The presentation of the new project "Peace Express" took place in the art gallery "Shmatko & Sons"

Nikolai Shmatko has presented the international project – the sculptural composition "Peace Express" and also acquainted his guests with new creative works, namely "Three Graces" in marble made by N. Shmatko and "Three Graces" in stone-tinted plaster made by his son Rafael.

N. Shmatko had been working on "Peace Express" for more than one month, but the most difficult thing was to render the idea of this sculpture. The sculptor had to scrutinize thoroughly each of the candidates he wanted to immortalize.

"I decided to make this sculpture in order to evoke a response from these world leaders so that they would pay more attention to the problems of peacekeeping on our planet. I have chosen these politicians surely because they "run the show" in this world" – N. Shmatko said.

The sculptural portraits of the President of the USA – Barack Obama, the President of Russia – Dmitry Medvedev, the Prime-minister of Italy – Silvio Berlusconi, the President of Venezuela – Hugo Chavez and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, the President of the People's Republic of China – Hu Jintao are imaged on the tips of the fingers of a hand in the center of which there is a symbolic globe with a fly transfixed by Barack Obama. >>>> see all the photos >>>

N. Shmatko appealed to the leaders of the 5 countries with the help of mass media with the proposition to Barack Obama to allocate 5 million dollars for the financing of the statue made of marble "Christ's Appearance to the Apostles" and also "to construct a new city in the centre of which this sculptural composition will be set."

The sculptor suggested Dmitry Medvedev "planning a visit to the gallery and providing help in its "extension".

N. Shmatko offered Hu Jintao to organize an exhibition in China where the sculptor is ready to show more than 100 sculptures and more than 300 canvases. During this exhibition the sculptor "is going to fundraise 1 billion dollars" which he promised to pass to "the distressed provinces of China". The host, in its turn, as N. Shmatko proposed, will have to guarantee the transportation of the collection and to allow 3.000 square meters of exhibition area and the presence of mass media.

Silvio Berlusconi was offered "to be responsible for the expenses of the presentation of N. Shmatko in Florence Biennale 2009 and to take part in the inauguration of Biennale" in which N. Shmatko intends to participate.

Hugo Chavez was offered "to realize a project which would symbolize the people of Venezuela. The sculptor also invited the President to visit the art gallery "Shmatko & Sons".

"With our efforts (in the field of sculpture creation), my sons and I are ready to bring beauty to the Venezuelan people and to offer them new opportunities for tourism," – N. Shmatko said.

Gallery "Shmatko & Sons", 08.09.2009 (photos of Rafael Shmatko)