Illustrated Encyclopedia "Art-Geography of Russia"

 

The goal of the "Art-Geography of Russia" project is to publish an 85-volume illustrated Russian encyclopedia. Each volume is dedicated to one province, republic, region or district. The encyclopedia includes works of art that visualize the cultural heritage of the region - its historical events, significant achievements, originality of lifestyle and the unique beauty of nature and architecture. Each illustration is accompanied by a local history reference, which will allow readers from other regions and foreign countries to become more familiar with the multifaceted culture and great history of peoples living in the Russian Federation.

For the organizers, important tasks are to revive the interest of the general public in the country's unique cultural heritage, to show the amazing diversity and richness of the spiritual and material values of each individual region, to invite people to explore their native area from a different angle, relive significant events and historical moments.
Art Geography of Russia is a call to modern art to preserve for future generations the rapidly outgoing historical nature, to reveal, along with aesthetic beauty, the cultural and historical value of both famous and little-known, unexpected and non-obvious corners of Russia.

HISTORICAL REFERENCE:
In 2019, a pilot project "Art-Geography of Moscow" was held, which became the winner of the Grants Competition of the Moscow Mayor for socially oriented NGOs, held by the Committee of Public Relations and Youth Policy of Moscow. The project was supported by the Mayor of Moscow and the Russian Academy of Arts. More than 5,000 people took part in the competition for the opportunity to publish their works in the catalog. The result of the great work on collection of local history information and illustrations was the release of a gift catalogue-encyclopedia in hard binding.

Based on the results of the project "Art-Geography of Moscow," the Russian branch of the World Arts Fund, with the support of the Russian Academy of Arts and the Eurasian Art Union, decided to expand the project to the scale of all Russia and create an illustrated encyclopedia of large and small regions of the whole country in 85 volumes, in which all subjects of the Russian Federation will be fully represented.

 

The project involves works:
• Painting
• Graphics
• Photography
• Sculpture
• Arts and crafts

 

We are collecting artworks related to every region. The best works form a volume of encyclopedia and exhibition collection, which will first be presented to a wide audience in the walls of the local museum or exhibition hall, and then - as a mobile exhibition - in museum and exhibition sites of other regions of the Russian Federation.

 

The collection of materials for the illustrated encyclopedia Art Geography of Russia in 85 volumes began in 2019. We plan to complete this huge local history work by 2021 with the release of all 85 volumes.

 

 

The organizers express hope that the project will not only preserve the magnificent works of artists for future generations, masters and photographers, but will serve as a kind of trigger for a wide passion for the historical past, will help to develop a more careful attitude to the issues of modern urban planning and preservation of cultural heritage.

 

Site of Art Geography of Russia project: www.artgeo.org