The Virtual Museum of Canada Showcases Landscape Painting from Canada and Russia
QUÉBEC CITY, March 16, 2004 -- The Honourable Hélène Chalifour Scherrer, Minister of Canadian Heritage, and Igor L. Golubovsky, Consul General of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Canada, officially launched the Virtual Museum of Canada (VMC) exhibit "Horizons: Canadian and Russian Landscape Painting (1860-1940)," at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec."The Virtual Museum of Canada invites Canadians to explore Russian culture while rediscovering the talent of Canadian artists," said Minister Chalifour Scherrer. "In addition to presenting landscapes typical of both countries, the displayed works will promote a better understanding of the historical factors, values, and characteristics that have influenced our cultures."
"This is a remarkable event in Russian-Canadian cultural relations, which gives the peoples of both our countries the chance to learn more about each other, and to gain spiritually through intercultural exchanges," declared His Excellency Georgiy Mamedov, Ambassador of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Canada.
The unique exhibit comprises 250 paintings from the collections of a number of museums in Canada and Russia. The artworks inspired by impressive Canadian and Russian landscapes enable art lovers and travel buffs to discover these two countries located on opposite sides of the Arctic. The exhibit also includes photographs, drawings, details of images, and biographies of more than 120 Canadian and Russian artists, which will enrich the content of the exhibit and help visitors discover artists who worked between 1860 and 1940.
Each painting's virtual representation is accompanied by an interpretive text and a biography of the artist. Simple interactive features enable visitors to observe the paintings close up and to change the background colour in order to appreciate different aspects of the artworks.
"We are proud to help make such rich artistic and historical material widely available," said John R. Porter, Executive Director of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec. "It is very exciting that the Canadian museums participating in this exhibit are enabling the people of Russia to discover a facet of our culture, and that the partnership will in turn permit millions of Canadians to discover an aspect of Russian culture."
The "Horizons: Canadian and Russian Landscape Painting (1860-1940)" exhibit is the result of an unprecedented collaboration over more than a year between Canada and Russia. The exhibit has been created with the assistance of the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN), the Russian Association for Documentation and Information Technology in Museums, and 14 museums in Canada and Russia. These include the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, the Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke, the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador - The Rooms, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the Edmonton Art Gallery, and the prestigious State Tretiakov Gallery in Moscow.
The exhibit is featured on the VMC Internet site, in English, French, and Russian versions, at www.virtualmuseum.ca
About the Virtual Museum of Canada
The Virtual Museum of Canada is a unique portal that presents a multitude of narratives and treasures from Canadian museums. This gateway was created by the Canadian Heritage Information Network, a Special Operating Agency in the Department of Canadian Heritage, together with more than 1000 museums, other federal organizations, educational institutions, and private-sector firms. The Virtual Museum of Canada is part of a Department of Canadian Heritage strategy that seeks to promote Canadian culture on the Internet.
Information:
Mylène Dupéré
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-7788
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