Sculptor Naum Mogilevsky (1895-1975) was a prominent member of the celebrated 1920s-1930s artist group in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) known as the Krug Khudozhnikov (Circle of Artists). A close friend of the famous avant-gardist Vladimir Tatlin and a pupil of the outstanding sculptor Alexander Matveev, Mogilevsky created works of lasting beauty that did not conform to the parameters of state-endorsed Socialist Realism.  Mogilevsky’s style was influenced by a modernist European movement known as Direct Carving, or “taille directe” in French.  This technique required the artist to visualize the finished image within a raw block of wood or stone without doing preliminary sketches. The artist then utilized the process of carving itself to develop the three-dimensional object.

Mogilevsky’s late period carvings of stone and wood represent some of his most exciting work, with chisel marks visible on the surface of the medium.  The main body of Mogilevsky’s works is now preserved at the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.  The objects included in this exhibition are drawn from the sculptor’s late period and were donated to The Museum of Russian Art in 2010.  Also featured are the sculptor’s plaster studies and photographs of his studio in Leningrad taken in the late 1960s.  The exhibition closes September 9, 2012.

Please refer to our website for more information and sample images:

http://tmora.org/exhibition/sculptures-by-naum-mogilevsky/.

The decades following WWII saw a gradual relaxation of the tight ideological restrictions previously imposed by the Communist Party on the minds of Soviet citizens.  The recognizably Stalinist painting aesthetic—highly idealized and formulaic—gave way to a more diverse thematic environment.  In Soviet museums and galleries, politically loaded depictions of idealized socialist heroes were exhibited side-by-side with candid portraits of laborers taken from ordinary life.
Staying within the boundaries of officially allowed themes (of which socialist labor was primary), many Soviet artists claimed the right to develop these themes as they saw fit. These developments were evidence of a newly granted freedom to express diverse opinions that emerged after Nikita Khrushchev’s attempt at liberalization in the late 1950s – early 1960s, known as The Thaw.  The entire edifice of the Soviet state began to crumble and in 1991, the first state-wide socialist experiment collapsed.  Two decades after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, scholars of art increasingly recognize that during the post-war years, Soviet artists produced works of profound skill and intense symbolic power.

Depictions of hydroelectric power plants, factories, and foundries, as well as the portraits of individual workers in From Thaw to Meltdown present a multifaceted picture of Soviet life as it was experienced by common laborers.  Hundreds of huge factories rose across the vastness of the Soviet state during the middle decades of the twentieth century.  Testaments to Soviet achievement, these scenes of industrial production reflect the gigantic scale of modernization as the Soviet Union became one of the world’s major industrial powers.  The technological feats of collective labor furnished solutions to the problems created by rapid industrialization while simultaneously providing exciting material for artists.

The approximately fifty-five works on the Main and Mezzanine levels—drawn from the collection of Raymond and Susan Johnson—exemplify the dramatic range of artistic styles and the evolution of artistic development as the Soviet Union advanced slowly towards oblivion. From Thaw to Meltdown closes August 12, 2012

Please refer to our website for sample images and more information: http://tmora.org/exhibition/from-thaw-to-meltdown/.

Effective March 5, Christopher P. DiCarlo will assume the role of President & Director of The Museum of Russian Art from retiring Director Brad Shinkle..

Following a national search by the Museum’s Board of Trustees, Search Committee chair Dr. C. Ben Wright said, “the Board prioritized selecting a leader with a track record of setting clear direction for growth and transformation of non-profit organizations, and then leading teams to execute—including securing financial resources necessary to realize the organization’s mission.  Chris has a distinguished record of leading change and growth in the non-profit sector.  We welcome him to Minnesota and to The Museum of Russian Art.”

Mr. DiCarlo most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer at Ignitus Worldwide in Miami, Florida—an international non-profit organization fostering the civic development and leadership talents of young adults.  Prior experience includes increasing responsibility at four separate United Way branches, including the chief executive role in Greenwood, South Carolina.  He has previously held senior financial management positions with Mount Sinai Medical Center and Sanwa Bank in New York.  Chris holds a BA in history and art history from Dartmouth College and MBA and MPP degrees from the University of Chicago.  Commenting on his announcement, DiCarlo states: “I couldn’t be more excited to join the team at TMORA and I very much appreciate the confidence that the Board has placed in me to lead us into the future. The Museum has a widely held reputation for excellence and innovation on which to build.  I look forward to working with the volunteers and staff in growing the organization and enhancing its position on the world stage.”

Board chairman William R. McLaughlin added, “We are deeply grateful to retiring director Brad Shinkle for his leadership, and look forward to his continued involvement on the Museum’s Board.  TMORA is fortunate to have a terrific staff and team of passionate volunteers to operate the museum at the exceptionally high level demonstrated over the past ten years.  This gave us the flexibility to select a leader with strategy and development skills to help us realize the full potential of this special cultural and educational resource in our community.”

Retiring Director Brad Shinkle notes, “I am confident that the Trustees have selected an individual with the qualifications, experience and motivation necessary to lead the Museum into its second decade of public service as part of the Twin Cities’ diverse cultural community.”

MINNEAPOLIS (September 23, 2011) – Opening October 1, The Museum of Russian Art announces its exhibition of exquisite gold and ceramic relics dating from the Neolithic age to the Byzantine era unearthed in present-day Ukraine. Over the ages, the territory of Ukraine has been a major trade route where objects from many eras and civilizations have been found.

The exhibition’s storyline follows a chronological sequence, starting with the Trypilian culture dating back to 5,400 BC. Pottery decorated with red and black paints, sacred symbols, as well as temple models and animal sculptures, will be on display. The lost world of this sophisticated matriarchal society comes to life in the fascinating figurines of the Great Goddess and in the highly stylized patterns decorating Trypillian earthenware.

Gradually displacing the agricultural Trypillians were the nomadic Scythians of the Ukrainian steppe, who are known for their beautiful stylized animal-shaped ornaments. The fertile soil of the region attracted Greek settlers as early as the 7^th century BC. Greek presence lasted well into the Hellenistic period (around the 2^nd century BC), represented here by a dazzling array of bronze sculpture, exquisite gold jewelry, extraordinary rhytons (drinking cups partially in the shape of a ram), black-slip pottery, and amphorae.

Rome’s influence reached the Black Sea—and the shores of Ukraine—as early as the 1^st century BC. We see Roman presence reflected in art forms that blend traditions from both Greek and Roman worlds. Among the items on display are bright red and orange pottery, transparent glass, bronze and silver vessels, and jewelry incorporating precious stones, filigree, granulation and inlays.

The exhibition ends with treasures from the Byzantine Empire, the ancient Slavic state of Kyivan Rus’, and various steppe nomads, spanning the 5^th through the 13^th centuries AD. Utensils, relics, chalices, kolts, pendants, rings, bracelets and necklaces provide an idea of the array of objects used by the inhabitants of medieval Ukraine.

“TMORA has previously featured art from various regions of the former Soviet Union including Estonia and Central Asia, and now we’re pleased to offer visitors insights into Ukraine,” said museum Director Brad Shinkle.

This exhibit is presented by the Foundation for International Arts & Education of Bethesda, Maryland in cooperation with the The Museum of National Cultural Heritage PlaTar in Kiev, Ukraine, the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council and with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States and the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.

Born in Moscow in 1931, “Oleg Vassiliev is one of the most important artists to emerge from the Soviet unofficial art scene,” said TMORA Curator Maria Zavialova, Ph.D. Vassiliev’s paintings are part of the permanent collections of the State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow), the State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg), the Denver Art Museum, and major museums in Germany, Greece, Norway, and Switzerland.  His paintings are also included in prominent American private collections.  Oleg Vassiliev is a recipient of a grant from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, and famed Russian nonconformist artist Eric Bulatov stated, “[his work] affects us all and is important, I am sure, not just for Russian art.”

Vassiliev’s artistic vision rejected the ideologies of state-mandated Socialist Realism.  He combined elements of early 20^th century avant-garde philosophy with the traditions of the 19^th century Russian realist school. The Art of Oleg Vassiliev will include examples of the artist’s achievements in painting, graphics, and children’s book illustrations.

While Vassiliev supported himself as an illustrator following his graduation from the famed V.I. Surikov Art Institute in Moscow, many of his marvelous other works were created in the seclusion of his studio without the state-sponsored patronage provided by the Union of Soviet Artists.  Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Oleg Vassiliev joined the exodus of Russian artists seeking artistic freedom outside of the Russian Federation.  He now resides in Minnesota.

Vassiliev’s works on paper will be exhibited in the Lower Gallery, while his paintings will be displayed on the Mezzanine Level.  The Lower Gallery will open August 13; the Mezzanine on September 17.  Works for the exhibition are on loan from the artist and his family, as well as from the Kolodzei Art Foundation and notable Vassiliev collector Neil Rector.

Along with an entirely new look, the site’s centerpieces are greatly extended content on past TMORA exhibitions as well as interactive virtual exhibitions featuring diverse media: photography, icons, textiles, stamps, and porcelain.  Minneapolis design firm Sandbox Studios—new media specialists for museums and educational institutions—worked with Museum staff to create the new tmora.org.

One hundred fifty survey participants drawn from the Museum’s membership and the general public tested prototypes of the redesigned site.  Their feedback and suggestions helped make the Museum’s new web portal more user-friendly and engaging.  Online event registration, a curator’s blog, and historical photographs of the Museum building are among the additional new elements of the site.  The site’s new platform will allow museum staff to update and edit site content with much greater ease than was previously the case.

“The new tmora.org offers a vibrant virtual museum experience that can continually grow, evolve, and serve both the Museum’s existing community and new online audiences of researchers and casually interested parties alike,” said TMORA President and Director Brad Shinkle.

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