"That was a revelation for me": feedback from attendees of the lecture "Expositional Russia"

Guests of the National Centre RUSSIA shared their impressions of the educational lecture "Expositional Russia", which took place on April 4 as part of the educational program of the exposition "The Birth of Scale". The event was moderated by art historian and architectural historian Yelizaveta Likhacheva. The speaker was Ksenia Smirnova, Deputy Director for Educational Activities at the A. V. Shchusev Museum of Architecture. The architectural experts immersed the audience in the world of exposition spaces — from the Kunstkamera to the Museum of Russian Impressionism.

Lecture attendee Anna Shepeleva particularly appreciated the unique journey through the history of exposition structures.

"I’ve been interested in architecture for a long time, and it especially caught my attention thanks to Yelizaveta Likhacheva’s lectures. I’m very glad she was invited to the National Centre RUSSIA. It was fascinating to look into the history of museum construction. One of my favorite parts — the amusing rivalry between the German and Russian pavilions — stood out the most. Yelizaveta Likhacheva has a special way of highlighting such curious historical facts: when the Soviet pavilion was built, the Germans decided theirs had to be taller, added five meters, and then ours brought the statue that still stands at VDNH — 'Worker and Kolkhoz Woman'," said Anna Shepeleva.

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

A guest of the National Centre RUSSIA, Vera Tsoi, shared that the event allowed her to immerse herself in history. She emphasized the emotional delivery of complex material.

"This is not my first time at the National Centre RUSSIA. I like it here — I’ve already brought my nephew, we’ve been to concerts and expositions. But this was my first time attending a lecture like this — the moderator and speaker were excellent. Their emotions, the material, the way they conveyed the information — it was immediately clear that they are true professionals. And they showed a glimpse of the world they live in — I could feel it. You realize that a building is history. They demonstrated the historical connection: how museums were created — as it turns out, there weren’t that many of them. That was a revelation for me. And now I want to visit the museums they talked about, the ones I haven’t been to yet," said Vera Tsoi.

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

Lecture attendee Dmitry Banayev shared that this was not his first time attending an event from the educational series at the National Centre RUSSIA.

"My wife and I attend these wonderful lectures, and we are always pleasantly surprised and amazed by the generosity with which Yelizaveta Likhacheva shares her vast experience, knowledge, and perspective. We immerse ourselves in this and gain immense pleasure and knowledge. I fully agree with Tsvetaeva's statement that for a person, art is the best consolation. It’s beautiful. I’m a musician and conductor myself, and we also engage in the pursuit of beauty, understanding that it is the best thing in this world," emphasized Dmitry Banayev.

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

The series of educational events within the framework of the architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale" continues. Follow the announcements on the website of the National Centre RUSSIA, russia.ru.

"The Birth of Scale" exposition at the National Centre RUSSIA showcases completed architectural projects, as well as ideas that remain only as concepts. These include unique building models, drawings, and plans, kept in museums and private collections.

Partners of the "The Birth of Scale" exposition include DOM.RF, the Ministry of Construction of Russia, Gazprom, the State Research Museum of Architecture named after A.V. Shchusev, the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, the Architectural Charitable Foundation named after Yakov Chernikhov, and the HSE School of Design.