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The Hermitage Logo. Askold Kuzminsky 8 December, 2008, the materials on the history of the State Hermitage design mark and logo were presented in the Hall N 152 of the Winter Palace Eastern Gallery. The exhibition offers view of the sketches reflecting preparatory work in progress, drawings, versions of the design mark (over two hundred variants) and a self-portrait of the artist Askold Kuzminskiy (created in 1980-s) being the author of the design mark and logo. Askold Ivanovich Kuzminskiy (1938-2005) was born in a village of the Vologda region where he graduated from a secondary school. Upon his arrival in Leningrad Kuzminskiy undertook studies in the School of Arts and Graphics. Being a member of the Union of Designers, he spent many years working a leading designer in the Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics; Kuzminskiy also engaged in book illustration, created posters for exhibitions and performances in the Museum of Theatre and Music Arts as well as worked on television. The development of the State Hermitage graphic style (the logo and design mark), created in 1995 on the museum administration’s order, stands out in his artistic biography. The artist toiled at this project for almost a year and a half, simultaneously creating various posters and calendars for the museum festivals. By his contemporaries’ accounts Askold Kuzminskiy was an excellent graphic artist who managed three principal tasks when creating graphic characters: having studied the core, he could transform it into a living thought and turn into an image. Askold Kuzminskiy and his wife Olga Kuzminskaya, who had been working for many years in the Scientific-Educational Department of the State Hermitage, were well acquainted with Anna Akhmatova and often paid her visits in her cottage house in Komarovo. One of the drawings by Askold Ivanovich presents a famous proud half-face which almost became a decoration for the cover of Akhmatova's "Requiem". Publication of that book of poems was not managed then. However, Anna Andreevna herself had a chance to appraise the artist’s work; she appreciated "the sad eyebrows" and presented the young artist a copy of "Requiem" with an inscription. Askold Kuzminskiy participated in numerous international exhibitions. Being a multi-purpose designer and an amazing graphic artist, he created over two hundred original projects, commemorative medals and other masterpieces. What appears to be interesting is that the metro sign - a well recognised St. Petersburg "M" - was also created by Askold Kuzminskiy. The artist illustrated books for children, drew theatre bills and composed inimitable pages of a unique drawn diary every day.
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Copyright
© 2011 State Hermitage Museum |
