More than 250 artworks by artists from six countries will be featured in the exposition "Legacy for the Future"

On the opening day of the "Inventing the Future" Symposium at the National Centre RUSSIA, the exposition will also be launched, supporting the idea of a dialogue on the future of the world with humanity at its core. The exposition will consist of three parts, or chapters.

The first chapter of the exposition will highlight the continuity of the tradition of innovation — from the ideas of visionaries and science fiction writers around the world to the achievements of inventors. The main goal is to inspire and encourage a drive for invention and scientific imagination.

Many of the items and phenomena that have now become part of our everyday lives were predicted by writers a hundred or more years ago. Through their works, fantasies, and dreams, they inspired scientists and inventors. And years from now, the things science fiction writers currently describe will become quite ordinary.

"Science fiction has always served as a source of inspiration for scientists and inventors worldwide. The inventions described by great authors in their works — Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov, Nikolai Nosov, Kir Bulychev, and others — are today part of our everyday reality," said Andrei Kudelin, the producer of the exposition.

For example, in his works, Vladimir Odoevsky predicted the invention of the copying machine and voice messages; the Russian pioneer of space exploration, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, foresaw not only rockets but also space stations; Vladimir Mayakovsky, in one of his poems, anticipated drones; Alexander Belyaev predicted the advent of mobile phones, while Kir Bulychev went further and foresaw smartphones. Arkady and Boris Strugatsky anticipated the rise of search engines and neural networks. 

Equally significant predictions were made by foreign authors. For instance, Jules Verne predicted high-speed trains; Edward Bellamy — credit cards; Lewis Carroll — messaging systems; Mark Twain — social networks; and Arthur Clarke envisioned a satellite network orbiting the Earth.

"We should remember that during what’s often called the great age of science fiction predictions, many science fiction writers had close ties to science and engineering disciplines," emphasized science fiction historian and writer Yevgeny Kharitonov. 

The second chapter of the exposition will showcase works by young artists from six countries: Russia, China, India, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Iran. This type of exposition is being held for the first time — in modern history, there has never been such a large-scale international exposition of works by graduates of art universities. It is also important to note that the populations of these represented countries exceed one-third of the world’s population — over 3.5 billion people.

"We ended up with, I believe, an interesting picture of contemporary art schools, and I think this is very important right now. There is a great interest worldwide in expositions and young artists — everyone is trying to discover new names and new works," said Semyon Mikhailovsky, the curator of the exposition and the rector of the Ilya Repin St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.

The exposition will feature more than 250 in different techniques — from painting to video art: over 120 works from China, more than 20 works by young artists from Ethiopia, and 15 pieces each by artists from Brazil and India. Russia, as the host country, will present around 100 works.

"I brought several works in the style of existentialism. I am very fond of Russian culture — Sergei Eisenstein’s films and Russian music. And, in fact, my works refer to the works of Russian artists," shared Rafael Betesh, a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

The project emphasizes that the future will belong to a Human if we continue to dream and find a constructive approach to the future through dialogue. The young creators whose works are presented in the exposition reflect on the present, express a contemporary perspective on past events, and contemplate the future, raising pressing issues, challenges, and phenomena that may await us all.

"If we talk about the future, there is little we can foresee, yet young artists manage to do so. It is also important to see how different countries feel their traditions in different ways, as the connection to these traditions is very significant," emphasizes Semyon Mikhailovsky.

The centerpiece of the exposition is the sculpture "The Son of the Earth" by Chinese artist Dong Shubing. The figure of a child is a smaller replica of a sleeping infant located in the Gobi Desert. The piece initially provokes thoughts on the interaction between nature and humanity, the importance of a careful attitude toward the environment, and the possible consequences for future generations.

The final chapter of the exposition is a space where visitors themselves can become creators of the future, contemplate ideas, and propose new ones for the betterment of the world. The main art object serves as both a lecture hall — a space for dialogue — and the culmination of the exposition project, aiming to inspire each visitor with new thoughts on a shared future.

On July 1, 2024, President Vladimir Putin signed an order to establish the National Centre RUSSIA to preserve the legacy of the RUSSIA EXPO and showcase the country's achievements on a permanent basis.

From November 4 to 6, the National Centre RUSSIA will host the International Symposium "Inventing the Future." The participants will include scientists and researchers, futurologists and forecasters, science fiction writers, and representatives of the authorities.

The Symposium will become a unique international platform for open dialog, where the scenarios of human development and global challenges of our time will be discussed. The program includes more than 60 events in four areas: the future of human, the future of technology, the future of the multipolar world, and the future of civilization.

Participants from all continents will gather at the Symposium, creating an open forum for the exchange of experiences and knowledge among representatives of diverse cultures and nations. The Symposium will bring together over 3,000 attendees from 87 countries. The Symposium program is published on the website future.russia.ru. Broadcasts of the events will also be available there during the days of the Symposium.