TEHRAN- The art exhibition "Patterns of Friendship" will come to life on August 16 in Moscow, marking a historic cultural exchange between Russia and Iran. 

Organized by the Iranian Embassy, the Academy of Watercolor and Fine Arts of Sergey Andriyaka, and supported by the Russian Ministry of Culture, the festival aims to pay tribute to the late Russian artist Sergey Andriyaka.

TV BRICS has also been named the general media partner of the event.

Over 600 artists from around the world have registered for the competition, with Iranian participants dedicating their works to Russia and Russian artists showcasing their vision of Iran.

The exhibition, curated by Sare Art Gallery in Russia and Artibition Gallery in Iran, will feature 200 works by young talents and 40 pieces by renowned masters. This platform will provide an opportunity for budding artists to enter the art market and make a name for themselves.

At the opening ceremony, the winners of the competition will be awarded, with one work selected from each country. The winners will receive cash prizes, while the finalists will receive trips to Russia and Iran, as well as professional gifts.

The exhibition will be held at the Academy of Watercolor and Fine Arts of Sergey Andriyaka in Moscow for a month before traveling to other cities in Russia and Iran, including St. Petersburg, Kazan, Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz.

Sergey Andriyaka (1958-2024) was a watercolor artist. He is known as one of the leading masters of modern watercolor painting. The artist began the creative activity with oil paints, gouache, and tempera. He was engaged in mosaics, stained-glass windows, etching, and signature on porcelain and enamel. His acquaintance with the cultural heritage of Western Europe has played just as important a role. However, his favorite technique was always watercolor painting.

The Academy of Watercolor and Fine Arts of Sergey Andriyaka was founded in 2002. It is the first institution in Russia that provides an educational program “Painting and Fine Arts”. Along with learning thoroughly the art of drawing and painting, which is essential for every professional artist, students try different techniques and types of fine art including watercolor, tempera and oil painting, pastel, etchings, monumental painting, stained glass, Roman and Florentine mosaic, sgraffito, sculpture, ceramics, pottery, porcelain modeling, porcelain and ceramics painting, enamel miniatures, jewelry, book illustrations, etc. 

The academy has many exhibition spaces as well as one of the few Museums of Watercolor in Russia. The former presents the visitor with a unique collection of masterpieces, watercolors, drawings, and book illustrations made by Russian and European artists.

SAB/