Russia demands early return of 75 loaned paintings amid war in Ukraine

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Russia demands early return of 75 loaned paintings amid war in Ukraine

Posted : 2022-03-18 17:20

Updated : 2022-03-20 10:06

Visitors take a look at art works on display in the "Kandinsky, Malevich & Russian Avant-Garde" exhibition at the Sejong Museum of Art in the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul, Jan. 2. Korea Times photo by Hong In-ki

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Russia has called for the early return of art works that are currently on display as part of the "Kandinsky, Malevich & Russian Avant-Garde" exhibition in Seoul, as escalating tensions created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine have spilled over into the art world. Co-hosted by The Korea Times and its sister paper, the Hankook Ilbo, the exhibition is to be held until April 17 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

The exhibition offers a rare view into an influential wave of early modern art through 75 paintings of 49 major Russian and Soviet artists, including Wassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich, Alexander Rodchenko and Natalia Goncharova.

The art works were loaned by four Russian museums ― the Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts, Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum, Krasnoyarsk Surikov Art Museum and Far Eastern Art Museum.

In an email sent to the Hankook Ilbo on March 15, an official at the Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts requested the early closure of the exhibition by April 3 and the return of 75 pieces loaned to the newspaper, citing "the difficult political situation."

This request comes in line with the Russia Ministry of Culture's move to return 23 art works from the Gallerie d'Italia in Milan that are currently on display as part of an exhibition titled, "Grand tour: The dream of Italy from Venice to Pompeii." In addition, it also requested the Palazzo Reale Museum in Milan to return two paintings.

The Hankook Ilbo opposed the request, saying that the exhibit will remain open, as previously agreed upon, until April 17. "We will adhere to the contract and run the exhibition until the promised date," the company official said.

Kim Young-ho, a professor at Chung-Ang University and the art director of the "Kandinsky, Malevich & Russian Avant-Garde" exhibition, also expressed disappointment with Russia's abrupt decision.

"Art is transmission of human values, such as freedom, equality and peace. An artist's job is to be at the frontline of reform efforts, or to criticize acts that violate universal values and help us see the real world differently," he said.

yeons.kwak@koreatimes.co.kr