Russian impressionism museum opens tomorrow in Moscow

A new private museum dedicated to Russian impressionism will open tomorrow on Leningradsky Prospekt in Moscow.

The Museum of Russian Impressionism, featuring works from the private collection of its founder, Russian businessman Boris Mints, could be a welcome addition to the art scene of a city lacking in private art spaces.

“People go to Paris or to London to go to museums, and here they usually come with other interests and visit museums on the sidelines”, said Mints. “Our aim is to make people come to Russia to go to museums, look at Russian art, and try to understand it and grasp it.”

Aside from exhibition spaces that will emphasise a permanent collection dedicated to masterpieces of Russian impressionism from the 1870s onwards, the building also includes a cinema, educational facilities and retail, as well as a video installation by artist Jean-Christophe Couet called “Breathing Canvas” which animates the process of painting with layered brushstrokes.

The museum is the centerpiece of a larger business and entertainment development on a site which was formerly the Bolshevik chocolate factory, redeveloped by British architectural firm John McAslan + Partners, with help from French consulting agency Lordculture.