Group '13' in the Alleys of an Era

Not yet ten years old, the Museum of Russian Impressionism in Moscow has become one of the most popular private museums. It is bright and spacious. The futuristic cylindrical building, formerly belonging to the Bolshevik confectionery factory, has been successfully converted into a three-story exhibition center. The second floor always houses a small permanent collection, but the public's attention is usually focused on the exhibitions. And that's no coincidence.
The current exhibition curated by Nadezhda Plungyan features many works from metropolitan museums, from remote museums across vast Russia (Arkhangelsk, Nizhny Tagil, Perm...) and from fourteen private collections!

This exhibition reveals details of the unique creative association — the Moscow '13' group, which existed for only three years but left a large and original artistic legacy. The official years of '13' were 1929 to 1931; it was then that the group's exhibitions were held, but the movement originated in the editorial office of the newspaper Gudok in the early 1920s. And, of course, the group's principles and philosophy influenced the participants' work in later years.

The exhibition fits very harmoniously in the museum's space. It is pleasant to be in a room where not only the exhibits themselves are interesting, but they are displayed with artistic taste. The wall color, the dimensions of the additional partitions built specifically for this exhibition, the layout composition, the lighting... — all this allows one to fully enjoy the masterpieces.

My personal discovery of this exhibition is the artist Antonina Sofronova. Her muted, unpopulated, melancholic Moscow landscapes, as if from the era of Romanticism rather than Socialist Realism, feel incredibly relevant today. They make you remember the uniqueness, individuality, and importance of each person as opposed to everything mass and collective.
One of Antonina's works is presented as a tactile model with a chosen scent and a fabric sample. This is also a fine museum tradition. Such models are found both in the permanent exhibition and in all temporary exhibitions.

The museum café deserves particular admiration, where you can always have excellent coffee, and for each exhibition they prepare a special menu inspired by the new show. For example, right now there is 'hibiscus-pomegranate tea', which is served in a beautiful transparent teapot. And in summer the café also has access to a terrace. Photos from the terrace will be included in the story about the next exhibition, which will replace the current one only in July.

Hibiscus-pomegranate tea (Café at the Museum of Russian Impressionism, 3rd floor)

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