Julia Verzhbinsky: "High Calling: Nicholas Roerich and His Search for Shambhala"
Abstract:
The prolific Russian painter, writer, philosopher and humanist Nikolai Roerich (1874-1947) was a great believer in the power of art and in the fundamental unity of all cultures and civilizations. As an artist he left behind more than 7000 paintings and set designs. He was an author of near 30 books and countless essays, articles, and travel diaries. His writings, like his paintings, reflected his constant inner search for universal truth. His archeological findings contributed to the study of migration patterns in Russia, Central Asia and the Himalayas. He established and led numerous art schools, international cultural organizations and scientific institutes on three continents. His humanitarian efforts, especially his Roerich Peace Pact, signed by FDR and 35 other nations, earned him two nominations for The Nobel Peace Prize. His prominent admirers included Lev Tolstoy, Serge Diaghilev, Herbert Hoover, Albert Einstein, Roman Rolland and George Bernard Shaw.
Bio:
Julia Verzhbinsky was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, to the family of three generations of prominent Russian doctors. She graduated from Leningrad State University and was invited to work as a researcher at the Laboratory of Applied Mathematics headed by the world renowned mathematicians Solomon Mikhlin and Vladimir Mazya. She worked there till late 1978 when she and her family moved to the United States.
In the U.S. Julia worked as a senior researcher at Bell Laboratories, New Jersey and at the University of California, San Francisco. After retiring from UCSF, she joined the docent program at the Asian Art Museum and is an active member of the docent corps. She writes book reviews for docents covering literature from Asia and beyond. Julia's main interests are the cultural and artistic connections between Russia and Asia since around the mid-19th century. Nicholas Roerich belongs to a generation of Russians who were looking for spiritual answers to the impending darkness of the two world wars.