An Enduring Collection
The Greek State Museum, Thessaloniki will celebrate 100 years since the birth of George Costakis, the largest collector of Russian avant-garde art, with an exhibition featuring a selection of works from his collection.
The exhibition will showcase an array of pieces from the 1900-1930 period, which demonstrated an era of intense activity and innovation in the field of arts. In the years of the industrial revolution artists in Russia moved away from figurative art and their style went on to become one of the most defining of the early twentieth century. The exhibition includes works from Kazimir Malevich (pictured), Ilya Chasnik and Solomon Nikritin (pictured).
Costakis was born in Moscow in 1913 to Greek parents, he began his collection of Russian avant-garde during Stalin’s leadership when much of this style of art was forbidden or censored. Managing to uncover pieces that had been banned, Costakis saved many works from their imminent destruction.
The exhibition will pay a special tribute to the collector while also implementing the museum’s new digital programs; a 3-dimensional virtual theatre, a multimedia tour through mobile devices and interactive touch screens.
The exhibition opens on Friday 5 April 2013 at the Moni Lazariston, Greek State Museum of Art.
