Theatrum Orbis MMXVII

A complete account of the continually evolving Russian art scene, one of the liveliest in the world.

Theatrum Orbis Terrarum is the name of an atlas published by Abraham Ortelius in Antwerp in 1570, bundling together the knowledge accumulated during the age of discovery and representing the world as a theater, which in those days didn't refer just to a stage. It is in the same spirit, that is the assembly and comparison of different and at first sight contrasting experiences, that the featured artists have been chosen to represent the Russian Federation at the 2017 Venice Biennale. Grisha Bruskin, Recycle Group, Sasha Pirogova, and Dmitri Kourliandski belong to different generations, have different backgrounds, and take different approaches to art. But together they reflect a picture of Russian contemporary art made up of myriad facets and details.