"Art Against Geography" is a large-scale mega-project by curator Marat Gelman, aimed at overcoming the cultural isolation of regions and establishing a unified artistic space. At the core of the concept was the idea of decentralizing art and demonstrating that the contemporary artistic process is not confined strictly to capitals.
Project History
In October 2000, the project was presented on a grand scale in St. Petersburg, at the Marble Palace of the State Russian Museum. The exposition brought together seven major thematic exhibitions of contemporary art: "South Russian Wave," "Poor Art," "Nostalgia," "Dynamic Pairs," "Beyond the Border," "Women of Russia," and "Social Projects."
The project captured a vital milestone in the history of national art: upon its completion, Marat Gelman donated around 60 landmark works of Russian contemporary art to the State Russian Museum. The foundation of this extensive gift was a unique body of painting from the "South Russian Wave," which included works by key artists of the era: Aleksandr Roitburd, Oleg Golosiy, Yuriy Solomko, Aleksandr Gnilitsky, Oleg Tistol, Arsen Savadov, Valery Koshlyakov, Avdey Ter-Oganyan, and others.
Conceptual Evolution: Cultural Alliance
In the fall of 2011, at the Winzavod Contemporary Art Center, the project received its conceptual continuation. As part of the exhibition "Art Against Geography. Cultural Alliance" (curated by Elena Oleynikova), works by artists from 11 non-capital cities were gathered and showcased, serving as a powerful catalyst for the development of regional art scenes.
