The Art Newspaper Russia newspaper held an official ceremony in the Moscow Manege 2 February 2017 to announce winners of its 5th annual award. The Foundation, Olga Sviblova and a group of donors were acknowledged as the best in the Personal Contribution nomination for the joint project with the Center Pompidou - “KOLLEKTSIA! Contemporary Art in the USSR and Russia 1950-2000”.

As a result of the Foundation’s initiative, more than 250 artworks of Russian artists were added to the Russian Collection of the Center Pompidou. The project brought together 40 donors, including the Vladimir Potanin Foundation, Vladimir and Ekaterina Semenikhin, Tsukanov Family Foundation and other collectors, artists and their families. The exhibition of gifts was opened in the Center Pompidou last September and will be on till 2 April 2017. The exhibition is accompanied by a dynamic suite of meetings with artists, film screenings and public discussions.

Larisa Zelkova, President of the Foundation: “The project brought together many people – donors, artists, collectors. Such a large group of people receiving the award is a unique event in its history. It was very important to us to make a story, which may be told anywhere and of which we all could be proud. We are convinced that one has to share his possessions generously with others. This project is about how to be generous, how to love art and show it to the others.”

Oksana Oracheva, General Director of the Foundation: “We’d like to thank all artists and philanthropists who supported the Vladimir Potanin’s initiative and joined the “KOLLEKTSIA!” project, and also the curators, who worked on the exhibition that became a culminating point of the Foundation’s global initiative. It’s a shared victory that moves forward Russian philanthropy traditions and promotes our culture.”

Milena Orlova, Chief Editor of the Russian edition The Art Newspaper: “We have traditionally valued private initiatives in art, as well as international projects integrating Russian art into international context or, vice versa, allowing our audience to see artworks by best foreign artists.”

A special diploma For Contribution to Development, Research and Promotion of Russian Art was awarded to Olga Sviblova, curator of the “KOLLEKTSIA!” exhibition, Director of the Multimedia Art Museum, Bernard Blistène, Director of the Center Pompidou and Nicolas Liucci-Goutnikov, French curator of the project.

Olga Sviblova, Director of the Multimedia Art Museum: “Everything we were doing, we were doing out of love for Russian art. The collection worked out because we had managed to unite Russian people around a positive idea. I am happy that the project goes on, that new gifts arrive. We have already moved beyond the frames set out at the beginning of the project: the exhibition is very popular and it is extended till 2 April. In February Paris will witness an opening day of “KOLLEKTSIA!”+: more than 120 new additions to the existing exhibition.”

Bernard Blistène, Director of the Center Pompidou: “Politics of friendship exists, and I genuinely believe in it. Thanks to all project participants, I saw this politics in action. The history of the Center Pompidou is the story of friendship, support and trust. We have started activities that we hope to continue, as this is Europe today and tomorrow. I believe that through art we are able to develop trust and future.”

In November 2016 the “KOLLEKTSIA!” was announced the best philanthropy project by the Corporate Art Awards, an international award under the auspices of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism of Italy. In February 2017 the project was short-listed for the Serebryany Luchnik national award in the area of public relations development, nomination for The Best Project in International Communications.

About the Award

The annual award of The Art Newspaper Russia for achievements in arts was established in 2012 by the publisher, Irina Bazhenova. Its mission is to publicly acknowledge representatives of artistic community. One of the key criteria for winners’ selection is involvement of a nominated project in international artistic context, and its importance for representing Russian art to international artistic environment. Award winners receive a prize designed by Segrei Shekhovtsev – a statuette representing Big Ben (Clock Tower) in London and Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin, crossed like clock hands, that emphasizes synchronization of Russia with global artistic process.