The Russian Academy of Arts presents the large-scale exhibition project Theatre: A Space of Inspiration, marking the 150th anniversary of the Union of Theatre Workers of Russia. The project is organized with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
Curators: Tatiana A. Kochemasova, Vice President and Full Member (Academician) of the Russian Academy of Arts; Elena Z. Tsereteli, Honoured Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation and Full Member (Academician) of the Russian Academy of Arts.
Set within the enfilade of rooms of the historic Morozov Mansion, the exhibition brings together classical and avant-garde traditions, placing the academic school in dialogue with the latest developments in contemporary visual art. Guided by the curatorial concept, theatre is presented as a unique artistic phenomenon—a synthesis of space and time, an environment where themes, images, and individual creative voices intersect. It is within this dynamic realm that new forms of visual expression, unexpected artistic solutions, and powerful emotional experiences emerge.
The exhibition spans a wide range of artistic disciplines, including painting, graphic art, sculpture, architecture, theatre design, and multimedia, reflecting the principal areas of activity represented by the departments and members of the Russian Academy of Arts.
The project features works by outstanding Russian artists of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including Leon Bakst, Natalia Goncharova, Evgeny Lansere, Vasily Shukhaev, Alexander Tyshler, Vadim Ryndin, Tamara Osipova, Sergey Konenkov, Georgy Toidze, Elena Yanson-Manizer, Ilya Glazunov, Zurab Tsereteli, Mikhail Kurilko-Ryumin, Boris Messerer, Viktor Kalinin, Eduard Kochergin, Tatyana Nazarenko, David Borovsky, Vasily Nesterenko, Alexander Rukavishnikov, Andrey Kovalchuk, Anatoly Lyubavin, Dashi Namdakov, Vladimir Arefiev, Salavat Shcherbakov, Olga Bulgakova, Georgy Frangulyan, Alexander Sitnikov, Albina Akritas, Alexander Borovsky, Dmitry Belyukin, Natalia Nesterova, Khamid Savkuev, Yuri Ustinov, and many others.
The exhibition highlights both the enduring significance of the Russian academic tradition and its transformation through the work of artists representing different generations. Its rich and multifaceted display includes paintings, graphic works, posters, archival photographs, costume and stage design sketches, theatrical and architectural models, installations, and video works. The exhibition is intended to engage both a broad public audience and arts professionals, appealing equally to established audiences and younger generations.
Approximately 300 exhibits are on display, drawn from the collections of the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, the Russian National Museum of Music, ROSIZO State Museum and Exhibition Centre, the Vladimir Vysotsky State Museum, the A. A. Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum, the M. B. Grekov Studio of Military Artists, the S. D. Erzia Museum of Fine Arts, as well as private collections and artists' personal collections.
The official opening ceremony included the reading of a welcome address from the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, Olga Lyubimova, delivered by Ivan S. Lykoshin, Director of the Department of Museums and Circus Arts Support at the Ministry of Culture. In her message, the Minister noted that "the project reveals theatre as a unique phenomenon where different art forms converge, giving rise to new creative ideas and artistic solutions. This large-scale initiative has brought together leading museums from across the country, whose collections reflect the rich history of Russia's visual and theatrical traditions."
Opening remarks were also delivered by Vasily Z. Tsereteli, President of the Russian Academy of Arts; Vice Presidents Tatiana A. Kochemasova and Andrey A. Zolotov; Nadezhda N. Sklyar, Deputy Chair of the Union of Theatre Workers of the Russian Federation; Vladimir A. Arefiev, Chair of the Scenography Commission of the Union of Theatre Workers of Russia and Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts; and the project's architect, Antonio V. Vilches-Nogerol.
The opening ceremony was attended by numerous distinguished guests, including Nadezhda A. Prepodobnaya, Deputy Head of the Moscow Department of Culture, ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary of friendly nations, theatre critics, and representatives of the museum community.
The exhibition will be accompanied by an extensive educational and public programme featuring round-table discussions, artist talks, masterclasses led by participating artists, thematic and curator-led tours, and special events for students of art and theatre universities, colleges, schools, and other educational and creative institutions.
This text has been prepared by the Information Department (Press Office) of the Russian Academy of Arts based on an article by Tatiana A. Kochemasova, Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts and PhD in Art History.
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