In Vitebsk, you can see the paradisiacal beauty of Bali island - at the exhibition of Robert Genin's works

On October 9, an exhibition of authentic works by the famous European artist Robert Genin from the private collection of Alexey and Marina Rodionov (Saint Petersburg) opened at the Marc Chagall Art Center in Vitebsk.

Robert Genin (1884-1941) was born near Klimovichi in the Mogilev Governorate; he received his initial art education in Vilnius and Odessa. In 1902, he moved to Munich, then lived and worked in Germany, Switzerland, and France, achieving success. In 1936, the artist returned to Russia to paint the walls of new buildings in Moscow. In the autumn of 1941, he committed suicide.

This is a brief biography of Genin. However, there was one very bright period in his life directly related to the Vitebsk exhibition. It was the Indonesian island of Bali. In 1926, Genin traveled there hoping to find people living in harmony with nature and each other. His impressions of Bali gave a strong impetus to his creativity. He brought back many works from the "paradise island" created from life, including elegant portraits of Balinese women with flowers or monkeys.

The exhibition at the Marc Chagall Art Center is dedicated to the release of the book "Robert Genin. In Search of Paradise: Bali, 1926". It reproduces about 100 pastels that Genin drew on the distant island. Art lovers in Vitebsk can see 18 of these, as well as 5 early works by the famous artist, in their original form – thanks to the St. Petersburg collectors, the Rodionovs.

"We were fortunate to acquire several pastels from Genin's Balinese cycle at various German auctions. And the director of the Marc Chagall Museum, Lyudmila Khmelnytskaya, decided to give us the opportunity to exhibit these works here in Vitebsk," Alexey Rodionov said at the opening.

"In 1913, Genin had his first exhibition in Munich. And now, a hundred years later, his solo exhibition has opened in Belarus. But we brought these works not directly from St. Petersburg, but from Mogilev, where they were exhibited at the Maslenikov Regional Art Museum since September. From Vitebsk, the exhibition will go to Minsk, to the National Art Museum. And this tour across Belarus is taking place thanks to such enthusiasts and collectors of art as Alexey Rodionov," noted Lyudmila Khmelnitskaya, Director of the Marc Chagall Museum.

Robert Genin's works can be seen in Vitebsk until November 3.