Scientific and artistic seminar "Valentin Rasputin - an outstanding native writer of the twentieth century"

On Monday, April 10, at 16.00 in the White Hall of Russian Institute for Art History, will hold a scientific and artistic seminar “Valentin Rasputin – an outstanding native writer of the twentieth century” (a series of seminars “Values of the foundations of Russian art culture”). Leading the is Professor A.L. Kazin, [Dr.Habil., Director of RIAH, St. Petersburg].

On March 15, 2017, Valentin Grigorievich Rasputin, a remarkable writer, publicist and public figure, would have turned 80 years old. For Rasputin, Russia is not just a place of birth, but a living soul, which at the same time was his own one. In 1967, in a popular weekly “Literary Russia” has appeared Rasputin’s story “Vasily and Vasilisa”. Here was already obvious the “Rasputin” style, his ability to laconically and at the same time surprisingly deeply reveal the characters of he wrote. Here apears an another permanent “hero” of the writer’s works – the nature. But the main point in all his writings – both early and late – was the strength of the Russian spirit.

At the same year of 1967, Rasputin’s first novel “Money for Mary” was published. Everyone started talking about the new talented author. In 1970, the magazine “Our Contemporary” has published the second novel by Valentin Rasputin “The Last Term”, which brought him a worldwide fame and was translated into dozens of languages. A story about the mother, about humanity, about the frailty of many phenomena that seem to be central for the life of a modern urban person.

In 1974, the published novel “Live and Remember” became a one of the tragic evidence of the Great Patriotic War.

Two years later the fundamental story “Farewell to Matyora” was published. It tells about the village, which should be flooded with water because of the construction of a large hydroelectric power station. Valentin Rasputin narrates about the piercing grief experienced by indigenous people, the old people, saying goodbye to their land and homes. This story was a metaphor, a story-symbol of the Pyrrhic victory of rational and technical civilization over a deep national tradition.

The last big works of the writer – the story “Fire” (1985) and “Mother of Ivan, daughter of Ivan” (2003). But there was still his outstanding journalism…

The heritage of Valentin Rasputin is a unique phenomenon of Russian and world culture of the XXth century.

During the seminar will be addressed a reportы by prof. O.B.Sokurov [the doctor of cultural studies, associate professor of the Institute of History of St. Petersburg State University] and prof. A.A. Korolkov [academician of the Russian Academy of Education, Doctor of Philosophy, professor of the Russian State Pedagogical University A.I.Herzen], who personally knew the writer. Rare photographs and documentary videos related to Valentin Grigorievich’s life will be shown.

In conclusion, a screening of E. Tashkov’s feature film “French Lessons”, based on the story of the same name by Rasputin, will be performed.