Paolu Volkova was recognized by the Russian art critic and the source of culture on the “Bridge over the Abyss” program on the “Culture” TV channel. Honored Art Worker of the Russian Federation read lectures on art in an accessible language. She also wrote scripts, reviews, articles and books.
The whole life of Paola Dmitrieva Volkova is devoted to art. She was pleased to organize meetings with famous people who were interesting to the public for communication, she gave lectures to VGIK students and taught scriptwriting courses.
The beginning of the creative path
The biography of the future celebrity began in 1930. A girl was born in Moscow on June 23. Nothing is known about childhood and parents. Volkova herself did not consider this topic interesting to outsiders. She said that among her ancestors were immigrants from Italy. Therefore, traditionally girls received the name Paola. True, there is another version. According to her, this option was simply liked by mom, attracted attention while reading a book.
After school, the graduate continued her education at the metropolitan state university. She graduated from the Faculty of Art History in 1953.
Since 1960, Volkova was engaged in teaching activities. She taught at VGIK courses on the universal history of art and material culture. She was not much older than students in age, but she managed to captivate them so much with an explanation that she conquered both with incredible erudition and cheerful openness. In memory, the new teacher was incredible, remembering and then reproducing any historical dates with ease. Subsequently, Volkova's lectures were published in separate books.
Since 1979, experts have been invited to the courses of scriptwriters and directors. There Volkova was instructed to teach cultural studies and visual solutions. The teacher had the opportunity to work with popular production designers and famous movie directors. Among her students are Alexander Mitta, and Pavel Kaplevich, and Vadim Abdrashitov.
Successful undertakings
In the seventies and eighties Paola Dmitrievna organized the lectures of Nathan Eidelman, Merab Mamardashvili, Lev Gumilev and George Gachev. The student of the philosophers Gumilyov and Mamardashvili was Volkova herself. She was well aware and repeatedly said that her teachers were of exceptional value to the whole world of culture.
In a friendly relationship was a figure with the famous director and poet Tonino Guerra. She acted as the compiler of e6go books published in Russia. Volkova also wrote introductory articles to them.
At the initiative of an art critic, the Andrei Tarkovsky Foundation was founded. The merit of Volkova is in demonstrating to the whole world the whole scale of creativity of a talented person. In 1989, Paola Dmitrievna led the organization. She has held more than 20 festivals and exhibitions abroad and in Russia. In the work of the great director, the director of his foundation was a major expert. She has written dozens of articles and several books about the master.
With the filing of an energetic woman, a house-museum of his name was created in Tarkovsky's homeland. At the place of the last refuge of the activist in Paris, the Foundation installed a tombstone. Paola Dmitrievna never refused to give lectures on the work and life of the director.
In 1991, Volkova was awarded the title of Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR for her activities.
New achievements
In 2011, she proposed a series of programs "Bridge over the abyss." Volkova herself admitted that the idea itself came to her unexpectedly during the preparation of a scientific work on the history of European art. The book was called the same as the subsequent transfer. It was based on lectures for students of the Higher Courses of Scriptwriters.
The idea of transforming the material into a television show was raised by one of the students. He suggested broadcasting the conversation. It is no coincidence that the title of the cycle was the same as the book received. The image of the bridge represented world culture, without which civilization would not have been possible.
The first program was released in 2011 on the channel "Culture". 12 episodes were shot over 2 years. In each, the creator acted both as an author and as a host. She narrated about art in a language understandable to all. She revealed the mysteries of the messages and the secret signs hidden in the great paintings. The cycle enjoyed constant success with the audience. After the first release, Paola Dmitrievna became famous. She was listened to, and watched, and read.
The only book of the cycle that appeared during the lifetime of its author became a bestseller instantly. It opens not with the concepts of antiquity, but with a story about the Globus Theater and Stonehenge. Readers immediately understand that English sights are inextricably linked with other cultural eras. Cultural phenomena, separately from those created before or after them, do not exist.
Even in the narratives of deceased civilizations, the author finds words to describe their charm and interpretation possibilities. A striking example is the transformation of the bull cult from ancient Babylon to modern Spain. Multiple associations create three-dimensional pictures, reducing complex mathematical expressions to understandable equalities.
Most of the "bridges" diverge from antiquity. Yes, and the name of the work is a quote confirming this. Even readers unfamiliar with the history of art will enjoy reading the book.
