Marina Forbes
Marina Forbes (MA Philology, University of St. Petersburg, Russia) is a lecturer, historian, Master iconographer and award-winning artist who has lectured extensively on traditional arts, history, and the rich tapestry of Russian culture. She is licensed with the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg and is featured on the NH State Council on the Arts Rosters for Arts in Education and Traditional Arts. Each year, Marina leads cultural tours to Russia where she regularly updates her scholarship, gathering photos and documents, visiting craft factories, GULAG sites and monasteries, and interviewing journalists, political figures, and scholars on the current state of affairs in Russia. Marina’s talks are sometimes a little bit funny, sometimes a little bit serious, but always unmistakably Russian.
Contact
Marina Forbes
Rochester, NH 03867
marina@marinaforbes.com
Work Phone: 603-332-2255
Available Program Formats: In person presentations only
"Your presentation was absolutely wonderful! You are a delightful and lively presenter. Everyone raved about the lecture. We all learned so much about Russian history and the history of the Fabergé Easter Eggs.
I only wish I had known more of the background when I viewed the eggs at the New Orleans Art Gallery. You made the eggs come alive for us all."
- Program attendee
Marina Forbes's Programs
Faberge Imperial Easter Eggs
This unique and beautifully illustrated presentation focuses on the life and remarkable work of master jeweler and artist, Peter Carl Fabergé. The program features a spectacular photo-tour of Fabergé collections at world-famous museums and from private collectors around the world. Emphasis is on the important role of egg painting in Slavic culture and on the unique development of this major art form from a traditional craft to the level of exquisite fine art under the patronage of the tsars. The fascinating history of these eggs and their role in the dramatic events of the last decades of Romanov rule in Russia and in the years following the Bolshevik Revolution will also be discussed.
Join us as we celebrate 50 years of bringing the humanities to your community!
Russian Daily Life and Culture
For the past 22 years, local Russian artist and lecturer Marina Forbes has presented her customized cultural tours designed for anyone interested in developing a first-hand understanding of Russian life and culture. Marina's illustrated and interactive presentations demonstrate her unique vision of how to experience the rich tapestry of her native Russia. Marina establishes a link between Russia's rich cultural heritage and the lives of Russians today. The fall of Soviet Communism in the early 1990s catapulted Russia into a new social order. The emergence of the "new rich," the evolving role of women, the revival of the Orthodox Church, the changing effects of Russian humor, family life, entertainment, and the new emphasis on consumerism are all revealed as she brings personal experience and research to bear in this fascinating look at contemporary Russian life. Topics also include the life of Russian retirees, public and private health services, civil and criminal legal procedures, real estate, the education system, and workplace issues.
Join us as we celebrate 50 years of bringing the humanities to your community!
Traditional Matryoshka Nested Doll Making: From Russia to New Hampshire
This beautifully illustrated, interactive presentation by Marina Forbes will feature the history of Matryoshka nested doll making in Russia. Using a fully illustrated show and numerous exhibits, including examples of her own work and from her extensive collection, Forbes will examine the rich folk tradition, the symbolism of the doll’s appearance, and the interesting link between doll making and other traditional Russian art forms. There will be a quick stop at the 1900 World Fair in Paris that made Russian nested dolls and Fabergé eggs famous, followed by an exciting illustrated tour of a working doll-making factory in rural Russia, depicting the various stages in the doll making process. The presentation will conclude with a glorious show of hundreds of examples of the finest Matryoshka artwork available in Russia.
Join us as we celebrate 50 years of bringing the humanities to your community!
