Brest Regional Local History Museum receives engravings made by Anatoly Kalashnikov
Brest’s Alexander Grigoriev, a graphic artist and member of the Belarusian Union of Artists, has donated more than 30 original xylographs by Kalashnikov from own collection; most date from the mid-1980s. He tells us that Kalashnikov ‘is one of the most remarkable and productive Russian artists’. He adds, “I decided that keeping such masterpieces in my workshop was a blasphemy because nobody sees them. I think this is a worthy place for them. With honour and dignity, I want to donate these works to the museum.”
Museum Director Alexey Mityukov warmly thanked the artist for his generous and ‘priceless’ gift. He asserts, “Anatoly Kalashnikov is a pillar of the artistry of small sized graphics and is known not only in the former Soviet Union, but far abroad. Until now we lacked any of his works. We will exhibit them, attracting visitors to our museum by means of these engravings.”
The ceremony of handing over Kalashnikov’s works took place during a press conference devoted to the 2015 international triennial of printing and easel graphics, entitled Brest Print Triennial Peace and War — organised by Alexander Grigoriev, with the museum. “This action initiates the work of our triennial,” the Director of the museum stresses.
Honoured Artist of the RSFSR, Anatoly Kalashnikov, (1930-2007) created more than a thousand engravings and as many ex-librises, as well as a series of stamps, envelopes and cards. Kalashnikov was the first Russian artist to be elected as an honorary member of the Royal Society of Graphic Artists of Great Britain and was awarded a silver medal by Pope John Paul II.
By Svetlana Volokhina
