Cultural news in the Vologda region

An exhibition “Laces of the Russian North” will be opened in early June in the South Jutland History and Culture Museum (Tønder, Denmark).

Tønder is a small town on the south of the country, it is here where the only Lace and Textile Museum in Denmark is situated. Local population began lacemaking in the early XVII century. During several centuries (XVII-XVIII, beginning of the XIX century) lacemaking was considered greatly significant activity for Tønder and its surroundings. This historical fact connects South Jutland with Vologda Region, where lacemaking as a branch of manufacture also played an important role for the area.

The exhibition “Laces of the Russian North” is arranged by the South Jutland History and Culture Museum (Tønder, Denmark), the Vologda State Museum-Reserve of History, Architecture and Decorative Arts and its branch – the Lace Museum (Vologda, Russia), the Kingdom of Denmark Embassy in Moscow, the Russian Federation Embassy in Denmark.

The cultural cooperation started in 2012, when lace exhibitions from Denmark took place in the State Museum of Alexander Pushkin and the State Museum “Pavlovsk”. In August, 2015 the Lace Museum presented the exhibition “Denmark Lace: History and Contemporaneity” from the Tønder Museum. This year lace exhibition race will be continued by the exhibition “Laces of the Russian North” from the Lace Museum.

Among pieces of work, which will be presented in Denmark, are: panels, tablecloths, overlays, pelerines, runners, created in previous century by leading artists and lace masters.

One of the traditional themes in Vologda lace is nature with all its riches. With the language of lace ornament an artist tells about soleness of nature and its varieties. To such pieces of work can be referred tableclothes “Square” (2000) by T. Smirnova, “Forest Boats” (2005), “Forget-me-nots” (2003) by M. Palnikova and others.

One of the key exposition pieces is a work, dedicated to the ancient town of Vologda, its architectural and cultural monuments, - a panel “The Vologda Relics” (2003) by A. Rackcheeva. There is a picture of St. Sophia Cathedral in the centre, an architectural monument – a symbol of Vologda. The author puts the House of Peter I in the upper part of the panel together with the collected sights of Vologda churches and cathedrals. Next to the masterpieces of ancient architecture the author shows a lace maker to underline the meaning of lace craft.

One of the favourive characters in the Vologda artists work is a collected image of a fairy bird. The images of birds are met on many pieces of lace work, created on Vologda land, for example, on the round overlay “A Bird of Happiness” (2004) by G. Mamrovskaya.

The image of birds is still popular for lace artists. On the exhibition «Laces of the Russian North» this theme will be continued in new bright and coloured works of the international competition “Lace Mirical Bird” (2015) participants.

Articles of clothing, represented on the exhibition, earn special attention: manteaus, pelerines, jackets and scarves are unique by their complex, delicate ornaments, which serve to underline women beauty and elegance. Many of them got female names: a neckpiece “Julia” (2004), a manteau “Eugenia” (1997), a scarf “Tatyana’s Day” (2008), etc.

The exposition «Laces of the Russian North” opening is coincided with the International Traditional Lace Festival, which once in three years gather together in Tønder artists, designers and lacemakers from all over the world.

The exhibition will work till September, 25.