#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. Krasnoyarsk artist, the Russian Geographical Society member, Elena Ilyankova traveled along the Yenisey and visited the Taimyr villages. As a result of the trip, the exhibition Around the Taimyr Sacred Places appeared at the Taimyr House of Folk Art (THFA).
Elena writes from life, adapting very quickly to any situation and to new places, pictures of the trip along the Yenisey appeared right on the way.
The folklore and ethnographic expedition together with the THFA employees began in August and lasted more than one week: by motor boat along the Hatanga and Heta rivers to the villages of Novaya and Heta and back. The trip purpose was to search for ancient household items of the northern peoples.
“…I spent a week without communication and the Internet. The expedition turned out to be excellent, we were lucky with the people, with the weather too, and the beauty of the North revealed itself even richer, even more fabulous… We met a deer with huge beautiful antlers, swimming across the river next to our boat… Handsome. It was like a gift from the North. A dream…” the artist shared her impressions.
In total, the exhibition includes 12 works on the peninsula indigenous peoples’ life sacredness theme. In the master’s works, each object has its own history and legend. Elena’s paintings are deeply emotional and symbolic, conveying affection for the land, reflecting the deep roots and traditions importance.
It is known that in Dudinka Elena taught the children of Taimyr nomads artistic skills. In Norilsk, she carried out another project – plein air with children from the Norilsk art school.
At the THFA personal exhibition Around the Taimyr Sacred Places, paintings by Elena Ilyankova from the expedition are now presented. At the same time, her personal exhibition The Fir Tree and the Boat is open in the Krasnoyarsk house of artists. The canvases remind us of the northern peoples value and uniqueness, their ability to exist in harmony with nature.
Suncatcher, artist E. Ilyankova
“…I would like to continue to get to where the sacred places of the peoples of the North are almost disappearing, to have time to record them, leave them in people’s memory and tell a new generation about them”, noted Elena Ilyankova.
Previously, Elena Ilyankova painted a picture for the THFA and the Norilsk diocese’s social project Mother’s Prayer.
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Text: Marina Horoshevskaya, Photo: THFA