EXHIBITION IN THE TRETIAKOV GALLERY “SNOW LEOPARD. TO SEE AND PRESERVE”

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The exhibition, titled "Snow Leopard. To See and Preserve," was hosted at the Tretyakov Gallery from October 2022 to January 2023. This unique project, a traveling exhibition designed for family audiences, coincided with International Snow Leopard Day. A central objective of the exhibition was to raise awareness about the alarming decline of the snow leopard population in Russia, where the total population is estimated to be as low as 75 individuals. This endangered species is classified as "vulnerable" in both the Red Book of Russia and the Red Book of the Altai Republic. The species is endemic to the mountains of the Altai-Sayan ecoregion, which encompasses the Altai, Tyva, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Buryatia, and Irkutsk Oblast regions of Russia. The Altai Republic has the largest known population of snow leopards, with 24 individuals residing in the territory of the Sailugemsky National Park, established in 2010 with the primary objective of preserving both the snow leopard and the argali sheep.

In preparation for the project, a research expedition for female artists to the habitats of the snow leopard was organized, in collaboration with the Board of Trustees of the Sailugemsky National Park. This expedition resulted in the creation of objects for the exhibition, which included works by Katya Isayeva, Masha Somik, Olga Shurygina, and Alina Glazun. For the project, she created a series of objects emphasizing the importance of protecting nature.
The exhibition will feature over 25 works, including graphic pieces, ethnographic objects, and photographs. The interactive exhibition project offers viewers the opportunity to participate in a journey through the Altai Republic and the Sailugemsky National Park, where they will have the chance to acquaint themselves with the region’s unique nature and wildlife, culture and traditions, as well as to learn about the snow leopard — the "guardian of the roof of the world" — and other red-listed animals and ways to protect them.

The exhibition features works by Boris Smirnov-Rusetsky, influenced by Nikolai Roerich, showcasing stunning landscapes. It also includes graphic and pictorial works by Altai artist Grigory Choros-Gurkin, a student of Ivan Shishkin, as well as ethnographic artifacts, documentary photographs, and works by contemporary artists. The viewer was able to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the leopard habitat, witnessing the leopard in its natural environment through videos captured using camera traps.