Famous and mythical horses – at the Vitebsk Art Museum. Sculptor Sergey Bondarenko presented his works

An exhibition of sculptures by Sergey Bondarenko has opened at the Art Museum, showcasing famous and mythical horses in all their glory.

Sergey Bondarenko is the creator of the monument to Prince Algirdas, which was installed in Vitebsk exactly one year ago. To date, the monument is the largest equestrian statue in Belarus. At the opening of his exhibition, the sculptor admitted that he had long dreamed of creating an equestrian monument, and it finally happened.

“You could say that Vitebsk has become the city of my dreams. That's why I decided to show its residents that this work is not accidental in my creative process, to present what I have been doing all my life,” explained the author.

Sergey Bondarenko graduated from the Belarusian State Theatre and Art Institute, and then interned in the creative workshops of the USSR Academy of Arts in Minsk under the guidance of Zair Azgur. His first works were exhibited in 1972 in Sapporo, Japan, at the World Expo. Since then, he has presented his sculptures in many countries around the world, and in China, he even became an honorary member of the Academy of Arts.

The sculptor's special passion is horses. For many years, he attended international horse racing competitions, frequently visited the Republican Center for Olympic Training in Equestrian Sports and Horse Breeding in Ratomka, and sought models for his works. Commissions from owners allowed Sergey Bondarenko to work with the most beautiful horses of his time. Among them is the handsome Rembrandt, the most famous representative of the Westphalian breed. The museum exhibition features both sport horses, working horses, and horses of princes. The exhibition presents 20 works by the author, while there are over 250 in the sculptor's studio.

Sergey Bondarenko prefers bronze for his works, completing all stages of the process, from the clay model to the casting. He has mastered the ancient casting method, the so-called lost-wax technique, known since the 7th century BC, and has become a master in this craft. Several years ago, he cast souvenir replicas of Tsereteli's Columbus by commission. The works of the Belarusian master are housed in museums and private collections in many countries around the world. For a month, residents and guests of Vitebsk have the opportunity to get acquainted with the work of the author of the monument, which has become one of the symbols of the ancient city on the Dvina River.

The exhibition at the Art Museum will be open until mid-July.

Tatyana Pasternak, "Vitebskiye Vesti"