International Chagall Plein Air back in Vitebsk

The International Chagall Plein Air will be revived in Vitebsk to mark the 25th anniversary of the Marc Chagall Museum, Director of the Marc Chagall Museum Irina Voronova told a press conference dedicated to the celebrations of Vitebsk Day on 21 June, BelTA has learned.

"The First Chagall Plein Air was held in 1991. The second one took place in 1997. They were really big events taking into account the number of participating countries. Then there was a long hiatus. 19 years have passed and we decided to revive the tradition of the Chagall plein air this year. There will be no more breaks. Last year a decision was taken to make the International Chagall Readings a biennial event," Irina Voronova explained.

The third edition of the international plein air will kick off on 26 June as part of the celebrations to mark the 1042nd anniversary of Vitebsk. It will last until 7 July, Marc Chagall's birthday. Ten painters from Russia, Belarus, Latvia and Germany have been invited to take part. According to Irina Voronova, it was hard to gather a group of artists together again after such a long hiatus.

"The arrival is scheduled for 25 June. Participants will have time to get familiar with each other, with the Marc Chagall Museum, studios provided to them in the Art Space in 7 Tolstoy Street. The artists will spend two weeks working in Vitebsk, giving master classes, visiting Liozno, Babichi, Zdravnevo and Polotsk," Irina Voronova added.

On 5 July the Marc Chagall Museum will present Belarusfilm Studio animated film Marc Chagall. The Beginning and a mobile exhibition developed by the cinema studio and the National History Museum of Belarus.

The event will wrap up with an exhibition of the artists' works. Each painter will donate two works of theirs to Vitebsk.

BELARUSIAN NEWS