CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

EHU and the Belarusian Ministry of Culture and Press work together on the organization of the International Marc Chagall Art Festival - one of the central cultural events in the Republic of Belarus. This Festival is the direct follow-up and development of the International Chagall Painting Festival which took place in Vitebsk in 1994. The latter comprised painting, graphics, sculpture, music, and theatrical performances, and presented a fascinating synthesis of arts. More than 40 artists from France, USA, Belarus, Russia, Italy, Israel, Greece, Turkey and other countries took part in that festival. It closed with the grand artistic exposition and musical festival 'Chagall's Violin'. An oratorio composed by the distinguished French composer Marc Blaise on Marc Chagall's verses was performed by the orchestra directed by the composer himself. President Bill Clinton of the United States wrote in his greeting letter to the Festival: 'I am pleased that this festival has been organized to commemorate the works of Marc Chagall, for he truly represents the spirit of cultural freedom embraced by peoples across lines of nationality and ethnicity. Born and trained as an artist in Vitebsk, Belarus, Chagall later painted in France and many other nations producing works that have touched the emotions of people around the world. He truly belongs to the common heritage of humanity. By commemorating his works, this festival offers testament to artistic achievement that transcends national boundaries and unites people in a common lore of free expression'(June 1, 1994).

In the framework of the forthcoming International Mark Chagall Art Festival program conferences on 'Marc Chagall in the Context of the 20th Century's Art' and ' The Image of Catastrophe in the 20th Century's Art' are planned. Academic Chairman of both conferences is Igor Doukhan, Dean of EHU's Arts Department.

In 1995 EHU started preparing a series of publications on contemporary culture. The books 'Contemporary French Art' and 'Encyclopedia of Design' (in two volumes) will be released in 1996.

EHU strives to coordinate and administer cultural programs defining new boundaries of contemporary art. Important events in the cultural life of the university were a program of films of Alexander Sokurov, a renowned Russian film director; public lectures on contemporary art by Ziva Amishai-Maizels, Professor of Jerusalem University and William Swetcharnik, an American artist; Professor Mikhail Gasparov (Moscow) delivered lectures on antique culture and Professor Alexander Mikhailov (Moscow) delivered lectures on German romanticism.

Faculty members and students of EHU's Art Faculty participate in numerous art exhibitions in Belarus, Russia, Western Europe and the US. Amongst the most interesting projects there are graphic expositions of a well-known artist Arlen Kashkurevitch, EHU's graphic studio professor, in the National Museum of Reykjavik, Iceland; experimental artistic projects of Igor Kashkurevitch realized in art centers of Berlin, Moscow, Braunschweig, Stockholm, Warsaw, and many others.

The European Humanities University participates fully in cultural activities, the goal being to form a new cultural space in Belarus which would be tightly connected with European cultural ideas and problems.