Russia's Culture Minister: Russia was a success at 50th international art exhibition of Venice Bienalle

Russia was a success at the 50th International modern art exhibition in Venice, said Culture Minister of Russia Mikhail Shvydkoi upon his arrival in that city, which for half a year had become the main art city of the world.

On Saturday the minister is to read there a report on problems of preserving the cultural heritage of Russia at the international conference "New solutions in financing art and culture."

During his stay in Venice Shvydkoi paid a visit to the national pavilion and international displays, in which Russian artists take part. He pointed out that the Russian project had been well thought out, for the first time in recent years - with very good quality and no fuss.

Many experts say the Russian display is among the best at the exhibition. Russia was a success also at the central Bienalle display, where among numerous artists from various countries the curators for the first time invited Russian artists living not in the West but in Russia.

The minister was rejoiced at the fact that it had become possible to conduct repairs and partial reconstruction in the Russian pavilion, which had been built back in 1914 in the Art Nouveau style after a project of famous architect Alexei Schusev. This monument of architecture "belongs to Russia and is valuable in itself," the minister said.

Ever since 1898 Russia has been taking part in the Venice Bienalle, the oldest influential international biennial forum in modern visual arts. Russia had come up at the 50th exhibition, held under the motto "Dictatorship of the Viewer," with a project called "Return of the Artist." The exposition at the national pavilion reflects the current tendencies in modern Russian art and will show the direction of its development, Shvydkoi hopes.