Loud resignation at the Russian Museum: the Minister of Culture intervened in the conflict

Evgenia Petrova leaves the post of Deputy Director for Science

The exhibition activities of the Russian Museum were in limbo. A week ago, after an emotional conversation with the new director of the museum, Alla Manilova, a letter of resignation was written by the deputy director for science, Evgenia Petrova, who in fact led not only scientific research, but also exhibition projects. Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova intervened in the conflict. MK found out what came of it.

Evgenia Petrova, who, in fact, has been running the Russian Museum in recent years, is already 77. She would have left anyway – it’s a matter of time. However, who will take over exhibition activities after it is a big question.

The first months of Alla Manilova’s reign turned out to be stressful for all employees of the Russian Museum. As they told us, the Ministry of Culture appointee preferred to respond with short messages to long letters from her deputy for science. Art historians, heads of exhibition departments, designers and exhibitors were not invited to meetings on exhibitions. Which ultimately resulted in a conflict between Petrova and Manilova in a raised voice. Minister Olga Lyubimova intervened in the conflict and tried to calm both ladies down.

As a result, they cooled down and after a week of negotiations they came to an agreement that Evgenia Petrova would remain in her native museum and would be engaged in scientific research and publishing activities. She will have a separate position as head of these areas. Someone else will manage the exhibitions. While this place is vacant, 79-year-old Grigory Goldovsky, head of the department of painting of the 18th – 1st half of the 19th centuries, is now in charge of the exhibitions.

Who will continue to steer the exhibition process at the State Russian Museum is up in the air. Alla Manilova wants to make blockbusters, but doesn’t know what or how, and forgets that any big project requires investment. But for now, people are saving more and more at exhibitions. Perhaps Evgenia Petrova convinced the new director that this should be entrusted to professionals. But whether this is so is not known for certain. In the meantime, there is a lot of fuss going on with exhibitions, many projects are being canceled, believing that they will not be accepted. Among them are exhibitions of masters of the 18th – 1st half of the 19th centuries: Alexey Venetsianov, Grigory Soroka and Ivan Vishnyakov. However, perhaps Goldovsky, who specializes in the art of this period, will rehabilitate the announced projects.

Be that as it may, in order to breathe new life into the Russian Museum, it is necessary to attract young specialists. Both words should be emphasized here. Exhibitions should be carried out by those who have energy and passion, those who, as they say, are in the know. and understands that any project must have its own narrative logic, concept, architecture, and exhibition solution. Gone are the days when you could just hang pictures on the walls and let the public in.