And then there were… ? Two more galleries leave Moscow’s Winzavod

Archival images from Taus Makhacheva’s “Let Me Be Part of the Narrative,” on view at Paperworks Gallery, April 10-May 11, 2012

This weekend, Moscow’s Winzavod Art Center – which has undergone some major changes with the arrival of new director Elena Panteleeva and the “transition” of three of its leading galleries to nonprofit spaces – just lost two more galleries.

First, this Saturday, Irina Meglinskaya announced that her Meglinskaya Gallery – which draws from a photography-weighted roster of artists like Igor Mukhin – would be leaving. Artguide broke the news, but offered few details other than dangling promises of an exclusive interview in its next issue.

Installation view of Valery Chtak’s “Bits of Truth,” on view at Paperworks, September 24 – November 9, 2011

This announcement was followed shortly thereafter by a statement from Paperworks, announcing they would not renew their lease, which expires August 1, 2012.

Baibakov Art Projects has collaborated with Paperworks in the past, co-publishing Valery Chtak’s Bits of Truth, but more than that, we have always admired their program, which encourages smart (and as of a few rounds on the award circuit, well decorated) up-and-comers like Taus Makhacheva and Polina Kanis.  Before moving to Winzavod in 2009, Paperworks got its start in 2005 at the scrappy Art Strelka space (now the site of the Strelka Institute); we have great faith that gallery owners Lena Bakanova and Evgeny Mitta will push on with their activities in a new location that reflects the edginess and dynamism of their program.