Creativity as a way of developing culture. Culture of the USSR: from socialist realism to freedom of creativity Showforum creativity and cultural development

Chapter I. Theoretical and methodological foundations of the study of creativity and creative personality

1.1. The birth of the idea of \u200b\u200bcreativity and its projection onto modern socio-humanitarian knowledge

1.2. The specifics of the cultural approach to the analysis of creativity

1.3. Representativeness as an essential feature of modern culture

Chapter II. Representation of creativity in culture

2.1. Creativity as "intellectual fashion"

2.2. Features of ideas about creativity in various spheres of culture

2.3. Realization of the creative potential of modern culture 108 Conclusion 124 Literature

Thesis conclusion on the topic "Theory and history of culture", Naumova, Ekaterina Grigorievna

CONCLUSION

Now, after we have considered the essence of creativity and creative personality, the dynamics of their representativeness in culture, we can draw the final conclusions that conclude our dissertation research.

Man is a free being, lacking completeness, and therefore “condemned” to creativity. Each act of creativity is an act of the creation of culture and the creation of man. That is why the prestige of creativity in European culture focused on innovation is so high. Even the term "creativity" is one of the ten most commonly used words in psychology, sociology, philosophy, and even political science. This circumstance is due to the demand for creativity in modern society - a society that has perceived the modernization impulse that came from Greek culture.

The development of forms of creativity appears as the objective deployment of the essential forces of man. Creativity arises to express a fundamental and specifically human need to be connected with another person, with nature, with society, and in this regard to assert oneself.

In general, social and cultural creativity exists in two main forms. First, we are talking about the emergence of new cultural and social phenomena in the course of adaptation of society to the dramatically changed historical or natural conditions of its existence. In the second case, we should talk about the so-called "cultural innovation" (A. Flier), generated by the internal needs of the society itself, the activities of the creators of new cultural forms. This type of creativity often turns out to be much more significant for society than discoveries in the technological field.

The hypothesis of our study was confirmed. On the one hand, creativity and a creative personality are in demand in a number of areas of modern life, on the other hand, mass culture is not interested in them. In modern culture - the culture of a technogenic and innovative society - creativity is reduced only to the creation of useful, utilitarian things and information products. Mastering the "technology" of creative acts leads to the imitation of creativity, to creative stagnation, behind which the first contours of the "end of the human" can be seen. Therefore, the efforts of all socio-humanitarian knowledge are aimed today at saving creativity. No wonder the III Russian Culturological Congress was devoted to the problem of creativity.

Our research was based on the importance of the idea of \u200b\u200brepresenting creativity, i.e. the representation of creative activity and its results in certain cultural forms, which can both be approved and not approved by society. Awareness of the fact that a culture is representative makes it possible to shift the emphasis from the subject sphere of culture to the mechanisms of its understanding and interpretation. However, this does not mean that objectivity is diminished in its meaning. To think so is to share the illusion of a well-fed society. In fact, both objects and their use must be constantly in sight; both facts and their meaning; both traditions and innovations, for in the dialectical unity of these moments human life and creativity are realized.

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Culture contains both sustainable, conservative and dynamic, innovative aspects. The sustainable side of culture is cultural tradition, due to which there is an accumulation and transmission from generation to generation of elements of cultural heritage: ideas, values, moral norms, customs, rituals, skills. The system of traditions reflects the integrity, stability of the social organism. The history of culture would seem ridiculous if each generation completely swept aside the cultural achievements of the previous one.

No culture can exist without tradition. Moreover, cultural tradition is an indispensable condition not only for the existence, but also for the development of culture, even in the conditions of creating a qualitatively new culture. For the disclosure of the mechanism of the development of culture, the dialectical law of negation of negation is especially important, which, not limiting itself only to the assertion of the irresistibility of the new, reveals the cyclical nature of development, characterizes the unity of progressiveness and continuity inherent in any type of development, including the development of culture

Continuity, as a general pattern in the development of culture, manifests itself in various specific forms, such as: 1) the genetic connection of the old culture with the new; 2) the emergence of individual elements of a new culture in the still existing old one; 3) preservation of certain elements of the old in the new culture; 4) return to the initial stage of development. In the latter case, continuity presupposes not just the preservation of some features of the directly rejected old culture within the framework of the new, but the restoration of certain elements of the old, which once existed, then subjected to denial and ceased to exist, but revived by development. Such, for example, is the revival of ancient culture during the Renaissance.

The denial of continuity in the development of culture turns into a nihilistic attitude towards the greatest cultural values \u200b\u200bcreated in the past. Within the framework of such ideas, the development of culture is possible only with the complete and categorical destruction of the old culture, a characteristic example of which can serve as the vulgarizing theories of the proletkultists. Proletkult (association of proletarian cultural and educational organizations) emerged in 1917 and advocated a nihilistic, anarchist attitude towards the past, towards its culture, towards the greatest spiritual values \u200b\u200baccumulated in previous history. Having adopted the slogan: "The proletariat is not the heir of the past, but the creator of the future," the proletkultists seriously believed that a new proletarian culture could and should be built outside all traditions. This approach echoed the calls emanating from the futurism that arose even earlier, whose representatives considered it necessary to destroy the entire previous culture:

We are at the mercy of a rebellious passionate hop;

Let them shout to us: "You are the executioners of beauty."

In the name of our tomorrow - we will burn Raphael.

Let us destroy museums, trample flowers of art.

It was proposed to carry out a complete defeat of "bourgeois science", to create new programs in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, in which the opposite would be true. The slogans of the Cultural Revolution in China, during which the Chinese press classified Dante's Divine Comedy, Gargantua and Pantagruel by Rabelais, Jean Christophe by Roland and other treasures of world literature and art, are echoed with the nihilistic appeals of the proletkultists and futurists. ... In the course of the Cultural Revolution, invaluable works of Chinese classical art were destroyed, and Chinese culture suffered irreparable losses.

Of course, both in the preservation and in the transmission of culture from generation to generation there must be a certain stability, there must be a tradition. The development of culture is not only the replacement of some of its qualitative states by others, but also the inheritance of a certain content, the inclusion of this content in a higher synthesis. It is the kind of inheritance by subsequent generations of everything viable from the culture of previous generations that determines the progress and progressiveness of development. Otherwise, cultural progress would be impossible.

What has been said, however, should not be understood in the sense that the development of culture is a simple return to the old, its complete restoration, literal preservation or repetition of the features of the old in a new culture. If this were really the case, the development of culture would turn into marking time, into a senseless repetition of the same thing, into a monotonous series of monotonous variations on the same theme.

Tradition is memory, and memory is selective. Culture always remembers and actualizes only what is needed by modernity. Consequently, cultural tradition is a way of mobilizing the experience of the past, but not in an unchanged one, but in a transformed, adapted to the present form.

The repetition in the new culture of certain features of the old is neither literal nor absolute: firstly, not all features of the old are repeated in the new, and secondly, those that are repeated in the new culture are melted and take on a different form. As for the truly obsolete forms of culture, they disappear once and for all, completely and irrevocably.

Culture is not a passive storage of material and spiritual values \u200b\u200bcreated by previous generations, but an active creative use of them for social progress. And not just use, but update. Society reproduces and improves itself only by inheriting and creatively processing the accumulated cultural wealth. And blind admiration for tradition, its hypertrophy gives rise to conservatism and stagnation in culture.

In cultural creativity, the universal is organically merged with the unique. Each cultural value is unique, whether it is a work of art, a scientific discovery, a technical invention or a human behavior.

In this way, tradition and creativity Are two inextricably linked sides of culture, two sides of the same coin. The unity of tradition and innovation, their mutual correlation is a universal characteristic of any culture.

At the same time, the description of the real diversity of the history of human society and its culture shows that the relationship between tradition and creativity is not a constant given once and for all, it changes in space and time. Its different ratio serves as the basis for dividing societies into traditional and technogenic.

Western civilization, the base of which was laid by the ancient Greeks, as well as Europeans of the New Age, is called "technogenic" (V.S. Stepin). Its characteristic features: intellectualism, cognition in the form of theoretical concepts, systematic application in the production of scientific knowledge, rapid changes in technology and technology, the concept of human equality, equal opportunities, developed ethics and democracy. With the development of a technogenic civilization, there is an accelerating renewal of the object environment artificially created by man (“second nature”). The German philosopher M. Weber considers the main values \u200b\u200bof Western culture to be: 1) dynamism, orientation towards novelty; 2) affirmation of dignity and respect for the human person; 3) individualism, an attitude towards personality autonomy; 4) rationality; 5) ideals of freedom; 6) tolerance, tolerance for someone else's opinion, someone else's faith; 7) respect for private property.

Unlike Western culture, Eastern culture is focused on an emotional, intuitive perception of the world. The scientific rationality of Western culture is contrasted here with a moral-volitional attitude towards contemplation, serenity, intuitive and mystical merging with being. Time in such civilizations is perceived as something finite, as a closed cycle, which includes both nature and the history of society. In the worldview aspect in oriental cultures, there is no division of the world into natural and supernatural, into the natural world and the world of society. Therefore, here the highest good is not the conquest of nature, but merging with it.

This type of culture creates non-technical civilizations with their descriptive sciences and impressionist art. It is focused primarily on the reproduction of the existing social structures, the stabilization of the established way of life, the reproduction of its stable stereotypes. Its highest value is the traditional way of life, accumulating the experience of ancestors.

It is clear that these characteristics of Western and Eastern cultures are just speculative models, which cannot be fully equated with the real state of world culture. There are even fewer reasons to literally transfer them to the modern world, to a world where the once disparate nations and nationalities inhabiting all continents are united into an integral social entity - humanity.

The relationship between culture and creativity

In every kind of activity there is a moment of creativity, every person is a creator, he creates all his life. Every activity is creativity. On the other hand, creativity is the achievement of some new socially significantideas, i.e. they must be recognized by society as new and important.

There is creativity, which is embodied in ideas, and then in material objects. And there is the process of creativity itself. There is creativity, the result of which is the change of the person himself.

As a result of creativity, the ratio of the new and the already known 10 to 90 percent, if the new is more than 10%, this becomes incomprehensible to contemporaries. Therefore, a genius is not the one who invented, but who was able to implement it when society is interested in it.

Every culture has its own dominant -painting in Italy, literature in Russia, and philosophers in Germany. Everything valuable from the past dominant becomes the foundation for the development of a new culture. Each culture finds its own priority direction.

Creation -cognitive (cognitive) activity that leads to a new ( socially significant) or an unusual vision of a problem or situation.

In artistic creation, it is almost impossible to get the same result from two authors, and in science it is even possible.

Any process of creativity presupposes a subject - a creator, a human personality, a bearer of the creative principle. In creativity, personality manifests itself as something free, indivisible.

The main enemy of creativity is fear, fear of new achievements, fear of failure. This also includes laziness, passivity, lack of resources, etc.

Motives of creativity: self-actualization, satisfaction of actual desires, external, internal.

Humanitarian and technical culture

Culture is a set of meanings that are manifested in the form of ideas, values \u200b\u200band standards. Technical culture is just ideas and standards, it is of a service nature, regulates processes, the life of society. And the humanitarian one sets values \u200b\u200band ideals. Their relationship to each other is end and means, but often these concepts shift. Sometimes you can only survive on a technocratic culture.

At the beginning of the development of culture, humanitarian (creativity) served the technical - they came up with tools, etc. Then creativity took over - they began to decorate tools. Now the desire to create also comes to the fore. We need a car not only to drive, but also to be beautiful. When technocratic culture comes to the fore, many problems arise (from environmental to extremism). When utilitarianism comes first, it's not very good for the culture in general. It cannot be said unequivocally that humanitarian K. acts without standards, and technocratic without values. It has its own values \u200b\u200b- efficiency, economy, etc.

Culture and creativity are closely interconnected, moreover, they are interdependent. It is unthinkable to talk about culture without creativity, since it is the further development of culture (spiritual and material). Creativity is possible only on the basis of continuity in the development of culture. The subject of creativity can realize his task only by interacting with the spiritual experience of mankind, with the historical experience of civilization. Creativity, as a necessary condition, includes the introduction of its subject into culture, the actualization of some of the results of people's past activities. The interaction arising in the creative process between different qualitative levels of culture raises the question of the relationship between tradition and innovation, because it is impossible to understand the nature and essence of innovation in science, art, technology, to correctly explain the nature of innovation in culture, language, in various forms of social activity without connection with dialectics development of tradition. Consequently, tradition is one of the inner determinations of creativity. It forms the basis, the initial base of the creative act, instills in the subject of creativity a certain psychological attitude that contributes to the realization of certain needs of society.

Creative activity is the main component of culture , its essence. Culture and creativity are closely interconnected, moreover, they are interdependent. It is unthinkable to talk about culture without creativity, since it is the further development of culture (spiritual and material). Creativity is possible only on the basis of continuity in the development of culture. The subject of creativity can realize his task only by interacting with the spiritual experience of mankind, with the historical experience of civilization. Creativity, as a necessary condition, includes the introduction of its subject into culture, the actualization of some of the results of people's past activities.

What do we mean by creativity? Creativity is the creation of new cultural, material values.

Creativity is an activity that generates something qualitatively new and distinguished by uniqueness, originality and socio-historical uniqueness. Creativity is specific to a person, since it always presupposes a creator - a subject of creative activity; in nature there is a process of development, but not creativity. ...

The most adequate definition of creativity was given by S.L. Rubinstein, according to which creativity is an activity "creating something new, original, which, moreover, is included not only in the history of the development of the creator himself, but also in the history of the development of science, art, etc." ... Criticism of this definition with reference to the creativity of nature, animals, etc. is unproductive, because it breaks with the principle of the cultural-historical determination of creativity. The identification of creativity with development (which is always a product of the new) does not advance us in explaining the factors of the mechanisms of creativity as a product of new cultural values.

Creativity is a general criterion of human activity and therefore supranational. But creativity is still a tool. No doubt, the only tool. But the process must have a purpose. Senseless movement does not exist initially.

Creativity as a criterion for the development of culture

Society, creating an artificial nature, simultaneously forms people who are able to consume the culture encoded in it. This is how the culture of a society reveals its dual nature. On the one hand, it is the petrified accumulated forms of activity, fixed in objects, on the other hand, mental forms of activity, fixed in the minds of people. The living culture of a society arises from the unity of the objective and conceivable components. The material and spiritual, objective and subjective components of the culture of one society may not coincide with the elements of the culture of other peoples or eras. Thus, the food or clothing of some peoples does not fit into the culture of others: after all, each society creates its own "cultural objects" and its "cultural individuals". From the sum of these poles, specific historical types of cultures arise.

And no matter what material and spiritual elements of culture we consider, we will certainly see in them a specific imprint of our time. Painting by Raphael and Aivazovsky, songs of medieval bards and Vysotsky, bridges of Florence and Petersburg, Phoenician ships, Fulton's steamer and modern aircraft carriers, baths of Rome and eastern sulfur baths, Cologne Cathedral and St. Basil's Cathedral, dances of Australian aborigines and break, tunics of Greeks and burqas of Georgians - everything and everywhere bears the stamp of time. People who have assimilated these specific historical types of cultures will naturally differ from each other both in the form and in the content of the manifestation of their culture.

In culture, the national and the universal are dialectically united. She is always national. From the best achievements of all national cultures, the world common human culture is formed. But "common to all mankind" does not mean non-national. Having enriched the treasury of world culture, Pushkin and Tolstoy remain great Russian writers, just as Goethe is German, and Mark Twain is American. And speaking of culture, it is equally wrong to "de-nationalize" world culture, and to lock it into the limited space of the narrowly national.

But culture not only introduces a person to the achievements of previous generations accumulated in experience. At the same time, it relatively rigidly limits all types of his social and personal activities, regulating them accordingly, in which its regulatory function is manifested. Culture always assumes certain boundaries of behavior, thereby limiting human freedom. Z. Freud defined it as "all the institutions necessary for the ordering of human relationships" and argued that all people feel the sacrifices that culture demanded from them for the sake of the possibilities of living together. "One should hardly argue with this, because culture is normative. century, it was the norm to a friend's message that he was getting married, to react with the question: “And what dowry do you take for the bride?” But, the same question asked in a similar situation today can be regarded as an insult. The norms have changed, and it shouldn't.

However, culture not only restricts human freedom, but also provides this freedom. Having rejected the anarchist understanding of freedom as a complete and unlimited permissiveness, Marxist literature for a long time simplified it as a "conscious necessity." Meanwhile, one rhetorical question is enough (is a person who has fallen out of the window free in flight if he realizes the need for the law of gravitation?) To show that the knowledge of necessity is only a condition of freedom, but not freedom itself. The latter appears there and then, where and when the subject has the opportunity to choose between different options for behavior. In this case, the cognition of necessity determines the boundaries within which a free choice can be carried out.

Culture is able to provide a person with truly unlimited opportunities for choice, i.e. for the realization of his freedom. In terms of an individual, the number of activities to which he can devote himself is practically unlimited. But each professional type of activity is a differentiated experience of previous generations, i.e. culture.

Mastering the general and professional culture is a necessary condition for a person's transition from reproductive activity to creative. Creativity is the process of free self-realization of the individual. Finally, in the leisure environment, culture constantly forces a person to choose what to devote their time to (theater? Cinema? TV? Book? A walk? A visit?), What exactly to prefer (KVN on the first program, an interview with a famous politician on the second or "horror "via a cable channel?), how to implement the choice made (watch KVN at home, or away, or at home, but in the presence of guests?). Any district library is able to offer so many alternatives to choose from that an inexperienced reader may even be confused. And this is no coincidence. The less a person knows about the world of culture, the narrower his possibilities of choice, the less free he is. And vice versa. It is no coincidence that the famous Russian philosopher H.A. Berdyaev believed freedom to be the most important essential characteristic of culture.

The fruits of civilization and culture that we use every day in everyday life, we perceive as something quite natural, as a result of the development of industrial and social relations. But behind such a faceless representation is hidden a great many researchers and great masters mastering the world in the process of their human activity. It is the creative activity of our predecessors and contemporaries that underlies the progress of material and spiritual production.

Creativity is an attribute of human activity - it is a historically evolutionary form of human activity, expressed in various activities and leading to the development of personality. The main criterion for a person's spiritual development is mastering the complete and complete process of creativity.

Creativity is a derivative of the individual's realization of unique potencies in a particular area. Therefore, there is a direct connection between the process of creativity and the realization of a person's abilities in socially significant activities, which acquire the character of self-realization.

Thus, creative activity is an amateur activity that encompasses a change in reality and self-realization of an individual in the process of creating material and spiritual values, which contributes to expanding the limits of human capabilities.

It should also be noted that it is not so important what exactly the creative approach is manifested in, in the ability to "play" the loom, as a musical instrument, or in opera singing, in the ability to solve inventive or organizational problems. A creative approach is not alien to any kind of human activity.

As a result of solving the tasks set in the work, it should be noted that culture and creativity are two inextricably linked processes. Raising the level of society's culture increases the number of creative individuals brought up on the cultural achievements of previous generations. And at the same time, the creativity of one person is a powerful foundation for the development of the culture of a class, nation, humanity.

Alexander Shilov is a Russian painter and portraitist. It is characterized by an incredibly high efficiency. Hundreds of paintings created by his brush will undoubtedly remain in the "high art" category. The artist Shilov belongs to the older generation, to the masters of the Soviet era. The propaganda period forced many artists to paint canvases praising communist ideas, values, and party leaders. However, Shilov's paintings have always had a certain meaning, carried artistic value. At the exhibitions of paintings of that period, it was his works that people stayed the longest.

Biography of the artist. Student body

Artist Shilov Alexander was born into a family of intellectuals on October 6, 1943. When Sasha was 14 years old, he entered the art studio of the House of Pioneers, which was located in the Timiryazevsky district of the capital. The post-war years were difficult, and the young man had to help the family, he worked as a loader. He studied at the evening school. His life is firmly connected with the fine arts. The boy's abilities were immediately noticed by the artist Laktionov, he helped develop his young talent. Later Laktionov played a significant role in the work of Shilov.

Since 1968, Alexander Shilov studied at the Surikov State Art Institute. He studied there for five years in the class of painting. During his student years, he painted many pictures. His works were popular at many art exhibitions of young talents. Even then, Shilov's works stood out among the rest for their expressiveness.

Mature years

In 1976, Alexander Shilov was admitted to the Union of Artists of the USSR. After that, he is given a personal workshop, he receives a series of orders from the country's party. The artist Shilov starts to work as a recognized master. By order of the Government in 1997, in the very center of Moscow, not far from the Kremlin, a personal gallery of Alexander Shilov was opened. In the same year, People's Artist of the USSR Shilov became a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts.

In 1999, Alexander Maksovich holds a post in the Council of the Russian Federation for Art and Culture. Political activity began to take more and more time, and less and less often the master began to visit an art studio. 2012 finally pulled the artist into politics. Shilov becomes a confidant of President Putin, is a member of the Public Council under the Federal Security Service. In March 2014, Oleksandr Shilov signed the President's address, it related to the political position on the events in Ukraine.

Personal life

The artist Shilov was married several times. The first marriage was registered with the artist Svetlana Folomeeva. In 1974, the couple had a son, Alexander. He continues family traditions, and is currently listed as a correspondent member of the RAI. Alexander Alexandrovich Shilov is undoubtedly a hereditary artist, but the technique of his painting is very individual and pronounced.

After a break in relations with his first wife, Alexander Shilov lived as a bachelor for some time. The second wife, Anna Shilova, was the artist's muse; from her he received great inspiration in his work. The couple lived in marriage for twenty years (1977-1997). During this time, the artist had two daughters: Maria in 1979 and Anastasia in 1996. But after these years, another divorce followed in the life of the master.

Union with music

Alexander Shilov, an artist with a worldwide reputation, could not do without inspiration from the weaker sex. For the third time, he chose a violinist as his companion. The creative union of painting and music gave birth to many new works of the master. Yulia Volchenkova is depicted in many of Shilov's works. In 1997, a daughter, Catherine, was born. The marriage with Volchenkova was not officially announced, but Katya was formalized as the legal daughter of Shilov.

Within three years, the violinist and the artist grew cold to each other, mutual feelings were lost. Yulia Volchenkova was recognized as the legal official wife, therefore, when the property was divided, the couple faced litigation. The case was considered in two courts: on the housing issue and the general state of affairs. Throughout her life, the artist's daughter Katya Shilov did not feel the need for anything. She has a normal, civilized relationship with her father.

Gallery of the artist Shilov

In 1996, Alexander Maksovich Shilov appealed to the State Duma with a request that all his works be donated to the state. This idea came to the artist more than once after his exhibitions, when visitors asked to create a permanent gallery of Shilov's works.

On March 13 of the same year, with a unanimous decision of all factions, the State Duma of the Russian Federation issued a resolution on the acceptance of the Shilov collection by the state. A request was sent to the Government of Russia for the allocation of premises for the artist's exhibition. At first, they planned to allocate three halls directly on the territory of the Kremlin, but due to the regime of the facility, the decision was changed. The gallery of the artist Shilov was located at Znamenka, 5. The founder of the gallery was the Government of Moscow, 355 works of the artist Shilov were accepted and placed.

Gallery opening

The grand opening of the gallery took place on May 31 in 1997. It was attended by the first persons of the city, famous, respected people: Mayor Luzhkov, singers Kobzon, Esambaev, artists Shakurov, Nikulin and many others. Shilov, an artist whose gallery could now receive hundreds of visitors every day, promised that he would annually replenish the collection with new works. In 2003, the architect Posokhin presented a project for a new gallery building, which, according to the concept, represented a single architectural complex with an old mansion (the total area of \u200b\u200bthe old building occupied 600 square meters). In the same year, on June 30, a new building for the gallery was opened.

The area of \u200b\u200bthe gallery's exhibition space is 1555 square meters, the storage facilities - 23 square meters. The gallery contains 19420 items, the main fund is 991 items. The gallery is visited by an average of 110 thousand people a year. In the ranking of state museums, the Shilov gallery takes 11th place. Alexander Maksovich personally supervises the creative activities of the exhibition, administrative and financial issues are decided by the gallery director.

The current state of the gallery

The gallery's exposition is based on paintings by the artist Shilov, representing picturesque portraits of people of different categories. Here you can see the faces of war veterans, doctors, scientists, musicians, clergymen, acute social images.

Female images have a special place in the artist's work, he was able to see beauty in every face of the fairer sex, to emphasize the features of the look, facial expressions, gestures. Also in the gallery are works of landscape genres, still lifes, nude style. Two halls are reserved for the schedule. Low-volume music constantly sounds in the walls of the gallery. Excursions are regularly held here, lectures are given, and competitive programs are held for orphans and disabled children on a charitable basis. In the halls of the gallery "Star evenings" are held, Kobzon, Gaft, Bashmet, Zeldin, Sotkilava, Pakhmutova, Kazakov, Dobronravov, Obraztsova performed here. Meetings at the Portrait events provide an opportunity to meet the person on the canvas. Some of the gallery's paintings are exhibited from time to time in Russian cities. The exhibition "They Fought for the Motherland" toured dozens of cities and was a huge success.

Shilov is an artist. Paintings. Creation

Shilov's work is a whole world. Still lifes, landscapes, graphics, genre paintings - all this can be seen at the exhibition, but, of course, his main masterpieces are portraits. A whole section is devoted to people of the older generation Shilov the artist. The pictures of old people are very touching; many people stay near them for a long time. These include the following canvases:

1971 - "The Old Tailor".
1977 - "My grandmother".
1980 - Ledum blossomed.
1985 - Soldiers' Mothers.
1985 - Forgotten. "

In the work of the master, most of them are portraits of prominent figures, diplomats, famous artists, writers.

Ballet "Spartacus" 1976 - "People's Artist of the USSR Maurice Liepa".
Ballet "Giselle" 1980 - "Ballerina Lyudmila Semenyaka".
1984 - "Portrait of the Writer Sergei Mikhalkov".
1996 - Moscow Mayor Luzhkov.
2005 - People's Artist of the USSR Etush.

The artist created many portraits of clergy.

1988 - "In a cell" Pukhtitsa monastery.
1989 - Archimandrite Tikhon.
1997 - "Monk Joachim".

Shilov's still lifes depict many of our household items. It's amazing how the master created masterpieces from the image of simple things (books, dishes, wildflowers).

1980 - "Gifts of the East".
1974 - "Violets".
1982 - "Pansies".

1983 - "Silence".
1986 - "Thaw".
1987 - “The Last Snow in Peredelkino”.
1987 - Nikolina Gora.
1999 - “Golden Autumn.
2000 - Autumn in Headdress ”.

Other works by Alexander Shilov that should be noted are:

1981 - "On the birthday of Arisha".
1981 - "Portrait of Olenka".
1988 - "Portrait of a Mother".
1993 - "Homeless".
1995 - "Young Muscovite".
1996 - "Self-portrait".
1998 - “The Fate of a Violinist”.

Alexander Shilov is an artist who some call the exponent of the "Luga style". Sharp critics associate it with bad taste in the visual arts, vulgarity. Adherents-keepers of historical architecture criticize Shilov for the fact that in 2002 two monuments dating back to the 19th century were demolished on Volkhonka. On this site, the artist's lifetime gallery was erected. The construction of a new building caused an ambiguous reaction from officials. It was connected not with the building of the gallery, but with the construction of a business center on the territory adjacent to the gallery. Shvydkoi, the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, personally opposed such development.

Alesandr Marsovich SH I L O V

Was born on October 6, 1943 in Moscow.
Great Russia from time immemorial gave birth to talents, which all mankind is rightfully proud of. They went down in the history of world culture. Their names are immortal. Among our contemporaries who create Russian culture today, Alexander Shilov certainly stands out. He is one of the outstanding artists of the past twentieth century and the beginning of the new, a living legend, pride and glory of Russia.
In 1957-1962 A.M. Shilov studied at the art studio of the House of Pioneers of the Timiryazevsky District of Moscow, then at the Moscow Art Institute named after V.I. Surikov (1968-1973). He took part in exhibitions of young artists. In 1976 he became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. He has held numerous personal exhibitions in the best halls not only in Russia, but also abroad. His paintings were exhibited with great success in France (Gallery on Boulevard Raspail, Paris, 1981), West Germany (Willibodsen, Wiesbaden, 1983), Portugal (Lisbon, Porto, 1984), Canada (Vancouver, Toronto, 1987), Japan (Tokyo , Kyoto, 1988), Kuwait (1990), United Arab Emirates (1990), other countries.
Alexander Shilov chose the most difficult direction in art - realism and remained faithful to the chosen path throughout his life. Absorbing all the highest achievements of world art, continuing the traditions of Russian realistic painting of the 18th-19th centuries, he purposefully and inspiredly went his own way, enriching, improving his own artistic language. He avoided the influence of destructive tendencies in the artistic culture of the twentieth century, did not lose the wonderful properties of his talent and the most expensive instrument of an artist - the heart.

Among a large number of his works are landscapes, still lifes, genre paintings, graphics. But the main genre of A.M. Shilova - a portrait. It is the person, his individuality, uniqueness that is the focus of the painter's creativity. The heroes of his works are people of very different social status, age, appearance, intellect, character. These are politicians and ministers of the church, outstanding figures of science and culture, doctors and war heroes, workers and rural workers, old and young, businessmen and homeless people. Among them are portraits of the pilots-cosmonauts P.I. Klimuk (1976), V.I. Sevastyanov (1976), V.A. Shatalova (1978), "Son of the Motherland" (Yu.A. Gagarin, 1980), "Academician N.N.Semenov" (1982), "On Victory Day. Machine gunner P.P.Shorin" (1987), "Metropolitan Filaret "(1987)," Metropolitan Methodius "(1990)," Archbishop Pimen "(1990)," Hegumen Zinovy \u200b\u200b"(1991)," Film director S. Bondarchuk "(1994)," Playwright V. Rozov "(1997)," People's Artist of the USSR Yevgeny Matveev "(1997)," Portrait of A. Yakulov "(1997)," Portrait of Tamara Kozyreva "(1997)," Portrait of Bishop Vasily (Rodzianko) "(1998)," Writer Arkady Vayner "(1999), "Portrait of a Mother", "G.Kh. Popov" (1999), "After the Ball" (Natalia Bogdanova) "(2000).
As a portrait painter, Alexander Shilov is a kind of mediator between man and time. He sensitively captures the psychological life of the image and creates not just a painting, but, penetrating into the recesses of the soul, reveals the fate of a person, captures the moment in which our real contemporary lives. A. Shilov is interested in a person in all manifestations of individual life: his characters are in joy and sadness, in calm meditation and in anxiety of expectation. On his canvases there are many images of children and women: pure, charming, heartfelt, beautiful. Respect and sympathy are imbued with portraits of elderly people who have lived a long difficult life, but have retained kindness and love for others: "My grandmother" (1977), "Master of the Earth" (1979), "Ledum blossoms" (1980), "On Arisha's birthday "(1981)," Together "(1981)," Getting Cold "(1983)," Grandfather Gavrila "(1984)," Soldier's Mothers "(1985)," Portrait of a Mother "(1988)," Mother Macarius "(1989) , "Homeless" (1993), "Abandoned" (1998). The special gentleness and sincerity of the images makes the works of A. Shilov deeply national.
Everything in A. Shilov's paintings carries a deep meaning. There is nothing random about them, for the sake of external effect. The expression of a person's face, his posture, gesture, clothing, interior items in the picture, its color serve to create an image, characterize the hero, convey his inner state.
No lofty words can convey the great skill that Alexander Shilov has achieved. The artist just works wonders. With his magic brush, he makes the eyes speak, turns colors into silk, velvet, fur, wood, gold, pearls ... His portraits live on.
In addition to oil paintings, the artist's collection includes paintings made in pastel technique. This is an old technique in which the artist writes with special colored crayons, rubbing them with his fingers. Having perfectly mastered this most complicated technique, Alexander Shilov became an unsurpassed master of pastels. No one since J.E. Lyotard did not achieve such a virtuoso skill.
The portrait of Mashenka Shilova (1983), made in this technique, captivates, enchants, no one can leave indifferent. What a beautiful Mashenka! What Masha's hair is! What an elegant, luxurious dress Mashenka has! The baby is already aware of her attractiveness. Pride, joy and happiness illuminate her smart, sweet, gentle face. Masha's posture, the position of the head, arms - everything is full of natural grace and nobility. Childishly plump arms affectionately, carefully hug the beloved bear. The girl animates him, does not part with him for a second - this child has a compassionate, kind, pure soul.

Mashenka's childhood happiness coincided with the happiness of the artist himself. One cannot help but feel that the picture was created in a single burst of love and happy inspiration. Everything in it is depicted so lovingly, painted out with such great and amazing art: a sweet face (sparkle of eyes, delicate velvet skin, silkiness of hair), a chic dress (play of satin, luxury of lace and ribbons), a shaggy bear. In terms of thoroughness and plausibility, only A. Shilov's talent and love could do this.
The image on A. Shilov's canvases "breathes" with such authenticity that the audience in front of the pictures cry and laugh, sad and rejoice, admire and horrified. Such portraits are the fruit of not one skill, but the heart, mind, soul of the artist. Only a person with a vulnerable, impressionable, nervous soul, who with his own heart feels the pain, suffering, joy of each hero, can write this way; a wise man, deeply cognizant of life, knowing the value of everything: love, and happiness, and grief. Only a patriot who loves his people, his city, his country with all his heart can write this way.
Russia is beautiful and loved for Alexander Shilov. The master's landscape painting is a reverent declaration of love to the Motherland. He is inspired by the image of a modest, sad, sincere Central Russian nature: Thaw (1986), February. Peredelkino (1987), October. Nikolina Gora (1996). In the most ordinary, he knows how to see beauty. The artist is interested in various states of nature that give rise to various emotions in the soul. By means of a landscape, he expresses a subtle gamut of feelings: joy, anxiety, sadness, loneliness, hopelessness, confusion, enlightenment, hope.
In still lifes, the artist depicts objects that are inseparable from our life, decorating it: books, indoor and field flowers, elegant dishes. Among the most famous are such works as "Gifts of the East" (1980), "Violets" (1974), "Pansies" (1982) and others. And yet it is the portrait that occupies the central place in the artist's work.
In 1996, Alexander Maksovich Shilov donated to the Fatherland a collection of 355 paintings and drawings. This noble deed was appreciated by the public, the leadership of the country and its capital. The Moscow State Picture Gallery of the People's Artist of the USSR A. Shilov was established by decrees of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of March 13, 1996 and the Moscow Government of January 14, 1997.
To house the collection, a mansion was allocated in the historical center of Moscow near the Kremlin, built at the beginning of the 19th century by the project of the famous Russian architect E.D. Tyurin. The grand opening of the gallery took place on May 31, 1997. Created in accordance with the highest spiritual needs of the viewer, with respect and love for him, from the first days of her life she became unusually popular and extremely visited. Over the 4 years of its existence, it has been visited by over half a million people.
The museum collection of A. Shilov is constantly replenished with new works by the artist, which confirms the promise he made: to bring each new written work as a gift to his native city. On May 31, 2001, the Moscow State Art Gallery of People's Artist of the USSR A. Shilov celebrated the fourth anniversary of its opening. The presentation of the gift of new works by A. Shilov to Moscow was timed to this day. Three new portraits - "Professor EB Mazo", "Darling", "Olya", created in 2001, added to the gallery's permanent exposition, the collection of which today numbers 695 paintings.
By donating his best new works, A. Shilov thereby continues the best spiritual traditions of the Russian intelligentsia, the traditions of patronage and service to the Fatherland.
The work of Alexander Shilov received well-deserved recognition: in 1977 he became a laureate of the Lenin Komsomol Prize, in 1981 - People's Artist of the RSFSR, in 1985 - People's Artist of the USSR. In 1992, the International Planetary Center in New York named one of the planets "Shilov". In 1997 the artist was elected a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts, academician of the Academy of Social Sciences, and in 2001 he was elected a full member of the Russian Academy of Arts.

Since 1999 he has been a member of the Presidential Council for Culture and Arts.
September 6, 1997 for services to the state and for his great personal contribution to the development of the fine arts A.M. Shilov was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree. But his most precious, priceless award is the love of the viewer.
The creativity of A.M. Shilov is dedicated to the films "Knockin 'on the hearts of people" (1984), "The Art of A. Shilov" (1990), "Alexander Shilov - People's Artist" (1999), as well as albums of his paintings and graphics.
A.M. Shilov loves classical music. His favorite Russian artists are O.A. Kiprensky, D.G. Levitsky, K.P. Bryullov, A.A. Ivanov, V.G. Perov, I.I. Levitan, F.A. Vasiliev.
Lives and works in Moscow

If you want to admire portraits of famous and ordinary people, pay attention to the paintings by Alexander Shilov. Creating the next work, he conveys in it the individuality, character, mood of a person.

About the artist

Alexander Maksovich Shilov was born in Moscow in 1943. He received his first professional artistic skills in the House of Pioneers, which was located in the Timiryazevsky district of the capital. Here Alexander studied at the art studio.

From 1968 to 1973 he was a student at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute. V.I.Surikov. Since 1976 Shilov has been a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. In 1997, he was given premises near the Kremlin to open a personal gallery. There you can see paintings by Alexander Shilov.

He is a full member of the Russian Academy of Arts, a member of the Council for Culture and Arts under the President of the Russian Federation. Alexander Maksovich has been awarded many orders, signs, medals, diplomas for his high achievements. He is also the recipient of several awards.

Portrait of Mashenka

This is the name of one of the works created by the artist Alexander Shilov. His paintings allow the characters of the paintings to come to life in front of the audience. They inspire other creative people too. So, the poet Ivan Esaulkin, inspired by the work of a talented artist, wrote five quatrains dedicated to the picture, which was created in 1983.

The canvas is written in pastel technique. The poet calls it fabulous. He says that Shilov achieved his goal - he shed light on our souls. This feeling arises when you look at the paintings of Alexander Shilov.

The description of this portrait can be started with the fact that Masha is 3 years old. This is the artist's daughter from her second marriage. Unfortunately, she died early - at the age of sixteen.

The artist was able to convey his love for his daughter through paints and brushes. The girl is holding her favorite toy, looking at the viewer clean. The corners of her mouth are slightly raised in a half smile. It can be seen that the child is happy. Other paintings by Alexander Shilov also convey the mood of the hero of the canvas.

In this work, the artist managed to show even the smallest details of the attire, the folds, ruffles of a beautiful dress are visible. The folds on the sleeve were able to convey the movement of the hand.

The girl is sitting on a chair. The furnishings and clothing help us understand that we are in front of a real princess. All this was conveyed to the artist, who loved his daughter very much.

"One"

Alexander Shilov's paintings show not only happy, but also sad people who evoke a feeling of compassion.

The canvas "One" was written in 1980. It depicts an elderly woman. She drinks tea from an iron mug, two candies next to her. But the meal does not bring joy to the old woman. She looks in front of her sadly, because she is sad and lonely. These are the details and the mood of the heroes that Shilov Alexander Maksovich is able to convey, whose paintings can be looked at for hours.

Once the woman was married, this can be seen from the ring on her hand. Previously, villagers did not have the opportunity to purchase gold jewelry, so the ring could be iron, and at best, silver.

If a woman has children, then they most likely moved to live in the city. In those days, young people tried to leave the countryside. Granny sits and is sad near a wooden table. Perhaps she remembered her hard life? Or does she think about when the children and grandchildren will finally arrive? The viewer wants this to happen as soon as possible. Then the house of an elderly woman will be filled with noisy conversations, cheerful children's laughter, and she will be happy.

These are the thoughts and desires that evoke the paintings of Alexander Shilov.

"Summer in the village"

The canvas "Summer in the Country" was created by the artist in 1980. It depicts a real Russian beauty against the backdrop of picturesque nature. The cut makes the outfit look like that of young ladies of past centuries. Just like this girl, they loved to spend the summer months in the countryside. In those days, the head and hands were covered, but on this canvas the artist Alexander Shilov portrayed a modern girl. His paintings, like this one, carry a cheerful mood.

The variegated meadows are set off by the girls in white. She has lush hair and a long braid.

The sky is reflected in the heroine's big eyes. It is blue for the artist, with purple tints. The horizon line is clearly shown. There, the blue sky turns into a field of emerald grass. In the foreground you can see tall ones mixed with pink, yellow, white.

The girl humbly folded her hands, genuine modesty in her eyes. All this helps to feel the character of the heroine, which was painted by Shilov Alexander Maksovich. Pictures like this show the charm and irresistibility of nature.

Picturesque canvases

In the paintings "Stog", "Indian Summer", "Outside the outskirts", "The Holy Key at the Ivankovo \u200b\u200bVillage" the artist depicted nature on one of the warm summer days.

The canvas "Stog" is multifaceted. We see a shovel of hay. The peasants mowed the grass, dried it for more than one day. Now they have stacked the finished hay. To prevent the blades of grass from being blown away by the wind, they applied them along the sledge on both sides.

The haystack is located on a high, gentle bank. If you go down, you can be near the river. The sky is reflected in its deep waters. Lush bushes and trees fit in very well. Dark greens perfectly set off the light ones that cover the banks of the river.

Pictures with titles

Here is a list of just some of the paintings that the artist created:

"Russian beauty".
"Son of the Motherland".
"Singer E.V. Obraztsova".
"Where Sounds Reign."
"Portrait of Nikolai Slichenko".
"Metropolitan Filaret".
"Diplomat".
"Shepherd.

The artist has many other works. Check them out and a wonderful new world will open before you!

Great Russia from time immemorial gave birth to talents, which all mankind is rightfully proud of. They went down in the history of world culture. Their names are immortal. Among our contemporaries who create Russian culture today, Alexander Shilov certainly stands out. He is one of the outstanding artists of the 20th century, a living legend, the pride and glory of Russia.

In 1957-1962 A.M. Shilov studied at the art studio of the House of Pioneers of the Timiryazevsky District of Moscow, then at the Moscow Art Institute named after V.I. Surikov (1968-1973). He took part in exhibitions of young artists. In 1976 he became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. He has held numerous personal exhibitions in the best halls not only in Russia, but also abroad. His paintings were exhibited with great success in France (Gallery on Boulevard Raspail, Paris, 1981), West Germany (Willibodsen, Wiesbaden, 1983), Portugal (Lisbon, Porto, 1984), Canada (Vancouver, Toronto, 1987), Japan (Tokyo , Kyoto, 1988), Kuwait (1990), United Arab Emirates (1990), other countries.

Creative person can rent a photo studio and create beautiful portraits of his contemporaries, can show his gift in other types of creativity. Alexander Shilov is not just a creator - he is an artist from God.

Alexander Shilov chose the most difficult direction in art - realism and remained faithful to the chosen path throughout his life. Absorbing all the highest achievements of world art, continuing the traditions of Russian realistic painting of the 18th – 19th centuries, he purposefully and inspiredly walked his own path, enriching, improving his own artistic language. He avoided the influence of destructive tendencies in the artistic culture of the twentieth century, did not lose the wonderful properties of his talent and the most expensive instrument of an artist - the heart.

As a portrait painter, Alexander Shilov is a kind of mediator between man and time. He sensitively captures the psychological life of the image and creates not just a painting, but, penetrating into the recesses of the soul, reveals the fate of a person, captures the moment in which our real contemporary lives. A. Shilov is interested in a person in all manifestations of individual life: his characters are in joy and sadness, in calm meditation and in anxiety of expectation. On his canvases there are many images of children and women: pure, charming, heartfelt, beautiful. Respect and sympathy are imbued with portraits of elderly people who have lived a long difficult life, but have retained kindness and love for others: "My grandmother" (1977), "Master of the Earth" (1979), "Ledum blossom" (1980), "On Arisha's birthday "(1981)," Together "(1981)," Getting Cold "(1983)," Grandfather Gavrila "(1984)," Soldier's Mothers "(1985)," Portrait of a Mother "(1988)," Mother Macarius "(1989) , "Homeless" (1993), "Abandoned" (1998). The special gentleness and sincerity of the images makes the works of A. Shilov deeply national.

Everything in A. Shilov's paintings carries a deep meaning. There is nothing random about them, for the sake of external effect. The expression of a person's face, his posture, gesture, clothing, interior items in the picture, its color serve to create an image, characterize the hero, convey his inner state.

No lofty words can convey the great skill that Alexander Shilov has achieved. The artist just works wonders. With his magic brush, he makes the eyes speak, turns colors into silk, velvet, fur, wood, gold, pearls ... His portraits live on.

In addition to oil paintings, the artist's collection includes paintings made in pastel technique. This is an old technique in which the artist writes with special colored crayons, rubbing them with his fingers. Having perfectly mastered this most complicated technique, Alexander Shilov became an unsurpassed master of pastels. No one since J.E. Lyotard did not achieve such a virtuoso skill.

Conquers, charms, no one can leave indifferent portrait

Mashenka Shilova (1983), performed in this technique. What a beautiful Mashenka! What Masha's hair is! What an elegant, luxurious dress Mashenka has! The baby is already aware of her attractiveness. Pride, joy and happiness illuminate her smart, sweet, gentle face. Masha's posture, the position of the head, arms - everything is full of natural grace and nobility. Childishly plump arms affectionately, carefully hug the beloved bear. The girl animates him, does not part with him for a second - this child has a compassionate, kind, pure soul.

Mashenka's childhood happiness coincided with the happiness of the artist himself. One cannot help but feel that the picture was created in a single burst of love and happy inspiration. Everything in it is depicted so lovingly, painted out with such great and amazing art: a sweet face (sparkle of eyes, delicate velvet skin, silkiness of hair), a chic dress (play of satin, luxury of lace and ribbons), a shaggy bear. In terms of thoroughness and plausibility, only A. Shilov's talent and love could do this.

The image on A. Shilov's canvases "breathes" with such authenticity that the audience in front of the paintings cry and laugh, sad and rejoice, admire and horrified. Such portraits are the fruit of not only skill, but the heart, mind, soul of the artist. Only a person with a vulnerable, impressionable, nervous soul, who with his own heart feels the pain, suffering, joy of each hero, can write this way; a wise man, deeply cognizant of life, knowing the value of everything: love, and happiness, and grief. Only a patriot who loves his people, his city, his country with all his heart can write this way. Russia is beautiful and loved for Alexander Shilov. The master's landscape painting is a reverent declaration of love to the Motherland. He is inspired by the image of a modest, sad, sincere Central Russian nature: "Thaw" (1986), "February. Peredelkino "(1987)," October. Nikolina Gora "(1996). In the most ordinary, he knows how to see beauty. The artist is interested in various states of nature that give rise to various emotions in the soul. By means of a landscape, he expresses a subtle gamut of feelings: joy, anxiety, sadness, loneliness, hopelessness, confusion, enlightenment, hope.

In still lifes, the artist depicts objects that are inseparable from our life, decorating it: books, indoor and field flowers, elegant dishes. Among the most famous are such works as "Gifts of the East" (1980), "Violets" (1974), "Pansies" (1982), etc. And yet it is the portrait that occupies the central place in the artist's work.

In 1996, Alexander Maksovich Shilov donated to the Fatherland a collection of 355 paintings and drawings. This noble deed was appreciated by the public, the leadership of the country and its capital. The Moscow State Picture Gallery of the People's Artist of the USSR A. Shilov was established by decrees of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of March 13, 1996 and the Moscow Government of January 14, 1997.

To house the collection, a mansion was allocated in the historical center of Moscow near the Kremlin, built at the beginning of the 19th century by the project of the famous Russian architect E.D. Tyurin. The grand opening of the gallery took place on May 31, 1997. Created in accordance with the highest spiritual needs of the viewer, with respect and love for him, from the first days of her life she became unusually popular and extremely visited. Over the 4 years of its existence, it has been visited by over half a million people.

The museum collection of A. Shilov is constantly replenished with new works by the artist, which confirms the promise he made: to bring each new written work as a gift to his native city. On May 31, 2001, the Moscow State Art Gallery of People's Artist of the USSR A. Shilov celebrated the fourth anniversary of its opening. The presentation of the gift of new works by A. Shilov to Moscow was timed to this day. Three new portraits - “Professor E.B. Mazo "," Milochka "," Olya ", created in 2001, added to the permanent exhibition of the gallery, the collection of which today numbers 695 paintings.

By donating his new works, A. Shilov thereby continues the best spiritual traditions of the Russian intelligentsia, the traditions of patronage and service to the Fatherland.

September 6, 1997 for services to the state and for his great personal contribution to the development of the fine arts A.M. Shilov was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree. But his most precious, priceless award is the love of the viewer.

The creativity of A.M. Shilov is dedicated to the films "Knocking the Hearts of People" (1984), "Art of A. Shilov" (1990), "Alexander Shilov - People's Artist" (1999), as well as albums of his paintings and graphics.

A.M. Shilov loves classical music. His favorite Russian artists are O.A. Kiprensky, D.G. Levitsky, K.P. Bryullov, A.A. Ivanov, V.G. Perov, I.I. Levitan, F.A. Vasiliev.

Lives and works in Moscow.

Alexander Maksovich Shilov is a realist artist, author of portraits in the traditional romantic style. People's Artist of the USSR.
Was born in 1943 in Moscow. Graduated from the Moscow State Academic Art Institute named after V.I. Surikov. Participated in exhibitions of young artists, and in 1976 became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR.
In 1997, the State Picture Gallery of the People's Artist of the USSR Alexander Shilov was opened in Moscow.
Since 1997 - Corresponding Member (since 2001 - Full Member) of the Russian Academy of Arts.
Since 1999 - member of the Council for Culture and Arts under the President of the Russian Federation.

“It was with great pleasure and admiration that I got acquainted with the works in this beautiful gallery. Unsurpassed portraits, of course, are part of the history of Russia and its people ”,“ I am glad and happy that we have such a wonderful museum of a talented, recognized, beloved master. It is a real pleasure to inspect the exhibition, leaving an indelible impression on the artist's skill - high, spiritual, philosophical! " - such enthusiastic words are left in the guest book by visitors to the Alexander Shilov gallery.

We have long been accustomed to the fact that in the center of Moscow - opposite the Kremlin - is the State Art Gallery of the People's Artist of the USSR, portraitist Alexander Shilov. This year she turned 15 years old. Is it a lot or a little? To judge visitors, admirers of the talent of the painter, and those who for the first time step into the high exhibition halls. Many have already forgotten how this museum was created, with a constantly updated exposition. Unfortunately, there are more and more people with a short memory who do not respect their past. These are the realities of our life. But at the same time, there is still interest in realistic art, in the genre of portraiture. We met with the founder of the gallery and the brightest representative of this genre, Alexander Maksovich Shilov, and asked him a few questions.

Correspondent. Alexander Maksovich, tell us how it all began?

Alexander Shilov. In 1996, I turned to the State Duma with a proposal to donate my works to the country, people, and state. I had a moral right to do so. After each exhibition in the 80s and 90s - and they were held in the Manege, and on Kuznetsky Most, and on Tverskaya - people in their responses and in their appeals to the heads of various departments asked to make my exhibition permanent. After listening to my proposal, the chairman of the State Duma, and then he was Gennady Seleznev, raised this issue at a plenary session. What I am proud of, all the factions, although I never belonged to any of them, voted unanimously to create a state gallery, deciding to give it my name. After that, they turned to the Kremlin with a request to provide a room in the city center. Not for me personally, as the unscrupulous media write, which is a mean lie, but for the gallery. At first, they offered three rooms in the Kremlin Palace, which had just been restored then, but this room is secure (not open every day), and my work would not fit there. Therefore, this option was dropped. Then the Moscow government allocated a mansion designed by the architect Tyurin, built in 1830 at the address: Znamenka street, house 5. A small cosmetic repair was carried out here, and the gallery opened on May 31, 1997. On that solemn day, I said that I would donate works that were not made by me to order - and this is almost 95 percent of what I write. This has been the case for 15 years. The best in my work - 15-20 paintings and graphics - I donate to Moscow every year on City Day.

Corr. How many works are in the collection today?

A.Sh. The collection comprises 935 paintings and graphics.

Corr. You have some interesting pastel portraits.

A.Sh. Yes, this is the hardest technique. I rub my fingers into blood, as I work on zero-grade sandpaper so that the pastel does not crumble ...

Corr. Your gallery has won fame as one of the most famous concert venues in Moscow.

A.Sh. Again, by the decision of the Moscow Government, we are holding concerts of classical art stars "Visiting the Shilov Gallery". Over the years, we have performed world-class masters - Obraztsova, Matorin, Sotkilava, Pakhmutova and others. We are always sold out. In addition, we often invite people to our concerts who cannot afford to buy tickets.

We also organize free evenings for children with disabilities. I would like to pay more attention to those who are deprived of this from birth. We organize drawing contests, I select children's works for exhibitions. I hope that the children find a good shelter here and feel fulfilled.

In addition, meetings with the heroes of my paintings are held. I made a number of portraits of military men, intelligence officers, border guards. We invite guys to such meetings who are preparing to become defenders of the Fatherland. I must say that these evenings are warm and cordial.

Corr. Your creative credo ...

A.Sh. The most important thing is to grow as an artist. From work to work, try to improve the level of skill, to achieve depth of content. I write what I feel with my heart. The artist must be a Samoyed, in such a state and must work. Only fools are smug. If a person is satisfied with himself, he dies in creativity. And in order to feel shortcomings, Repin said, you need to look only at the great.

Corr. How do you choose heroes for your portraits?

A.Sh. I paint portraits of all kinds of people. And doctors, and artists, monks and nuns, homeless people and abandoned old people. “History in faces”, “an absolute cut of society” - this is how they write about the gallery's collection. An artist is primarily a state of mind. First of all, I have to be motivated to work. To my last heroine, I was shaking on our roads for 9 hours in a car, but I could not live without it. They told me about her, showed her a photograph, and I wanted to meet her.

Corr. Has anything shocked lately?

A.Sh. Yes. That's exactly what she shocked. Recently returned from the Saratov region. I went to the village to paint a portrait of an amazing woman - Lyubov Ivanovna Klyueva, a participant in the Great Patriotic War. Her portrait will be included in the exhibition "They Fought for the Motherland." She is 90 years old, from the age of 19 she was at the front. If you could see her hands! These are neither female nor male hands. They are all in knots. This woman hasn't had a day off. She worked all her life, raised six children. She has already buried her husband. When I talked to her, my throat caught a spasm, tears welling up. It was some kind of spiritual cleansing. Lyubov Ivanovna is intelligent, modest and pleasant to talk to. God, what subtle manners she has! When we said goodbye, she gave me a rose. It's so touching ... It's sad that such beautiful people leave. For six months I dreamed of breaking free to her. The work, however, was very hard. It is very difficult to write in a cramped hut with small windows, where even an easel cannot be properly placed. But this path to the portrait is dear to me.

Corr. How often does your gallery travel to other cities with exhibitions?

A.Sh. About once a year. Organization of exhibitions is not easy. The gallery does everything by itself, for its own money. Recently, the exhibition "They Fought for the Motherland" was held in Volgograd. The exposition includes more than 40 of my works. These are portraits of participants in the Great Patriotic War. Here are ordinary soldiers, priests, and famous cultural figures - Bondarchuk, Etush, Viktor Rozov ... The interest was great - the exhibition was extended twice. Front-line soldiers came, not those who sat in the carts, but, you know, real warriors. I, if I had such an opportunity and time, would definitely paint their portraits. After all, these are the last witnesses of the terrible events of the twentieth century, in their eyes - war. There were many young people. In general, our exhibition is of great educational value. Soon, at the invitation of Aman Tuleyev, we will go to Kemerovo. Of course, I would dream to travel with this exhibition to all the hero cities! But the gallery alone cannot lift it ...

Corr. How long have you exhibited abroad?

A.Sh. Long. True, now there is no such special need. First, there is a gallery. Now people come to us from different parts of Russia and abroad. Both ordinary people leave reviews and distinguished guests. President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, and recently Vladimir Putin was. Everyone praised my work, which I am very proud of. For example, I had an exhibition in Paris. A lot of people came. I remembered the opinion of Louis Aragon: "It's amazing that with such pressure from ideology and all kinds of" isms "you have preserved the traditions of classicism." Secondly, I repeat, organizing an outdoor exhibition, moreover, abroad, is a big risk. Now, if someone made such an exhibition for me, I would be happy!

Corr. How can young artists make their way, since realistic art is not honored today? For example, the organizers of the. Kandinsky don't even consider the work of realist artists?

A.Sh. Chekhov also said: "Talent needs to be helped, but mediocrity will break through by itself." I want to assure you that it is always difficult to break through in my country and abroad, but this is a test of calling. If a person draws and cannot live without it as without air and if he has a gift, then such a person cannot be stopped. It is impossible to stifle talent. It was not easy for me either, but I worked hard, and today I write 4-5 hours every day. Then, of course, I feel like a worn out lemon. But until I finish the portrait, I can't calm down, I feel inferior, I can't be completely happy. Not for the sake of a nice word I will say: "I will die without work."

Of course, some people paint today just to get rich. This is what PR is for. But, unfortunately, the criterion of mastery is trampled underfoot. The level of skill, I believe, is deliberately lowered to the position of the robe. And this is happening in all areas. In literature, painting, music ... Everything is deliberately mixed. Now every genius, everyone knows how to sing, draw, etc.

Corr. Can this situation be changed?

A.Sh. Yes of course. There must be a state program. Art must be taught from kindergarten in order to develop the souls of people. High art saturates with thoughts and feelings.

I remember how my mother brought me to the Tretyakov Gallery for the first time. I was shocked. Portraits by Levitsky, Borovikovsky, Bryullov are something divine. All the time I was haunted by the question: "Can a person paint a portrait so that I see the face of a real person with whom I can talk?" I enjoyed the way it was done. Craftsmanship brought to perfection! I was surprised that I did not see the artist's kitchen, and in my work I also strive not to see it.

But returning to the topic of education, I will repeat: there must be a state program. If a child learns to draw and sees masterpieces in front of him, he will never be interested in cheap and vulgar fakes in the future. See how they painted before the revolution in noble families, in military families. They studied music a lot and seriously. What a waltz Griboyedov has composed - a miracle! And if people do not come into contact with art, purify themselves, grow, they will quickly turn into a herd. Well, there is always a shepherd.

Corr. And if you are offered to create some kind of education program? Do you agree?

A.Sh. Yes, I will do it with pleasure.

Corr. Do you often visit provincial art galleries?

A.Sh. Yes. Recently I was in the same Saratov. The gallery is in a terrible state. Although there are paintings by Shishkin, Polenov ... Who should support this? Probably the Ministry of Culture. Let's remember the history. The way Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel was watched over by the elderly Pope. Russian emperors constantly visited the Academy of Arts, inquired about what was happening in Russian art. Indeed, according to the state of art values, according to achievements in art, the level of development of the country is determined.

Corr. What museums do you prefer to visit abroad?

A.Sh. I love Italy, I love the amazing Louvre Museum. Of course, everything came from Italy. It is no coincidence that our boarders - medal graduates of the Russian Academy of Arts - were sent to Italy at public expense. Kiprensky, Bryullov, Ivanov, and many other outstanding artists improved their skills there.

Corr. Do you have students?

A.Sh. No. First, you need to have time, but I don't have it. Secondly, you need to have patience, I don't have it either. Apparently, this is not my calling. I am an artist. I give a lot of energy to my work. I invite everyone to the exhibition "They Fought for the Motherland." I believe that people who fought, laid their lives on the altar of the Fatherland, should be rewarded much more than is being done now. I want to be heard through these portraits. The exhibition has a very beneficial effect on the viewer, makes people think about many things, remember the concepts of honesty, honor and decency ... I want a sense of pride for our people, for our art to take root.

Corr. What qualities do you value in women, in men?

A.Sh. Whatever the relationship is, in a woman I value loyalty, even if she is blind. Any relationship must be based on that. A woman should be loving, caring, feminine. Earlier in the villages it was believed that if a woman loves a man, she protects him. The man is obliged to take care of the woman, maintaining his dignity. But in general, by and large, I love people with a delicate mental device. After all, I'm an artist after all.

The interview was conducted by Oksana Lipina.