Known as one of the world’s four leading art academies, the Ilya Repin St. Petersburg Academy of Arts dates back to 1757.
Since the 18th century, the Academy has maintained a rigorous educational system and produced master artists such as Ilya Repin, Vasily Surikov, Karl Bryullov, and Ivan Shishkin.
The academy’s senior professor Arsen Kurbanov and faculty member Nikita Mogilevtsev will exhibit their work at the Affordable Art Fair, which will be held from May 14th to 17th, exploring how tradition stands up against this digital and conceptual world.
In the field of contemporary art, self-expression is often paramount. Mr. Kurbanov pointed out that while many academies have lost sight of basic training in art, Repin Academy is still working on it.
Arsen Kurbanov said that while many academies have lost sight of basic artistic training, Repin Academy is still working on it.
He believes that “if you look at artists as professionals, rather than just people engaged in self-expression, professionalism becomes the core of what they do.”
Mogilevtsev also said that the academy rejects the cold, mechanical reproduction of nature, or hyperrealism, and instead emphasizes the emotional depth and inner feeling of images.
Meanwhile, both artists have expressed concerns about the excessive commercialization of art.
Draw parallels from fairy tales emperor’s new clothesKurbanov said contemporary art sometimes relies too much on curators to “decipher” and market it. “When someone sticks a banana on a wall and sells it for a high price, if you don’t understand that, you’re considered uneducated.”
He also said that many young artists only paint to sell, which undermines their artistic value.
Mr. Mogilevtsev emphasized that the Russians: Peredvizhniki The school of painting advocates a “humanistic spirit,” and technical excellence is only a means to strengthen the creative goal. “Integrity and emotion are more worthy of exploration than eye-catching, eye-catching effects.”
He also argues that the rise of artificial intelligence is diminishing our professional skills, and says that the essence of art is warmth, which cannot be replaced by soulless machines.
Nikita Mogilevtsev is looking forward to visiting Hong Kong.
Last year, Kurbanov participated in a memorable exhibition held at the Central Library, where he exhibited together with the famous artist Lin Minggan. This experience left a deep impression on him, and he analyzed Hong Kong art as being influenced by traditional Chinese painting and Western realism.
Affordable art fairs, he says, are very democratic, allowing audiences to interpret art based on their own intuition rather than relying on the opinions of particular critics.
Meanwhile, Mogilevtsev is looking forward to visiting Hong Kong for the first time and said he hopes to delve into the local arts and culinary scene.
When asked if the academy would open campuses abroad, Kurbanov said: “Currently, there is no branch that can accurately reproduce the quality of our education.”
He explained that the Academy’s comprehensive education is also about the city of St. Petersburg, including the Hermitage Museum, the State Russian Museum and the historical atmosphere, which helps constitute an irreplaceable artistic environment.
However, the academy offers short-term programs in mainland cities such as Shenzhen and Nanjing. Kurbanov hopes to work with Hong Kong educational institutions to train local students and increase their chances of admission to the academy.
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