How artists ploughed virgin soil: an open lecture was held at Altai State University to mark the 70th anniversary of the development of virgin and fallow lands in the USSR

On March 19, Oksana Chekryzhova, art critic, Candidate of Historical Sciences, gave a lecturer at Altai State University titled “The Theme of Virgin Lands in the Works of Altai Artists” as part of the implementation of the scientific and educational project of the Research Center for Altaic and Turkic Studies “The Greater Altai” to mark the 70th anniversary of the development of virgin and fallow lands in the USSR.

The lecture delved into the impact of the development of virgin lands on the artistic endeavours of Altai artists and the evolution of the artistic environment. The visitors also learned about the various styles employed by these artists and how the everyday realities of virgin lands, including their labor exploits, found expression in the artworks.

The participants had the opportunity to explore the creations of renowned metropolitan artists who visited the virgin lands for professional purposes. They got acquainted with the life stories and artistic legacies of those who, having arrived in the virgin lands, chose to make it their home, forever connecting their creative pursuits with Altai Krai.

Young masters of fine art who had pursued their studies in Moscow and Leningrad also returned to Altai, but thanks to the revival of local creative life, they got the opportunity for creative fulfilment there. Over the years, the theme of virgin lands, bread, and endless fields became a priority for Altai artists working in a variety of genres. They painted portraits of pioneers of the virgin lands, numerous genre paintings, still lifes, and notably, landscapes.

In 1959, a museum of fine and applied arts was opened in Barnaul. In the same year, an art museum was created and a decision was made to construct the Artist’s House.

Regularly, our State Art Museum of Altai Krai hosts exhibitions commemorating significant milestones in the development of virgin lands. It gives the opportunity to appreciate the artworks of our fellow countrymen who dedicated their creativity to portraying the essence of virgin lands. Despite the fact that exhibitions are held on a regular basis, the museum staff always find something to surprise the audience, the lecturer noted. This year, the spotlight was on a series by artists Vladimir Dobrovolsky and Semyon Chernov titled “Virgin Ob”.

“We were aware that the series encompassed quite a lot of works, yet typically 3 works were displayed at exhibitions. That same year, at an exhibition organized by the museum, we saw as many as 13 works from this series! That is, the pictorial heritage dedicated to this topic is so great that even after 70 years we can hope to see new masterpieces,” noted Oksana Chekryzhova.