France is proud of the classic of primitivism Henri Rousseau, whereas until recently Russian self-taught naive artists were narrowly known to art experts only. The Museum of Naive Art opened on June 23, 1998 is filling this gap in the Russian culture.

Works of naive art remind of children's creativity with its absence of linear perspective and volume, with its love of pure colors and simplicity of painting manner. Subjects can be many and varied, but there is always the feeling of life's eternal holiday, intangible blending of dream and reality unites them all. Naive artists resort to mythological, religious and folklore motives for the subject matter of their creativity.

The museum aims at promoting the naive art of Russia. Works by the most famous naive artists of this country are kept in the museum, the collection of which is regularly replenished. It should be noted that the Museum of Naive Art collaborates with other regions of Russia and neighboring countries.

In the 1980s the leading naive artists of Russia were Elena Volkova, Leonid Purygin, Ivan Selivanov, Lyubov Maykova and Vladimir Plastinin.

In the 1990s Katya Medvedeva, Pavel Leonov, Vassily Romanenkov, Alyona Azyornaya, and Mikhail Rzhannikov became known in Russia.

Alevtina Pyzhova, Alexander Lobanov, Alexander Belykh, Valery Eryomenko, and Polina Rayko entered on the scene in the 2000s.

Address of the Museum of Naive Art: 15a, Soyuzny Prospect, next to the Novogireyevo metro station in Moscow.
Open hours:
from 12 am to 7 pm on Wednesday and Friday;
from 12 am to 9 pm on Thursday;
from 12 am to 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday
See more details on the website of the Naive Art Museum