“The clown is not a profession but an ideology”. L. Yengibarov

On the day of 75th anniversary of the great circus artist Leonid Yengibarov, on 15 March, in the Vagankovo Cemetery, a wreath-laying ceremony took place. The artist’s relatives and friends, famous artists and all the people not indifferent to the work of the mime-clown, who set up a new trend in the art of clownery, came to honour his memory.

   “The clown is not a profession but an ideology”, - Leonid Yengibarov used to repeat. This is very valuable! He is a philosopher, a clown-philosopher. Leonid Yengibarov is a true genius who suddenly became our coeval, well, at this age many talented people died, both Pushkin and Lermontov, for example, and this is thus the age when poets die”, exclaimed M. Rudina laying flowers at the artist’s grave.

   “I recollect how we sent Leonid Yengibarov to the first international circus arts festival. Mark Solomonovich and I were told to go on a business trip and visit him and inspire his victory. As always, he took the first place, became the contest laureate, and since then his international activities began. He was a remarkable artist, an outstanding clown, a poet, and those are the reasons for us to honour his memory, and we will keep him in our mind for many years", - said one of those present.

   J. Halyavin expressed his thanks to the Post of Russia and to the Publishing house “Marka” for issuing special envelopes on the day of Leonid Yengibarov’s anniversary at the instance of the Russian state circus company: “It is the day when the people’s artist of Armenia, our contemporary, would have been 75 years old. Many have seen him at the arena. Sorrowfully, he left us very early but it is very pleasant that he is not forgotten, not even by his friends and the nearest people but also by the Post of Russia".

   Within 3 days the Post of Russia will spread the envelopes all over the world. The memory of this remarkable man will be preserved in all collections around the world.

   Pupils of school №242 have come to honour the artist’s memory. According to the annual tradition they gather together here, near the monument, on 15 March, to pay homage to the extraordinary talent, in the region of Maryina Rosha where he lived all the 37 years of his not very long life. This was a place dear to his heart.

   For the commemoration meeting organized by Mariya Romanushko, together with the presenter, writer and director, Kseniya Krotova, on the day of the mime-clown and writer’s 75th birthday, everybody who knew Leonid Yengibarov in person and everybody who, after having read his poetic miniatures and seen him at the arena, forever fell in love with his work, gathered under one roof in the museum named after V.V. Mayakovski. Famous actors, writers, directors read the verses aloud, recollected fragments of Yengibarov’s biography, admired the artist is talent. Within the framework of the commemoration meeting, documentary films were demonstrated, such as "Please meet Leonid Yengibarov" by Victor Lisakovich, “TV memoirs. Leonid Yengibarov" By Rolan Bykov, “A poet and a clown” by Oleg Vasin; the unique animation film “A Star Clown” by Kseniya Krotova. Director Victor Lisakovich and Lyudmila Bobarykina, Leonid Yengibarov is sister, shared their personal memories of the artist’s rich life’s fragments. The evening was marked with Leonid Yengibarov is grandson from Prague Peter Popper, a mime-clown’s performance.

   At the meeting each could enjoy a photo-exhibition, purchase literature dedicated to Leonid Yengibarov, and in particular a book by Mariya Romanushko “Leonid Yengibarov: the Mime speaking to Eternity” which was presented at the meeting.