Legends and fairy tales in Ural stone carving
The Legends and fairy tales in Ural stone carving exhibition showcases the best hard stone sculptures dedicated to fairy tales, mythological figures and epic heroes. Folklore has always been part and parcel of Russian culture — from ancient times to the modern day. Writers and artists find inspiration in folk tales and the Russian language itself is full of references to stories and images that are well known to Russian people from early childhood.
Hard stone carving is a traditional art in the Urals region, which has earned a special status in Russia. This is not surprising since the history of the exploration of Russia’s so called ‘stone belt region’ is closely linked with stone. This is where stone was mined, stored, processed and studied. Mountains, stones and stone carvers appear in many folk songs and stories and they still feature in mysterious legends handed down from generation to generation in little towns and villages of the Urals.
It is all the more important that the secrets of this craft are not lost; thanks to the succession of these artisans, today’s stone carvers can still master techniques that originated centuries ago. The variety of stone found in the Urals and surrounding regions provides unique opportunities for stone carvers and artists.
Traditional folk stories are still a source of fascination for modern artisans. In part, this can be attributed to the specific nature of this art; timeless and archetypal stories become eternalized in hard, durable materials. What is more, stone is a perfect metaphor of creation in its broader meaning. Many cultures associate stone with something inanimate, transfixed, devoid of life, however, professional stone carvers can transform a lifeless stone into a powerful image and make it come to life. This magical transformation complements the folk tales and legends that our predecessors believed in and whose beauty still fascinates us to this day.
This exhibition brings together the best examples of the hard stone carving typical in the Urals region, created by two workshops — ‘Svyatogor’ and ‘Alexey Antonov’s Studio’. The majority of exhibits are three-dimensional mosaics, while some elements are made of large pieces of stone, carved with the utmost precision. The use of these two approaches creates a very special effect, which is typical of the Urals stone carving tradition.
The impressive size of some of the compositions is justification enough for calling them ‘stone sculptures’. Gradually, in addition to stone miniatures, stone carvers explore more complex, multi-figure compositions.
The range of stone sculptures presented at the exhibition and in the catalogue unveils the world of traditional culture through classic stone carving techniques and helps visitors become acquainted with national folk heroes, favourite legends and fairy tales, as well as popular characters. The stone carvers have perfectly managed to capture the unique character of Russian fairy tales, which have reflected the identity of the Russian people for centuries.
The exhibition “Heroes. History in Ural Stone Carving” has opened in Liechtenstein
The exposition is displayed in Liechtenstein National Museum
Heroes. History in Ural Stone Carving
The Opening Ceremony of ‘Heroes. History in Ural Stone Carving’ exhibition will take place on the 23rd of March at 19.00 in Liechtenstein National Museum
The exhibition in Liechtenstein has opened its doors
July 9, 2015 — The exposition welcomes everyone in Liechtenstein National Museum until 18 October 2015.
Introduction
Today we are witness to the golden age of new media. Children now turn to computer games rather than reading or listening to audio books. That is probably why this exhibition of stone sculptures based on fairy tales is somewhat surprising. The question that arises is perhaps the following: Is there still a need for fairy tales or for the art of stone carving?
Stone carving: from concept to finished work
Hard stone carving is a truly unique art. On the one hand, the stone carver is an artist and a creator, who gives a hard and shapeless piece of stone a new life and a new shape. On the other hand, his most important task is to unveil and demonstrate what has already been created by nature: beauty, structure and the unique character of the stone. When it comes to working with stone, each piece requires this fine balance between creating and being guided by the material itself.
The exhibition catalog “Heroes. History in Ural Stone Carving” is published
The book is prepared specially for the exhibition, which opened on 23 of March in Liechtenstein National Museum: the reader will find all stone sculptures presented in the exhibition in the catalog.
Exposed stone compositions
August 25, 2015 — The ‘Exhibition’ section provides all stone carving compositions, forming the Legends and Fairy tales in Ural stone carvings exhibition.
New exhibition opened in Vaduz on 8 July
July 8, 2015 — The opening ceremony of ‘Legends and fairy tales in Ural stone carvings’ exhibition took place on 8 July in Liechtenstein National Museum.
Legends and fairy tales in Ural stone carving
The Legends and fairy tales in Ural stone carving exhibition showcases the best hard stone sculptures dedicated to fairy tales, mythological figures and epic heroes. Folklore has always been part and parcel of Russian culture — from ancient times to the modern day. Writers and artists find inspiration in folk tales and the Russian language itself is full of references to stories and images that are well known to Russian people from early childhood.
Five Centuries of Three-Dimensional Mosaic
The history of stone carving in the Urals dates back to the time when Peter the Great was reforming Russia. Over the three hundred years of its existence, this art has changed but it has always had surprisingly close ties with Western European practices in stone-cutting.
The book about stone carving picked up European award
“The Best Books of Liechtenstein 2015” award was given to the book “Legends and fairy tales in Ural stone carvings”
Stone sculptures: creation
Roomple Internet video channel had visited the ‘Svyatogor’ workshop and made a film about the process of creation of stone sculptures by stone carvers.
The catalogue of ‘Legends and fairy tales in Ural stone carvings’ exhibition is available
July 6, 2015 — The catalogue in four languages will be available in Liechtenstein National Museum in Vaduz.
Hard stone carving in the Urals: a story with a new beginning
Hard stone carving developed intensively in the 18–19th century and the active exploration of the Urals — one of the most unusual Russian regions, rich in unique gems — played an important role in this process. The Ural Mountains, which gave the region its name, divide Europe and Asia and behind them lies vast Siberia. Historically, the development of this region has been linked with mining and naturally, such a diverse range of minerals and rocks generated a lot of interest in the art of hard stone carving.