JEWISH MUSEUM WITH SUPPORT FROM CHARITABLE FOUNDATION SAFMAR TO PRESENT GERHARD RICHTER EXHIBITION
Moscow. On November 9, 2016 the first in Russia large-scale personal exhibition of one of the world`s most reputed artist Gerhard Richter commences in Jewish Museum and Tolerance Centre. The project is implemented under patronage of prominent Russian businessman, philanthropist and founder of the Charity Foundation SAFMAR Mikhail Gutseriev.
The exposition is dedicated to Richter`s artistic explorations in abstraction and includes key works made from 1973 to 2016. The works illustrate important stages in artist`s development and demonstrate variety of his techniques. The pivot of the entire exposition is an installation “Birkenau” (2014), comprised of four recent large-format abstract paintings which were created in response to photographs taken by a prisoner of the concentration camp in August 1944. “Birkenau” is considered by the experts as one of the most significant works of art over last years.
First paintings of the artist, based on the found photographs, were created in 1962. At the outset, the artist used pictures from magazines, family archives, as well as pictures given by friends. He transformed the collected materials into picturesque portraits, landscapes, still lives and cityscapes.
The exhibition will last till February 5, 2017. The Charitable Foundation SAFMAR gives particular emphasis to the projects aimed at development and popularization of culture in the country. Programmes, executed under the support of the Foundation, become milestones in the cultural life of Russia.
The Charitable Foundation SAFMAR is one of the greatest non-profit charitable organisations of Russia. Established by RussNeft, whose head is a prominent Russian businessman and a patron of arts Mikhail Gutseriev, the Foundation is intended to implement socially oriented long-term projects in culture, arts, education and religion.
The programmes of the Foundation meet the criteria of transparency, clarity of strategy and consistency in implementation. SAFMAR follows the best traditions of Russian charity. It supports the array of big charity projects together with many famous educational, scientific, museum and non-governmental institutions of Russia.
Jewish Museum and Tolerance Centre was set up in 2012 in the premises of The Bakhmetevsky Bus Garage, a monument of constructivism, designed by Konstantin Melnikov and Vladimir Shukhov.