V-A-C Foundation Opens Renzo Piano-Designed GES-2 Arts Centre in Moscow Featuring Ragnar Kjartansson's Performance

Founded in 2009 by Russian billionaire Leonid Mikhelson, the V-A-C Foundation has unveiled GES-2, an expansive arts center in Moscow located in a repurposed power station. Architect Renzo Piano designed the center, which includes an indoor piazza, various public programming areas, workshops equipped with cutting-edge tools, a café, a restaurant, and a sensory experience room. Artistic director Francesco Manacorda refers to GES-2 as a contemporary House of Culture, reminiscent of Soviet community centers. The opening program features Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson recreating 100 episodes of the soap opera Santa Barbara (1984–93) over three months with Russian actors. Founding director Teresa Iarocci Mavica, who resigned after the launch, emphasized the foundation's goal of promoting Russian culture internationally. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited GES-2 before its public debut, while concerns about state censorship linger, with Manacorda asserting it is "a house of culture, not a house of politics." The center's cultural diplomacy is contextualized by the concept of soft power, introduced by American political scientist Joseph Nye, amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.