The Russian Academy Of Arts

On the threshold of the 20th anniversary of the European Union in the North-East of France in Scy-Chazelles, Lorraine, Department of Moselle there was an unveiling ceremony for a monument to the founding fathers of the European Union. The author of the monument is Zurab Tsereteli, People’s Artist of the USSR and Russia, President of the Russian Academy of Arts, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador who presented his sculptural composition as a gift to the French people.

The monument depicts sculptural images of four statesmen who played a key role in the launching of the European Union construction and are considered to be its founding fathers – Konrad Adenauer, Robert Schuman, Alcide de Gasperi and Jean Monnet. The bronze sculptural composition 2.5 m tall ( the diameter of the granite base – 4.5 m) has been placed near the house-museum of Robert Schuman in Scy-Chazelles. The standing figures are grouped around a map of Europe on the pedestal.

The unveiling ceremony on October 10, 2012 was attended by the President of the Council General of Moselle Patrick Weiten, representative of the Russian Embassy in Paris Leonid Kadyshev, administrators of the Department of Moselle, artists Pal Sarcozy and Paul Flikinger, sculptor Zurab Tsereteli, Russian and French pressmen and many others. In his welcoming address on behalf of the citizens of Moselle Patrick Weiten has expressed his gratitude to Zurab Tsereteli for his gift and noted, that the inauguration of this monument is of particular importance as the Nobel Peace Prize 2012 was awarded to the European Union as a guarantee of peace in Europe and further development of democracy and social progress. “It is also a symbol of friendship between the peoples of France and Russia and strengthening of the Russian-French partnership” – said Patrick Weiten.

In France there are several sculptures by Zurab Tsereteli: the author’s replica of the Birth of a New Man monument in honor of the 500th anniversary of the sail of Christopher Columbus to the shores of America (UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, 1994); sculptural composition “Honore de Balzac” (Agde, 2004); monument to the Pope John Paul II (Ploermel, 2006); Musketeers monument (Condom, 2010); monument to the Russian poet Marina Tsvetaeva (St. Gilles Croix de Vie, 2012).

The work by Zurab Tsereteli has been highly appreciated in France. He is a Corresponding Member of the French Academy of Fine Arts, Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honor (2010), Officer of the Order of Arts and Literature (2005); Chevalier of the Honorary Cross “Combattant Volontaire” of the Association of Veterans of the French Resistance (2000); holder of Picasso Prize (1994), Vermeil Medal – the highest award of the city of Paris for promotion of culture and art (1998), UNESCO Picasso Gold Medal (2007).

Among Zurab Tsereteli’s plans is his work at the monument to the Russian Emperor Alexander III to be placed in Paris and monument to the Russian poet, winner of the Nobel Prize in literature Boris Pasternak to be installed in St. Gilles Croix de Vie. Each new work of the master is an implementation of his idea of struggling for peace through art.

Photoreport

print version