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State Hermitage Report-2008 The State Hermitage Report for 2008 was published (by the State Hermitage’s publisher) in autumn 2009. The report opens by an article entitled The BB Year by M. Piotrovsky, Director of the museum: BB was a nickname for Boris Borisovich Piotrovsky who worked at the Hermitage for his entire lifetime, first as a student and then as the museum’s director for 26 years. This year we celebrated his centennium, with all Hermitage’s events of 2008 honoring BB. He is my father. Naturally, there were some unhappy voices regarding the son’s taking of his advantage in order to glorify his father. In fact, it was my and our duty in respect of BB who passed away not without being influenced by the internal crisis affecting the Hermitage, the duty in respect of his generation of talented and intelligent people who, due to their loyalty to the museum and science, managed to maintain the Hermitage during years of wars and revolutions, amidst ideological and bureaucratic disturbances. It was all about them, their colleagues and friends that we tried to recollect and share to the public. An all-favorite series of books entitled The Guardian about outstanding people of the hermitage culture such as V. Glinka, L. Rakov, N. Nikulin (by his own words), A. Izergina, etc. has become a symbol of such intention today. These stories tell us how the commitment to the duty and the good taste becomes a cultural phenomenon. In honor of the guardians and collectors three principal exhibitions of this year reflecting some of the basic and traditional areas of the Hermitage activities were arranged. This includes At the Ararat’s Foot (from the Museum of the History of Armenia) devoted to archeological findings at the Caucasus made by BB and his students and followers. This includes Caves of Thousand of Buddhas devoted to renowned Russian research in Central Asia. This also includes In Palaces and Marquees dedicated to the global context of Islamic art. The memory of the hermitage collectors of different centuries was embodied in a new exhibition of European silver at the Alexander Hall. Since the hall is entitled in honor of Alexander I, a special showcase of memorial items of Napoleon’s winner was arranged next to it. Specific “gourmet” pleasure was afforded to the guardians and visitors of an exhibition of separate masterpieces from the world museums such as by Velasquez, Parmigianino, Ingres, Correggio. Its mirror reflection was an exhibition devoted to Gozago’s cameo in Mantua. The Renaissance of the museum’s publishing activity was newly implemented in the appearance of the Hermitage’s English version of Messages and several series of popular, beautiful and inexpensive editions that our visitors rejoiced at. Our visitors appreciate new art, therefore, within the framework of the Hermitage 20/21 project, for them we arranged an amazing exhibition of a great sculptor Giacometti, demonstrated fascinating paintings by Chuck Close and works by modern Italian artists. An outstanding event was an exhibition of Timur Novikov, a mythological hero of Leningrad and St Petersburg culture, that reflected the museum’s new approaches to modern art that exists nearby. A few items from Louvre joined an Islamic exhibition which moved to the Hermitage-Kazan center. At the Hermitage-Amsterdam center, as a preparation for the opening of the Center’s Big Âuilding, an exhibition of Caspar Friedrich and German romanticists was held. This year was remarkable for the activities of recently set up thematic commissions and councils that are intended to involve more museum’s employees for the solution of general essential issues. This includes the Council for External Policy, the Council for Security, the Council for Engineering and Construction, the Archeological Commission, the Commission for Permanent Expositions, the Website Commission, and many more. It is a new development step for the administrative pyramid. Construction works were in progress at the Hermitage-Amsterdam Center and at the Repository. Restoration works on the eastern wing of the General Staff Building were commenced. A construction helmet has become a permanent interior item in the director’s office. Along with construction, a project of contemplations entitled Hermitage 20/14 is underway. The Hermitage is implementing it in association with Rem Koolhaas’s AMO studio. The project’s goal is to offer new areas for the museum’s development by 2014 in order to strengthen its role as a city forum, as a guardian of historical memory, as an encyclopedia of not only culture but the museum affairs, as an example of the economics of culture and the cultural economics. Soon in 2014 we are planning to celebrate the Hermitage’s 250th anniversary. For this celebration we are preparing gifts “for the city and the world”. |
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Copyright
© 2011 State Hermitage Museum |
