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HERMITAGE MUSEUM FOUNDATION
NEWSLETTER
June 2012
Volume 3, Issue One
Dear Friends and Supporters:
Another few intense months have flown by! Please accept my most sincere thanks
to each of you who have helped make this time so successful and for laying the
groundwork for so many other exciting future developments.
The articles in this, our fifth issue, will cover our signature Hermitage Dinner last
November; presentations by Dr. Geza von Habsburg and Solomon Volkov; the first
phase of the IBM website project; the New York and Miami Art Basel visits of Dr.
Dimitri Ozerkov; the HMF’s participation in the International Friends’ Day celebrations in St. Petersburg; and the reorganization of the Young Friends’ Committee
together with their recent events.
Looking forward, I would like to encourage participation in this year’s White Night’s
Tour between June 24th and 30th with the 1812 bi-centennial Hermitage Gala Dinner taking place on June 29th. Once again, our Hermitage Dinner will take place on
November 10th, this year at Phillips de Pury in New York. The 2012 awardees are
artist Jeff Koons, Erik Bulatov, and Neil Rector.
Please welcome our new consulting Creative Director, Anna Winestein, who has
joined us to help with the important task of facilitating the IBM Hermitage website
project, the White Nights tour and other specific assignments including outreach
programs in the Boston area. In addition, Annie Foresman, based on her good
work, has morphed from volunteer Intern to part-time Executive Assistant.
A major new direction we have undertaken is our “Art from America” campaign
designed to expand the Hermitage's sparse holdings of post-war American art. By
celebrating American and Russian-born artists in the United States at our Hermitage
Dinner, the HMF has undertaken this program of cultural diplomacy to expand the
awareness of the transformations happening at the Museum in the run-up to its
250th anniversary in 2014. One of the Hermitage's key initiatives is the renovation of
a wing of the General Staff Building, on the opposite side of Palace Square, to house
the 19th, 20th and 21st century art galleries. Working alongside the nation's most
important artists, top collectors, and cultural institutions, "Art from America" provides the opportunity to create a well-deserved and major presence of American art
within these new galleries.
Many more exciting initiatives are underway but, to learn about them, you will either
have to follow our website or Facebook page or wait until our next issue!
Paul Rodzianko, Chairman
www.hermitagemuseumfoundation.org
SAVE THE DATE
Vodka: A Global History
by Patricia Herlihy
Alexandre Gertsman Contemporary Art
652 Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York, NY
June 19th, 6:30 PM Lecture;
Reception following
White Nights Tour
Hermitage Gala
St. Petersburg, Russia
June 24th - July 1, 2012
Hermitage Dinner
Honoring Artists Jeff Koons,
Erik Bulatov and Neil Rector
Phillips de Pury, New York
Saturday November 10th, 2012
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HMF NEWSLETTER | June 2012 | Vol. 3, Issue Two
Simon Volkov on His Newest Publication - Romanov Riches
By Elena Makovskaia
On September 26, 2011, the Hermitage Museum Foundation hosted a reception and
lecture "Romanov Riches" with a distinguished cultural historian Solomon Volkov and
a prize-winning translator Antonina W. Bouis. Mr. Volkov and Mrs. Bouis discussed
their new book, Romanov Riches.
In his interesting interpretation of Russian history, Mr. Volkov showed us how the
Romanov dynasty played a significant role in the cultural life of Russia. Starting from
1612, when Mikhail Romanov was installed on the throne, Mr. Volkov took us
through the eras in which some of Russia’s most important writers and artists, from
Pushkin to Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, confronted the Romanov rulers. Following his
talk, the audience participated in a lively question and answer session fortified by wine
Solomon Volkov and moderator Antonina W. Bouis and sumptuous hors d’oeuvres. The event took place at the home of Robert Davis and
Alice Yurke to whom we are most grateful, indeed!
Mr. Volkov has published volumes of memoirs with major figures including: Conversations with Joseph Brodsky (1998); Balanchine's
Tchaikovsky: Conversations with Balanchine on his Life, Ballet and Music (1985); and From Russia to the West: the Musical Memoirs and Reminiscences
of Nathan Milstein (1990). Since coming to the United States in 1976 he has written various articles for The New York Times, The
New Republic, Musical America, and The Musical Quarterly. His other books include: Testimony (1979); St. Petersburg: A Cultural
History (1995); Shostakovich and Stalin: The Extraordinary Relationship Between the Great Composer and the Brutal Dictator (2004);
and The Magical Chorus: A History of Russian Culture from Tolstoy to Solzhenitsyn (2008).
Tina Khmelnitskaya, Hermitage Curator, Fulbright Scholar, visits the U.S.
Dr. Ekaterina Khmelnitskaya is curator of the Russian Porcelain and Ceramics collection of the
State Hermitage Museum. Author of numerous scholarly publications, she has helped curate over
twenty Hermitage exhibitions, among them international ones and has been an invited presenter
at the International Ceramic Fair and Seminar (London), the Kunsthistorisches Institut
(Florence); Biblioteca Hertziana (Rome) and elsewhere. She is currently in the US for a six month
stay as a Fulbright Fellow, at the Library of
Congress and the Hoover Institution, Stanford.
Dr. Khmelnitskaya recently spoke in Boston
on the subject of de l’Alliance Franco-Russe in
ceramics. Additionally she gave a lecture at
the New York City’s Grolier Club on ethnoDr. Khmelnitskaya taking ceramics class graphic collection of the Imperial Porcelain
in Washington, D.C.
Factory, depicting “The Peoples of Russia” by
sculptor Pavel Kamensky.
A selection of porcelain figures by Pavel Kamensky,
produced between 1907 and 1917. The Imperial Porcelain Factory.
www.hermitagemuseumfoundation.org
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HMF NEWSLETTER | June 2012 | Vol. 3, Issue Two
Hermitage visits New York
By Taisha Hutchinson
NEW YORK, On the occasion of the visit of Dimitri Ozerkov, the Hermitage Museum’s Director of Contemporary Art, Monday, December 5,
saw the Hermitage Foundation fulfill a decidedly full day beginning with a
private viewing of Sol LeWitt's Wall Drawing #832, on site at the United
States Mission to the United Nations. The Mission building stands opposite
the United Nations Secretariat building, with a sweeping view of Manhattan's East River.
US Mission
Rockefeller Center
The building was designed by the late Charles Gwathmey, one of the “New
York Five,” along with peers, Peter Eisenman, Michael Graves, John Hejduk and
Richard Meier – the modernist architects known for revitalizing avant garde architecture following the lead of such European greats as Le Corbusier. Gwathmey is
known for seamlessly adding to Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum in
1992, resulting in a successful expansion of the museum . We were lead to the
22nd floor by Minister Brian Heath, where we were introduced to LeWitt's sitespecific Wall Drawing #832, which sits within Gwathmey's 70-foot-high sculpted
rotunda, comprised of an intense blue ground with a fine red line that loops its way
to the top and meets an ocular ceiling.
The Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies, advisory committee chairman Robert Storr has curated an impressive array of art by more than fifty artists, including, Andre Kertesz, Josef Albers, Chuck Close,
Christo, Robert Rauschenberg and Ilya and Emilia Kabakov. The State Department's Art in Embassies program obtains temporary loans
for ambassadorial residences; FAPE donates permanent site-specific works to embassies and consulates around the globe.
Battery Park
Following our tour of the UN Mission, part of our group made its way with Dimitri Ozerkov, to select Sol LeWitt installations
throughout the city. Among the several stops were: the Embassy Suites Hotel, Battery Park, where, donning hard hats, we braved the
construction site to see LeWitt's Wall Drawing #934: Loopy Doopy (Blue and Purple), acrylic, 2000; 6 Federal Plaza where we viewed
Wall Drawing #746 - 36 Identically sized cubes, each with color ink washed superimposed, made in 1994; 20 Rockefeller Plaza
(Christie’s) to see Wall Drawing #896: Color / Curves, 1999.
… and Miami Basel
V. Komar and I. Kabakov at Tate Modern Luncheon hosted by Kira Flanzraich
Ship of Tolerance
Ilya Kabakov, Heidi Steiger and Neil Rector at Ship of
Tolerance Launch
At the Enrique Martinez Celaya Studio
Ship launch
www.hermitagemuseumfoundation.org
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HMF NEWSLETTER | June 2012 | Vol. 3, Issue Two
Hermitage Dinner - Sotheby’s New York City
honoring Cy Twombly, Ilya & Emilia Kabakov, and Sergey Bugaev Afrika
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Wolfram Koeppe, Peter Schaffer, Mikhail Margelov, Paul Rodzianko
Thierry Morel, Vitaly Komar, Nic Iljine
Nina Bouis, Musa Klebnikov, Peter Stern and Helen Drutt English
Three guests admire Cy Towmbly
Chauncie Rodzianko, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Julie Sylvester, Sergey
Bugaev Afrika
HRH Princess Michael of Kent, Sergei Polonsky
Neil Rector
Nina Bouis, Ilya Kabakov
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Grace Kennan Warnecke, Shimon Okshteyn
Mr. & Mrs. Vitaly Komar, Mark Kelner, Mr. & Mrs. Brad Place
Beth Rudin DeWoody
Alessandro Twombly accepts award for his late father, Cy Twombly
Paul and Marina Rodzianko
Sergei Bugaev Afrika with his Hermitage Award
Ilya & Emilia Kabakov accepting the Hermitage Award
“Good Ballerina” Afrika installation
www.hermitagemuseumfoundation.org
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HMF NEWSLETTER | June 2012 | Vol. 3, Issue Two
HMF Young Friends Activities
Pace Gallery
By Taisha Hutchinson
The 12th of January, Old Russian New Year, a group of HMF Young Friends convened at Pace Gallery to enjoy the Sol LeWitt / Alfred Jensen Exhibition, “Systems
and Transformation.” They enjoyed an impromptu walk-through talk about the finely
curated exhibition of LeWitt’s prime structures. Alfred Jensen’s bright, geometrically
mesmerizing images; based on numeric and ancient mathematical patterns and structures, created a wonderful color / form balance with Le Witt’s emblematic white
structures. Family members of both artists were present at the opening exhibition. The
Young Friends concluded the evening at Opia Restaurant, hosted by Young Friends
Young Friends of HMF at the Pace Gallery
Co-Chair Katya Rayevsky Yoffe.
Armory Show Tour
Katya Rayevsky-Yoffe
In March, the Young Friends organized a private VIP tour of the Armory Show. The Armory Show a leading international contemporary and modern art fair and one of the most important annual art events in New York, takes place every March on Piers 92 & 94 in
central Manhattan. The Armory Show is devoted to showcasing the most important artworks of the 20th and 21st centuries. In its
fifteen years the fair has become an international institution, combining a selection of the world's leading galleries with an exceptional
program of arts events and exhibitions throughout New York during the celebrated Armory Arts Week.
IMPACT Exhibition Tour & VIP Dinner
By Katya Rayevsky-Yoffe
On April 5th the Young Friends of the Hermitage Museum Foundation hosted, in conjunction with DEPESHA Magazine, a private
tour of the Museum at FIT exhibition, IMPACT: 50 Years of the CFDA followed by a VIP dinner to benefit the HMF's Art from America campaign with guest of honor, designer Thom Browne.
Patricia Mears, deputy director of the Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology, and co-curator of the IMPACT exhibition, guided
guests of the Young Friends, sharing insights about select objects in the show as well as the key ideas behind the exhibit’s conception
and installation.
Following the tour, the Young Friends in conjunction with DEPESHA Magazine co-hosted a private dinner at MPD, a French restaurant in NYC’s Meatpacking district. The dinner brought together members of the art and fashion industries to honor American designer Thom Browne, who showcased his Fall/Winter 2012-13 collection as part an American Program organized by DEPESHA at Aurora Fashion Week April 2012 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The private dinner was attended by such distinguished guests as designer Thom Browne, artist Vitaly Komar, curator/deputy director
of the Museum at FIT Patricia Mears, Blouin Cultural Advisory Group Executive Director Matthew Drutt and fashion journalist G.
Bruce Boyer.
www.hermitagemuseumfoundation.org
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HMF NEWSLETTER | June 2012 | Vol. 3, Issue Two
10th Anniversary of Louise Bourgeois Exhibition at the Hermitage
Hermitage Marks 10 Years
Dear Paul,
I understand that you are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Louise Bourgeois
at the Hermitage this evening. It was a remarkable and rewarding experience for all
of us who were then involved as well as for those who were able to view the show.
In addition, I would also like to mention Louise Bourgeois’ gracious donation of the
“Nature Study”. I understand, Paul, that each of the HMF’s White Nights tours has
had the pleasure of noting and viewing this exciting work.
All of us at the Hermitage think back fondly on our collaboration with Louise Bourgeois which resulted in such a memorable exhibition at the Hermitage—a significant
milestone for us in the presentation of contemporary art from America. We also
thank her again for the generosity of spirit which led her to make this generous do- Photo: Andrea Stappert, © The Easton Foundation
nation.
I am delighted that you are celebrating this anniversary and only wish I could be there with you. Please accept and convey my heartiest
congratulations and appreciation for all involved.
Mikhail Piotrovsky
The team that put together the Museum’s first contemporary exhibition reunited at Mari Vanna, New York City.
Howard Read and
Julie Sylvester
Philip Larratt-Smith
Exhibition curator Julie Sylvester and Jerry Gorovoy, Director of Louise Bourgeois Foundation, and Eddie McAveney
www.hermitagemuseumfoundation.org
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HMF NEWSLETTER | June 2012 | Vol. 3, Issue Two
Interview with Dr. Géza von Habsburg
By Elena Makovskaia
On December 5th 2011 Dr. Geza von Habsburg gave a lecture on "Cartier and Fabergé Rivals in St.
Petersburg" at Sotheby’s which was co-hosted by the HMF. Following his lecture Dr. Habsburg
shared a few thoughts about his interest in Faberge.
You have led an extraordinary life. Can you please tell us about it?
Let me start by saying that my grandfather was the last King of Saxony and my great-great-grandfather was Emperor
Francis Joseph I. So from both sides – from the royal Saxon family and the Habsburgs – there is a long tradition
connected with art. Saxons or the Habsburgs had always collected art in a major way.
Presentation at Sotheby’s New York
In 1944 we were obliged to flee from Hungary as we were members of the Royal family there. This was the time when
Nazis occupied Hungary and the Russian army liberated it. We fled and lived in all the countries the languages of
which I speak today. Beginning with German, as my mother was German, we lived in Portugal for ten years, I went to
school in England, and I lived in Geneva where one speaks three languages. Habsburgs have always known the languages of the Hungarian Empire so all family members were obliged to be polyglots. I am lucky insofar as I have a
musical ear, and do not forget the languages that I have learned.
When I was sent to boarding school in England in the mid-fifties, I always took my colleagues from school down to London to look at the paintings at the Tate
Gallery. My family knows me from those early days as somebody who was dragging everybody to the museums and cathedrals. I studied art history in Switzerland, Munich and in Florence. My thesis was on stained glass windows of the Florence Cathedral in the fifteenth century. Immediately following my doctorate in
1965-66, I was hired by Christie's to become their only overseas representative at that time. I have been interested in art ever since.
How did you become interested in Faberge?
I was working in Geneva as a Chairman of Christie’s operations when I was approached by the University of Lausanne as they wanted to sell the contents of a
chalet on Lake Geneva. When I visited the house, it was full of Russian works of art, from the basement to the attic. Interestingly, we discovered later that the
owners of the house were posted in Moscow in 1926 as French Ambassadors. They bought many works of art, including Faberge, at that time, when everything
was for sale and people were desperate. They also had a diplomatic pouch to bring these things out of the country. Since then I have been organizing all Russian
auctions for Christies. I also organized six major international exhibitions of Faberge internationally. During one of the exhibitions at the State Hermitage in
1993, I got to know all the curators and Boris Mikhailovich Piotrovsky, former Director and the father of Mikhail Borisovich. Ever since, I remained in
contact and the Hermitage is one of my most favorite museums in the world. The Hermitage has supplied loans of works of art and Faberge for a number of
exhibitions that I organized.
How you became interested in Russian art?
My favorite personalities are the great collectors in the Romanov family, Princess Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great, both of whom had acquired art in extraordinary way. Empress Elizabeth I bought all her greatest pieces in Paris in the mid-eighteenth century. Catherine the Great is known as an extremely
voracious collector who did not only buy individual paintings but entire collections in the late eighteenth century.
My favorite period is that of Dhiagilev, who managed to surround himself with the best painters and designers. Alexander Benoit also supplied designs for
Faberge. Among Russian historians Andrei Grabar is one of my favorites, because one of his specialties was Byzantine art, which was my hobby.
You are still involved with Faberge?
My last curatorial job was at the Virginia Museum of Art, where I wrote the last of my 13 books on Faberge. Ever since, for the last 15 years, I have been
acting as an Advisor to the Faberge Company. In 2007 the Faberge brand name was acquired by a wealthy South African mining group whose intention is to
bring Faberge to its original fame. They are opening in New York at 694 Madison Ave in April.
What do you love the most about your work?
My favorite areas of study are collectors, what inspires collectors to buy works of art, what kind of people they were and why they bought. I spend my time lecturing on that subject going back to antiquity and right up to the present day. I think that this is an utterly fascinating subject. Thanks to collectors like Catherine
the Great and Rudolph II of the Habsburg family, museums like the Hermitage Museum or the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna have these enormous
collections of works of art.
www.hermitagemuseumfoundation.org
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HMF NEWSLETTER | June 2012 | Vol. 3, Issue Two
December 2011, St. Petersburg - International Friends’ Day at the Hermitage
Hermitage Theater
Hermitage Theater
Olga Bogdanova (Hermitage Dwellers) and
Paul Rodzianko
Concert at St. George Hall
Dutch Friends delegation
Editor-in-Chief:
Dmitry Yermolayev
Editors:
Chauncie McKeever
Annie Foresman
Reporters:
Taisha Hutchison
Elena Makovskaia
Anna Winestein
ABOUT US:
The Hermitage Museum Foundation (USA), Inc. (a 501(c) (3) corporation) contributes to the
preservation and promotion of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, its more than
three million objects and the Museum’s historic buildings. The HMF raises funds for restoration
and conservation projects as well as securing the donation of art and artifacts for the Museum. The
Foundation hosts educational outreach programs and supports exhibitions throughout the US and
organizes an annual White Nights tour to the Museum. The unique resources of the Hermitage, its
Director, Dr. Piotrovsky and the leadership of the HMF combine to provide an exceptional op-
portunity to support the full spectrum of Russian-American cultural diplomacy.
505 Park Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10022
TEL: 1-212-826-3074 | FAX: 1-212-888-4018 | EMAIL: [email protected]
www.hermitagemuseumfoundation.org