Armen Avanessian: «Institutions have much more impact and therefore much more power than they know»

Philosopher on the dominance of future and 21st century metaphysics.

Basic Instinct

Moscow gallerist Sergei Popov talks of eroticism, sexuality and pornography in contemporary Russian art. 18+

Monroe in the mirror of adventurism

Critic and art historian Maria Kravtsova examines the life and adventures of Vladislav Mamyshev-Monroe (1969–2013) through the prism of the life stories of the adventurists of the 18th century and finds a lot of similarities.

Irina Popova: Another Family, 2013

A story of a scandal around a documentary photoshoot.

Repin’s “Ivan the Terrible:” Patterns in the theme of modernity

Art historian Ekaterina Allenova on the high-profile story about a recent request to remove Repin’s painting “Ivan Grozny and his Son, Ivan, on Nov. 16, 1581” from the Tretyakov Gallery.

Farewell, modernist aura!

Valentin Dyakonov, observer and art critic for Russia’s Kommersant newspaper, set off for distant Norway to find out whether it’s possible to stage a political art exhibit in the post-crisis era.

What should be done with the Pushkin Museum?

Move the Impressionists back to the main building, take the trophies out of storage, exhibit contemporary art, don’t exhibit contemporary art, lower ticket prices, and other suggestions: experts weigh in on how to make the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Art

Daniil Dondurei: “Putin is a remarkable student of culture”

Daniil Dondurei, a cultural critic and editor of Iskusstvo Kino (The Art of Cinema) magazine, talked with Maria Kravtsova about new trends in culture, shadow ideology and how Putin is a gifted cultural player,