Greece exposition on one of the most important periods in the history of Russian art: «The five seasons of the Russian avant-garde» in Athens and «Lost and found the avant-garde» in Thessaloniki.

works, which are exhibited at the shows, came from the collection of the famous Russian collector George Dionisovicha Kostaki. This man has played a unique role in the history of Russian culture, one of the first started to collect works of avant-garde artists that changed at the beginning of XX century, all about the art and ruthlessly persecuted Soviet power. If it were not for the diligence Kostaki, perhaps, many masterpieces, now adorn the walls of the Tretyakov Gallery (where the collector handed over most of its assembly), would have been destroyed.

Ninety works from the collection Kostaki now on exhibition at the Museum of Art Kikladskogo in Athens. There you will see pictures, graphics and three-dimensional objects created by members of all flows in the Russian front from 1900 to 1930.

The exhibition is divided into five parts ( «seasons »).

The first season is called the «Year to». In the space devoted to this part of the exhibition can be seen very early Russian avant-garde - works created by the major European movements of the late XIX - early XX century: symbolism, expressionism, Postimpressionism.

The second phase, called the organizers of «wanderings Years», - this kubofuturizm original «Russian» synthesis of two of the most innovative trends in the art of the beginning of the century.

The Third Season, «Mystical years», devoted to philosophical and metaphysical searches by Russian artists, has found its culmination in Suprematism Kazimir Malevich .

A quarter of the «ideology Years» is a study of relationships with artists «newborn» Soviet power, which many of them took as its first fulfill the dream to change the world. It shows the desire of artists to create a «functional» art, worthy to become part of everyday life of the new Soviet man.

The last and most unfortunate part of the exhibition - «years after» - shows the frustration of artists, and failed to win recognition of the authorities. In the Stalinist era of the dominant style in art was the socialist realism - avant-gardists with their non-painting, utopian ideas about rebuilding the world through the fusion of art and philosophy are in a difficult disgrace. Here you can see the works already postarevshih artists who did not give up under the onslaught of socialist realism, and continued to go his own way.

In Athens, will be presented to all the stars of the Russian avant-garde, including Kazimir Malevich , Lyubov Popova , Эля Lisitsky , Vladimir Tatlin and others.

In contrast to the Athens museum, which is a large «overview» exhibition, State Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki decided to focus on one direction - constructivism. Fully exhibition called so: «Lost and found Avant-Garde: The synthesis of architecture and art in Russia (1915-1935)». Constructivism, which appeared in Russia in the early 1920's, became the last major area in the history of Russian avant-garde. Artists-constructivists sought to create a «functional» buildings and facilities, the most adapted to the needs and characteristics of industrial production. The principles of constructivism are reflected in the architecture, photography, arts and crafts, fashion ...

The first part of the exhibition in Thessaloniki (called «Lost») - archival documents from the Moscow State Museum of Architecture. AV Shchusev.

The second part - «Avantgarde» - actually artists: Ivan Klyuna , Gustav Klutsisa , Lyubov Popova , Nikritina Solomon , Nicholas Suetin and others.

The third part, «found», is an attempt to explore the relationship between the museum's past and present of Russian Constructivism. Here you will see 81 famous photo of Richard Peyra to bypass the entire former Soviet Union to make photographs surviving monuments of architecture of avant-garde 1920's.

Exhibition «Lost and found the avant-garde» last until September 28, and «The five seasons of the Russian avant-garde» - until October 20.

Julia Maksimova

Sources: e-flux.com , cycladic.gr , artinvestment.ru