Love in all its manifestations: Minsk residents said goodbye to the painting by M. Chagall “Walk”

Connoisseurs of art were able to enjoy live music and art performance “Dress for Bella” on the financing of the painting by Marc Chagall “Walk” in the National Art Museum, the correspondent of the agency “Minsk-Novosti” reports.

During the exhibition period, thousands of people came to Marc Chagall’s painting “A Walk” not just to look at the painting, but to breathe fresh air and “go off the ground” together with the artist. In his painting, the author conveyed a true feeling that is stronger than gravity and time. But the exhibition of one masterpiece has come to an end, and the canvas returns to the collection of the State Russian Museum of St. Petersburg.

- It is difficult to part with this picture, because it is here as a native, because Marc Chagall himself is our Belarusian artist. We are very grateful to the government for making such a gift for the National Art Museum. Instead of the promised three months, the canvas spent six months with us. Tomorrow the painting will be taken away, but we believe it will return. And, perhaps, our museum will have a triptych about love with other works by M. Chagall from this series, said Irina Matyas, General Director of the National Art Museum.

The artists who participated in the finissage, who presented dresses inspired by the work of Marc Chagall, were seven authors: Victor Alshevsky, Vasily Zenko, Anna Plotnikova, Mikhail Dailidov, Valeria Kaplan, Angelina Vashchenko, Alexei Kessel. Their numbers are symbolic. After all, the avant-garde considered the number 7 sacred. Marc Chagall celebrated his birthday on the 7th of the 7th month of 1887 (although he was born on the 6th). As a religious man, he believed that this figure would determine his fate (in Jewish culture and the Torah, the number 7 represents divine perfection, fullness of creation and holiness, and brings good luck).

- I work with calligraphy and textiles. To paint her dress, she took the theme of love and tried to express it in words with which this feeling is associated with everyone. They are found in everyday life: heart, care, loyalty, etc. I wrote them with a marker and a ballpoint pen so that everyone could read them easily. The main colors of the elements of the dress are black and shades of blue, the second color scheme was often inspired by Chagall himself. I think my dress was quite contrasting. On the one hand elegant, on the other - a little daring, because the painting itself resembles the technique of graffiti. I will also add a handkerchief to the image, write a few phrases about love and give visitors the opportunity to add their warmest and sincere words to the fabric, said the multidisciplinary artist V. Kaplan.

Each of the authors shared his vision of the work of the avant-garde. So, Alexei Kessel was inspired by Chagall’s lithography with flowers, complemented the image with white lace, which Bella (first wife, main muse and love of the life of the artist Marc Chagall). She wore and used it in her clothes and added pixel graphics. At the same time, it was possible to bring the national ornament of Belarus to the painting. Angelina Vashchenko presented the dress with natural motifs, feelings of walking in the forest, memories of childhood, which many spent in the village. Victor Alshevsky connected the created outfit with the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God, which Orthodox believers celebrated on September 21. The main symbol of the image was the lily flower, it personifies the Virgin Mary.

- For me, working on this dress was not easy, I would even call it experimental. The concept was to create an image characterizing the relationship between the artist and his muse. But I came in from an unexpected side. Primitive people portrayed themselves and their loved ones as animals and plants. I chose a jellyfish. For everyone, this is a cold, boneless creature. But I wove the tentacles of these animals in the shape of a heart. In his work he used paints for textiles, acrylic, painted a dress in batik technique. My main task was to preserve the lightness and airiness of the fabric, shared the monumental artist V. Zenko. The solemn completion of the exhibition of the painting by Marc Chagall “The Walk” is a landmark event for all connoisseurs of creativity. It is not every day in the National Art Museum you can see paintings of this magnitude in art. I hope that this trend will continue, and we will see other great artists within the walls of the institution.

But the avant-garde musicians were also inspired by the work of the avant-garde, they also dedicated their performance to the first wife and muse of M. Chagall Bella.

Visitors to the exhibition were able to add their own touches and elements to the snow-white dress, which the sponsors prepared for the closing of the exhibition.

- I am very glad that the painting was in the museum for a long time. And all those who love the work of this author were able to see it in Minsk. I also want to note the variety of images, meanings and visions that the artists presented to the end of the exhibition, said Vasilina Gorbacheva, a visitor to the exhibition.

Photo by author