OREANDA-NEWS. On 30 June 2009 was announced, that the Stroganov’s Palace of Saint Petersburg hosted official opening of "Compositions with Beer" exhibition. Its partner is Baltika Breweries, which is a member of the Friends of the Russian Museum International Club.

The exposition presents over 60 paintings and graphic works of the 17-20 centuries from the collection of the State Russian Museum. The authors of the works on the beer topic include Konstantin Makovsky, Mikhail Larionov, Alexander Rodchenko, Boris Ermolaev, Dmitri Shagin and others.

The visitors will also see works of applied and decorative art, including items of the late 19 — early 20 centuries from the collection of Baltika Breweries. It contains a unique collection of old beer bottles amazing by the exquisite and refined workmanship of glassblowers, beer utensils as well as one of the largest collections of ceramic beer Hutter stoppers in Russia reflecting a whole epoch and history of brewing. Ceramic stoppers were invented in the late 19 century and produced in Germany. The exhibited stoppers bear numerous symbols of brewing, including medieval ones: a wooden fermentation tank with a dipper, a mash shovel and a malt shovel sticking out of it, a picture of a hexagram or a beer star protecting the brewer and the beer itself from daemonic influence and, accordingly, from beer souring. The epoch of Hutter stoppers ended with emergence of automated lines using metal caps but it added to its historical as well as artistic value.

Participation in "Compositions with Beer" exhibition is not the only Baltika’s project aimed at demonstrating the cultural heritage of the brewing industry. The Company is implementing the national program of "From Baltika to Russia!" organizing the exhibition of "History on a Beer Poster" within the frames of the program at the Beer and Kvass Festivals taking place on the territory of the Russian Federation this year. The exhibition presents historical European beer posters of the 19-20 centuries of various styles and trends that have long stepped over the advertising boundaries and laid the basis of historical and cultural heritage. The exhibits include the work by Eric Henningsen showing a cult picture of Tuborgman. The picture was published in the form of a poster in 1900 and has been used in advertising ever since.

By participating in such events Baltika Breweries strives to remind people that beer is an attribute of history, culture and art of various nations, an integral part of their everyday life and traditions. Demonstration of art masterpieces is aimed at raising the culture of beer consumption, which is considered by Baltika Breweries to be the only proper trend of the beer industry development in accordance with the requirements of the modern society.

The exhibition is opened for visitors from 18 June till 10 September 2009.

Hours: Wednesday through Sunday: from 10:00 till 18:00, Monday from 10:00 till 17:00, Tuesday closed. Entrance fee.