State Tretyakov Gallery accused of making 'gross and inexcusable mistake' by restructuring contemporary art department

More than 200 Russian curators and art historians, both in Russia and abroad, have expressed their outrage in an open letter stating that Moscow's State Tretyakov Gallery has 'liquidated' its contemporary art department. This restructuring, which merged contemporary art with broader 20th-century categories, is seen as a significant threat to the preservation and promotion of modern trends in Russian art, reminiscent of past Soviet-era purges.

The letter, coordinated by Andrei Erofeev, argues that the move mirrors historical practices from the 1930s when avant-garde artworks were systematically removed from the Tretyakov's collection under Stalin. The curators warn that similar 'liquidation' of the current contemporary art exhibits could result, jeopardizing the future of modern Russian artistry and cutting off the crucial support for emerging artists.

According to the protest letter, merging the contemporary art department with older categories will 'disrupt' ongoing processes of artwork donation and research, leading to an inevitable decline in the visibility and preservation of contemporary art in Russia. The curators emphasize that, aside from potentially lose hundreds of important artworks, this decision represents a grave loss of expertise and institutional history crucial for understanding contemporary Russian art.

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