Archive Exhibitions

Piterskie - the art of Saint Petersburg

2011-10-03 11:47

What: Piterskie: Artists from Saint Petersburg
Where: Galerie Carré Doré
When: Tuesday 4 to Monday 31 October 2011

This new exhibition at Monaco's Galerie Carré Doré embraces two generations of artists living and working in Saint Petersburg, Russia’s 'northern capital' and the country’s second most important cultural hub after Moscow. The exhibition is entitled 'Piterskie' (питерский in Russian), the affectionate name for the city.

The first generation is represented by Vitaly Pushnitsky and Gregory Maiofis, the two best-known artists of Saint Petersburg’s contemporary art world. They are heirs to the traditions of classical art - but both Pushnitsky's paintings and Maiofis's photography skilfully combine these disciplines with other media. The maturity and emotional and intellectual density of both artists have led to their being considered among the best contemporary artists worldwide.

The second, younger 'Piterskie' generation comprises Ivan Plusch, Irina Drozd, Tatiana Podmarkova, Veronika Rudieva Riazantzeva and Andrei Gorbunov, a group who have established their position by combining the art of the 20th century with the most recent artistic trends.

The intellectual and creative centre of this new generation is the Nepokorennie 'art squat', with its exhibition halls and studios. They, too, prefer painting, but frequently also work with installations and videos. Despite their comparative youth, some of them have participated in the world’s most prestigious art events.

In Russia, Saint Petersburg is where much of country’s new art first sees the light of day, in the tradition of this city’s rich cultural heritage. Nowm under the patronage of Baroness Cécile de Massy, the Carré Doré Gallery has brought together those artists that best represent the blossoming of this art.