Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Tretyakov Gallery by Valentin Rodionov “Three Centuries of Russian Painting” in Beijing. 2006 was announced as the “Year of Russia in China”. These two countries have a long history of relations, and in the 21st century, they not only want to benefit from economic cooperation, but also aim to establish scientific and cultural contacts, and to study one another’s historical heritage. To celebrate the event, a rich cultural programme has been developed, including theatre performances, a film festival, various exhibitions and concerts. On March 21, leaders of the two countries Vladimir Putin and Hu Jintao announced the beginning of the "Year of Russia” at a ceremony in the National People's Congress in the presence of numerous guests from both countries. To commemorate this event, the Bolshoi Theatre gave a spectacular gala. The Tretyakov Gallery, known and loved in China, is also taking part in the project. On March 22, the exhibition "Three Centuries of Russian Painting”, organised by the Tretyakov Gallery, was inaugurated in the Beijing National Art Museum. Among those present at the ceremony were the vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and chairman of the Russian- Chinese friendship, peace and development committee Li Guixian; the co-chairman of the same committee Leonid Drachevsky; the Minister of Culture and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Alexander Sokolov; the head of the Russian Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography Mikhail Shvydkoi; and representatives of the Tretyakov Gallery. The executive secretary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was also present. Man Siaosi, the deputy minister of culture of China, made an emotional speech, stating that the exhibition was long awaited in Beijing and that generations of Chinese people who had studied in the Soviet Union in previous decades have vivid memories of Russian culture. In his reply, Alexander Sokolov thanked the Chinese and Russian curators of the project for the excellent work they had accomplished in a very short time. He emphasised that the "Year of Russia” in China is aimed at encouraging cultural cooperation between the countries. Most of the 260 events constituting its programme in various Chinese towns will help to achieve this objective. Realistic trends in Russian art are traditionally favoured by the Chinese public and the organisers of the exhibition took that into consideration in choosing the paintings for display. The show presents many fine examples of Russian art created in the three previous centuries, as Chinese visitors receive access to the encyclopedia of Russian realism through paintings placed in chronological order. The exhibition starts with the period of Peter the Great who "opened the window to the West” and made Russians appreciate secular art. In the course of the century, Russia broke with the Middle Ages and joined Europe's cultural movement, while at the same time preserving its national traditions and experience. The visitors can observe the development of baroque and rococo painting in Russia, followed by classicism and realism, the latter strengthening its leading position in the second half of the 19th century. Karl BRYULLOV. A Turkish Girl. 1837–1839 Oil on canvas. 66.2 by 79.8 cm. The first hours of the exhibition demonstrated which paintings were especially appreciated by the Chinese public and press. Visitors showed interest in the portraits of Catherine the Great's and Potemkin's daughter Elizaveta Grigorievna Temkina painted by Borovikovsky in 1798 They were fascinated by an exquisite image of Princess Maria Vorontsova by Sergei Zarianko and by Karl Bryullov's "A Turkish Girl”. However, the favourite paintings were the portrait of Evdokia Morozova by Valentin Serov and Abraham Arkhipov's "Girl with a Jar”, chosen for the exhibition poster by the Chinese organisers. Nature and traditional morality played an important role in the evolution of Russian art. Their significance is illustrated by landscapes (by Shishkin, Levitan and Kuindzhi), genre painting (Fedotov's "Widow”, Makovsky's "Reading”, Perov's "Sleeping Children”), and Viktor Vasnetsov's "Alenushka”, the latter becoming the hit of the exhibition. In the 20th century, the search for justice led to revolutionary changes. The dream of creating a Communist utopia generated unprecedented creativity among artists. New artistic groups and schools were organised, concert halls were opened, and original decorations for Soviet celebrations were created. From the 21st century perspective, this art, which is now part of art history, seems unique and original. The major works by Alexander Ivanov, Kramskoi, Vereshchagin, Yaroshenko, Repin and Surikov are followed by the works of important Soviet painters - Pimenov, Reshetnikov, Gavrilov, Kor- zhev, Popkov, Stozharov, Zhilinsky and Yablonskaya. Many Chinese art-lovers have a special affection for Konstantin Maximov who worked in China and taught painting to many contemporary Chinese painters. The works presented at the exhibition provide a full impression of Russian art - and from the opening of the show, it became clear that it would not leave Chinese visitors indifferent. Talking about the 150th anniversary of the Tretyakov Gallery, founded by the Tretyakov brothers it should be mentioned that the gallery staff attribute much importance to the foreign exhibitions of the gallery organised this jubilee year. The Saison Russe in Paris. On 19 September 2005 the Musee d’Orsay In Paris saw a long queue at its doors; with or without invitations, all those waiting were eager to attend the private view of an exhibition of Russian art, one both long-awaited - it was four years in its planning - and widely featured in the French press. The general public referred to it as the Saison Russe, and the project was grand indeed, comprising as it did more than 500 pieces that included, beside painting, sculpture, graphics and works from the fields of the decorative arts, architecture and photography, a series of musical and literary soirees, concerts and film screenings. Unique in its composition the exhibition focused on that period in Russian art history which is characterized by the discovery and wider development of a Russian national character and spirit. If by the mid-19th century other European schools of art had long decided the question of distinctive national identity, the Russian school was only at the beginning of its quest for such an identity. Thus, the exhibition's French curators, Marie-Pierre Sale and Edouard Papet, concentrated on featuring and emphasizing the aspects of Russian art which make it distinctly Russian. Overseas exhibitions of Russian art in recent decades have shown a preference for either icons or the Art Nouveau and the avant-garde, or for new appraisals of Socialist Realism. This Paris exhibition attempted to demonstrate achievements of Russian art in which the artists concerned did not copy European tendencies but, having learned from European masters, went on to forge their own distinct image. It features that period of Russian culture which encouraged artists to see their subjects and characters in a contemporary environment, to bring their works closer to life. The project's heart lies in the different ways in which modernism established itself in Russia and France at the turn of the century, as well as the differences in choices of artistic and social goals involved. - Ilya REPIN. Religious Procession in the Kursk Province. 1880-83 Oil on canvas. 175 by 280 cm. State Tretyakov Gallery. It was that prevailing idea that determined the selection of paintings, particularly well-known landscapes by Kuindji and Levitan, portraits by Kramskoy, Repin and Serov, and a special treat in the form of canvases by Vasnetsov, Nesterov and Petrov-Vodkin, recognized representatives of the so-called "Russian style” of art who remain, nevertheless, little known in Europe. "Religious Procession in the Kursk Province” by Ilya Repin, an outstanding painting on display abroad for the first time, became one of the main attractions of the exhibition. Praising the exhibition, Le Figaro remarked: "For these artists, the ideal landscapes of Arcadia, the antique magnificence nourished by the Italian sun, their obligations to the Academies and to picturesque insipidity, no longer exist; their place is taken by humble dachas, real people, the authentic nature of endless landscapes, desolate or splendid like "The Birch Grove” by Arkhip Kuindji, for example, or "On a Festive Day” by Nikolai Kuznetsov, which is reproduced on the cover of the exhibition's remarkable catalogue.”[1] Much attention and praise was also paid to the brilliant collection of sculptures including masterpieces by Sergei Konenkov, Anna Golubkina, Nikolai Andreyev, and majolica pieces by Mikhail Vrubel and Andrei Matveyev. A particular surprise for French viewers was the display of decorative art that included the famous mantelpiece by Vrubel from the Tretyakov Gallery, carved wood furniture from the museums of Abramtsevo and Talashkino, as well as porcelain and textiles from the Historical Museum. But no matter how large and representative such an exhibition may be, it remains unable to display Russian art of the mid-19th and early- 20th centuries in all its splendour. That was not its aim, however; rather the purpose was to give the public a broader idea of the enormous section of Russian culture that has not, to date, received the attention it deserves at other such prestigious exhibition projects. The eagerness and dedication of the French curators, and their desire to show as many works as possible, resulted in a certain "crowded” quality in its halls - which simultaneously created a very special atmosphere. The Russian exhibition was opened by Bernadette Chirac and Lyudmila Putin, who spent about 90 minutes studying the works on display. They paid special attention to original photographs from the period, a section that has been widely popular with viewers, and includes pictures of Lev Tolstoy taken by his wife (on loan from the Tolstoy Museum in Moscow) as well as scenes of everyday life in Moscow, St. Petersburg and the Russian provinces (from the Historical Museum). - The opening of the Russian Art Exhibition at the Musee d’Orsay From left: Madame Lyudmila Putin, Madame Bernadette Chirac, French Minister of Culture Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, Director of the Musee d’Orsay Serge Lemoine listen to comments from the exhibition’s curator Edouard Papet. Photo by Patrice Schmidt. The First Ladies kindly accepted the Tretyakov Gallery's invitation to attend a similar exhibition of French art of the same period from the collections of the Musee d'Orsay that is due to be held in Moscow in April 2006. It will open the 150th anniversary celebrations of the Tretyakov Gallery, Russia's foremost national art collection. The exhibition currently at the Musee d'Orsay is the first in a series of similar projects to be organized under the title "World Museums Congratulate the Tretyakov Gallery”. "I will certainly come to Moscow for the opening of the exhibition,” said Bernadette Chirac. The American Friends of the Tretyakov Gallery Foundation. Alexandre Gertsman , prominent New York art dealer, collector and founder and president of the International Foundation of Russian and Eastern European Art- INTART- has chronicled the post-Soviet “moment” through numerous museum and university exhibitions, cultural festivals, symposia, and lectures across the United States, Europe and Russia, with documented complementary books and catalogues of the artists represented. INTART offers a unique opportunity as a representative of both prominently established and lesser known, beginning Russian artists, whose collective experience invariably extracts varied response and discourse, promoting cross-cultural communication. As a further demonstration of his commitment and dedication to Russian art and culture, Gertsman focus-ed his attention on establishing a sister foundation exclusively devoted to the Tretyakov Gallery. In 2002, his efforts were realized with the inception of the American Friends of the Tretyakov Gallery Foundation. Its memorable inauguration was hosted at the Russian Consulate in New York and was favorably reviewed by the New York Times and other major Russian and American media. The Librarian of Congress Dr. James H. Billington, one of the world's leading scholars of Russian culture, who was a guest of honour, and assisted with launching the foundation, as well as the honorary chair for the evening, Mr. Donald Kendall, the former CEO of PepsiCo. Amongst dignitaries in attendance who lent their support for the evening was Valentin Rodionov, general director of the Tretyakov Gallery, Patricia Nixon, daughter of President Nixon, and the world-renowned pianist Vladimir Feltsman who contributed a recital. As a gesture of appreciation and a symbol of a future relationship, the American Friends of the Tretyakov Gallery Foundation presented a gift to the permanent collection of the Tretyakov Gallery - artworks by major Russian-born US-based artists Komar & Melamid and Grisha Bruskin, whose works the Tretyakov Gallery had been missing in its collection. The foundation has since been promoting, by lectures and cultural events, educational projects designed to introduce Americans to the historic and contemporary treasures of the Tretyakov Gallery, as well as to the multiplicity of Russian art and culture in general. The introduction of this gateway to the Russian art-world offers a remarkable insight into the artistic accomplishments of a historically profound and magnificent nation, intended both to inspire fresh perspectives and nurture greater understanding. On November 28 2005, the first annual Tretyakov Ball organized by the Foundation and chaired by Alexandre Gertsman, was hosted at one of the oldest and the most exclusive private clubs of Manhattan on Fifth Avenue - the Metropolitan Club. Over 200 people attended the sold-out event, with Lynda Baquero, anchor of NBC4 News, as co-host, and Benjamin Doller of Sotheby's as the live auction auctioneer. Svetlana Ushakov, wife of His Excellency Yury Ushakov, ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States, the Honorable Sergei Garmonin, consul general of the Russian Federation in New York, Margaret Morton, deputy commissioner of Cultural Affairs of the Mayor's office, Thomas Krens, director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, spoke in support of and welcomed the cultural and political importance of such an endeavour. The general director of the Tretyakov Gallery Valentin Rodionov, first deputy director of the Tretyakov Gallery Lydia lovleva and their colleagues Nina Divova and Irina Lebedeva were also in attendance. Among special guests were the award-winning architects Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Irina Dvorovenko and Maxim Belotserkovsky, principal dancers of the American Ballet Theatre, Masut Fatkulin, Chair of Moscow's International Confederation of Artists' Unions, Vasily Gerello and Elena Evseeva, soloists of the Metropolitan Opera and Bolshoi Theatre, and a renowned jazz-man Valery Ponomarev who also gave a recital. Many prominent Russians, Americans and Europeans from the arts, business, government and foreign affairs attended the Tretyakov Ball, as well as interested patrons, socialites, celebrities, and artists. His Excellency Yury Ushakov, ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States, Anatoly Deloveri, USA general director of Aeroflot, George Michael, Platinum recording artist, Donatella Versace of Versace, Barry Weissler, Tony Awards-winning Broadway producer, Patti LaBelle, Grammy Award-winning artist and Hollywood Walk of Fame honoree, Jay Strongwater, designer for the Jay Strongwater company have all supported the Tretyakov Ball. Major support for the event was provided by the foundation's trustees Dr. Eda Ellis, Moscow art collector Igor Rybinsky and New York collectors Inga and Keith Rubinstein, philanthropists Bella Sapir, Ella Krasner and Paul Durose, the foundation's managing director Natalya Kasyanova, renowned interior and event designer Troy Galy, and members of the Young Friends of the Tretyakov. The Foundation also presented a gift of two works by major Russian-born artist-photographers Rimma and Valery Gerlovin to the permanent collection of the Tretyakov Gallery. On January 11 2006, INTART as a sponsor of the RUSSIA! exhibition, in collaboration with the American Friends of the Tretyakov Gallery Foundation organized the closing ceremony, and Alexandre Gertsman, member of the leadership committee of the exhibition hosted the closing reception. Lisa Dennison, director of the Guggenheim Museum, stated emphatically that RUSSIA! was the most successful exhibition in the museum's history which was further reinforced by Andrei Denisov, permanent representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, who acknowledged the importance of the show in the process of bringing Russian culture into the lives of Americans. On behalf of the board of trustees of the American Friends of the Tretyakov Gallery Foundation, Gertsman presented a work from the foundation's collection - "Conductor” by the RUSSIA! exhibition's participant Natalya Nesterova to maestro Valery Gergiev, artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, at the embassy of the Russian Federation in April, honouring his contribution to and advocacy of Russian culture in the United States, and the development of Russian-American cultural exchange. The American Friends of the Tretyakov Gallery Foundation stands resolute in its commitment to the guardianship of the Tretyakov Gallery. As a tribute to the 150th anniversary, the American Friends of the Tretyakov Gallery Foundation will present a gift of $25,000 toward the preliminary process of the restoration and expansion of the exhibition galleries at the New Tretyakov on Krymsky Val, which hosts Russia's preeminent collection of 20th-century art. To follow such assistance of restoration objectives, the American Friends of the Tretyakov Gallery Foundation will organize a series of fundraisers for 2006 in addition to the second annual Tretyakov Ball to be held in late October. The Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis. In May 2006, the Tretyakov Gallery will celebrate its 150th anniversary. As the years pass, we find ourselves constantly returning to Pavel Tretyakov and his vital role in the development of Russian art. A successful merchant and entrepreneur, Tretyakov claimed that "assembling the Russian school, as it is today" was one of his life's goals. 150 years later, we still remember Tretyakov with immense gratitude, such was his gift to society and future generations. On the eve of this important anniversary, I was surprised and pleased to discover another man with a passionate interest in collecting Russian art on the other side of the Atlantic. Raymond E. Johnson, founder of the Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been a collector and connoisseur of Russian art for many years. Naturally, Russian artists are not unknown in the USA. In the late 19th century, the American public saw works by Aivazovsky and Vereshchagin. The 1904 International Exhibition in Saint Louis included around 600 works by 150 Russian painters. The 1920s saw paintings by Repin, Sudeikin, Grigoriev, Goncharova, Larionov and masters from the Union of Russian Artists exhibited in the United States. American collections boast masterpieces by Russian jewellers, as well as paintings by Bryullov, Makovsky, Repin, Vereshchagin, Malevich and many other eminent Russian artists. Many famous painters from the first, second and third waves of Russian emigration settled in America, among them Nikolai Fechin, Alexander Archipenko, Boris Anisfeld and other avant-garde masters as well as various non-conformist painters. Throughout the 20th century, in Europe and the USA Russia's contribution to world art was considered to comprise icons and the work of avant- garde masters. The large exhibitions of Russian art held in the West in the late 20th and early 21st centuries finally broadened this focus to include Russian Realist painting and other figurative trends. Between 1 995 and 2005 the State Tretyakov Gallery took part in more than ten large exhibitions of Russian art in the USA. The concept and composition of the massive "Russia!" event due to open in New York's Guggenheim Museum this autumn bear witness to the diversity of trends and traditions present in Russian art over the nine centuries of its development. Ray Johnson has also played a part in destroying stereotypes. Unlike Western critics and the Western art market, Johnson preferred to focus on Russian painters whose art was firmly grounded in realism. These artists were no poor imitators, however: modern in spirit, they offered their own interpretations of the eternal themes of human relationships, life and death. Johnson's collection includes over 10,000 paintings. In 2003, he was named one of the top hundred American collectors. A large part of his collection is now housed in his museum. Located in a rebuilt church, this is literally a temple of Russian art. In 2004, Johnson was made Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in Minnesota. His Museum of Russian Art opened on 7 May 2005. The first exhibition in the new museum was organised jointly with the Tretyakov Gallery. Before coming to Minneapolis, it was shown at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, where it was visited by over 70,000 viewers. The preview was held on the eve of international celebrations of victory in World War II. Visitors were reminded of Russian-American wartime alliance and the historic meeting on the Elbe. A new era of Russian-American cultural partnership and museum cooperation had begun. Exclusive interview with Raymond Johnson for the "Tretyakov Gallery" Magazine. - Do you feel like Peter-the-Great - I mean, like having made a window to the USA for Russian art? Raymond Johnson: "Peter-the-Great" complex: in a very general sense your term is an appropriate description of the role our museum currently seeks to fulfill. The Museum of Russian Art (TMORA) is attempting to provide a "window" on Russian culture, history and art for the American public but unlike the situation in Peter's era, TMORA is faced with the task of explaining or dispelling broadly held misconceptions on the part of the American general public rather than dealing with a situation of public ignorance. Since the end of World War II/The Great Patriotic War, the American media has been dominated by reporting the prevailing current political events between the United States and Russia/Soviet Union. The American public has been pre-conditioned by 50 - years of generally superficial reports of "What" happened between our two countries with little or no explanation of "Why" events occurred as they did. TMORA seeks to use all forms of Russian artistic expression as a vehicle to present a broader picture of how chronological, religious, cultural, economic and political factors affected everyday life in Russia just as those same factors do in the United States. - Who are your viewers/visitors of the Museum? Patrons of art, connoisseurs, or just ordinary people? RJ. TMORA originally opened in 2002; I estimate that over 25,000 visitors have been to our locations in Minneapolis. Tens of thousands of additional visitors have attended exhibitions of TMORA art lent to other museums across the United States. Approximately 5% of our visitors are students, teachers or researchers who primarily have a scholarly interest in our unique collection of paintings. An additional 5% of our visitors seem to be first or second-generation Russian immigrants to the USA who wish to revisit memories of their homeland. The overwhelming majority of our visitors appear to be average American citizens of every ethnic and racial background who are interested in learning more about 19th and 20 th century life in Russia. I estimate that less than 15% of our total visitors have ever personally traveled to Russia before visiting our museum; most of our visitors are not art patrons and rarely personally own original art. - Is Russian art considered something exotic in the USA? RJ. Our exhibitions are designed to dispel the broadly held preconception that Russian art is only to be associated with either avant- garde expressionist art or stridently political graphic subjects. Our visitors leave with the realization that Russian art is directly associated with many of the same significant stylistic art trends experienced in Europe and North America. - What's the attraction in TMORA for the American audience - the unknown way of life under the Soviets, the special Soviet/Russian mentality or something else? RJ. Ours is the only museum in North America solely dedicated to the preservation and presentation of Russian art and artifacts. As such it is something of an object of cultural curiosity. Our new building was originally constructed in 1940 and has been under major reconstruction for the past 18 months; people are interested in seeing how a local landmark has been reconfigured to a state-of-the-art museum facility. Minneapolis has a vibrant museum community with 6 major public museums and numerous private museums for a resident population of 2.5 million. Ours is the newest addition to the museum community and people are anxious to see it for themselves. - Will TMORA change a one-way presentation of Russian art still viewed by Westerners as avant-garde or post avant-garde? RJ. In addition to exhibitions of paintings, TMORA is planning to schedule future exhibitions of icons, lacquer boxes, amber jewelry, ethnic costumes, needlepoint and textiles. TMORA will serve to exhibit both our own collection of 19th-20th century paintings and all forms of Russian art loaned to us from both Russian and American museums and collectors. - Is TMORA an exhibition space or a house/home not only for the works of art but also for experts and specialists in Russian art of the corresponding period? RJ. TMORA as exhibition or research space: As described above TMORA is both a multiple purpose art exhibition venue and an educational resource. We offer a continuing series of lectures and seminars conducted by both Russian and American academicians on various subjects of Russian art history. TMORA has financially supported the publication of numerous English language books, catalogs and journal articles written by independent scholars. Our museum actively lends paintings from our collection to college and university museums throughout the USA. - What's your favorite painting in TMORA collection? RJ. Favorite paintings. well, there is no single "favorite" painting in the collection since dif ferent paintings appeal to me for different reasons. I have been actively involved in collecting and exhibiting Russian Art for the past fifteen years. During that time I've made friends with many outstanding Soviet/Russ-ian painters and some of them became my close friends. Unfortunately some are no longer with us but they are in my heart forever. As for my favorite works, it is very difficult to give preference to any single work of art. Therefore I'll name just two works of my friend and an outstanding modernist artist of the 20th century Geli Korzhev, his "Anxiety" and "Marusya". The latter was on display in Washington D.C. and in my museum, and I'd say that it really has produced a deep impression on me as well as upon the visitors to our museum. - What’s the most fascinating story of acquisition? RJ. I have personally visited Russia over 50 times since 1989 and visited the homes and studios of hundreds of individual artists over the years. The most important story is the consistently emotional reaction offered by most of the artists with whom I have worked who saw in me an opportunity to have a portion of their life's work presented to an international audience beyond the borders of the Russian Federation. I promised these artists that I would actively create exhibitions of their paintings and not allow these works to be hidden away in various private collections. The creation of TMORA is part of my commitment to the Russian artists to ensure continuing public access to Russian art of the 20 th century. - How do you see the ways, possibilities and opportunities of TMORA's development? RJ. Our museum is still quite young and will continue to expand and develop in many ways in the future. We hope to raise funds to permit us to extend expanded financial aid to American students to do original scholarly research on Russian art. I anticipate the future publication of a technical journal that will offer a vehicle for the national distribution of English language articles written by Russian, American or other international writers on the subject of Russian art. Our building has outstanding acoustical properties even though it was designed primarily for the display of static works of art. I anticipate that TMORA will host musical performances and literary readings at some point in the future. My vision is to have TMORA serve as a venue or as a facilitator for all forms of American public participation in the artistic accomplishments of Russia. - The "In the Russian Tradition" exhibition - the joint project with the State Tretyakov Gallery - is a success. How do you see the perspectives of cooperation with the Tretyakov Gallery - this world-known treasury of national art? RJ. We have great appreciation for both the breadth of the Tretyakov collection of art and the professionalism of the Tretyakov staff. TMORA has already completed two significant art collaborations with the Tretyakov since 2003 and hopes to expand our programs that apply Tretyakov technical and physical resources in the future. TMORA will be conducting an exhibition of icons in the fall of 2005 and expects to employ the assistance of a Tretyakov staff expert to help TMORA both design the exhibit and to create the educational literature that will accompany the exhibit. TMORA hopes to help the Tretyakov by assisting in identifying other American museums that would host future tours of Tretyakov designed exhibitions in addition to displaying those exhibitions at our facility. Valentin Rodionov. 2006 was announced as the “Year of Russia in China”. These two countries have a long history of relations, and in the 21st century, they not only want to benefit from economic cooperation, but also aim to establish scientific and cultural contacts, and to study one another’s historical heritage. To celebrate the event, a rich cultural programme has been developed, including theatre performances, a film festival, various exhibitions and concerts. CURRENT EXHIBITIONS. Valentin Rodionov The Saison Russe in Paris. #4 2005 (09) On 19 September 2005 the Musee d’Orsay in Paris saw a long queue at its doors; with or without invitations, all those waiting were eager to attend the private view of an exhibition of Russian art, one both long-awaited – it was four years in its planning – and widely featured in the French press. The general public referred to it as the Saison Russe, and the project was grand indeed, comprising as it did more than 500 pieces that included, beside painting, sculpture, graphics and works from the fields of the decorative arts, architecture and photography, a series of musical and literary soirees, concerts and film screenings. CURRENT EXHIBITIONS. #3 2005 (08) New York’s Guggenheim Museum will see the opening of a large-scale art exhibition titled “RUSSIA!” which commemorates the 60th anniversary of the United Nat-ions. The exhibit is sponsored by Russia’s Federal Agency for Culture and Cinema, together with Vladimir Potanin’s Charitable Foundation. INTERNATIONAL PANORAMA. #3 2005 (08) In May 2006, the Tretyakov Gallery will celebrate its 150th anniversary. As the years pass, we find ourselves constantly returning to Pavel Tretyakov and his vital role in the development of Russian art. A successful merchant and entrepreneur, Tretyakov claimed that "assembling the Russian school, as it is today" was one of his life's goals. 150 years later, we still remember Tretyakov with immense gratitude, such was his gift to society and future generations.