OREANDA-NEWS. On March 06, 2009 sponsored by VTB Bank the Tretyakov Gallery launched an innovative project – “Flowers as the Eden’s Remnants on the Earth” – devoted to the flower theme embracing five centuries of the Russian culture, reported the press-centre of VTB.

The project is unique in the Russian museum history. It is designed as a festivity which alongside paintings would include music, various performances and flowers’ installations. The Exhibition will run for two months allowing the Gallery to celebrate the spring in such an unusual way.

For the specific purposes of the Exhibition, the project managers decorated the Engineering building in Lavrushinskiy Pereulock, with the street installation being duplicated along the facade, in the hall and up the stairs, so that visitors will immediately get merged into a specific atmosphere of mixed sounds, smells, real objects and images.

At the same time, the installations do not distract visitors’ attention from the core of the Exhibition, floral motives in the Golden Fund of the Russian classical arts. The world-famous works from the permanent exposition of the Gallery are mixed up with less known or unknown paintings. Among the exhibits are quite rare icons and fresco pieces dated back to XVI–XVII centuries which are decorated with flowers. Of special interest are “The Portrait of Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the First” by Georg Caspar Prenner in a frame of flowers; and the only male self-portrait against a backdrop of flowers by Pimen Orlov.

Vasily Titov, VTB Bank Deputy Chairman said: “VTB Bank has always actively supported the Russian arts, and the Tretyakov Gallery, in particular, which is a symbol of the national culture. This project is unique, it will undoubtfully attract arts lovers and contribute to the spring mood of the Gallery visitors”.