Residents and guests of the city can see the exhibition-fairytale of bright felt toys "Poteshki v okoshke" (Little Joys in the Window) at the I.E. Repin Museum-Estate "Zdravnevo".
2014 is a special year for the I.E. Repin Museum-Estate "Zdravnevo". As part of the Ilya Repin anniversary – the 170th anniversary of his birth – the museum is hosting a series of events that reveal his personality and legacy from various, sometimes unexpected, perspectives for the visitor.
For instance, the main manor house features a small but captivating exhibition-fairytale for children and adults alike, showcasing bright felt toys titled "Poteshki v okoshke". It is displayed in the window frame and opens an intriguing chapter of the great Russian painter's biography, reminding us of his early creative attempts and successes.
The author of the idea and the exhibition itself, Marina Fedorenko, was recently a staff member of the I.E. Repin Museum-Estate. She shared her concept:
— Felting is one of my favorite hobbies; I've been mastering this technique for 2.5 years. And I was inspired to create an exhibition of "poteshki" (an archaic word for toys) for the museum by Ilya Yefimovich's memories in his autobiographical book “The Distant Near”. In the chapter “Sprouts of Art” the artist vividly recounts how, as a child, he and his sister Ustya loved to entertain their neighbors by decorating windows with homemade "vytinanki" (paper cuttings). Not only children but also adults flocked to their windows. Everyone stopped, lingering to admire the masterfully cut animals made by children's hands.
Today, the art of "vytinanki" is becoming popular again. But another tradition, decorating the window "interframe" with toys and natural materials, seems to be disappearing completely soon. And this is understandable, as old-fashioned wooden windows are becoming increasingly rare. Modern windows do not need protection from condensation, so you will hardly see cotton wool, moss, and a glass of salt aesthetically decorated between the frames anymore.
As is known, window compositions were created before the first frosts, before the frames were insulated. With their splendor, the windows brought the holiday closer, setting the mood. However, people were in no hurry to dismantle the decorations. Thus, the New Year holiday "lingered" in the window between the frames until Easter.
Joint discussions during the preparation of the "Poteshki" exhibition increasingly convinced us that this exhibition should not remain a one-off event in the museum's history, but should serve as a starting point for holding a small annual festival of author's toys. After all, a handmade toy, as the first artistic creation, is rightfully a symbol of the birth of I.E. Repin's creative personality, and the I.E. Repin Museum-Estate "Zdravnevo" provides ample opportunities for the implementation of such ideas.
The conceived project was named "Poteshkino", as it implies the creation of an entire fairy-tale toy world. During the exhibition period, the museum will transform into a teremok (a traditional Russian wooden house), within the walls of which both window openings and exhibition areas will be utilized. The timing will be winter, with its rich New Year and Christmas culture, traditions closely associated with toys.
We hope that this idea will resonate with toy makers working in various techniques. The staff of the I.E. Repin Museum-Estate "Zdravnevo" await proposals from everyone wishing to participate in the "Poteshkino-2015" festival. Applications are accepted until October 2014.
Dina KLYCHEVA, Senior Researcher at the I.E. Repin Museum-Estate "Zdravnevo"