Through technology to new sensations: forms of contemporary art explored at the Symposium

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The panel discussion "Cultural Institutions of the Future" was held on 8 October at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the II International Symposium "Inventing the Future". Experts discussed how collectors can influence the global art process, which trends shape the future of art and its boundaries, and how regional cultural centres can inspire people and enrich their lives with new experiences.

Contemporary art is taking new forms that require different ways of storage and presentation. The participants examined current trends in the perception of art, how modern art collections are evolving, and whether our understanding of classical art is changing.

"I actually act as a translator, as a bridge builder between traditional art and new technologies. Technology is becoming tangible — something we can feel and hear. We are inventing new sensations, trying to push beyond existing boundaries. You could say we are humanising technology. And technology fuels our imagination. But reaching the audience is not that simple — I have works that I can show only on my laptop," said Chinese media artist and composer Ma Shihua.

Art historian and curator Zelfira Tregulova noted that when it comes to art, traditional ideas of linear development often do not apply — the same goes for integrating science and advanced technologies into the presentation of artworks.

"On the one hand, we now see Van Gogh and Monet enlarged a hundredfold; on the other hand, these paintings were created for a particular scale and a certain kind of interaction with the viewer. To what extent can we today do whatever we wish with works of art in order to attract a less experienced audience and, let’s be honest, make money from the growing interest in art? On the other hand, today’s technologies and science provide tremendous opportunities for research, which often lead to real discoveries — reshaping our understanding of artists, dispelling outdated or mistaken assumptions, and forming a new, contemporary perspective," said Zelfira Tregulova.

Founder of the Winzavod Centre for Contemporary Art, Sofia Trotsenko, noted that everything good comes from the desire to make the world around us better. About 20 years ago, Winzavod became a platform for new ideas. Its founders simply wanted to stage a kind of parade of contemporary art and give young artists a chance to hold their first public exhibitions. That is how the foundation was born — supporting emerging names in art and expanding its focus to theatre, music, fashion, and visual arts.

Curator of the Contemporary Art programme at the HSE School of Design, Head of the Curating and Art Management profile at the Institute for Creative Industries Development, curator of the HSE Museum Laboratory, collector and organiser of contemporary art expositions, Pierre-Christian Brochet, also shared his thoughts on the challenges of art management.

"The idea of making art accessible to everyone was born during the French Revolution, when the collections of kings and aristocrats were brought together in the Louvre. The main slogan of that period was 'Art for the People'. Tretyakov continued that story. In fact, most museum collections around the world originated as private ones. To be a collector is to feel responsible for the future — and that’s a tremendous responsibility. But who legitimises us? Everything happens within the same circle: artists recommend gallerists, gallerists recommend artists. Yet if art is the choice of the collector, what about young artists? What about such forms as media art and video art? These are questions that deserve serious reflection," said Pierre-Christian Brochet.

Moderator of the discussion, art historian Yelizaveta Likhacheva, summarised the session by noting that contemporary art has no final form and its boundaries are blurred — which makes it all the more fascinating to see how relationships between museum professionals and artists will evolve in the future.

"Art is essential to humanity, and the way it develops will define the quality of human life in the future," concluded Yelizaveta Likhacheva.

II International Symposium "Inventing the Future" is held on 7 – 8 October at the National Centre RUSSIA and brings together participants from more than 85 countries as well as from all regions of the Russian Federation. The Symposium features over 260 Russian and foreign experts from China, the United States, Italy, Latin America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The expert programme for professionals and the open programme for all visitors include around 50 events. The full programme and livestreams are available at the event’s website.

The International Symposium "Inventing the Future" is organised on the instruction of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, under the Decade of Science and Technology, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The analytical partner is the VCIOM Analytical Centre, and the literary partner is Eksmo-AST Publishing Group.