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March Issue 2004
Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, Features Works from Russia
Deep within the walls of what has been called the "Southeast's best kept secret" lies an intricate, more delicate secret spanning six centuries of Russian history. The BJU Museum & Gallery, located on the beautiful campus of Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, houses a breathtaking collection of Russian icons from the 15th through the 20th centuries. The exhibition, Windows into the Russian Soul: Icons from Tsarist Russia, will be on view through Summer 2004.
The exhibition, which is part of Museum & Gallery's permanent collection and presented on a rotating basis, often surprises guests.
With works from the schools of Kiev, Novgorod, Moscow, and Stroganov and examples of Peter the Great's Western influence, the M&G's Windows into the Russian Soul: Icons from Tsarist Russia represents all of the major schools of Russia as well as other iconography from Russia and Greece. Several of Museum & Gallery's Russian icons have been traced to the illustrious Romanov line, some bearing inscriptions to members of the royal family.
The distinctive iconostasis is an excellent representation of the type of wall built in Orthodox churches that separates the sanctuary (where the Eucharistic ceremony takes place) from the nave (where the congregation stands). Supporting descriptions accompany the display and enable patrons to explore the significance of the art at one's leisure.
A Russian saying declares, "The body is simply support of the face; the face is but a setting of the gaze." Just as the eyes are considered "windows" to an individual's soul, so Museum & Gallery's Russian icons serve as "windows" into theological truths, allowing patrons a glimpse of Russian life, worship, and art. Come to the BJU Museum & Gallery to experience Windows into the Russian Soul, and discover the secrets of the development of Eastern art through Russian iconography.
For further info check our SC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Museum & Gallery at 864/242-5100, ext. 1050 or on the web at (www.bjumg.org).
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