23.05.2018  “Maxim Gorky: A Glance from the 21st Century” Conference

On May 21, the conference «Maxim Gorky: A View from the 21st Century» took place at the NovSU School of Humanities (Antonovo, the old building, aud.1228). It was organized by Novgorod State University in cooperation with the Novgorod State Unified Museum-Reserve. The conference was dedicated to the 150-th anniversary of Alexei Maximovich Gorky, whose life and work were connected with the Novgorodian land.

In the summer of 1904, the writer lived in Staraya Russa, where Andreeva performed with the company of Nezlobin on the stage of the Starorussky Resort of Mineral Waters theater. He wrote the play «Summerfolk» there. Impressions from the Novgorod provinces were reflected in Gorky’s letters and prose.

Scientists from NovSU, the Moscow University of World Literature of A.M. Gorky, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Izhevsk, Tambov, researchers from Italy, Ukraine and Latvia participated in conference. The reports were devoted to both literary and linguistic problems of the writer's texts. A special attention was given to media reflection of his creative heritage and museum aspects of the representation of life and creativity.

Exhibition of funds collections was opened at the library of the School of Humanities. «A man must define himself to the place ... and not be confused on the ground ...» Maxim Gorky said in pursuit of the meaning of life.

In the evening, the participants of the conference  had a tour around Antonovo, they were able to get acquainted with the unique work of Novgorod renovators in the Center for the Restoration of Monumental Painting.

On May 22, the conference moved to Staraya Russa, to the Scientific and Cultural Center of the Fedor Dostoevsky.

By the organizers’ opinion, the conference was of great importance: firstly, for the first time a new venue appeared on the map of the Gorky’s conferences, and secondly, the next contribution was made to the development of modern humanitarian science, and also to the development of local studies.

English