Open letter in support of Chairman of the Board of Master-Bank B.I.Bulochnik signed by group of artists representing the art style of Russian Cosmism

We would like to express our full and complete support to International Center of Roerichs regarding the situation with “Master-Bank”

B.I. Bulochnik is an outstanding philanthropist providing major support for creation and development of International Center and Museum named after N.K. Roerich. Many invaluable masterpieces by great Russian painter and philosopher N.K. Roerich have been purchased by him and handed over to the museum for exhibition to the wide auditorium of Russian spectators. We, artists, would like to describe here his key role in supporting and development of unique art style Russian Cosmism.

The Cosmism as a philosophical movement aroused among Russian intellectuals in the end of XIX century, has developed in the beginning of XX century into the art style and due to its uniqueness is known worldwide as a Russian Cosmism. The painters of this style have been supported by N.K. Roerich and so we know about their existence. The opposition of the current soviet regime and accusing of many artists as a ‘people enemy’ led to ceasing of their activity and loss of majority of their work.

Due to personal support of B.I. Bulochnik, Russian Cosmism has its second birth today. In the International Center and Museum named after N.K. Roerich, contemporary artists of this style have possibility to exhibit their work without any charge for facilities. B.I. Bulochnik sponsors publishing activity of International Center and Museum named after N.K. Roerich where catalogs and almanacs of Cosmism artists are issued along with magazine “Culture and Time”, books, etc. The artworks of contemporary Cosmism painters are included in the permanent collection of the museum and exhibited throughout Russia again with sponsorship of B.I. Bulochnik. Speaking frankly, do you know a lot of such examples of selfless donations for the development of Russian culture in such amount? Or do you think that holding exhibitions in Russian regions is profitable? Then you could check how much money our government spent for development of contemporary art in Perm’ for example. Not to mention contents of this art including Cheburashka zombie and other kitsch.

Russian cosmism is one of few spiritually loaded styles of contemporary art. It is highly demanded by people not wealthy but wishing to see artworks with spiritual meaning which joins people with no regard to their nationality. Only with support of B.I. Bulochnik they have had such possibility. Now they have not. And again they could not say that Russia has some kind of its own contemporary art style distinguishing from constant copying of western masterpieces. Just think that prior to appearance of the great Russian patron of art Tretyakov there were no such concept as Russian art. Lucky we are that at that time nobody succeeds to bankrupt Tretyakov…

We hope that our government will find time and possibility to take care about issues more serious and perpetual than fighting ‘would-be’ banking violations, i.e. development of cultural image of Russia which is violated right now. And that being guided by the principle “… the leader of the country should be faultless”, President of our country will take personal participation in recovery of honest name of the outstanding contemporary patron of art B.I. Bulochnik.