The own Institute of Contemporary Art in Moscow appeared in 1991, when the artist and curator Iosif Bakshtein returned from a working trip to the USA, where he curated the first American exhibition of Soviet informal artists. The difference between how the process works in America and how it was implemented in Russia turned out to be so significant that upon returning to his homeland, the artist decided to organize an institution in Russia that would train professionals in the field of art.
Formation of the Institute of Contemporary Art
In the early years of its existence, the Institute was a kind of platform on the basis of which an intellectual context was created that favored the discussion, production and consumption of contemporary art.
At first, the most important task for the Institute of Contemporary Art (ISI) was the integration of Russian artists into the international process, from which they had been cut off for several decades. Forto bridge the gap between Russian and foreign art producers, exhibitions of foreign artists were organized in Moscow, and Russian artists and curators participated in exhibitions in Europe and the USA.
Goals and objectives of the Institute of Contemporary Art
Moscow by the beginning of the nineties was far from the title of the capital of contemporary art. Such a deplorable situation was due to the fact that the system of art education in Russia was formed in the distant 15th century and has not undergone radical changes since then. In a sense, this traditionalism would be an advantage if it had a worthy alternative in the form of modern educational programs.
The creators of the Institute of Contemporary Art proceeded from the fact that fashion, trends and technologies, which are constantly changing and updating, need to be constantly monitored, and every contemporary artist should be able to navigate them. For this purpose, the program "New Artistic Strategies" was developed, which is designed to complement the existing educational programs of the country's leading art universities. It is worth noting that the team that created the Institute of Contemporary Art proceeded from the fact that there is an obvious advantage in classical programs, expressed in the continuous transfer of skills from the older generation to the younger.
Culture Impact
The institute began its educational activities in 1992, and by 2018 itMore than 650 artists have graduated, each of whom has acquired skills sufficient to engage in further self-education and building an independent career.
In addition to educational activities in Moscow, the Institute of Contemporary Art also publishes books on art history, art criticism and critical theory.
The annual Summer School is of great importance both for the educational process and for the entire artistic life of the capital and the whole country, to which the most outstanding students and graduates of past years are invited. It also practices joint summer events with art schools in other countries. For several years, students from the Swedish Academy of Valand and Goldsmiths College took part in the Summer School, and the result of such cooperation was international exhibition projects that contributed to the promotion of Russian artists abroad.
Outstanding Alumni
In the mid-nineties, the educational institution was renamed the Institute of Contemporary Art, which was intended to focus on a critical approach to the production and consumption of contemporary art. This approach has generated a galaxy of outstanding graduates who have achieved both commercial success and international recognition.
One of these graduates was Arseniy Zhilyaev, a native of Voronezh, who became the informal leader of a movement called "new boring". Zhilyaev's path began in VoronezhKhlam Gallery, and later, with the participation of like-minded people, he created the Voronezh Center for Contemporary Art, on the basis of which exhibition and educational activities are carried out. The works of the Voronezh artist are in the collections of museums in Germany and Italy, as well as in private collections. Thus, the Institute of Contemporary Art fulfills the task set by its founders to promote Russian art in the West and include it in the international context on an equal footing with foreign art.
