SUSU does everything to teach students admire beautiful things, to cultivate their love for art, and the ability to appreciate the beauty of the world around them. On October 16th, the exhibition “City as a Theatre: Architectural Heritage of the Creator” opened in the university’s Art Gallery. It is dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the birth of the Honoured Architect of the Russian Federation, Professor of the SUSU Department of Architecture Boris Baranov (1939–2021).
The opening was attended by the architect's relatives, friends, colleagues, teachers, staff and students. Fifth-year student from the Tchaikovsky South Ural State Institute of Arts Alisa Gusakova performed pieces by contemporary foreign composers on the violin. A slide show consisting of historical photographs capturing moments in the life of Boris Baranov, his works of art and buildings constructed according to his designs was shown on the big screen.
Professor Nataliia Parfentieva, Head of the Department of Theology, Culture and Art of the SUSU Institute of Media, Social Sciences and Humanities, Leading Researcher at the Current Problems of History and Theory of Culture Research and Education Centre addressed the audience with a welcome speech. She noted that the exhibition is a significant event not only for our university, but also for Chelyabinsk as a whole.
Also among the speakers were the Chairman of the Board of the Chelyabinsk Regional Branch of the Union of Architects of Russia, member of the Board of the Chelyabinsk Interregional Union of Builders, Honorary Architect of Russia Sergey Iakobiuk; Professor, Head of the Department of Architecture of the SUSU Institute of Architecture and Construction, Honoured Worker of Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Honorary Architect of Russia Salavat Shabiev; Professor, founder of the SUSU Department of Design and Fine Arts Dmitry Surin, and the Chief Architect of Chelyabinsk, SUSU graduate Olga Nikitina.
They thanked everyone who made the exhibition possible, including Boris Baranov's relatives who provided his works. The exhibition was organized at the joint efforts of SUSU and the Chelyabinsk Regional Branch of the Union of Architects of Russia. The speakers talked about Boris Baranov’s work as an architect, teacher, his scientific and creative activities, awards, including the State Prize of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in the field of architecture. For a long time, the scientist had worked at the Chelyabgrazhdanproekt Institute, from the mid-1980s to the end of the 1990s he had held the post of Chief Architect of Chelyabinsk, and then had moved to teaching - he had been a professor at the SUSU Department of Architecture.
Thanks to his work, in particular, a complex of 14-story buildings on Lenin Prospekt, the Palace of Pioneers and Schoolchildren complex on Aloye Pole square, and the building of the Chelyabinsk State Academic Drama Theatre named after N.Yu. Orlov appeared in Chelyabinsk.
The curator of the exhibition, the head of the SUSU Art Museum Anatoly Razuev spoke about the features of the multifaceted works of the master, about how the works were selected for the exhibition, and separately mentioned the professor's passion for animation: in addition to paintings, the exhibition included sketches by Boris Baranov for cartoons.
"We have a good tradition: we try to display in the Art Gallery the works of architects whose life, work, and creativity are connected with South Ural State University. One of such remarkable people was Boris Baranov," noted Anatoly Razuev. "Unfortunately, the space of the Art Gallery does not allow us to accommodate all of the artist's paintings, but we tried to select the most interesting and significant ones."
The painter was able to depict colour and light in landscapes with extraordinary skill – in summer and winter, at dusk, at sunset, on a clear sunny day and after rain.
"It is very good that this exhibition is held: it is important that people remember the names of those who created the wonderful buildings that adorn our city," said Boris Baranov's comrade, colleague and friend, Associate Professor at the SUSU Department of Architecture Aleksey Burov, one of those who selected the works for the exhibition. "Unfortunately, many important objects - sports palaces, concert halls - are often built according to standard designs; similar structures can be seen in different cities. But, for example, the Naum Orlov Drama Theatre building and the Palace of Pioneers and Schoolchildren on Aloye Pole square, built back in the Soviet times, are unique! That is why it is so important to preserve the architectural heritage, to remember the creators, and for young people to look up to those who knew how to create and taught others to do that."
In total, the exhibition presents more than fifty water-colour paintings created by the master at different years. Among them are Chelyabinsk and St. Petersburg views - the Rostral Columns, the Admiralty with its spire sparkling in the sun, St. Isaac's Cathedral, narrow medieval streets of Riga...Also, there are landscapes - the Riga seaside, the Miass River...The master especially often painted views of the Kama river: the city of Usolye (the artist's small motherland) is located there.
The exhibition is open to visitors on weekdays from 10:00 to 17:00, on Saturdays from 10:00 to 15:00, and closed on Sundays. Entrance to the SUSU Art Gallery is, as always, free of charge.