You can get acquainted with some works of contemporary art, admire the paintings of Russian painters who worked in the first half of the 20th century, attend master classes of sculptors and people of other creative professions by visiting the Central House of Artists (CHA). In Moscow (and throughout Russia) this is one of the most famous exhibition centers. Let's get acquainted with its history and exposition.
Historical background
Until 1923, the place where the Central House of Artists is now located was the All-Russian Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition. After its closure, a stadium was built here, which, however, did not last long. In 1956, it was decided to place on this site a building for an exhibition hall for the Union of Artists of the USSR. At the same time, a project for the premises for the Tretyakov Gallery was being developed. However, over time, it was decided to combine these two objects, and in 1965work on a new project has begun.
In 1979, the Central House of Artists opened its doors to visitors for the first time.
A few words about famous people and regular events
The Central House of Artists is a multifunctional exhibition center. What does it mean? Events, exhibitions and master classes developed by representatives of various creative professions have been and are still being held here. Artists, sculptors, architects, photographers, art historians and even musicians gather at the Central House of Artists to exchange experiences and share inspiration with colleagues.
At different times, exhibitions of very famous people in the world of art were held here. So, the works of Salvador Dali, Giorgio Morandi, Francis Bacon, Yves Saint Laurent, Cartier-Bresson, Rufino Tamayo, James Rosenquist and Robert Rauschenberg were present within the walls of the Central House of Artists.
In addition, the exhibition center hosts the annual Non/fiction intellectual literature fair. The Art Moscow and Arch Moscow fairs are also held here.
Central House of Artists and Tretyakov Gallery
The State Tretyakov Gallery (TG) and the Central House of Artists are closely connected. The State Tretyakov Gallery, located on the territory of the latter, includes an exposition of paintings by famous Russian painters who worked in the first half of the last century. Thus, the exhibition presents paintings by Marc Chagall, Kazimir Malevich, Sergei Kotenkov, Vladimir Favorsky, Robert Falk, Mikhail Larionov, Pyotr Konchalovsky, Pavel Korin and many others.
In the Central House of Artists there are no works of art of thoserecognized creators who lived and worked in the pre-revolutionary period. These paintings and sculptures can be viewed in the old building of the Tretyakov Gallery, located in Lavrushinsky Lane.
Exhibitions: Central House of Artists
Exhibitions in the Central House of Artists are interesting, and their number is great. Together, they reveal the many facets of art, both contemporary and long-standing.
Approximately 250-300 exhibitions are held here every year. Works of art are distributed over the vast territory of the Central House of Artists, filling as many as sixty functioning galleries. At the same time, the works of not only domestic, but also foreign artists are exhibited. Despite the collapse of the USSR, cultural ties with the B altic countries and other states located on the territory of the post-Soviet space remain inseparable. Therefore, the works of Russian artists exhibited in the Central House of Artists are often transported abroad and shown to a foreign public.
Other events
The Central House of Artists often hosts prestigious cultural, art and advertising events. So, every year Moscow Design Week, the New Culture Festival, the Biennale of Architecture, and the Antique Salon are held here.
In addition, the Central House of Artists has concert halls, where creative evenings and meetings, master classes, and musical events are held. Well-known domestic groups and performers, invited guests have repeatedly performed here. took place inthese walls and jazz parties and concerts.
Services provided by CHA
Apart from everything else, the Central House of Artists provides its visitors with some other services. On its territory there are cafes and restaurants, bars and even billiard rooms. Shops with souvenirs are also open here: albums, postcards, photographs. In addition, art books and special DVDs are available for purchase. There are also small shops of handmade jewelry and bijouterie. For the convenience of the guests of the Central House of Artists, there is also a spacious parking lot, which can accommodate five hundred cars at once.
At the Central House of Artists there are also children's studios and circles. Talented teachers help to introduce young students to art and show them how to find beauty even in the most ordinary, everyday phenomena.
But all this might not have been…
In 2008, a project for the construction of a new building was signed to house the halls of the Tretyakov Gallery. It was planned that it would be a fifteen-story building, erected in the shape of a giant orange. According to the project, the "fruit" was supposed to look divided into five "lobes", each of which would accommodate not only the exhibition halls of the gallery, but also offices, hotel rooms and elite residential apartments. In fact, this project was commercial.
But this "Orange" was never built. Almost immediately after the adoption of the projectthe Moscow public expressed its negative opinion about the coming changes. A Public Council for Cultural Centers was even created, an organization whose first official act was to protect the Central House of Artists from demolition. The Council included painters, architects, sculptors and people of other creative professions.
Then, in 2008, everything seemed to work out, and materials appeared in the press that "Apelsin" would not appear in place of the Central House of Artists. But soon another project for the reconstruction of the existing exhibition complex was proposed. It was planned to erect separate buildings for the Central House of Artists and the Tretyakov Gallery, as well as lay a conference hall on the site of the old building of impressive size.
At the end of the same 2008, hearings were held in the Public Chamber on the issues of redevelopment of the Central House of Artists. The staff of the State Tretyakov Gallery sent an open letter to Vladimir Medvedev and Vladimir Putin.
In February 2009, a demonstration was held at the entrance to Gorky Park against the demolition of the Central House of Artists. A hearing was held at the Central House of Artists itself, attended by several hundred people. Of these, less than ten have approved the construction of a new exhibition complex.
Unfortunately, even then the issue was resolved not in favor of the existing building. The chief architect of the capital, Alexander Kuzmin, explained that the city budget does not have free money for the reconstruction of the Central House of Artists, which means that it would be expedient to decide to give the project underdevelopment to solvent investors. It was also not possible to put the Central House of Artists building under protection as an object of cultural heritage, because 40 years have not passed since its construction.
Central House of Artists: how to get there
The exhibition complex, however, opens its doors to visitors on any day of the week except Monday. Its working hours: from 11:00 to 20:00.
What is the address of the Central House of Artists? Krymsky Val, 10. You can get here on foot from the metro station "Park Kultury" or "Oktyabrskaya", as well as by trolleybus number 10, travel to the stop "TsPKiO im. Gorky.”
