The first art-collection of Zar Katharina II originates from Prussia/Germany. The textile merchant and owner of the "Aechte Porcelaine Manufacture" in Berlin, J.E.Gotzkowsky (1710-1775), bought in 1763 for the Prussian King Friedrich II 225 Dutch and Flamish paintings, which the King had ordered but due to the costs of the Seven-Years-War (1756-1763) between Austria and Prussia had been no longer affordable for Frederic II.
Gotzkowsky solved his own liquidity problem which derived from that situation by a deal with the Russian aristocrate W.S.Dolgoruki : the Russian got the paintings (passing them on to Katharina II in 1764) and Gotzkowski got in turn grain for the horses of Frederic II. Based on this initiative and the accumulation of art within the next two centuries now the Eremitage Gallery in the former Winter Palace in St.Petersburg attracts visitors from all over the world.
15.06.2018 : Female Artists
Women are mostly in art perceived as "inspirers/muse", but at the First International Conference of the Club of Silk Road Mayors in Astana Dr. Leyla Mahat demonstrated in her lecture that already in the history of nomadic cultures women can be traced as important "influencers" in the art sector (read more LINK)
Dr. Leyla Mahat has her academic title in Philosophy/Fine Art and is associate professor for Painting and Sculpture at the Art Faculty of the Kazakh National University of Arts in Astana/Kazakhstan.
10.05.2018 : Catalyst Art
The First International Silk Road Mayors' Conference in Astana/Kazakhstan did not only bring politicians and investors together
to meet 60 mayors of this cluster, but also people being interested or activ in culture/art. One example is shown by the following pic
uniting conference-participants from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, India and Germany.
Mirzozoda Ato Mirkhodja, First Deputy Chairman of the Union of Writers of Tajikistan stated : "In the past it was so difficult to reach
our area - we hope that in the future by the revitalization of the Silk Road it will be more easy to visit our country. We are very
grateful for the Astana-Initiative."
10.04.2018 : Shine Astana
The City of Astana was founded as the new capital of Kazakhstan after the collaps of the Soviet-Union. Within its twenty years of
existance it got already a high image due to its futuristic sky-line, its Global Summits supported by the group of Astana Nobel
Laureates and finally in 2017 by the EXPO.
For the 20th Anniversary of Astana in 2018 Sir Karl Jenkins , one of the greatest modern composers, created the oratorio "Shine
Astana" which was performed by a combination of 500 singers from choirs from 10 Silk Road countries and by 300 musicians. Its
premire took place at the First Silk Road Mayors Joint Conference which according to Prof.Dr.B.Hallier was a historic and cultural
highland for all the region.
23.03.2018 : Who are we?
The famous Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia, exhibited for the first time in a Special Show art being produced by Down syndrome and autism. The exhibition was titled "Who are we?"
Linked to the "Day of Man with DownSyndrom" the Tretyakov started its First German-Russian Tretyakov Dialogue for artists, art-therapy, medicine and museum-staff about this topic. From Germany, the two KTG-members M.-C. Hallier and G. Herzog did lecture about their experience. Leading the Russian team was Dr. Sonja Petrikova-Agafonova. (YouTube video)
