Erarta Museum of Contemporary art, Saint Petersburg, Russia: why so special?
29 Liniya Vasil'yevskogo Ostrova, 2, St Petersburg, Russia, 199106
I obtained my degree in art history in Saint Petersburg, often referred to as the cultural capital of Russia. I spent much of my time there with my course mates. If you ever find yourself in Saint Petersburg, the Erarta Museum is definitely worth a visit — here’s why.
Unlike the Hermitage or the Russian Museum, with its masterpieces of the past, Erarta is all about the now. It features works by contemporary Russian artists, with focus on subjects that reflect today’s world, reality, problems, pains and joys. The museum’s name combines “era” and “arta” — a slightly transformed word for “art”.
Its permanent collection features over 2,800 works by Russian artists. It holds more than 40 temporary exhibitions curated by the museum every year. Erarta was repeatedly mentioned as a top choice tourist attraction by Lonely Planet guidebooks; ranks among the top 10 museums in Russia on TripAdvisor; was spotlighted as one of the ‘5 Cultural Gems’ among places to visit in St. Petersburg by National Geographic, and became the country’s first contemporary art museum to be featured on Google Arts and Culture Project.
Erarta is the largest private art museum of Russia. It officially opened its doors to the public on September 30, 2010, after a soft launch in May of the same year. The museum is situated at 2, 29th Line of Vasilyevsky Island, occupying a five-story building constructed in 1951. Originally, this building served as the district committee of the Communist Party and later housed the Synthetic Rubber Research Institute named after S. V. Lebedev.
Erarta Museum. Photo: courtesy Erarta Museum
The museum’s building is an example of Stalinist neoclassicism.This architectural style was prevalent during its construction period. At the entrance, visitors are greeted by two sculptures named “Era” and “Arta”, created by sculptor Dmitry Zhukov specifically for Erarta. Inside, the museum features wall art and murals that highlights its contemporary aesthetic.
Dmitry Zhukov’s sculptures at the entrance. Photo: courtesy Erarta Museum
If Erarta had a motto it would be not to be afraid to experiment. At least that’s how I feel it. The exhibitions range from painting and sculpture to immersive installations and multimedia performances.
The museum’s atmosphere is very open. It’s full of youth and by that I mean the very progressive and contemporary approach to art display. It’s one of the few cultural places in the city where you don’t feel like you need to whisper or walk on your tippy toes. You’re encouraged to interact, reflect, converse and discuss.
So if you find yourself in Saint Petersburg, take the metro to Vasilyevsky Island and step into Erarta. You’ll find a different side of Russian art other than classy Hermitage, which is of course a must see, with all respect. But that’s a completely different story…
