It’s not an imperial palace and there certainly aren’t 400,000 artworks inside, but the new Russian Museum in Malaga gives you a unique glimpse of five centuries of Russian art.
The paintings, on loan from the Russian State Museum in St Petersburg (home to one of the world’s biggest art collections), showcase art from 16th century religious icons to 20th century collective farms and form part of Malaga’s bid to be the museum capital of the south.
Malaga and Russia already have a certain affinity as hundreds of Russians have made their home in Malaga and province, and Russian is a language you hear often in places like Marbella. But I was interested to see how a collection of Russian paintings fits into life some 4,500 km from their original gallery walls.
The cultural distance runs a long way too in a setting that couldn’t be less Russian – housed in the Tabacalera, built in the 1920’s and one of Malaga’s most emblematic buildings, the museum seems so Mediterranean. And then there’s the weather, bright sunshine and temperatures in the 20s. Difficult to imagine this in St Petersburg in March.
But the minute you step inside and glide up the long escalators, make no mistake – you’re definitely in Russia. The collection starts with a potted history of Russia’s turbulent past. As we walk our way through centuries of czars and revolutions, I’m struck (and ashamed) by how little I know about Russian history.
It also turns out that I know very little about Russian art too so this is an education from the very first painting. Religious icons start you off, painted when Russia (or more correctly, Rus) converted to Christianity more than ten centuries ago. The rooms then guide you through the best of Russian art works.
The paintings show enormous contrast – the opulence of court life and the poverty of a country existence. The cruelty of Inés de Castro’s stabbing (this painting is the stuff nightmares are made of) and the beauty of a moonlit harbour in Odessa.
The genius in Kandinsky and the constraints of painting under Stalin when themes were limited to industry, the army, sport and collective farms. Apart from Kandinsky and Chagall, all the painters and their talent are new to me.
There’s an occasional nod to Spain – a street in Seville and a women dressed in flamenco clothes – but otherwise, this collection is decidedly Russian in its colours, topics and techniques.
So Russian in fact that it’s a surprise to come out and find yourself under the hot Malaga sunshine again. But there’s no doubt about it – the new Russian Museum is a real education as well as the new must-see in Malaga. Definitely from Russia, with love and here to stay.
(Photo note: you’re not allowed to take photos in the museum itself – these photos are from the excellent guide book that accompanies the exhibition.)