Wooden icons painted in Byzantine style by a group of students of the Art School “Ion și Doina Aldea-Teodorovici” of Cornești, Ungheni, were displayed at an exhibition mounted in the hall of the National Library. The icons can be admired and also bought for prices varying between 300 and 3,800 lei, IPN reports.
Plastic artist Cezara Colesnic said a summer painting school with students of the art schools of Cornești and Chisinau was staged at the National Library last summer, under the aegis of the Bulgarian painter Krasimir Savov. This, being an icon painter, noticed a special talent in the young students from Cornești and thus decided to propose organizing an icon painting course.
According to the plastic artist, the course started last September and involved 14 students of the art school of Cornești who are fond of painting icons. “Icon painting is something specific and differs slightly from traditional panting. It is another atmosphere when an icon is painted. It is another state of spirit,” stated Cezara Colesnic.
In the opening of the exhibit, painter Kasimir Savov said that after he saw the talent of the students of the art school of Cornești, he wanted to keep in touch with them. He went to the school’s principal to ask for permission to stage a painting course. He was allotted a classroom and the necessary materials were purchased. The students responded to the invitation to take part in the course and 40 icons painted by 14 students reached thus the exhibition.
National Library director Elena Pintilei said artist Krasimir Savov is a unique personality in this field of arts. He teachers young people and transmits his talents and skills to them to form real artists. The exhibition mounted inside the National Library promotes the institution and nicely combines with the exhibit of religious books housed by the Library before the Easter holidays.
The exhibited students’ icons cost 300 to 800 lei, while the icons of Krasimir Savov - 500 to 3,800 lei. The proceeds from sales will go to buy materials for the art school and to remunerate the students. The exhibition continues until May 19.
