Винзавод: Moscow’s Kremlin of Contemporary Art
“Посетив ВИНЗАВОД, Вы всегда сможете увидеть искусство, определяющее не только сегодняшний, но и завтрашний день.”*
Sofiya Trotsenko,
President of VINZAVOD
Round the corner from Kurskaya train station, the buildings of a former wine bottling factory have been converted into a contemporary art space. Since 2007, Vinzavod has been transformed into Russia’s biggest centre of contemporary art. Walking around the perimeter, the crumbling plaster and somewhat dilapidated nature of the buildings makes the vibrant contemporary art scene at Vinzavod seem out of place. But as soon as you step inside the centre of Vinzavod, you feel as if you have entered a kremlin of contemporary art.
The centre’s aim is to support and develop contemporary Russian art, and in this sense, Vinzavod is definitely a success. The centre has been home to some of Moscow’s most prestigious art galleries, including M&J Guelman, Aidan and XL. Alongside these permanent galleries, Vinzavod houses temporary exhibits and cinema projects, as well as providing space for concerts and festivals so there is always something new to see.
In the midst of a whole list of current exhibits, two stood out for me: “Supreme & Pop” and “Crazy Family Shorts”. “Supreme & Pop” takes inspiration from two 20th century art movements, namely Suprematism and Pop Art. The exhibit explores how these art movements played a significant role in shaping philosophy and aesthetic guidelines in the new millennium. For the next month, “Crazy Family Shorts” will be shown at Vinzavod every day at 7pm, (tickets cost 300 roubles). These cinema shorts give viewers an insight into the strangeness of family life. According to the film’s description, the programme is intended to convey the undeniable truth that we do not choose our relatives.
It is possible to spend the entire day at Vinzavod, whether you prefer to lose all concept of time by being absorbed in exploring the art galleries, or whether you prefer to relax in one of the cafes and wander around the shops. You should definitely pay a visit to “Нора Кролика”, meaning rabbit hole. This shop invites visitors to find their own treasure, whether that be an antique trinket, an unusual passport cover, or a necklace in the style of steam-punk. Going down this rabbit hole, you will be transported to a place where it is possible to find a whole host of weird and wonderful objects.
If you’d like to find out more, here is the link to Vinzavod’s website: http://www.winzavod.ru/
*Visiting Vinzavod, you will always be able to see art which defines not only today, but also tomorrow.
