St. Petersburg Renaissance of Calligraphy

May 27, 2009

After the large-scale project “International Exhibition of Calligraphy” in the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts the art of calligraphy is keeping on acquiring more and more amateurs.

On May 5, 2009 the Record House of Youths welcomed opening of the exhibition Calligraphy of Petersburg which was organized in the context of the project Art Petersburg with support of Tretyakov’s Gallery. The exposition display included the works of the best Russian calligraphers and participants of our project: Ilya Bogdesko, People’s Artist of the USSR and full member of the Academy of Arts, Petr Chobitko, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Union of Calligraphers, Dmitry Petrovsky, Professor of the Institute of Arts of the Philological Department of the St. Petersburg State University, and their students.

In the recent two years calligraphy has been extensively developing. It is all due to the organized exhibitions, master classes and publication of training guides. Calligraphy of Petersburg is a chamber exhibition, however, the variability of subjects (abstract font compositions, abstracts from poetical and prose works, book layouts) and artistic techniques (graphic techniques in combination with artistic methods; etching, lithography, photography) help grasping the idea of calligraphy. Traditionally the show includes the participants’ master classes.

The master class of Petr Chobitko and his teachers focused mainly on work with children and necessity to bring to children’s minds the opportunities provided by the universe of calligraphy. Little participants of the master class managed to make several large scrolls during the event, thus illustrating the necessity of such lessons and their eagerness to attend them.

Here are some of the testimonials:

Nastya, 11:

“I have learnt that every letter has its name. I am really interested in it. Calligraphy means beauty for me”.

Tanya, 10:

“I really enjoyed writing with a pointed pen and what the teacher was telling about the names of letters “Az”, “Buki” and others. Calligraphy is labour and diligence”.

The adults also shared their impressions:

Svetlana Tretyakova:

“I was impressed by the image. When I try to imagine how much pains it takes to write it, how precise and consecutive the work of an artist must be! I worship such masters. My professional activity is somehow related to school neat handwriting, and I realize very well how important it is for a person”.

Kseniya, student, North-West Institute of Press:

“Calligraphy for me means freedom and emancipation…”
Tatiana, designer: “Calligraphy is a kind of philosophy, and meditated experience…”

Tatiana, designer:

“Calligraphy is a kind of philosophy, and meditated experience…”

Evgeny Morozov, exhibition participant:

“Calligraphy is serenity, beauty, calmness and contemplation”.