The Art Russe exhibition of Soviet period paintings and sculpture, entitled ‘20^th Century Russian and Soviet Art: War and Peace’ opened with a Gala evening event at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi on the 6^th October. Several museums are under construction in Abu Dhabi and, until they are ready, exhibitions are being held in a specially designed space in the vast Emirates Palace Hotel. Although the exhibition space was originally designed by the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Art Russe team completely rebuilt it with a new floor and walls and they had to fly in the lighting from London.

The exhibition, consisting of approximately 120 pieces, was brought to Abu Dhabi at the invitation of the Abu Dhabi Royal family. The Minister of Culture, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarek Al Nayhan, wrote the preface to the catalogue and opened the exhibiion.

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture for Abu Dhabi, cutting the ribbon at the opening.

The businessman and philanthropist Andrei Filatov founded Art Russe in 2012 to collect Soviet art and increase international awareness of the period. Art Russe also publishes art books on Soviet and Russian artists and organises and sponsors exhibitions.

In an interview given to the local Khaleej Times, Filatov, who is also President of the Russian Chess Federation, said, “I love to show our art and I would love for the people here to simply enjoy it….There are many people here from the former Soviet Union who love art and will see this exhibition, so I hope it will be a great success….. UAE is a growing cultural centre, art from many different areas is presented here, such as Chinese, Russian and French art.”

Filatov, who believes in using his art to encourage cultural understanding, added, “However, even in Russia we need to have more Arabic and Chinese museums because it is only through cultural exchange we can move forward.”

A lady considers the Tkachev brothers painting Laundresses of 1956.

The exhibition includes good examples by most of the leading Soviet painters and sculptors 1918 – 1980. A large catalogue, in English and Arabic, featuring a plaster version of Vera Mukhina’s sculpture ‘Worker and Kolkuz woman’ on the cover, was prepared by the show’s curator, Angus Haldane.

Jean Nouvel, the architect of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and recipient of awards including the Aga Khan award, the Wolf prize, and the Pritzker Architecture prize for his over 200 projects, talking to the Sheihk Nahyan and the Russian Ambassador to the UAE, Alexander Efimov.

Art Russe overcame significant logistical difficulties to organise this comprehensive exhibition of Russian Art in a region which has never seen it before. Due to local beliefs as to what is acceptable in representation of the human form  Art Russe’s large collection of nude studies were not included in the exhibition.  The extensive press and TV coverage in both the Russian and Arabic world has been supportive and interested. In these troubled times, amidst the political uncertainty in the Gulf region, Art Russe is to be applauded for its efforts to focus attention on the ability of culture to provide unity and understanding.

Vladimir Gavrilov’s Gypsy Girl, 1959.

Alexander Gerasimov, Still Life with Peonies, 1931.

Viktor Ivanov, Smokebreak, 1994.

Geli Korzhev, Deserter, 1990.

Valentin Sidorov, May Rain, 1960.

Tair Salahov, Agave with Red Lamp, 1979.

Vladimir Stozharov, Venice, 1959.

Matvej Manizer, Wrestlers, bronze, 1930’s.

A. V. Kryzanovskaya, Cross Country skier, 1950’s.

Sara Lebedeva, Boris Pasternak, bronze relief, 1961.

Kasli Foundry, Girl with a Hoop, 1981.

Elena Yanson – Manizer, Natalia Dudinskaya in the Role of ‘Aurora’ in
Tchaikovsky’s ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ gyps, 1959.