| Page 2 of 2 < |
For Russian Followers of Contemporary Art, Best Part of the Exhibit Might Be the Venue
The Arma factory in Moscow is now home to a round, 9,000-square-foot gallery, built inside a gas cylinder that once helped light the Kremlin.
(Anna Masterova - Twp)
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
His newly embraced mysticism pervades the work at Vinzavod: Soviet-style statues rest amid rubble as video images of commuters getting off and on subway trains are projected on the walls. Kulik's Mongolian Yurt, a portable nomadic home, provides a prayerful place in the dark.
The effect is one of a kind, but the uncompleted site has its problems -- muddy moats, exposed foundations and underground exhibits too dark to really see. "This is a tremendous space," said artist and architect Yuri Avvakumov, but he added that it needs more work. He said he saw a man fall into one of the pools in a dark catacomb exhibit when the weather was still very cold.
What drives Vinzavod and projects like it is the reality that art is becoming good business in Moscow. More tycoons are becoming collectors. The most recent sale of Russian contemporary art at Sotheby's auction house in London brought in an unprecedented $5.1 million.
"In terms of economics, this is a very good project," said Nikolay Palazhenko, Vinzavod's art director. "There are no good projects without a good economic base. The owners invested $5 million in the project, and the galleries invested a lot."
Vinzavod only recently received historical protection. Owners and developers Roman and Sofia Trotsenko have told the Russian news media that they are committed to its artistic future.
Federal historical protection meant Brodsky, the architect, could reconstruct only the interior of the factory. The protection of historic buildings is still an emerging concept in Russia, and laws are not rigorously enforced.
Vinzavod's neighbor, the Arma factory, was at the forefront of the industrial chic trend. Artists and designers filled it up, and an elite nightclub called "Gazgolder" hit the scene about a year ago.
Artist and architect Alexander Yakut built his spectacular 9,000-square-foot gallery in an Arma gas cylinder. The gallery is large, round and cornerless except for a huge internal cross in the center, a construction that pays homage to the Russian avant-garde and resembles an Orthodox church.
"This space is perfect for us," said Yakut's partner, Maya Kononenko. "But the rent started at $10,000 a month and now it is $30,000. We are going to make it a nightclub in the evening to help us cover expenses."
Some artists are concerned that the factories will become so trendy so fast that prices will keep rising and culture will be edged out.
"I have no expectations," Kononenko said, "but we are trying to stay and work here as long as possible."
