In June 2016, masters from the OMI studio took part in the restoration of one of the halls of the famous Mariinsky Palace. Construction of the palace, commissioned by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, began in 1744 and lasted 8 years. The building was designed by the famous architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Unfortunately, a number of restorations have led to a loss of authenticity of the palace interior. The palace was closed for another restoration in 2007; the work itself began in the fall of 2014.
“When you touch history, you inevitably feel like you belong to it, even if part of this history has already sunk into oblivion. Today, it is the ceremonial residence of the President of Ukraine. We tried to complete all the work at the highest level,” emphasized Tang Zhongyan, sculptor-restorer of the OMI studio.
Some of the stucco pieces were created outside the walls of the Mariinsky Palace; the task of the masters of the OMI studio was to fix the parts on the walls and ceiling. Part of the stucco molding had to be restored right on site, applying the solution and processing it at a height of more than 4.5 meters. The palace, namely the restored halls, are planned to open to visitors this fall.