"The Pope has a very warm attitude towards Russia"
The Pope has supported the idea of holding an exhibition of Nikas Safronov in the Vatican. The Pontiff has a great love and respect for Russian art, and in his chambers hang paintings by Konstantin Korovin, Yuri Klever and the Peredvizhniki. Nikas Safronov told Izvestia in an exclusive interview immediately after his private audience with Francis I - and "on the hot seat" shared his impressions of the conversation with the head of the Catholic Church.
"His eyes moistened when he saw the paintings."
- You presented the Pope with two of your paintings. What are they depicting? And how did the pontiff react?
- I gave him a portrait and a picture of the basilica in Buenos Aires, where he began his spiritual work. He liked the work very much. His eyes moistened when he saw them. It was such a milestone for him that even looking at the picture of the painting that I had sent some time ago, he was encouraged. And the ambassador said to me: "Papa asks me to choose the time." I was amazed: it was not him giving me a date in his busy schedule, but asking me to choose the time!
Now these paintings will hang where he lives and he will be able to see them often, maybe even in his bedroom. Memories of youth are important to every person. Francis never thought he would become Pope. But today he likes to go back to that time in his mind. A painting becomes a link to the past. I once gave Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov a copy of the President's portrait, and over time it became weathered and cracked. I said, "Give it to me, I'll make you another one." And he said, "No, no, it's a mascot."
- The proposal to make an exhibition in the Vatican came from you?
- Yes, but he was very enthusiastic about the idea. After he handed over the paintings, he was kind of waiting for the continuation, and when I mentioned the exhibition, he immediately jumped on it. He called his man, who dialed someone on the phone, confirmed to him that the Pope wanted to organize an exhibition of a Russian artist. There were no formal excuses - "we'll discuss it, someday, somewhere..."
- Have the dates already been set?
- We will discuss them today. In any case, we need some time to prepare. But I already have a dozen or two paintings related to the Vatican, I have already started this work. Ahead of the meeting, the Pope's aides told me that if I were to ask for an exhibition, it should be related to spirituality, the Vatican, the churches of Rome.
"There are paintings by our artists hanging in the halls where he lives"
- Today our culture is trying to "cancel" in Western countries. The Pope was not embarrassed that you are a Russian artist? How does the pontiff feel about our country?
- Pope Francis is a finely sensitive man who is not indifferent to what is happening in the world. It is clear that he is burdened with all sorts of obligations, but he is in favor of those classical patriarchal values that have emerged since the emergence of Christianity itself. And in favor of connecting peoples through religion and culture. While talking about our exhibition, he recalled that many Russian artists went to Italy to study, and their art became even more sublime. This is Karl Brullov, Alexander Ivanov... Francis has a very warm attitude towards Russia, which was especially pleasant and important for me. He knows Russian culture firsthand - Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Tchaikovsky. When he learned that my son Luca is a musician, he exclaimed, "Oh, like Tchaikovsky!". I was struck by the fact that in the halls where he lives there are paintings by our artists.
Pope Francis
- What of Russian painting is close to him?
- I have seen in his rooms paintings by Konstantin Korovin, Yuri Klever, the classic painters. I think they are close to him. They depict Russian churches, winter, sunrises, sunsets - what the people love. And in this sense, he shares the tastes of ordinary people.
- Can this exhibition help to establish relations with Europe?
- I think it can be another step towards rapprochement. The Vatican is a very visited place, so a lot of people will be able to see my paintings. And since I represent Russia, they will treat our country differently. Remember Neil Armstrong's phrase about the moon landing - "A small step for man, a huge leap for mankind"? Well, this exhibition will be my small step, but a big deal for the rapprochement with Europe. After all, if the Pope accepts, the others say, "Then we are ready to accept." Through this act, he sends a message: create, love, communicate! By the way, I asked him to come and consecrate the exhibition, and he confirmed that yes, he was going to.
- Do you have any other projects planned abroad?
- In addition to the Vatican, I plan to organize an exhibition in another part of Rome (this is already Italy), I am preparing a project in Switzerland with the support of Sophia Loren and in Abu Dhabi - a branch of the Louvre.
The Louvre branch in Abu Dhabi.
Nikas Safronov is a People's Artist of Russia. He is a full member of the Russian Academy of Arts. He studied at the Rostov Art School. After compulsory service in the Soviet army he continued his studies at the State Art Institute of the Lithuanian SSR. Painted portraits of many political and public figures, artists of show business.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
