The aim of the project is to create an inclusive environment and involve blind and visually impaired people in the country’s artistic and cultural life. The works on display were created with the use of sculptural techniques, and are therefore suitable for tactile perception; they imaginatively depict real historical figures – highly revered Orthodox saints.
The project’s creative team, led by the St. Petersburg sculptor and teacher Natalia Karpova, working in the academic manner, created images of saints of the Russian Orthodox Church based on historical and literary sources. An acquaintance with the techniques of tactile painting used by the artists will expand the boundaries of artistic perception of art, giving it a new and unique vision.
The series of works includes images of Orthodox saints: Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy and Feodor Ushakov – warriors and protectors; Saint Stephen of Perm and Saint Innocent (Veniaminov) – priests who carried the light of enlightenment in different centuries; Saint Luke of Crimea – a priest and surgeon whose life was dedicated to the service to humanity; Saints Herman and Sabbatius of Solovki – holy hermits whose ascetic life laid the foundation for the Solovetsky Monastery; and Saint Sergius of Radonezh, the founder of a true cradle of monastic life – the Holy Trinity Lavra of Saint Sergius.
The exhibition will be on display in the hall of ancient Belarusian art. The exhibits are accompanied by audio descriptions, with the labels duplicated in Braille. The project was previously presented at the State Museum of the History of Religion in the exhibition sections “Early Christianity” and “History of the Russian Orthodox Church”, and exhibited at the Pskov Museum-Reserve; it has enjoyed a warm reception and has been highly praised by the target audience.
The exhibition will be on display until 1August, 2025, and is going to be accompanied by a series of workshops for blind and visually impaired people. For more information, please follow the announcements on our website and official social media accounts.
Exhibition curator: Dyana Shantar, head of the Department of Scientific and Educational Work and Marketing.
