The Museum of Fine Arts of Karelia Republic and Vodloozero National Park invite for the exhibition of Irina and Yury Gretskikh The Ancient Land of Vodloozero (graphic art, painting, space composition, icon painting).
      
       The names of artists from St.-Petersburg Irian and Yury Gretskikh are well known to Russian and foreign art connoisseurs. It is their first personal exhibition in Karelia Republic.
      
       The exhibition is devoted to Karelia and its reserved and inmost part of Vodloozero.
      
       The artists who have traveled much emphasize that Vodloozero embodies all impressions of their previous travels around Russia. Vodloozero has inspired the circle of works entitled Ancient Land. These works create a mysterious atmosphere and evoke profound associations related to this ancient land.
      
       For a long time they have been enchanted and inspired with the island of Valaam. “After a great deal of traveling around Russia we have found the whole world on Valaam island. Working there have brought us to realize that there are no space limits”.
      
       Biblical theme is essential for the Gretskys, it naturally entwines into their highly spiritual creations as an inborn demand for honesty, kindness and belief, mentions art critic A. F. Dmitrienko.
      
       In recent years Irina and Yury Gretskie have been restoring the manor of the famous Russian artist Vasily Polenov. The Polenov’s patrimony is located in Aculovo village of Lodeynopolskoe region (Karelia). A wooden church of St. Basil the Great has been built here according to the artists’ design. They have painted icons following the traditions of ancient masters. The artists say: “We do what we possibly can for revival of spirituality and enlightening in the North West of Russia”.