Legendary Ilya Kabakov's workshop on Sretensky Boulevard in Moscow became part of the Tretyakov Gallery

Shortly before the opening in the New Tretyakov Gallery retrospective exhibition of Ilya and Emilia Kabakov "In the future will not take everyone" the artists decided to transfer the museum to the legendary workshop.

From the beginning of the 1970s to the end of the 1980s, Ilya Kabakov's workshop, located in the attic of the house of the insurance company "Russia" at Sretensky Boulevard, 6/1, was one of the most important centers of Moscow's unofficial art. "... The climate of the commonwealth was so characteristic of the life of these artists, poets, jazzmen, writers, as if happily encountered in one layer," Ilya Kabakov wrote about Moscow, referring to the atmosphere of his studio. In 1989, the artist went abroad to work, the brotherhood broke up, unable to stand the test of freedom and competition, as all eyewitnesses and participants acknowledge. But the studio retained its appeal and its atmosphere - with the blessing of Ilya Kabakov, the Institute for Contemporary Arts (IASI), under the leadership of Iosif Bakshtein, also frequented the studio in the 1970s.

"We decided to hand over the studio to the Ilya Tretyakov Gallery, because we really wanted to preserve it as a place where artists gathered in the 1970s and 1980s and where something important was happening. Why the Tretyakov Gallery? She is now very much changed. Of course, thanks to its director Zelphira Tregulova, who completely rebuilt this old car, "- told The Art Newspaper Russia Emilia Kabakova. According to her, the space will not become a memorial and this place will not be a museum of the artist Ilya Kabakov, although this option was offered. IPSI will move to a neighboring workshop.

In the workshop it is planned to make available the documentation of conceptual art of the 1970-1980s, books and documents. In addition, the Kabakovs are given several works that were here. "The originals are no longer there, but author's repetitions are made. These are two "white" pictures - "Man and House" and "Berdyansk Spit" - and the installation of "16 ropes", they will be there permanently. The Tretyakov Gallery already has the works of Ilya, we also before that gave some things, so that the exposition of the workshop can be changed, "- said Emilia Kabakova.

As for the exhibition program, the expositions will be stylistically similar to apartment and studio exhibitions. "The work does not have to be hung on the wall. If this is an exhibition of a young artist, bring as many pictures and objects as there fit, and arrange them - let people come and discuss, arrange evenings and meetings. We want to repeat the atmosphere - it is, of course, nostalgic, but still today, "said Emilia Kabakova.

This is not the first news about the expansion of the Tretyakov Gallery in recent months - it became known earlier that the mansion of the patron Stepan Ryabushinsky had joined the museum on Malaya Nikitskaya Street and he would be given the building of the Central House of Artists, which will be occupied by the Pritzker Prize winner Rem Koolhaas.