Rimma Yakupova from Orenburg Received the Russian Government's "Soul of Russia" Prize

On 15 December 2014 at 19.00, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall hosted the ceremonial presentation of the Russian Government's "Soul of Russia" Prize for contribution to the development of folk art. By order of the Russian Government of 2 October 2014, 15 individuals and groups were named laureates in five categories: "Folk Music", "Folk Singing", "Folk Dance", "Traditional Folk Culture" and "Folk Master". Among them is the well-known Orenburg down knitter Rima Yakupova, a master of folk decorative and applied art at the regional art college.

The prize in the "Folk Master" category

By order of the Russian Government, Rima Yakupova was awarded a prize of 100,000 roubles for her contribution to the development of folk art in the "Folk Master" category. The document was signed by the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev. The ceremony is attended by the Russian Minister of Culture, Vladimir Rostislavovich Medinsky.

The annual national prize was established 12 years ago on the initiative of the Russian Ministry of Culture and the State Russian House of Folk Art. It is awarded to groups and individual masters who have devoted themselves to preserving and developing folk art traditions – people recognised as active figures in preserving and enhancing the cultural heritage who have created original educational programmes for young people.

Rimma Yakupova was nominated by the Ministry of Culture and External Relations of the Orenburg Region.

A family tradition

As the eldest daughter, the craftswoman took over the family glory from her mother – the famous knitter Fardana Shafikova, who in her time was awarded an honorary diploma of the USSR Academy of Arts and two Orders of Labour Glory.

Exhibitions and awards

Rima Yakupova is a laureate of the regional festival "Unmelting Pattern" (Orenburg, 2007, in the "Fine Work" and "Gossamer Shawl" categories). She has taken part in the exhibitions:

• "The Orenburg Region – Land of Masters" (St Petersburg, 2008);
• "Contemporary Art of Russia" (Vologda, 2009);
• "The Great Volga" (Moscow, 2009);
• "The Orenburg Down Shawl" (Republic of Kazakhstan, 2010);
• the All-Russian exhibition "In One Family" (Saransk, 2011);
• "From Heart to Heart" (Moscow, 2011);
• "Russian Art. Orenburg – Berlin" (Berlin, 2012).

In 2012, the Ural Gallery of Folk Art in Ufa hosted Rima Yakupova's solo exhibition "The Magic Thread". Last year our fellow countrywoman took part in the exhibition "Together We Are Russia" in Cheboksary and in the Samara exhibition and fair "Christmas Patterns". This year Muscovites and visitors to the capital admired her openwork pieces at the exhibition "Pristine Russia", and in her native Orenburg the craftswoman received a 1st-degree diploma of the international exhibition and contest "Images of Changing Fantasies".

Teaching

For 10 years now, Rima Ravilyevna has been teaching at the Orenburg Art College, where a down-knitting department has been established. Students prepare coursework projects according to her curricula, and many of them receive master status. The students develop original design projects in modern fashion: they use traditional openwork shawls and stoles not only as accessories for the seasonal wardrobe but also introduce down-knitting elements into youth clothing, giving it a bright national flavour.

In 2010, Rima Yakupova was admitted to the Union of Artists of Russia.