Canvases of convicts, made on the theme of Rembrandt's painting «The Return of the Prodigal Son», can be seen in the Atrium of the General Staff.
The Atrium of the General Staff hosts an unusual exhibition of works by authors serving sentences in correctional institutions of the North-West. All items in the exposition are based on Rembrandt's famous painting "The Return of the Prodigal Son".
A total of 47 finalists of the contest with the telling title "Redemption and Revival" took part in the exposition. The creative competition was held in three categories: painting, burning and wood painting. Eight finalists have already been chosen by the jury.
"We include in the museum life all those who cannot do it on their own due to physical, political, economic reasons, other life circumstances," said Hermitage Director General Mikhail Piotrovsky.
According to Mikhail Piotrovsky, he himself personally visited the places of detention and saw there an extremely large number of creative people and many of their unusual works, which simply had to be exhibited. The All-Russian painting and crafts competition "Redemption and Revival" is being held for the first time. Its participants are people serving sentences in penal colonies. The initiators are the Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region and the State Hermitage Museum. The exhibition will last three days.
"This idea was personally expressed by Mikhail Borisovich at one of the meetings of our Public Council and was supported by the Public Council and the Federal Service for the Execution of Punishments. The geography of participants is wide - from Chukotka to Kaliningrad," said Igor Potapenko, Head of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region.