The painter Binyamin Shalumov (right) with the presidential advisor G.M. Gamzatov from the Republic of Dagestan. (left). The European Art Foundation Berlin dedicates a large exhibition to the artist during the presidency of the Council of the European Union of the German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel.
Berlin (bpb) The European Art Foundation has invited the Russian painter Binyamin Shalumov to an exhibition of his work in Germany. As the Foundation announced in Berlin, in the center of the exhibition "From Dagestan Around the World"--which starts in June, 2007--are paintings of landscapes and people, which the artist painted in the Republic of Dagestan.
The patronage of the exhibition from the Russian side has the President of Dagestan, H.E. Mr. Mukhu Aliyev. He is a confidant of the Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin.
The exhibition takes place in the framework of the European Cultural Weeks of the Museum Europäische Kunst at the Nörvenich Castle, near Cologne. The show of paintings is being arranged in cooperation with the US Museum of European Art. The painter Shalumov was born in Dagestan, and now lives in New York and Moscow.
The European Art Foundation Berlin has intentionally placed the exhibition into the German Chancellor Angela Merkel's term of office as the President of the European Union in 2007. "With this we want to make clear that with all the euphorie about Europe, also the dialog with Russia and the states of the Russian Federation is important", explained Consul B. John Zavrel, the director of EAF for international affairs. He thanked Mr. G. M. Gamzatov, a close advisor of the president of Dagestan for his engagement.
"We totally agree with Mr. Gamzatov that the area of art and culture must be used to improve the understanding between the peoples in the countries of the East and the West", stressed Consul Zavrel. "For the political stability, friendly relations between the citizens of the various countries are of great importance. In this area, Russia and the states of the Russian Federation have to offer us great treasures in art, literature and music, which should be made more known in the West."
On the occasion of the exhibition 'From Dagestan Around the World' an attractive color catalog has been published. It can be ordered in Europe from info@europaeische-kulturstiftung.org and in the USA from zavrel@meaus.com
The official exhibition is open to all. A reception in the presence of a government delegation from Dagestan is to take place at the end of July. Also people from commerce and industry, who do or are interested to do business with Russia and the states of the Russian Federation, are invited to attend this event. For more information and reservations, please contact museum@europaeische-kultur-stiftung.org
The German Presidency of the European Union
The German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel. She is the first governing Lady as President of the Council of the European Union (EU)
What is the EU-Presidency? The Presidency of the Council of the European Union, is held by each Member State in turn for a period of six months. During this time, the Presidency is the "face and voice" of the European Union, speaking on behalf of all Member States.
German Chancellor Merkel, born during the cold war in communist East Germany, is interested in good relations with Russia. She speaks Russian, as President Putin speaks nearly fluently German.
EU and Russian leaders met on Friday on May 18, 2007 in a resort near the city of Samara in central Russia. On the agenda of the 30th EU-Russia Summit were issues including the state of play of the new EU-Russia agreement to replace the current Partnership and Cooperation agreement, energy, climate change, Russian WTO accession as well as the entry into force of the new visa facilitation and readmission agreements. Another important issue was cooperation in the common neighbourhood to resolve the frozen conflicts in the Caucasus and Transnistria. Leaders discussed current issues on the international agenda, notably Kosovo, Iran and the Middle East.
The Summit in the Volzhsky Utyos resort near the western spur of the Zhiguli Mountains was hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, accompanied by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The EU was represented by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and High Representative Javier Solana, German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and External Relations and European Neighbourhood Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner. (18.05.2007)
© PROMETHEUS 120/2007
PROMETHEUS, Internet Bulletin - News, Politics, Art and Science. Nr. 120, June 2007