The Hermitage Museum has announced plans to open a contemporary art outpost in Moscow, hinting at an attempt by the Russian city to become a contemporary art powerhouse.  “Rather than being perceived as a museum dealing only with the past, the Hermitage is pushing itself forward into the future from its powerful historical position,” says commissioned architect Hani Rashid of Asymptote Architecture said. “Our whole generation of architects looked to the Russian avant-garde of the early 20th century, which made such a powerful break to the past. We’re working within a tradition that we’re extending.” (more…)

“The End of Fun”, an exhibition by Jake and Dinos Chapman at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, contains both Nazi and religious imagery, which may have violated Russia’s laws regarding extremism. (Earlier this year the members of the punk band Pussy Riot were jailed for such an offense). The Hermitage staff explained the conceptual ideas behind the work in the [aptly titled] exhibition to prosecutors, but no details yet on whether or not they will pursue the case.
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A painting that was previously believed to be a copy of a work by Peter Paul Rubens is now being considered an original. Mary Magdalene in mourning with her sister Martha has been restored, revealing new imagery. The head paintings conservator from the Hermitage museum in Saint Petersburg, Viktor Korobov, has examined the piece and believes it to be authentic. The work was discovered in Irbit, a small town near Yekaterinburg, Russia. (more…)