Vadim Sidur is a unique figure in the history of Soviet art. In the 1970s–80s, Sidur's works were installed in major cities in Germany and the United States. Western art historians compared Sidur to modernists Henry Moore and Jacques Lipchitz, but in the USSR the sculptor acquired a reputation as a formalist. Sidur was not given state commissions and could not participate in exhibitions. The sculptor's works appear as small-scale pieces, but most of them were conceived as urban monuments. During Sidur's lifetime their installation was not possible, but after his death and the collapse of the Soviet Union several monuments were placed in public spaces. Among them are 'Mourning Mothers' in the Afghan Square of the Perovo district of Moscow.
Monument to the Mourning Mothers in Perovo
Vadim Sidur is called a sculptor of heavy emotions. A participant in the Great Patriotic War, he miraculously survived a severe wound in which he nearly lost his face. To hide the consequences of the injury he wore a beard for the rest of his life, and he expressed his pain in his sculptures and 'balanced the balance of fear.' Sidur addressed difficult themes of violence and the fragility of human existence. Unlike the art of Socialist Realism, which glorified victory, radiated optimism and faith in the future, his works are characterized by austere honesty and vulnerability.
Vadim Sidur in the studio
The Vadim Sidur Museum is located in a space on Novogireyevskaya Street that, by a fortunate turn of events, came into the possession of one of the sculptor's friends. Originally a theater had been planned for the building, but it was not well suited to that purpose. In 1987 a posthumous solo exhibition of Vadim Sidur opened here, organized by his son Mikhail. During the two months the exhibition was open it was visited by more than 15,000 people. A year later, at the initiative of the sculptor's family and friends, a permanent exhibition was opened, and in 1989 the space was granted museum status. In 2014 the museum underwent a major renovation, and in 2018 it became part of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art (MMOMA).
Vadim Sidur Museum Exhibition
View of the museum from the street
The museum presents both Sidur's well-known works — 'Portrait of Einstein' (1967), 'Babiy Yar' (1966), 'Monument to Those Who Died of Love' (1965) — and previously unexhibited pieces, including the installation 'Contemporary Crucifixion' (1975) from the GrobArt series, as well as a reconstruction of the artist's lost final work, the sculpture 'Lyuda the Doll' (1986). The pavilion's design, developed by Anna Titova, complements the sculptor's modernist visual language and provides an inclusive exhibition environment, taking into account the needs of visitors with disabilities and children.
Sidur V.A. Mother and Child. 1981. Part 1. Bronze, cast
Sidur V.A. Despair. 1963. Aluminum, cast
Sidur V.A. The Holy Family. 1964. Copper, electroforming
Sidur V.A. Wounded. 1963. Aluminum, cast
Sidur V.A. After the War. 1968. Aluminum, cast
