The graphic artist, Sergei Volkov, met a delegation of librarians, on September 11. During the meeting, the artist donated to the library his original illustrations for children’s books.
The meeting took place in the Palace of Arts, Minsk, where the exhibition of the Verasen creative association is running. Verasen was established as part of the Belarusian Union of Artists in 1989 and this year celebrates its thirtieth anniversary. Its core is the famous masters of illustration and easel, whose works are remarkable for original style and high professionalism, having numerous national and international awards. During the three decades of activity, Verasen has formed its own traditions, such as reporting exhibitions, which are held every two years. Since 1989, graphic artist Sergei Volkov has been the member of the organization and its chairman in 1989–1992, 1999–2019, respectively.
Sergey Volkov is the Merited Artist of the BSSR (1989), winner of the Vasyl Vitka Prize (2004), the Kandrat Krapiva Award (2007), and holder of the Francysk Skaryna Medal (2017). More than a dozen years, he has worked at the children’s magazine Vyasyolka and the comic magazine Vozhyk.
Sergey Volkov is the representative of the dynasty of artists. His father and grandfather are the famous artists. Valentin Volkov is the People's Artist of Belarus, author of the monumental historical paintings titled Minsk, July 3, 1944. Anatoly Volkov worked at a partisan newspaper during the Great Patriotic War; the reproduction of his most famous painting titled First of September decorated school textbooks in Soviet times. In 2019, Sergey Volkov published a book dedicated to his grandfather Valentin Volkov: the classic of the Belarusian Soviet art (in Belarusian: Валянцін Волкаў : класік беларускага савецкага жывапісу). The book, released in Riga in only 40 copies, is now available in the National Library of Belarus.
Sergey Volkov has created satirical posters, graphic portraits, cartoons and children's illustrations. The artist has illustrated more than 300 books for children, including the books by known Belarusian writers Yanka Maur, Edzi Ahnyatsvet, Ivan Muraveyka, Mikalai Malyauka, Mikalai Chatnyauski, Pavel Misko, Syarhei Davidovich, and also Belarusian folk tales and fables.
The National Library keeps the books illustrated by Sergey Volkov, the earliest of which dates from 1959. On September 11, the artist donated to the library original watercolor paintings, which are illustrations for popular children's books.
Bibliology Research Department
