“Crossings. 2021”

Following the previous year’s online success, the National Pastel Society of Russia made a welcome return to Art-centre Exposed for “Crossings. 2021”, fully accessible once again to a visiting audience.

This was the Society’s largest exhibition to date, featuring the works of over 100 selected pastel artists, 30 in the ‘Experienced’ category, and the remainder in the ’Novice / Young’ category . The international selection jury consisted of Elena Tatkina (Russia), Ruben Belloso Adorna (Spain) and Dawn Emerson (USA). Prizes and honourable mentions were awarded in each category, as judged by the selection jury plus Elena Nenastina and Vladislav Tatarinov.

In addition to leading Russian pastel artists, international participants included Brian Bailey, Corey Pitkin (USA), Tony Allain, David Brammeld, Svetlana Cameron (UK), Anne Courtine (France), plus artists from Germany, Finland, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Israel.

Speaking about her enduring love of pastel, the Society’s President, Olga Abramova, commented: “Modern pastel has saved and grown its diversity: subtle or bright, solid or transparent, realistic or mould-breaking – it is like dough out of which artists create their worlds, reflecting the reality of their time.”