In 2023 the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus for the first time took part in the International Inter-Museum Project “All the World’s a Stage!”, held for the 14th time under the patronage of the State Museum of the History of Religion (St. Petersburg, Russia).
The participants of the competition were asked to trace the inextricable relationship between various religious beliefs and theatrical art.
From time immemorial, vibrant theatrical traditions have flourished in cultures around the world. For example, the Egyptian priests widely used theatrical effects in their ritual practices. In ancient Greece, theatres existed as one of the ways of venerating the god Dionysus, in whose honor tragedies and comedies were staged. The birth of European theatre is associated with the emergence of liturgical drama and nativity scenes. The theatres of the countries of the East amazed the audience with their diversity: Indian puppet theatre and dramatic performances told the tales of Hindu deities, and Japanese performances included not only ritual scenes, but also elements of real-life martial arts.
Young artists of age 5–16 got were introduced to the ancient epics, Slavic fairy tales and legends, the mythology of the countries of the East with their variety of forms and themes, and were to reflect their impressions in visual art works.
The works presented at the exhibition passed the qualifying stage in three categories:
• nomination “The Sacred Theatres of the World”. Three-dimensional art objects representing theatrical reality: costumes, puppets, models of theatre stages which reflect theatre’s connection with mythological and religious performances;
• nomination “The True Hero”. Two-dimensional works depicting heroes of myths and epics from various countries, characters of religious stage performances, actors of ancient mysteries;
• nomination “Theatre is a Very Serious Thing!”. Video recordings of stage productions depicting mythological and religious themes, ancient tragedies and comedies.
The participants’ works were evaluated by an authoritative jury: Lyubov Musienko, Director of the State Museum of the History of Religion; Ekaterina Teryukova, Deputy Director for Research of the State Museum of the History of Religion; Aleksandr Khromykh, Associate Professor at the Drawing Department of the St.Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design; Angela Kupets, Director of the St. Petersburg Bolshoi Puppet Theatre; Maria Kuzmichev, Candidate of Art History, Professor, Head of the Department of Painting at the Russian Herzen State Pedagogical University.
Participants from the Republic of Belarus include: students of the State Educational Establishment “Minsk Vital Tsvirka Children's Art School No. 1”, State Educational Institution “Minsk Pavel Maslenikov Gymnasium No. 75”, State Educational Institution “Minsk Secondary School No. 92”, State Educational Institution “Minsk Secondary School No. 159”, State Educational Institution “Volozhin Children's Art School”, as well as students of the educational folk art studio «В гостях у Тюбика» (“On a Visit to the Paint Tube”) of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus and the exemplary art studio “Magic World” in Minsk.
The first prize in the nomination “The True Hero” was awarded to Anna Ryabykhova, student of the State Educational Institution “Minsk Vital Tsvirka Children's Art School No. 1”.
Researcher Diana Bakiyeva, representative of the State Museum of the History of Religion (St. Petersburg) will also take part in the opening of the exhibition.
The curators of the exhibition are Katerina Shaydukа, junior researcher at the Science and Education Department of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus, and Anastasia Rubashnaya, senior researcher at the Science and Education Department of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus
From August 17 to September 4, 2023 the halls of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus will host an exhibition of children's works selected by the International project “All the World’s a Stage!”
