The preview was held within the framework of the art reception organised by the general partner of the VI Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art Rietumu Bank, jointly with Forbes Russia.
The international biennale of this year, as is known, has changed its structure. The first ten days were dedicated to the ‘event’ part, which included extensive discussions, performances and creative programmes. Beginning 22 September, which was the official opening day of the exhibition, participating artists were creating objects of contemporary art.
Guests at the reception were given a unique opportunity to be the first to see the completed products of artistic creativity. Several performances took place during the reception. Later trustees of the biennale toured the installations.
Deputy General Director of VDNKh Irina Gordina-Nevmerzhitskaya welcomed guests and participants to the reception, saying “I am very much pleased that participants of the Moscow Biennale could appreciate the capabilities of VDNKh as a platform for expositions, as well as works of modern artists. During the recent year and a half a lot has been done in order to change the exhibition area. I hope that in the future there will be many more significant artistic expositions held.”
Her thoughts were continued by the Permanent Commissioner of the Moscow Biennale Iosif Bakstein, who noted, “This is already the sixth consecutive biennale. The first exhibition was held in the Lenin Museum, and now we have chosen VDNKh, where contemporary art feels great, as the main platform.”
The Biennale commissioner expressed particular gratitude to Rietumu Bank, who has provided support, having become the general partner of the exhibition.
Welcoming Iosif Bakstein, Member of the Council of Rietumu Bank Alexander Gafin congratulated him on his jubilee, naming him the most experienced connoisseur of contemporary art in Russia.
According to the Chairman of the Board of Rietumu Bank Alexander Pankov, “Our bank supports a number of big events in the field of culture. Having become a partner and a sponsor of the VI Moscow Biennale, we were guided, among other things, by the understanding that in the current global political situation a dialogue between people and countries is very important. This is also manifested in the motto of the biennale – “How shall we live together?”
The reception enjoyed huge success. More than four hundred people attended, and were the first to see artists’ works made during the creative part of the biennale. A special atmosphere of warmth and friendship was also created by the warm weather in Moscow that evening. With the last accord of the Indian summer, the second part of the exhibition started – the exposition, when the doors would be open for the wider public, starting from 3 October. The guests were very much impressed by the VDNKh platform being modified into a separate art object: the spirit of vintage, characteristic of it, faded away and the platform was presented to the spectators in its absolutely new and modern image. Works of artists made familiar images appear in a new way, breaking the standard and habitual interpretations of art.
The main project of the Moscow Biennale, held at VDNKh, is named “How shall we live together? View from the City Centre in the Very Heart of the Eurasian Island” and is dedicated to the subject of relations between people at the levels of a family, a city, a country, a continent and an entire planet.
This year the biennale changed its structure and is being held in a new format: the first 10 days (from 22 September to 1 October) are dedicated to master classes, the discussion and performance programmes, and the second exposition part is open on 3 October and it presents the artistic works created during the course of the first part, including photo and video documentation of performances and discussions.
In total, 80 participants from different countries are invited, among them being the Latvian artist Ieva Epnere, whose participation is also supported by Rietumu Bank.
According to the authoritative Scandinavian expert Sпmon Saneback, who will take part in the eCom21 conference in Riga, “There is every indication that the Baltic countries adopt experiences of their Nordic neighbours and will reap the benefits of their investments in e-commerce in a few years.”
