The Moscow Theological Academy and the Russian State Humanitarian University held a joint conference on «Issues of Preserving Church Art»

On January 26 and 27, 2023, as part of the XXXI International Christmas Educational Readings "Global Challenges of Modernity and the Spiritual Choice of a Man", the VII International Scientific Conference «Issues of Preserving Church Art» took place online. 

The conference was organized by the Department of History and Theory of Church Art at the Moscow Theological Academy and the Department of Russian Art History at the Faculty of Art History of the Russian State Humanitarian University.

At the beginning of the event, Archimandrite Luka (Golovkov), Dean of the Icon Painting and Church Art Faculty at the Moscow Theological Academy, and Vladimir Alekseevich Kolotaev, Dean of the Art History Faculty at the Russian State Humanitarian University, greeted the participants.

The topic of the conference conforms to the theme of the Christmas Readings and is dedicated to ways of preserving church art, which can be a vivid illustration of a spiritual choice of a man. 

On the second day of the meeting, the following issues were discussed:

— preservation and research of Church Art monuments in church and state restoration practice, modern approaches;

— teaching Art History, in particular Church Art, in church and secular universities;

— the current state of church architecture and monumental painting; 

— the role of museums in the preservation of Church Art.

The participants also discussed topical issues related to the preservation of the cultural heritage of the Russian Orthodox Church and other local Orthodox churches.

The conference gathered more than 30 scientists from Russia, Slovakia, Israel, Armenia, Syria, Belarus, who represented academic science, universities, state and church museums, research restoration organizations and dioceses. It became a good platform for young scientists, students and postgraduates of the Moscow Theological Academy. 

Reports made by representatives of the Moscow Theological Academy were: 

• Nina Valerievna Kvlividze, Professor, “Restoration of frescoes at the Dormition Cathedral in Sviyazhsk”;
• Valeriy Viktorovich Igoshev, Professor, “First results of a comprehensive study of icons in the Basma cases from the prophetic row at the Cathedral of John the Baptist Monastery, Moscoц”; "Typology and technology of making ancient Russian precious shrines of the 11th-12th centuries with high-relief images of saints";
• Inessa Nikolaevna Slyunkova, Professor, “Traditions of Russian Church Architecture from the Perspective of Solving Contemporary Problems. Based on the materials of the Competition “Temple Architecture” at the Festival “Architecture-2022”;
• Viktor Borisovich Dorokhov, a senior lecturer, “Methodological foundations for creating a microclimate in a church as an architectural monument”;
• Olga Sergeevna Voskresenskaya, a senior lecturer, “Some aspects of storage, study and restoration of exhibits at the MThA Museum of Christian Art “Church-archeological Cabinet”. Major problems and solutions”;
• Irina Mikhailovna Zubrenko, a senior lecturer, “Reconstruction and Restoration of the Church of the Virgin Peribleptos in Ohrid”;
• Natalya Viktorovna Gerasimova, a postgraduate student, “Studying and exhibiting manuscripts and early printed books in an art museum: on the example of latest exhibitions at the Andrey Rublev Museum”;
• Anna Leonidovna Krasnova, a postgraduate student, “Letters of permission of the Eastern patriarchs. Appointment and decoration»;
• Natalya Ivanovna Grigorieva, a postgraduate student, “The Contribution of Archpriest Rostislav and Hegumen Mark Lozinsky to the Preservation of Church Art monuments”;
• Anna Lvovna Kuzminova, an undergraduate student, “Dura Europos: Preservation of Frescoes at the Baptistery of the House Church”;
• Dmitry Alexandrovich Fedotov, an undergraduate student, “Miniature images of the Evangelists in the manuscripts of the Kokkinovaf group.”

MThA Press Office