The exhibition “Sketches of Different Years…” about the creative work of Nikolay Baskakov and Dzhanna Tutundzhan was opened in the conference hall of the Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve. 70 pictures depicting the beauty of the Vologda land are displayed in two halls.
The history of the pictures created by Nikolay Baskakov is amazing. Artist’s daughter Yulia Borisova found them in the attic of her parents’ house in the Sergievskaya village of the Tarnoga district already after their death. “The paintings lay there during more than 40 years and nobody knew about them. I think even my mother didn’t see them”, said Yulia Borisova. Nikolay Baskakov liked to create alone. He often retired to the attic that served as his improvised studio. It explains the fact why the artist’s pictures were kept there.
According to Yulia Borisova, upon finding them, she got upon an idea to stage an exhibition and to present unknown works of Nikolay Baskakov and pictures of Dzhanna Tutundzhan. This idea was implemented. Vologda became the first city where people could see this interesting project. The exhibition titled “Springs of Our Land” was held in the Modern Art Gallery “Red Bridge”. Then it was displayed in the Art Museum of Cherepovets. Now it is open in Kirillov.
Nikolay Baskakov
He was born in Kadnikov of the Sokol district in the Vologda region in 1928 and studied in the Moscow Surikov Art Institute (1950-1956). He lived and worked in Vologda since 1956.
Nikolay Baskakov was a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR since 1961. From 1961 to 1964, he headed the Vologda branch of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR. A House of Artists with workshops was constructed in Vologda thanks to his activity. Plein air panting events and exclusive exhibitions were organized on his initiative.
The artist’s works are kept in the collections of the Vologda Regional Picture Gallery, the Vologda State Museum-Preserve, the Modern Art Gallery “Red Bridge”, the museums of the Vologda region, private collections of Russia and abroad.
Dzhanna Tutundzhan
Dzhanna Tutundzhan was born in Moscow in 1931 and studied in the Surikov Art Institute in Moscow (1953-1959).
She lived and worked in Vologda together with her husband – artist Nikolay Baskakov – since 1959. She was a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR since 1964, became the Honoured Artist of the RSFSR in 1972. She was given the Vologda Komsomol Award named after A.Y. Yashin in 1971 and the State Award of the Vologda region in fine art and architecture in 2006. Dzhanna Tutundzhan became the People’s Artist of Russia in 2004 and a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts in 2007.
