A unique “Porcelain in the Interior Scene of History” exhibition has opened at the People and Technologies of the Urals teaching museum-and-exhibition complex of the SUSU Institute of Media, Social Sciences and Humanities. The exhibit introduces its visitors to porcelain as part of the cultural heritage and everyday history of various epochs: from the traditions of the 18th-19th centuries to the modern original art. This is the anniversary tenth exhibition project of the university museum.
The exhibition features figurines, vases, interior items, porcelain sculptures, dolls, and tableware. Visitors may see items from the collections of the Chelyabinsk Cultural Heritage Centre, A.A. Gurov History and Culture Museum Centre, “Ural Porcelain Gallery”, as well as from private collections, including those of the SUSU teaching staff members.
“Porcelain combines the harsh nature of the depths of Earth in the Urals, the exquisite workmanship of artists, and the warmth of human hands. Porcelain items are not just household objects, these are a reflection of the humanity’s history in a very fragile and delicate form. The fact that already the tenth anniversary exhibition opens at the People and Technologies of the Urals museum-and-exhibition complex is in large part thanks to the organizers and our Eurasian Studies Research and Education Centre. Not only artefacts from the museum collections are gathered here, but also the collections of art historians, researchers, organizations and private collectors, who cherish the history of our region and our country and help preserve the cultural heritage for the future generations,” notes Director of the SUSU Institute of Media, Social Sciences and Humanities Lidiya Lobodenko.
The topic of porcelain integrates most different fields: from history and art, to chemistry, technologies, design, and medicine. That is why this exhibition will be of interest to students regardless of what field they are majoring in, as well as to all those willing to take a new look at ordinary items and learn more about history and culture.
“We may consider porcelain at most different aspects, and it will be interesting to various people. It includes not only the history of the craft material. Porcelain is used in power engineering, for instance, in insulators; in medicine – for prosthetic care; while its production is first and foremost related to chemistry. And at the same time, this can also be the everyday tableware – something that links art to personal aspect and history of every family,” shares the Head the People and Technologies of the Urals teaching museum-and-exhibition complex Iuliia Vasina.
Elena Shchetinkina, a porcelain artist and member of the Union of Russian Artists became one of the exhibition participants. She presented her new work at different stages of creation at this exhibition:
“I’m presenting my most recent work and I’m demonstrating different stages of its creation: a plasticine model, a plaster mould, and the completed and painted porcelain item. It’s very difficult to work with porcelain. It took me nine years to create about 40 new items: from the first plasticine models to preparing moulds for production at a plant.”
The exhibition visitors also note that it gives an opportunity to take a totally new look at this everyday material.
“At a museum you immerse yourself in this very special atmosphere. Today, we have found ourselves surrounded by porcelain items. It may seem that every single family used to have such objects and passed these down through generations. But when you happen to be amidst such a variety of items, you can indeed immerse yourself in history. This is also interesting from a scientific point of view: such items may become objects of research for studying and writing scientific papers,” shares student Iuliia Matveeva.
The “Porcelain in the Interior Scene of History” exhibition offers to take a look at an everyday material as at some sort of a cultural chronicle. Porcelain represents the artistic tastes and technological achievements of different epochs, the family stories, the peculiarities of everyday life, and even the images from the famous fairy tales by Pavel Bazhov.
The exhibition will be open at the SUSU’s main building (Rooms 018–020, 76 Lenin Prospect) till December 20th.
Entrance is free on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 till 16:00. Group excursions may be booked at: +7 (351) 267-96-16.