GES-2's Programming and V-A-C Foundation's Strategic Ambitions

The V-A-C Foundation's GES-2 museum in Moscow, funded by billionaire Leonid Mikhelson, opens in September 2020 with three exhibitions: Santa Barbara (curated by Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson), Truth, and Mother. Despite claims of local engagement, the programming is criticized as superficial, with Russian themes serving as a facade. Kjartansson, previously uninterested in Russian culture, will present his vision. The foundation's Present Continuous partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp has acquired seven works since 2014 but lacks Russian experts on juries. The 6000 m² GES-2 will include The Vaults, a 2000 m² experimental space with workshops, but local artists may only collaborate with international residents. V-A-C director Teresa Mavica was appointed commissioner of the Russian pavilion at the Venice Art and Architecture Biennales in November 2019, supported by Smart Art (Ekaterina Vinokurova, daughter of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov). V-A-C has funded the Russian pavilion since 2013 and supported Manifesta, leading to co-commissioner Katerina Chuchalina for the 2020 Marseille edition. Failed attempts include funding Documenta (2012) and the New Museum (2011, 2014). The foundation aims to rival patrons like Getty, Pinault, and Zabludowicz; GES-2 is three times larger than the Bourse de Commerce.