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AT THE ACADEMY
Some thoughts on St. Petersburg academy of art...
St. Petersburg was founded by Peter the Great with intention to civilize Russia, to put reason and direction and create a gateway to European culture. The tsar wanted to unite the wisdoms of the west and east and succeeded by laying a beginning to a rational, logical development of heavy influence by the east, Russia. Thus every major public institution such as universities, museums marine academy theaters and academy of arts carried the burden of enlighten the whole country. That is why from the beginning the academy had a higher goal to create the world best artists and to teach each artist of responsibility that each artist has before his or her country. I. Shuvalov built the academy in 1707. It is an ensemble of lecture halls, painting and drawing studios museums church, concert hall, teacher and student quarters and even stables with horses located right in the middle of the city, by 2500 year old Sphinx from Egypt and across from the hermitage one of the worlds biggest museum. The academy went through many changes outlived many political regimes but it always staid true to it’s original design, to serve Russia. To go through all the changes and reflect on them when it is most needed. There were periods of real flight, when the Academy was the only authority arbiter in the field of artistic policy and the time of less obvious influence on the development of Russian artists. However, along all its history Saint Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts has been the largest artistic school in the world that train outstanding masters of Fine Arts. It's remarkable that students often worked with the teachers who as a rule were greatest artists of their time. They witnessed he creative work of the teachers and watched the whole process of artistic masterpiece creation, and sometimes they took part in the process helping to the master. All gave positive results, because during the process of studying, there is nothing more effective than just watching experienced artist work, studying all stages. Academy consists of five departments: fine art, sculpture, graphic art, architecture and art history. Accomplishments of which could be seen in three museums, which are open to public daily. Fine art department is broken down in to five studios: easel painting monumental, theater, church and history. First two years the students are receiving fundamental knowledge and then they all separate in to different studios according to their personal desires. Graphic arts also in two studios: easel painting and book graphic. But before one can get in to academy most students graduate from art high school then get accepted to one of the five year art colleges, based on their art work and entrance exam on completion of which the students are granted the right to teach art in public schools. But if the student wishes to complete his or her fine art education they try to get accepted to the academy. And for some people it becomes like a quest of life because the typical student gets in to the academy only on the third or fourth year and for some people it takes more… my teacher know of one student who got in only on the eleventh year. But why is it so hard to get in to the academy you might ask your self? Because the entrance is determined not by grades from previous school, it is determined by the entrance exam only. There is a history and Russian language exam but those are just side kicks if compared to the two week monster exam which is eight hours a day and lasts for two weeks in which student must draw a portrait, a nude and paint a portrait, nude and complete a compositional assignment. So by the time the students get into the academy they would be considered full grown artist in most places but for them professional education only begins. This is a lay out of a typical day of first year fine art student. First year is heavily concentrated on the portrait, still life and composition. Typically there are six working days in a week and it starts from nine thirty with a lecture which could be either one of the art histories: Egyptian, Macedonian, Early Greek, Early Christian, Early Russian or Mythology, followed by a painting class from 1130- 215 one should not forget that day light is fairly limited in the winter and it is getting dark about 4 pm. Drawing class follows from 3-9 sometimes interrupted by an anatomy class. Anatomy is the key element in constructive analysis of the human form that is why it is studied with extreme attention to details. The whole first semester students study just the scull with all 23 bones that make up human scull, student draw each bone with a constructive analyses and then they are tested on the placement of each bone and its function. Second semester students go over the muscles of the head and their mimic and chewing functions. In the end of all semester students are granted based on the studio show that they set up. This method trains the student to see its work among other students work, judge how compositionally sound is it if viewed from across the room like it would be in a regular art show or on the wall of the commissioner. Summer semesters are designed for out door painting “to clean the pallet” to dust off grays and browns from ST.Petersburg studios, that is why first year students travel south east to the Place called Pyshkin mountains, A very spiritual and inspirational place for a Russian, were lays a grave of Russia’s beloved poet A.C. Pyshkin. Park museum Pyshkin Mountains consist of three Mansion-museum, parks and most beautiful Russian nature. Students are required to paint and draw numerous landscapes still life portrait setup and interiors of those mansions with 17 century furniture and aura of Russian village life. Summer semester lasts for two month finishing with a local art show were students have a chance to earn some money. Second year students travel to the shores of Black sea which is now Ukraine. There students two have a chance to paint marine settings and local shore life. Third year students stay at St Petersburg were they are granted a chance to copy any painting inside Russian museum or the Hermitage. Education at the academy is tailored for specific tastes of an artist and a student has a chance to choose it’ own direction in his or her career. It is decided after second year of studies when students transfer from prepitory studios in to specific studio designed for different results. There are three easel-painting studios, but the most popular is a monumental studio led by professor Milnicov. Monumental studio unlike easel painting studios is a lot more decorative in it’s nature but engulfs a lot more different techniques, leaving student with broader understanding of such materials as frescos, mosaic, a lot more compositionally challenging drawing and painting setups. Easel painting studio on the other hand goes on depth of portraiture painting, were revealing specific person in specific time a surrounding is the goal that the student is trying to achieve. As I look back and think of academy I realize that the most beautiful thing I saw were not grand museums, great cathedrals or opera houses they were people, teachers and students of the academy. I was absolutely astonished and humbled by teachers who, if compared their salary to salesman, would be considered true enthusiasts. Passionate, devoted to art inspiring for future generation of artists. |
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© 2008 Leon Okun  |