II The International Festival "Christmas Lights" of the creative association "Union of Cultures" with the support of the State Historical and Art Palace and Park Museum-Reserve "Gatchina" presents the exhibition "Christmas in the Castle of the Knight".

This annual cultural event gives everyone, regardless of age or religious denomination, the opportunity to join in the centuries-old tradition of celebrating Christmas.

The Priory Palace Chapel welcomes not only the traditional characters of Christmas history to the festive season. The exhibition focuses on the time of valiant knights and is laden with legends of beautiful ladies, battle tournaments, falconry, bravery and nobility.

Посетители выставки могут увидеть работы художников из Санкт-Петербурга и Ленинградской области, Москвы и Твери в разнообразных жанрах: от бумажной пластики и живописи — до авторских кукол, витражей и гобеленов.

A highlight of the exhibition were stained glass windows by Ekaterina Dutova and Elena Krylova, artists in the Hermitage restoration workshops. A stained glass window from Moscow by Marina Fominova is presented. A series of picturesque paintings by Yekaterina Dutova creates an atmosphere of the Middle Ages.

The Textile Guild of St Petersburg provided magnificent tapestries by Irina Yablochkina and Zoya Lendenskaya-Bolshakova.

The dolls by Irina Moskvina, Natalia Krutova, Irina Panfilenok, Irina Varshavskaya and Olga Bondar are striking in their elegance and craftsmanship.

A particular attraction for viewers is the composition in the sack "Christmas in Old St. Petersburg" by Tatiana Chernova. The luminous paper plastic, performed by Maria Bohan from Tver, does not leave viewers indifferent.

Traditionally, along with adult participants, children take part in the Christmas exhibition. This time it is the pupils of the Children's Art School named after B.M. Kustodiev. B.M. Kustodiev Children's Art School in St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg.

The creative association Union of Cultures has been running Christmas exhibitions for eight years, until 2020 they were held at the Museum of Ethnography. This year's (our) project is under the cultural patronage of the Consulate of Albania in the Russian Federation.

The Union of Cultures Creative Association has been cooperating with foreign partners since 2010. Joint projects, exchange exhibitions and workshops are held with the Swiss Ibrahim Kodra Foundation, the National Museum of Liechtenstein and the Vertepov Festival in Como (Italy) and are intended to unite people of different nationalities and faiths in art and culture, as well as to support compatriots abroad.

Особая благодарность организаторам и устроителям этого праздничного мероприятия: директору Государственного историко-художественного дворцово-паркового музея-заповедника «Гатчина»  Василию Юрьевичу Панкратову, который поверил в идею и творческие возможности «Союза культур», сотрудникам музея, куратору выставки и художественному руководителю объединения — Наталье Баскаковой, руководителю объединения — Наталье Сивачевой, пресс-службе – Зинаиде Гуляевой.

The exhibition can be visited until 9 January 2022 (dates may be extended).

E-tickets can be purchased online Priory Palace

Materials for publication provided by Natalia Baskakova