Dali), VELLUM Gallery received a prize in the direction of “Museum Affairs”, for the work by P.I. Kuznetsov (a work by P.I. Kuznetsov). Petrovicheva “Kuskovo. Palace of the Sheremetyevs”, 1915.

In addition to paintings and drawings, this year all visitors were welcomed by an extraordinary variety of genres and forms: dolls by Galina Kolesnikova (prize in the nomination “Applied Art”), icons on window frames, sculptures made of rebar, paintings made of Murano glass, even a violin by Italian Andrei Schüdtz copying the work of Stradivarius (prize “For Integrity of the Concept”).

The exhibition space of the Manege presented works by authors from more than 30 countries of the world. For the first time, artists from Belgium and Paraguay are participating. Awards in various categories went to Belgian photographer Antoine Rose, who takes ironic photos of beaches and skiers from a bird’s-eye view (the same technique is used by Pole Katzper Kowalski), young Briton Geoff Murray, who draws detailed architectural maps of the world with a pen-and-liner, as well as artists from Paraguay (Carla Azcarza) and France (Sybille Byarnason).

The awards were presented by director Vladimir Uglichin, composer Vyacheslav Kalashnikov, founder of the Russian Imperial Society Valery Dmitriev, pianist Dmitry Maltsev, musical director of the Pokrovsky Ensemble Maria Nefedova, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Svetlana Paramonova, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, conductor Boris Frumkin and other famous persons.

A pleasant accompaniment to the solemn ceremony of awarding the “VERA” prize was musical numbers performed by wonderful artists. That evening, the RNO and GABT Soloists Sextet conducted by Sergei Starcheus, the Oleg Lundstrem Jazz Music Orchestra conducted by Boris Frumkin, the Dmitry Pokrovsky Ensemble, the Relikt Trio, as well as renowned vocalists Anna Buturlina, Marie Carnet, Alina Rostotskaya, Alexei Minchenko, Inna Subbotina and others performed on the MMDM stage.

FULL LIST OF LAUREATES OF THE XII INTERNATIONAL FAITH PRIZE 2017
PAINTING DIRECTION
1. Nomination “For preservation of traditions in modern painting” is awarded to Vasily Nesterenko, Russia for the work “Guardian of Altai”, 2017, canvas, oil, 150 x 270 cm.
2. Nomination “For a long creative life and loyalty to art” is awarded to Kuvin Anatoly Ivanovich Moscow, Russia for the work “Potter”, 1965, organite, cardboard, oil, 62 x 83 cm.
3- The nomination “For National Identity” is awarded to Carla Azcarza, Paraguay for the work “Confectioner”, 2017, canvas, oil, 80×60 cm.
4. The nomination “For Freshness of Look” is awarded to Khanhalaev Gallery, Moscow, Russia for Zorikto Dorzhiev’s work “Tales of an Older Sister”, 2017, canvas, mixed media, 114×170 cm.
5. The nomination “Dialogue of Generations” is awarded to Sybille Byarnason, France for the work “In Memory of Modigliani”, 2016, 64×80 cm.
6. Nomination “For the preservation of cultural heritage and memory of the artist” is awarded to the gallery “Art-Project”, St. Petersburg Russia, for the work of Sokolov Alexander, “Commissar of the Prodotryad”, 1964, canvas, oil, 165×204 cm.
7. The nomination “Responsibility in conversation with society” is awarded to Karakhan Seferbekov, Russia, Dagestan for his work “Autumn in Samur”, canvas, oil 200×150 cm.
CHART DIRECTION
8. The nomination “Precise Line” is awarded to Jeff Murray, Great Britain for the work “St. Basil’s Cathedral”, 2017, paper, gouache, pen, 100×100 cm.
9. Nomination “For diligence and professionalism” is awarded to Vladimir Kovalev, Russia for his work “Summer Day”, a series of drawings, 2012.
SCULPTURE DIRECTION
10. Nomination “For the best use of the properties of the material” is awarded ART HOLDING Tatiana Nikitina, St. Petersburg, Russia for the work of Salvador Dali “Adam and Eve”, 1979 – 1984, bronze, height 52 cm.
11. nomination “Horizons of New Form Creation” is awarded to Ostashov Andrei, Belarus for his work “Sea Inside” from Eurasia series, 2013, bronze H-82 cm.
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTION
12. nomination “For sharpness of vision” is awarded to Antoine Rose, Belgium for his work “St. Moritz”, 2014, 88×200 cm, diasec photography.
ARTS AND CRAFTS
13. Nomination “For non-traditional use of known materials” is awarded to Galina Kolesnikova, Russia for the work “Flying”, 2017, Paper-glue, acrylic, wood 70 cm.
14. The nomination “For integrity of concept and successful realization” is awarded to Andrei Schüdtz, Italy. A copy of Antonio Stradivari’s Hellier violin from 1679.
MUSEUM STUDIES
15. Nomination “For Contribution to the History of Art” is awarded to Shemyakin Mikhail, USA-Russia for the work “St. Christopher”, 2007, mixed technique, canvas, 158×158 cm.
16. Nomination “For selfless and selfless service to culture” is awarded to NewOldArtGallery, Russia for the work “With a Gun” by Oleg Tselkov, 2002, 100×100 cm.
17. Nomination “For the preservation and multiplication of the collection” is awarded to Gallery Mamontov, Russia for the work of Kuznetsov Pavel Varfolomeyevich “At the dacha” 1940s and Gallery VELLUM for the work of Peter Ivanovich Petrovichev “Kuskovo. Palace of the Sheremetyevs”, 1915, cardboard, oil, 45×64 cm.
Special Prize: MODERN CLASSIC
18. Pantsyrev Yuri, Russia for the work “On the mowing. A Woman’s Share”, 2009, canvas, acrylic, tempera, 150×200 cm.
Honorary Diploma of the Twelfth Moscow International Festival of Arts “VERA” and a special award “Applause of the Jury” are awarded to:
– Rufina Abasova, Republic of Azerbaijan
– Vladimir Burminstrov, Moscow, Russia
– Margulis Anna, Moscow, Russia
– Arūnas Rutkus, Lithuania
– Russian Century Gallery, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
– Bogomolova Irina, Russia
– COLLECT BRAZILIAN JEWELRY, Brazil.
– Pavel Mitkov, Bulgaria
– “SOSONKO Collection”, St. Petersburg, Russia