Unique exhibition of glass painting in Bereza
More than fifty works of master Maria Kuletskaya, from Pruzhany, are on show at the Bereza Art Gallery. The Generous Heart exhibition will run until late February.
Maria Kuletskaya is a participant and diploma holder of numerous exhibitions, festivals and competitions. Many of her works are kept at museums and private collections worldwide. Four paintings are on show at the National Museum of Belarus’ History and Culture.
About fifty years ago, pictures made of foil and covered by glass were common for virtually every Belarusian house. They might depict two pigeons, with wedding photos placed in specially cut ‘windows’. Actually, the craft has been losing its popularity and could have been even forgotten. However, Ms. Kuletskaya has revived it.
A drawing is made on the back of the glass with a pen and ink. Silver or gold foil is used as well. Actually, aluminium foil for cooking or food wrapping and ordinary window glass are necessary to make a picture. Ms. Kuletskaya creates not only fashionable plots that can decorate any modern interior but also village-themed pictures featuring pigeons, cats, poppies or roses.
The master is also great at oil painting, straw weaving, embroidery, wood carving, and vytinanka [the art of cutting lace patterns from white and coloured paper]. The Bereza show presents her original works: images of Orthodox saints and angels, plots based on folk rituals and Belarusian national holidays.
Tatiana Zdanevich, a folk master from Bereza, creates glass and wood paintings as well. She also makes wonderful braided belts. Ms. Zdanevich comments, “Maria Kuletskaya is a wonderful master and a talented person, and I love her very much. I appreciate her approach, technique and plots; they leave nobody indifferent. Masters like Maria are an example for me, and I am proud to know her. I am always happy with her creativity and beautiful stories that remind me of the years spent in the village. This skilful master has an open soul, and I am very glad that her exhibition will be on show in the Bereza District. This craft is dear to us as we have also been developing and preserving traditional glass painting for many years. Happily, the ancient craft is being revived in our Bereza District. We have visited 22 villages of the area to find out that more than sixteen masters developed glass and wood painting in the past. We are now collecting an archive about these people and their works. We also teach children the technique of glass painting. They will definitely get acquainted with Maria Kuletskaya’s works, and I am convinced this will be very useful for them.”
