At the end of October 2007 the Youth Educational Centre organized a series of meetings timed to coincide with the opening of the USA Today exhibition. This is a large project being organized by the State Hermitage Museum and brought together in the General Staff Building, displaying the works of young American masters. It consists of a special educational programme which has been developed for St. Petersburg's youth and includes not only lectures dedicated to the largest collection in the world of contemporary art, but also meetings with Russian and foreign curators, concerts, film exhibitions and master classes for project participants.

At the threshold of the exhibition opening, in the Youth Educational Centre's lecture theatre of the State Hermitage Museum, a seminar took place between students and the American artist Adam Cvijanovic who talked about the process of creating his artwork. Turning to the architectural "blende" of the reception area, Adam Cvijanovic reinterprets the genre of fresco paintings. He writes on tyvek pages (a special material used by FedEx, one of its indubitable advantages is its ability to be transported quickly from one exhibition to another). His large scale works take up entire walls and create the illusion of real space, achieved by using a highly realistic painting style. Having gathered at the Youth Centre we are acquainted not only with the peculiarities of his artistic style but with his nearby works, which have not been displayed for a Russian audience. Various questions were discussed concerning contemporary art and the arts market in a lively seminar.

In the first few days of the opening of the USA Today exhibition at the General Staff Building a seminar was held for students with one of the project's curators, Sir Norman Rosenthal. A consultant of the Hermitage 20/21 project from the Royal Academy of the Arts, and curator of the USA Today exhibition, he talked to St. Petersburg youths about the first USA Today exhibition which took place in the Royal Academy of the Arts in London in November 2006. The conversation continued about his work with the owner of the Saatchi Gallery, Charles Saatchi, who gave permission for the exhibition in the General Staff Building.

American artist Adam Cvijanovic

Meeting at the exhibition

Students at a meeting with the artist

Sir Norman Rosenthal talking about the USA Today exhibition

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