On 2 March, as a part of the additional programme for the exhibition project “Beauty: plus-minus”, Manege will host a roundtable discussion on the theme “Beauty and Meaning in Contemporary Art”.

Discussion participants will cover topics such as the mutual understanding between artist and viewer, the demand for artistic creativity in the era of electronic technology, the curator’s role in displaying contemporary art, the collection and preservation of modernity’s artistic heritage, and more.

Participants include Yuri Saulidi, founder of the social publishing project “Free Artists of Petersburg”; Ivan Lubennikov, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, and member-correspondent of the Russian Academy of Art; Alexei Talashuk, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, and academic at the Russian Academy of Arts and the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences; Vyacheslav Mikhailov, Honored Artist of Russian; Alexander Kondurov, artists and member of the Artists’ Union of Russia; Valery Lukka, artists and member of the Artists’ Union of Russia; and Dmitry Kaminker, artist and member of the Artists’ Union of Russia.

Russian culture and local Petersburg historian, art critic, and poet Dmitry Severyukhin will moderate the discussion.

Entry to the event is free with prior registration.