The Museum of Dionisy’s Frescoes continues introducing Russian artists of the 20th century to visitors. The exhibition “Frescoes of Free Air” of Russia’s Honoured Artist V.I. Pavlov was opened in the Treasury Chamber on October 7. The master came to Ferapontovo many times. Vyacheslav Pavlov considered that the frescoes of Dionisy in the Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral served as a basis for a series of works “Frescoes of Free Air”. The display presents the tapestry made by A.A. Shmakova according to the artist’s drawing.
Vyacheslav Pavlov told the following about his works: “Like the world, they go from afar, from the feelings of the frescoes in Ferapontovo that I painted in autumn 1983 and the world of which changed considerably and was populated by new quite independent characters within more than 10 years. I got a new feeling of space here – the feeling of horizon, this reference point of the human perception of space. It is a measure of eternity for an earthly look of the artist. Even the abyss can be estimated from the horizon moving the sky and firmament. It is the perception of the upright person. Besides, these are my evangelical feelings that are not connected with canonical interpretation of the subject, but are phantoms of free imagination of a clear and laconic form. The space of desert or conventional horizon appeared on reading the “Life of St. Mary of Egypt”. It is the life of desert or the life of wasteland. Angels, St. John the Baptist settled there. Sometimes centaurs came from the other pagan world. The flying Angels seemed to echo naked women and terrible griffins”.
“Frescoes of Free Air” is the first one-man exhibition of Vyacheslav Pavlov in 
the Museum of Dionisy’s Frescoes and the second one in the Vologda region. It will be open till November 30.
Vyacheslav Ivanovich Pavlov
He was born in Moscow on October 6, 1934.
In 1944, he started to attend a fine arts group (the Historical Museum) and was taught by Vera Pestel.
In 1951, he started to learn in the studio of I.I. Nivinsky and became an etcher.
From 1951 to 1959, he studied in the Moscow Higher Art and Industrial School (the former Stroganov School) at the Department of Monumental Painting. Besides, he was also engaged in etching in the studio of I.I. Nivinsky.
In 1960, he first participated in the art exhibition.
In 1963, he joined the Union of Artists of the USSR.
In 1966, he stopped to work as a muralist and devoted himself to etching and easel painting.
From December 1982 to January 1983 – one-man exhibition in the Kostroma Art Museum (Kostroma).
In May 1982 - one-man exhibition in the Yaroslavl Art Museum (Yaroslavl).
From October to November 1984 – one-man exhibition in the Yaroslavl Art Museum (Yaroslavl).
From April to May 1995 – one-man exhibition in the New Jerusalem Museum-Reserve (Istra).
From October to November 1995 – one-man exhibition in the Vologda Regional Picture Gallery (Vologda).
In 1999, he became the laureate of the Moscow Prize in the sphere of fine art.
In October 1999 - one-man exhibition (together with A.A. Shmakova) in Moscow at 20 Kuznetsky Most.
In 2000, he was given the title of the Honoured Artist of Russia.
In 2002, he was awarded the Silver medal of the Russian Academy of Arts.
In 2008 – exhibition in the Russian Academy of Arts (together with A.A. Shmakova).
In 2009 – one-man exhibition in the New Jerusalem Museum-Reserve (Istra).
In 2011 – exhibition “Two Wings of the Family Muse” in the Russian Academy of Arts.
In 2011, he became the corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts.
Vyacheslav Pavlov died in Moscow on April 4, 2014.
He participated in All-Union, All-Russian, Moscow and foreign exhibitions. His works are kept in the collections of the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts and other museums of the country and abroad.
Alla Alexeevna Shmakova
She was born in Moscow and graduated from the Art Department of Moscow Technological Institute in 1968. She regards M.I. Rubanov, Y.K. Kovalenko, and N.N. Zolotaryov as her teachers.
Alla Shamakova has been participating in exhibitions since 1969 with compositional, monumental tapestries made in the hand weaving technique. In 1991, she was awarded the Silver medal of the Russian Academy of Arts for the tapestry “Fame of Bazhenov”.
Along with the exhibition tapestries, she creates significant works of art textile for public interiors.
In 1997, she was given the title of the Honoured Artist of Russia.
In 1999, she became the laureate of the Moscow Prize for her series of tapestries about Moscow.
At present she is making a series of one-colour tapestries connected with the creative activity of the artist Vyacheslav Pavlov. Her works are kept in the collections of Russian museums and private collections in Russia (Moscow), Germany and England.
