Travel To Moscow: Garage Museum Of Contemporary Art

Anyone who wishes to travel to Moscow and has an interest in art will enjoy the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art and its fascinating international exhibitions.

This unique art gallery was founded back in 2008 by Dasha Zhukova and is the first philanthropic institution in Russia to create a comprehensive public mandate for contemporary art.

The museum has been set up not only for the production and display of new art work and ideas, but also to provide opportunities for dialogue and offers many types of exhibitions and events of all kinds. It is also, however, the only public archive in Russia related to the development of Russian contemporary art from the 1950s right through to the present. It is a place for all artists, of every nationality, to meet up, display and discuss their work.

The museum was originally known as the Garage Center for Contemporary Culture, but changed its name to the current Garage Museum of Contemporary Art on May 1, 2014 to reflect the founder’s commitment to providing long-term public access to living artists, as well as to the history of art. The museum moved to its first permanent home in Gorky Park in the center of Moscow on June 12, 2015.

Zhukova described the function of the museum on their official website, explaining that Garage, as it is known for short, has an international perspective and that it not only presents, but also creates culture.

“Garage was founded with an international perspective, but now we are increasingly recognized as an internationally significant organization that not only presents, but also creates culture.”

“What started as a project to provide a platform in Moscow for great contemporary art has gradually evolved into the forward-thinking contemporary museum we are today.”

A blog by Exeter International reports that the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art has been described by the Wall Street Journal as “Moscow’s bold campaign to become the world’s next contemporary art hub.”

Reportedly, the opening night of the new building saw many important people from the world of art. There were senior representatives from Sotheby’s, Christie’s and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, along with many serious art collectors. Some celebrities were there too. George Lucas, Woody Allen, and Stella McCartney made a point to travel to Moscow for the event.

There is no set or permanent exhibition at Garage, which gives the opportunity of seeing something different every time you travel to Moscow. Whether wishing to simply view the art on display, get involved in a discussion about art, or even take the kids for an art workshop, the museum offers much to learn, to see, and to do.

To give an idea of the diversity on offer and as part of the current exhibitions, up until February 7, 2016 the “Louise Bourgeois. Structures of Existence: The Cells” is on display including the artist’s early sculptures, paintings, and drawings.

On site it is possible to view two large-scale sculptures: the nine meter tall bronze spider Maman (1999) on the square in front of the Museum (pictured below), as well the international debut of Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day? (2007).

“My mother… she was deliberate, clever, and as useful as a spider’. #LouiseBourgeois #Maman is already at Garage! pic.twitter.com/XSUd5yJ7ES

— Garage (@garage_mca) September 15, 2015

Running concurrently and up to January 31, “Project 35: The Last Act” is a single-channel video exhibition revealing the global connectivity happening via art today. The project has been prepared with the collaboration of many Russian artists and film and art critics.

Starting on January 30 and running through to March 26 this year, the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art will present Köken Ergun’s first solo exhibition in Russia in a new project titled Young Turks.

The exhibition comprises a two-channel video and immersive installation, exploring the impact of Turkish international schools in over 100 countries around the world.

Anyone with an urge to travel to Moscow should make a point of visiting Gorky Park and the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art. Enjoy a video tour and talk about the museum below.

[Photo via Flickr by Sergey Norin/CC BY-2.0]