Friday began for our guide Elena and her guest Denise from Romania with a morning visit to the New Tretyakov Gallery.
Tretyakov Gallery Reveals the Spirit of Russian Art
The guide met the guest at her hotel, and they went to the museum by metro. However, Denise immediately admitted that contemporary art impresses her less. Nevertheless, visiting the exhibition was an excellent opportunity to see the Russian avant-garde in all its glory: works by Petrov-Vodkin, Goncharova, Larionov, Chagall, Malevich and, of course, Suprematism. Socialist realism was not overlooked either: paintings by Pimenov, Konchalovsky and other masters of that time.
Denise noted that she is still closer to classical art. Which is not surprising, because the day before she had already visited the historic building of the Tretyakov Gallery. The guide explained that thanks to such a contrast, one can better understand the diversity of Russian art. Before the revolution, artists dreamed of destroying the old world and creating a new one, which was reflected in their works. Goncharova and Larionov, for example, sought to move away from academic canons, creating their own reality. Larionov even invented Rayonism - a style based on the depiction of light and its movement.
The guide and the guest discussed how the artists' manners of depiction changed literally from year to year. Larionov, for example, was inspired by children's drawings, considering them free from frames. Malevich, in turn, first put a "fat point" in art with his "Black Square", but then he himself refuted this thesis, continuing his experiments. They also paid attention to the non-objective works of Kandinsky, who associated sounds with colors, creating his famous compositions.
After 1932, when the decree establishing a unified style of socialist realism was passed, artists such as Deineka and Pimenov returned to figurative painting. The themes of their works became strictly regulated: sports, labor, and a happy life. Private tour in English The tour ended at the Tretyakov Gallery café, where the guide and her guest leafed through albums of Soviet-era photographs. It was a pleasant end to the day before Denise returned to the hotel.
You can also book the tour «Customizable dream excursion» and other tours.