Pre-reading
The text you are about to read describes Altai visual art. List five key words you might expect to meet in the text. What events and conditions in society do you think first led to the development of fine art?
According to N. K. Rerikh, Altai is one of the greatest spiritual magnets in the world, which attracts high cosmic energy, forming the culture of future. Altai is called the pearl of Siberia by right.
Altai generously shows its treasure and beauty to those who are able to see it. Artists have blazed to the most secluded corners and shown the beauty of Altai nature in their canvases.
The Altai branch of the Russian Federation Union of artists was set up in 1940. Nowadays it has 130 members, and it is one of the largest creative groups in Siberia. The Altai Union of Artists has its own material funds, a number of studios, Exhibition Hall in the center of Barnaul. Altai artists actively participate in the life of our region.
Painting, drawing sculpture, art designs are fields of art in which creative energy of Altai masters has its realizations. The Altai Union of Artists’ contribution to modern culture of Siberia is great. Many exhibitions are displayed at the Exhibition hall and traveling expositions in the most remote places. A number of public art galleries have been opened in the village districts, and artists have given them hundreds of canvases, sculptures, drawings. A lot of Altai artists’ works have been recognized as masterpieces at republican, all – Union, international and foreign exhibitions. Their works are kept not only in the biggest Russian museums, such as the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum, the Museum of Oriental Art, but also in a lot of private collections in Europe, America and Asia.
It has happened so historically that landscape painting has become the leading genre in Altai fine art. In the works of contemporary Altai masters, landscape is remarkable for its diversity.
Labor theme was major in masters’ creation for years, and Altai artists’ creativity developed this way too. Altai art has kept its major feature – unique painting tradition and interest in person world, the world of our contemporary citizens. Drawings and water – colors, etchings and engravings still attract artists nowadays.
Portrait and easel composition are the major genres. Sculptors work with practically every lasting material – stone, wood, metal, using new technologies.
Besides, a lot of memorials to the fallen in the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars have been created by Altai sculptors. Altai etchers represent monumental and easel works at exhibitions of gifferent rank.
Realism remains the major genre in Altai Art. Nonrealistic works are remarkable for its constructive character; they frequent ethnographical elements, that gives them folk color and bright picturesqueness.
Herodotus called Altai “the land of griffins watching over gold”.
Comprehension
1. Which paragraphs give reasons for the development of Altai Fine Art?
2. Give four examples of various fields of arts.
3. How many times is the word “genre” used in the text? What does this word refer to? Is there any equivalent to it?
4. There is a quotation in the text. Translate it into Russian. Who is the author of it?
Vocabulary
Select the adjectives in the text which are used for genre features.
Viewpoint
The text ends with a quotation. How would you explain it?