Indoor Exhibitions at the Height of Winter
Mu Ke. Time and Space
For this exhibition, the Moscow Museum of Modern Art collaborated with the Harbin Normal University’s International Art Institute to present the works of Mu Ke, a contemporary Chinese artist. Having studied in both China and Russia, Mu Ke combines two distinct approaches to painting and finds a balance between the two vastly different cultures, layering Asian and European traditions. The focus of his art is intricately coloured landscapes, which highlight the interconnections between realism and abstraction, space and time, and composition and colour.
Mu Ke is an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Arts, as well as the director of the International Art Institute (part of Harbin Normal University), the only joint Chinese-Russian art institution accredited in China. In addition to Mu Ke’s own artwork, the exhibition features selected pieces by various Russian and Chinese artists exploring similar themes.
Open until March 22.
Where: 25 Petrovka Ulitsa.
Tickets: 250 RUB for students; purchase here (in Russian). More information is available on the website.
The 6th Art and Industrial Exhibition ‘Unique Russia’
Held at the Gostiny Dvor Exhibition Centre, ‘Unique Russia’ aims to showcase the diversity of traditional arts and crafts from every corner of the country. Participants specialising in smithery, bone- and woodcarving, jewellery, embroidery, leatherwork, enamelwork, doll making, ceramic and porcelain art, as well as painting, will present a variety of items and styles rooted in folk art. Overall, the exhibition features more than 4,000 artists from 80 regions of Russia. While rooted in traditional folk arts, the exhibition also incorporates contemporary technologies, such as a three-dimensional interactive installation exploring the evolution of Russian fairy tales.
Open until February 8.
Where: 4 Ilyinka Ulitsa (Gostiny Dvor).
Tickets: 250 RUB for people under 21 years old (full price for those over 21 is 500 RUB). Tickets can be purchased here (website in Russian).
Under the Mask
The Museum of Russian Impressionism welcomes new artwork to mark its 10-year anniversary. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum will host an exhibition named ‘Under the Mask’, exploring how carnivals and masquerades were reflected in Russian art from the 1830s to the 1930s. Works by Vladimir Makovsky, Sergey Sudeikin, Abram Arkhipov, and other artists depict festivities in all their variety: from home celebrations to balls held at the Russian court, with an emphasis on the European tradition of masquerades, which was quickly integrated into the Russian society.
Open from February 13 to May 24.
Where: 15 Leningradsky Prospekt, Building 11
Tickets: 500 RUB for students; purchase here (website in Russian).
Primeval Russia
This photo exhibition and festival features over 400 pictures by different photographers, capturing Russia’s diverse landscapes and wildlife in their natural habitats. Held annually since 2014, the festival has acquired not only aesthetic significance but also a social purpose. The event aims to raise awareness of wildlife conservation, promote eco-tourism, and encourage people to volunteer in protected natural areas, as reflected in the programme of lectures and roundtable discussions running alongside the exhibition.
Open from February 6 to March 5.
Where: 1 Manezhnaya Ploshchad (Moscow Manege)
Tickets: 550 RUB for students; tickets can be purchased on the official website (in Russian).