YEVPATORIA – Paintings spoke to residents and visitors of the city. An exhibition of reproductions by outstanding world painters became a tool for evangelism. More than 100 people heard the Good News through art.
From July 7 to 13, the architectural monument “Solomon Bott House” hosted a spiritual and educational exhibition called “What the Paintings Say,” organized by the Living Water Church. This project became a bridge between culture and the gospel, allowing hundreds of guests and residents of Yevpatoria to hear the message of Christ through great works of art.
The exhibition featured reproductions of paintings by outstanding artists: Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn, Ivan Aivazovsky, Alexander Ivanov, Vasily Surikov, and others.
Visitors not only saw famous paintings, but also learned about the history of their creation. Russian art historians Alexander and Raisa Prodonov, together with their students, gave fascinating lectures on the life and work of the artists, revealed the secrets of their craftsmanship and inspiration, and spoke about the cultural and spiritual heritage they left to the world.
“The Lord inspired the artists to paint these pictures so that through the centuries we could share the Gospel and reflect on the eternal values that the artists conveyed in their paintings. This is God's plan! When we tell the story of a painting and the life of an artist, many people find answers to questions that concern them,” says Alexander Prodonov.
Visual art is unique. It is capable of speaking through time, uniting generations around important values: love, justice, hope, and forgiveness.
The exhibition aroused interest among visitors. Every evening enthusiastic listeners stood in front of the paintings, and discussions arose.
“I have been to the Hermitage and the Tretyakov Gallery several times, but only today did the deep meaning of some of the paintings truly reveal itself to me,” shared Viktor, a visitor to the exhibition from St. Petersburg.
Attention was also paid to the younger guests. Artist Raisa Prodonova held master classes in painting, games, and spiritual and moral discussions for the children. All the children went home with gifts and smiles on their faces.
The spiritual quests of the great masters, stories of repentance and transformation impressed the exhibition organizers. Vladimir Eremeev, pastor of the Living Water Church, shared, "We ourselves were greatly inspired. People are open to communication, and art is a bridge where we meet, talk with them, and leave them with eternal and important questions: what is the truth and why do we live in this world. We are pleased with the results of the exhibition. As in Van Gogh's painting “The Sower,” we have sown the seed and believe that it will sprout. We will continue this format of evangelism during the summer season."
The project “What the Paintings Say” is significant not only for the evangelistic work of the Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith Pentecostals, but also for the cultural life of Yevpatoria. It makes world art accessible to guests and residents, as the exhibition is free of charge.
The collection is located on the territory of the architectural monument “Solomon Bott House.” In 1896, the famous entrepreneur and patron of the arts built himself a house at 46 Karaimskaya Street. To this day, the house has retained its late 19th-century interior decoration and layout. Solomon Bott was a merchant of the first guild. He donated money for the construction and maintenance of Jewish schools, hospitals, and orphanages. He participated in the resolution of city issues. He contributed to the development of the resort's infrastructure: the improvement of the embankments and the construction of a water supply system.
In 1984, Solomon Bott's house was transferred to Christians of the Evangelical faith. The exhibition “What the Paintings Say” brings this historic building, associated with the patron's legacy, back into cultural circulation.
Daria Ugnych
The Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith Pentecostals
