Vladimir Prokoptsov called himself a "night artist" at the opening of his solo exhibition in Vitebsk
At the opening of the exhibition at the Art Museum, the author admitted that he was very nervous before the vernissage. This exhibition is a kind of creative report of the artist to his alma mater, teachers, fellow students, and the world-renowned Vitebsk Art School.
– Vitebsk is called the Belarusian Paris. This city, like the capital of France, has given a creative start to many masters of the brush. Although my roots are in the Gomel region, I believe that I was born an artist in Vitebsk, – said Vladimir Prokopsov.
The special attitude of the Director General of the National Art Museum to the region on the Dvina was noted by the Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies, Vladimir Terentyev, who came to congratulate Vladimir Ivanovich on the opening of the exhibition. There is no serious event in our region that Vladimir Prokopsov has not attended. Thanks to him, masterpieces from the collection of the National Art Museum were presented in our city, and works by Vitebsk artists are exhibited in the main exhibition hall of the capital of Belarus.
Vladimir Terentyev presented the jubilee with a diploma from the regional council. And representatives of the Department of Art and Graphics, where Vladimir Prokopsov studied, presented him with a blank canvas for a future work dedicated to Vitebsk, and a symbol of the city – the town hall, skillfully carved from wood. The university administration also honored the former student with the diploma "Pride and Glory of the Alma Mater".
The curator of the artist's group, Elena Zhukova, also came to see the works of her student. The educator emphasized that Vladimir Prokopstov was distinguished by his organization, attentiveness, diligence, and inclination towards scientific research during his student years. All of this together shaped him into a thoughtful artist and a curious researcher.
All speakers at the exhibition opening, including the People's Artist of Armenia, Faraon Mirzoyan, expressed surprise that Vladimir Prokopstov, despite being so busy with administrative and research work, and being the author and curator of various museum projects, scientific books, and articles, finds time to stand at the easel.
He calls himself a night artist and expressed this in the painting "My Vitebsk," which occupies a central place in the exhibition. Here, the author depicted himself drawing the city by candlelight attached to his hat. Work on this canvas took a year. Another dedication to the city, "Vitebsk Dreams of Paris," he painted over 10 years.
A total of 30 works from different periods are presented in Vitebsk, in which the artist conveys his love for his homeland, both large and small. Among them are landscapes of the Gomel region and Lepel region, where Vladimir Prokopstov worked as the second secretary of the Komsomol district committee after graduating from university, as well as still lifes and genre paintings with a philosophical subtext. The exhibition's author presented the album "My Belarus," published by "Mastatskaya Lіtaratura," which includes a complete collection of his works.
The exhibition, which the author dedicated to the Year of Small Motherland, will be open until November 9.
