BORN TO FLY AND CRAWL

The exhibition is dedicated to the representation of birds and insects in Russian art from the 18th century to the early 21st century, including works by contemporary artists created using unconventional techniques. The display, which features more than 200 works, is enhanced with video and audio accompaniment.

The exhibition opens with a section highlighting the Class of Animals and Birds at the Imperial Academy of Arts, which laid the foundation for animalistic art in Russia. This class, which existed for just over thirty years, was led by Johann Friedrich (Ivan Fyodorovich) Groot (1717–1801), nicknamed “Groot the Animal Painter.” A German artist who worked in Russia from 1743 to 1801, he and his students created numerous paintings depicting animals and birds. A significant portion of the displayed works was created for the Monbijou Pavilion in Tsarskoye Selo. This section features paintings from the collections of the Russian Museum, as well as the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum Reserve, Gatchina State Museum Reserve, and Peterhof State Museum Reserve. The exhibition is complemented by taxidermy specimens of animals and birds, which served as models for the artists, as well as examples of applied art incorporating motifs of flying and crawling creatures.

The next section brings together works by 20th-century artists and pieces of contemporary art. Alongside sculptures by Sarra Lebedeva, visitors can see silhouettes by Elizaveta Bem and book illustrations by Georgy Narbut, Yuri Vasnetsov, Vera Yermolaeva, and Eleonora Kondiayn, which create a vivid and dynamic depiction of the whimsical, mysterious, or amusing world of birds and insects. In addition to classic examples of Russian and Soviet animalistic art, the exhibition gives an important place to works by contemporary artists. The forms of living nature serve as a source of artistic inspiration, a field for projections and fantasies, and a unique catalog of symbols, metaphors, and allegories. Many of the exhibits in this section have been provided by the artists themselves, as well as by private collections in Moscow and St. Petersburg.