“The Museum of Russian Art has a fascinating show of large-scale photos of contemporary Russia by Andrew L. Moore of New York. Moore has a fabulous eye for design and detail, and seems to have had unparalleled access to everything from private apartments in St. Petersburg, to costume closets at the Kirov Ballet, to abandoned missile sites in remote villages. His stunning color photos… document a country undergoing dramatic economic and political changes.” (Mary Abbe, Star Tribune)
An exhibition of approximately 50 paintings featuring Russian landscape scenes and images of Soviet agriculture. The Virgin Lands project, communal farming and the social significance of agricultural development in Russia will be presented in a visual tour of all the varied geographical regions of the former Soviet Union.
The masterful oil paintings that are included in the Johnson Collection of Russian and Soviet art are only one dimension of the consummate artistic training and skills developed by generations of Russian artists. Works on paper represent another facet of Russian visual artistry. Russian art institutes provided rigorous training in drawing and composition through which individual artists became attracted to the media of graphite, charcoal, pastel and conte’ crayon. Alternatively, various artists became enamored by the fluid qualities provided by watercolor and gouache as well as by the spontaneous painting techniques required to effectively utilize these materials. The diversity that is inherent to 20th century Russian art is displayed throughout this exhibition of works on paper.
“Colors of a Russian Winter, an exhibit featuring 52 colorful paintings, presents a cross-section of winter landscapes and activities that exist within Russia, from the coastal to the desert climates. “The exhibit is structured to bring life and color to the cold season, and to dispel the notion that winter in Russia is simply a panorama of white ice and snow,” says Bradford Shinkle, IV, president and director of TMORA. Winters have historical significance to the country in terms of the development of the Russian psychic character and in shaping major events. Historians credit the severity of the winter season for helping the Russians defeat both the invasions of Napoleon and Hitler. Several paintings included in the exhibit refer to these events, in addition to happy images of sledding, skiing and other winter activities.” (Minnesota Monthly)
An exhibition of important works of miniature lacquer art drawn from the collections of Russian and American museums and the Lucy Maxym Collection. Visitor’s Guide
“The Museum of Russian Art has announced the arrival of 38 additional Russian lacquer art items on loan from two Moscow museums. The hand-painted items feature miniature scenes from Russian historical legends, myths and fairytales. They are on display through Dec. 30 as part of the museum’s “Masterpieces of Russian Lacquer Art” exhibition, which opened Oct. 5. The loaned items from the Russian museums were delayed because of a Russian Ministry of Culture’s request for additional documentation following the recent unexplained disappearances of millions of dollars worth of art from the famous Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. “We sympathize with the Russian museum authorities and support their efforts to ensure the security of their country’s artistic treasures,” said Bradford Shinkle, IV.” (Southwest Journal)
Main Gallery ~ From social realism to Socialist Realism
Mezzanine ~ Late period Soviet Art
Fireside Gallery ~ The roots of Russian Realist Painting
The social, economic and political history of Russia differentiated its graphic arts from those of its European neighbors. This exhibition explores the variations of realist subjects and style within the artistic context of pre-revolutionary Russia and the Soviet Union.
An historic joint exhibition of Soviet-era art from the Ray and Susan Johnson Collection of Socialist Realist art and the Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist art. Both collections are recognized as the largest privately held collection of their respective genres outside of Russia. Includes two English language essays by leading authorities on both Socialist Realist and Nonconformist art.
