"Deeds for the Benefit of the Development of Cities": About the Association of Artists of the Irkutsk Province in the 1880-1900s

Abstract

Relevance. In the 1880s - 1900s, artists sought to create creative associations, whose activities were aimed at the development of public initiative, urban spaces. The gradual discovery of new funds, sources in the archives, the identification of information about artists, the history of acquisition of museums, the creation of exhibitions, update the process of studying the association of artists for the benefit of the development of cities in the Irkutsk province.The purpose is to restore the history of the association of artists and deeds in the organization of work on the development of cities in the Irkutsk province in the 1880-1900s.Objectives: to study documentary evidence of artistic events in order to understand the principles of interaction between artists and the urban community on the construction of work on the improvement of spaces, the development of territories; consider the activities of artists in the framework of the creation of museum collections, creative associations for the organization of traveling exhibitions and expositions based on the research; determine the role of art communities in the creation of exhibition, mobile spaces, the formation of visitors' ideas about the role of museums in the development of cities in the Irkutsk province.Methodology. The work uses an integrated approach. The principle of historicism, objectivity, scientific character is taken into account, problem-chronological and historical-genetic methods are used.Results. In the process of parsing the archives of Irkutsk, materials were found that describe the artistic work of artists in the development of museums in the Irkutsk province. In the 1880s-1900s, it is possible to observe the process of urban residents turning to the preservation of artistic heritage, the improvement of cultural centers to attract the attention of the younger generation to the work of creative associations in the acquisition of regional museum collections.Conclusions. Artists of the Irkutsk province create associations to maintain exhibition, mobile spaces that existed at museums and generally significant city places. The attitude of urban residents to well-known artistic and educational centers is changing. The interest of artists in the development of cities confirms the effectiveness of interaction with the public. Materials about the work of creative associations represent events about the formation of art spaces.