Russian Contemporary Art: Oligarchs, Politics, and a New Sincerity

In the face of economic downturn, the contemporary art landscape in Russia is being shaped by affluent newcomers such as Daria Zhoukova, 26, who established the Garage Center in Moscow in 2008, and 24-year-old Maria Baibakova, founder of Baibakov Art Projects. They engage international curators—Zhoukova collaborates with Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst, while Baibakova works with Kate Sutton—and emphasize self-promotion. The influx of oil wealth has resulted in more than a dozen galleries operated by the wives of businessmen, although there is a shortage of emerging artists. Initiatives like the Innovation and Kandinsky prizes support talents such as Oleg Duryagin. The Kremlin elite, including Vladislav Surkov, is increasingly engaging with contemporary art, while a counter-movement is represented by artists like Haim Sokol. The PERMM museum in Perm, led by Marat Guelman, drew 10,000 visitors in its opening week.