Exhibition featuring works by leading Belarusian and Russian artists on show in Moscow

The Union State – Unity Through Culture exhibition project presented at Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery on the eve of Day of Unity of Peoples of Belarus and Russia

The initiative – implemented by the Standing Committee of the Union State together with the Russian Academy of Arts, the Belarusian Union of Artists, the culture ministries of Belarus and Russia – aims to emphasise the unifying power of art in the modern world. The exhibition features artworks by members of the Russian Academy of Arts, as well as its honorary academicians in Belarus.

“We talk a lot about economic integration, and this is justified and fair. Its scale is determined by our national leaders: Aleksandr Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin. However, this exhibition is a symbol of the special relationship between our masters of art. We want to once again demonstrate the foundation of the unity of our cultures," the State Secretary of the Union State, Dmitry Mezentsev, said at the opening of the exhibition. “The right of an artist to create openly – without pressure or censorship within our Union State – is actually confirmed by this exhibition. It is very valuable for us that Zurab Tsereteli, a world-famous master, President of the Russian Academy of Arts, People's Artist of the USSR and the Russian Federation, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, has become one of the initiators of this project.”

Importantly, Zurab Tsereteli personally took part in the opening of the exhibition.

“Initiatives of the kind are designed to highlight the unifying power of art in a modern, conflict-torn world. Beauty has saved our world many times, and it will continue to do this,” Dmitry Krutoi, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Russian Federation, stated with confidence.

As noted by Gleb Otchik, the Chairman of the Belarusian Union of Artists, significant steps have been taken in the right direction in the unified cultural space of the Union State recently. “We see what is happening in the world, but spiritual and moral guidelines remain fundamental for our fraternal peoples. We have brought various works to the exhibition from Minsk in order to fully present the whole palette of the Belarusian art school – including painting, graphics, and photography,” he said.

Archbishop Dimitri of Vitebsk and Orsha, who was among those invited, confirmed while walking along the exhibition halls, “This is a royal exhibition! Our culture is at a high stage of development today. God grant that we preserve it!”