The sacred icons from the Tretyakov Gallery were allowed to loan in the USA for the $ 350,000
In autumn 2008, when the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II and the Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeev had discussed the possibility of temporary displaying a miraculous icon "The Trinity" by Andrei Rublev from the State Tretyakov Gallery of Moscow during the worship for believers in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the Museum of Russian Icons in the United States said that officials of the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow had agreed to send 16 extremely rare icons to be shipped abroad for the first time for a groundbreaking exhibit in downtown Clinton. The crisis in Georgia, which was condemned by the United States, almost scuttled the exhibit, but officials at the museums were able to reach an agreement. It’s the first time some of the icons have left Moscow. “It’s rare for them to loan,” said Natalia Batova, cultural attachi at the Russian Federation Embassy in Washington, D.C., in a telephone interview.” This show is quite an event.”
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS / Friday, September 19, 2008 http://articles.latimes.com/2008/sep/19/entertainment/et-quick19.S4
In October 2008, when the museum hosts its first traveling exhibition, along with a throng of visitors of the “Two Museums/One Culture” exclusive exhibit in Clinton, MA with the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, notable dignitaries included Lidia I. Iovleva, Deputy Director of the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow (foto), Sergey V. Garmonin, Consul General of the Russian Federation in New York, USA, Ilya Rogachev, the Deputy Permanent Russian representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, His Eminence Mercury, Bishop of Zaraisk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA (foto), Archpriest Alexander Abramov, Secretary of the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA, officials from the State Tretyakov Gallery etc. Delivering the opening remarks, Bishop Mercurius (Igor Ivanov) said the "modern world is not ready for Christ's visit," but when he saw the museum and the icons, "I must say the doors of that house for Christ in Clinton are open and it is really a great joy for us and I'd like all of you to share the joy."
Lidia Iovleva through a translator said: “I have traveled around the world and the United States United States and have seen a number of private collections. I must confess, this collection is one of the best. I think it will not be our last collaboration. This cooperation between the two museums will go on." While Ms. Iovleva and Alyona Knyeseva, an icon artist who introduced Lankton to icons during his 15 years of business trips to Russia, said icons are pieces or art, Ms. Iovleva acknowledged that the Russian Orthodox church considers them sacred property of the church. “The Orthodox Church believes they all belong to the church because they were all created for prayer. But we believe that they are not only sacred, but that they are works of art,” she said through interpreter Gregory Guroff, president of the Maryland-based Foundation for International Arts and Education.
Celebrating two museums/one culture; Museum of Russian Icons hosts international display Byline: Jan Gottesman
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Celebrating+two+museums%2Fone+culture%3B+Museum+of+Russian+Icons+hosts...-a0187530841
It is astounding that two years after the museum opened its’ doors to the public, Mr. Lankton managed to convince officials of the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow to allow sixteen extremely rare icons from the 16th - 17th centuries to be shipped abroad for the first time. Lankton personally negotiated the terms of the contract for the loan, ensuring secure transport, temperature and humidity control in the temporary exhibition space, and a state of the art security system to provide protection for the icons on display. The sixteen icons were brought to the United States by curators from the Tretyakov who oversaw the unpacking of the icons from large wooden crates although the design and concept of the entire exhibit was planned by their American colleagues.
Among the icons from the Tretyakov Gallery are the 16th century the “Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God”, a product of the circle of Master Dionysius, four icons from the Holy Feast Days tier of the Dormition Cathedral at the Tikhvin Monastery, which embody the idea of the Russian iconostasis and offer a characteristic example of 16th century iconography, and icons depicting saints venerated by the Russian Orthodox Church, such as Paraskeva, Nikita of Pereyaslav, Makary of Unzha and scenes from their lives. There is also a two-sided Novgorod icon with the “Jerusalem Mother of God” on one side and “The Miracle of Archangel Michael at Chonae” painted on the other side.
“That the Tretyakov loans its icons to Gordon Lankton’s museum is very significant,” said Maria Zavialova in a telephone interview last week. Zavialova is curator at the Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis. “Icons are very fragile. They don’t travel well. So museums that have old, valuable icons don’t like to let them out of their storage facilities.”
Nadejda G. Bekeneva, head of the Department of Ancient Art at the Tretyakov, described the loaned icons as "priceless" and compared them to "the frozen music of the Russian soul and artifacts of Russia's history." Speaking through translator Maria Shelkova, she said the 16 icons are so rare and fragile this is the first U.S. museum they have been loaned to. "Only one of the 16 (icons) has ever been shown outside of Russia. While Gordon's collection is the world's best in private hands, the age and range of subject matter make the Tretyakov icons extraordinary," said Kent dur Russell, CEO and curator of the MRI.
"The museum is spending $1 million on the exhibition - done in partnership with a Russian gallery - plus another $1.5 million to nearly double the museum’s size in anticipation of the Oct. 16 opening", according to CEO and curator Kent dur Russell.
Russian Art 2009 # 1, pp 83-87
"Lankton said he had to take out a $50 million insurance policy to ensure their safe return".
Museum takes on ambitious marketing campaign to compete/ By Livia Gershon/Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer
"Mr. Lankton is even paying the $150,000 premium for the $51.5 million insurance policy for the loan from the Tretyakov, as well as an additional $200,000 to cover the costs of transportation, customs fees, advertising and publishing a catalog".
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122765238077157809.html?mod=article-outset-box
"The icons will be specially crated and flown to the United States at a cost of $500,000".
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS / Friday, September 19, 2008 http://articles.latimes.com/2008/sep/19/entertainment/et-quick19.S4
A new three-story, 3,500-square-foot wing, costing about $1.5 million, will be finished in November 2007, said Russell, former director of the Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester, Mass. To celebrate the wing’s opening, the museum will exhibit 25 important historical icons from the 15th to 19th centuries loaned by Russia’s State Tretyakov Gallery of Moscow.
http://www.patriotledger.com/lifestyle/faith/x1768859175/Mass-has-the-only-museum-of-Russian-religious-iconography
The Icon Museum is the only venue where the Tretyakov icons can be seen outside Russia, according to curator Kent D. Russell. Also in attendance of the “Two Museums/One Culture” was a Russian Orthodox priest Alexander Abramov, the rector of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in New York City, who consecrated the museum in 2006.
telegram.com/article/20081017/NEWS/810170363
The Museum of Russian Icons is breaking attendance records despite the tough economy, a development that curator Kent dur Russell attributes to the international exhibition “Two Museums, One Culture.” Russell said the museum on Union Street in Clinton had 288 visitors in April 2007, 526 visitors in April 2008, and 4,100 visitors in April of 2009, the last month of the “Two Museums” exhibit, which featured Russian artwork on loan from the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. “These figures demonstrate the impact that a quality temporary exhibition has on attendance,” Russell said in a press release.
The sacred icons from Moscow were on display at the central Massachusetts museum from Oct. 16 2008 to May 1 2009. These sanctities were allowed by the officials of the State Tretyakov Gallery to loan in the United States only for the $ 350,000…
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS / Friday, September 19, 2008 http://articles.latimes.com/2008/sep/19/entertainment/et-quick19.S4
In October 2008, when the museum hosts its first traveling exhibition, along with a throng of visitors of the “Two Museums/One Culture” exclusive exhibit in Clinton, MA with the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, notable dignitaries included Lidia I. Iovleva, Deputy Director of the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow (foto), Sergey V. Garmonin, Consul General of the Russian Federation in New York, USA, Ilya Rogachev, the Deputy Permanent Russian representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, His Eminence Mercury, Bishop of Zaraisk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA (foto), Archpriest Alexander Abramov, Secretary of the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA, officials from the State Tretyakov Gallery etc. Delivering the opening remarks, Bishop Mercurius (Igor Ivanov) said the "modern world is not ready for Christ's visit," but when he saw the museum and the icons, "I must say the doors of that house for Christ in Clinton are open and it is really a great joy for us and I'd like all of you to share the joy."
Lidia Iovleva through a translator said: “I have traveled around the world and the United States United States and have seen a number of private collections. I must confess, this collection is one of the best. I think it will not be our last collaboration. This cooperation between the two museums will go on." While Ms. Iovleva and Alyona Knyeseva, an icon artist who introduced Lankton to icons during his 15 years of business trips to Russia, said icons are pieces or art, Ms. Iovleva acknowledged that the Russian Orthodox church considers them sacred property of the church. “The Orthodox Church believes they all belong to the church because they were all created for prayer. But we believe that they are not only sacred, but that they are works of art,” she said through interpreter Gregory Guroff, president of the Maryland-based Foundation for International Arts and Education.
Celebrating two museums/one culture; Museum of Russian Icons hosts international display Byline: Jan Gottesman
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Celebrating+two+museums%2Fone+culture%3B+Museum+of+Russian+Icons+hosts...-a0187530841
It is astounding that two years after the museum opened its’ doors to the public, Mr. Lankton managed to convince officials of the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow to allow sixteen extremely rare icons from the 16th - 17th centuries to be shipped abroad for the first time. Lankton personally negotiated the terms of the contract for the loan, ensuring secure transport, temperature and humidity control in the temporary exhibition space, and a state of the art security system to provide protection for the icons on display. The sixteen icons were brought to the United States by curators from the Tretyakov who oversaw the unpacking of the icons from large wooden crates although the design and concept of the entire exhibit was planned by their American colleagues.
Among the icons from the Tretyakov Gallery are the 16th century the “Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God”, a product of the circle of Master Dionysius, four icons from the Holy Feast Days tier of the Dormition Cathedral at the Tikhvin Monastery, which embody the idea of the Russian iconostasis and offer a characteristic example of 16th century iconography, and icons depicting saints venerated by the Russian Orthodox Church, such as Paraskeva, Nikita of Pereyaslav, Makary of Unzha and scenes from their lives. There is also a two-sided Novgorod icon with the “Jerusalem Mother of God” on one side and “The Miracle of Archangel Michael at Chonae” painted on the other side.
“That the Tretyakov loans its icons to Gordon Lankton’s museum is very significant,” said Maria Zavialova in a telephone interview last week. Zavialova is curator at the Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis. “Icons are very fragile. They don’t travel well. So museums that have old, valuable icons don’t like to let them out of their storage facilities.”
Nadejda G. Bekeneva, head of the Department of Ancient Art at the Tretyakov, described the loaned icons as "priceless" and compared them to "the frozen music of the Russian soul and artifacts of Russia's history." Speaking through translator Maria Shelkova, she said the 16 icons are so rare and fragile this is the first U.S. museum they have been loaned to. "Only one of the 16 (icons) has ever been shown outside of Russia. While Gordon's collection is the world's best in private hands, the age and range of subject matter make the Tretyakov icons extraordinary," said Kent dur Russell, CEO and curator of the MRI.
"The museum is spending $1 million on the exhibition - done in partnership with a Russian gallery - plus another $1.5 million to nearly double the museum’s size in anticipation of the Oct. 16 opening", according to CEO and curator Kent dur Russell.
Russian Art 2009 # 1, pp 83-87
"Lankton said he had to take out a $50 million insurance policy to ensure their safe return".
Museum takes on ambitious marketing campaign to compete/ By Livia Gershon/Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer
"Mr. Lankton is even paying the $150,000 premium for the $51.5 million insurance policy for the loan from the Tretyakov, as well as an additional $200,000 to cover the costs of transportation, customs fees, advertising and publishing a catalog".
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122765238077157809.html?mod=article-outset-box
"The icons will be specially crated and flown to the United States at a cost of $500,000".
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS / Friday, September 19, 2008 http://articles.latimes.com/2008/sep/19/entertainment/et-quick19.S4
A new three-story, 3,500-square-foot wing, costing about $1.5 million, will be finished in November 2007, said Russell, former director of the Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester, Mass. To celebrate the wing’s opening, the museum will exhibit 25 important historical icons from the 15th to 19th centuries loaned by Russia’s State Tretyakov Gallery of Moscow.
http://www.patriotledger.com/lifestyle/faith/x1768859175/Mass-has-the-only-museum-of-Russian-religious-iconography
The Icon Museum is the only venue where the Tretyakov icons can be seen outside Russia, according to curator Kent D. Russell. Also in attendance of the “Two Museums/One Culture” was a Russian Orthodox priest Alexander Abramov, the rector of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in New York City, who consecrated the museum in 2006.
telegram.com/article/20081017/NEWS/810170363
The Museum of Russian Icons is breaking attendance records despite the tough economy, a development that curator Kent dur Russell attributes to the international exhibition “Two Museums, One Culture.” Russell said the museum on Union Street in Clinton had 288 visitors in April 2007, 526 visitors in April 2008, and 4,100 visitors in April of 2009, the last month of the “Two Museums” exhibit, which featured Russian artwork on loan from the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. “These figures demonstrate the impact that a quality temporary exhibition has on attendance,” Russell said in a press release.
The sacred icons from Moscow were on display at the central Massachusetts museum from Oct. 16 2008 to May 1 2009. These sanctities were allowed by the officials of the State Tretyakov Gallery to loan in the United States only for the $ 350,000…