If you are interested in contemporary arts and want to see what’s new and fresh on the scene of modern arts in Moscow your best choice will be to visit Vinzavod, Flakon, or Garage that have been newly shaped as actual alternatives to traditional art museums.
Exhibition Centre VINZAVOD
The center of modern art Vinzavod (translated from Russian as “wine factory”) is settled in seven buildings of the former ancient brewery Moscow Bavaria, which became a wine industrial complex in Soviet times. The former winery is presently a fashionable venue that houses two large exhibition halls, well-known Moscow galleries, design studios, artists’ workshops, Moscow’s biggest photo studio, art bars and cafes, as well as book, music and art stores. There is also an open-air space available for various cultural events, such as gigs, festivals and presentations.
The art centre was founded by the well-known businessman Roman Trotsenko in 2007. The author of the Vinzavod project is Alexander Brodsky.
Generated according to the principle of “art-cluster”, the Vinzavod modern art centre concentrates the city’s best creative resources and fosters essentially new artistic environment attractive to public at large. The infrastructure of Vinzavod makes it easy to combine visiting art exhibitions, actions and conferences, watching art films with shopping and hanging out in clubs and art bars. But for special events entrance to the Vinzavod space is free for all comers.
Address: 1, bld. 6, 4th Syromyatnichesky Lane (from Kurskaya Metro Station)
Design Factory FLAKON
Design-factory Flakon (i.e. “Bottle” as translated from Russian) is located in the complex of premises of the former Kalinin Crystal-glass Factory (21 000 m ²) situated not far from the center of Moscow. According to the concept of its founders, the design factory Flakon is a modern venue aimed at uniting design, fashion, architecture and other areas of artistic business.
Since 2009 according to a new strategy of development, loft-style offices and event spaces have been created there. Among the tenants there are advertizing and event agencies, design and video studios, show-rooms and workshops of the design goods and services. In the event-spaces of Design Factory Flakon, the first of which was opened in the end of 2009, house various format of events, such as lectures, film shows, art exhibitions, presentations and parties.
Address: 36/4, bld. 1, Bolshaya Novodmitrovskaya Street (Dmitrovskaya Metro Station)
Center of Modern Culture GARAGE
Located at the territory of the former Bahmetevsky bus fleet, which was constructed by the cult architect-constructivist Konstantin Melnikov in 1926, Garage is one of the largest art exhibition centers of Moscow. The total area of around 8 500 sq. m along with the exhibition space itself includes a bookshop, a cinema hall and a café. It holds exhibitions of well-known works of art, as well as lectures, workshops, film shows, discussions and other cultural events.
The center was opened in September, 2008 with the retrospective exhibition of Ilya and Emilia Kabakovs.
Since then it has carried out various cultural, art and educational programs — exhibitions, excursions, educational and lecture courses, dedicated to studying of Russian and foreign modern arts under the guidance of well-known artists.
Recently (in 2011) it has become known that GARAGE is moving to the building of Badaevsky Brewery located near the Ukraine Hotel (Taras Shevchenko Embankment).
Author: Vera Ivanova