The Day of Youth is celebrated in Russia on June 27. Of course, it is not as major holiday as, for example, New Year's Day or the Day of Russia. Besides, it is not celebrated by the whole country, but by the younger generation only. However, it does not become less important because of it. The reason is that the young is the future of our country.
       By tradition, a solemn ceremony of awarding of winners of the Shaihzada Babich State Republican Youth Award in the field of literature, arts and architecture is annually held on the eve of the Day of Youth. This heart-warming tradition celebrates its 15th anniversary this year.
       The Shaihzada Babich Award was founded by the Government of the Republic in 1995. For this time, 60 talented, outstanding and ambitious young people have become its winners. Many of them became famous not only in the Republic, but also outside it.
       11 works were submitted for consideration this year. But only four young people were acknowledged as the winners: Andrey Ganichev, the actor of the Mustai Karim National Youth Theatre, Ruslan Nigmatullin, sculptor, Rustem Jamaletdinov and Paul Mazin, creative team of architects.
       BASHvest managed to meet the prizewinners and learn for what services they were honoured with such a high award.
       Andrey Ganichev graduated from Ufa State Institute of Arts (now the Zagir Ismagilov Ufa State Academy of Arts). He has been working in the Youth Theatre for already 10 years. For this period, he has played over 30 roles from the repertoire of the world and Russian classics, and from modern drama. Andrey took part in many regional, all-Russian and international festivals, where he was twice acknowledged as the best actor. The performance "The Night of a Golden Cloudlet" after the so named story of Anatoly Pristavkin, where Andrey played the main part, represented our Republic at the famous Golden Mask forum on a worthy level. By the way, Andrey got the Babich Award for the role of Kolka Kuzmin in this very performance.
       "In fact, I have not done anything outstanding," Andrey says. "I take the award for a generous advance, which I still have to work off. It imposes great responsibility. They've believed in me so now I have to work twice as hard."
       "What is your role in "The Night of a Golden Cloudlet" distinguished by?"
       "I don't even know whether I was given the prize for this concrete role or my work in general... I got it, and it's great!"
       "Were you surprised when you learnt you became a prizewinner?"
       "It was not actually a great surprise for me. You may think I am self- assertive, but when I was named the best actor on different festivals, I thought that it would be followed by something global. You must admit that it is hard to live without the sense of your own significance."
       "Do you have your favourite role?"
       "An actor's favourite role is the one he feels comfortable in. But I work not for myself, but for the audience. That very part of Kolka Kuzmin is not my favourite one, as it is on the verge of collapse, of insanity, and it is difficult to play it."
       Ruslan Nigmatullin graduated from the Zagir Ismagilov Ufa State Academy of Arts in 2006. However, he started to create sculptures much earlier. Since 2001, he has been participating in the regional, all-Russian and international exhibitions. He created many brilliant and memorable works in the field of visual art. The most significant works of the sculptor are "The Portrait of Director Aupova", "The Bull", "Autumn", "The Demon" and "Karim". His first personal exhibition was held this year in the Nail Lutfullin Museum of Modern Art. Ruslan presented the series of works united by the common name "Nauruz". The Nesterov Bashkir State Art Museum, and also private collections of residents of Russia and other countries have the works of the young sculptor.
       Ruslan received the Shaihzada Babich Prize not for some concrete sculpture, but for his creative work as a whole. He was awarded for creating works of art reproducing the diversity of traditions of modern Bashkir sculpture and his contribution to the visual art of Bashkortostan Republic.
       "The Prize has given me a new incentive for further growth," Ruslan confessed. "It will inspire me to new creative achievements."
       "How did you decide to become a sculptor?"
       "Everything comes out from the childhood: a sandpit, clay..."
       "What sculptures are the most precious for you?"
       "It is sculptures of my family members, those connected with my personal emotional experience. For example, a small sculpture "Karim" devoted to my younger son."
       "How do you create sculptures?"
       "The birth of a sculpture is a concurrence of circumstances. Ideas get united with mood, and the creative process starts."
       "Do you plan to organize another personal exhibition?"
       "Not in the nearest future, as sculpture making is a long, labour-intensive and expensive process."
       Rustem Jamaletdinov and Paul Mazin graduated from the department of architecture and civil engineering of Ufa State Oil and Technical University at different times. They have been working together since 2007. For this period, they have implemented many social and civil projects together. Residential houses, schools, hospitals, kindergartens and office blocks designed by them beautify our city. Their projects are constant prizewinners of the annual "The Best Project of the Year" regional review competition. Besides, they took part in the annual Zodchestvo International Festival many times.
       Rustem and Paul got the Shaihzada Babich Prize for their renovation project of the Davletkildeev Art Boarding School.
       "It is very important for architects that their ideas and projects are put into practice," Rustem tells. "And it is especially nice when the result is noticed and appreciated at its true value. The Shaihzada Babich Award is a great incentive for further achievements. I hope we will manage to create many other interesting projects that will make our city and republic more beautiful."
       "A constructed building is the result of work of not only architects, but of a great number of other people," Paul adds. "We owe our victory to common efforts. I hope, the renovated building of the Davletkildeev Art Boarding School will be in use for many years and train many a generation of talented sculptures, artists and architects."
       According to Rustem, the Prize was a great surprise for him:
       "When we worked over the project, we did not think of any awards. We just wanted another beautiful building, both comfortable and functional, to appear in Ufa. Of course, we are very glad that our work is so highly appreciated."
       Photo by Andrey Starostin.