Moscow Biennale

The fact that the Russians are about to stage their first biennale of contemporary art shows that they are conscious of the need to put Moscow back on the artistic map. The first impression of existing galleries is the absence of new acquisitions proudly displayed, smart new restaurants and museum shops, and blockbuster exhibitions. Of the two main Moscow museums - the Tretyakov National Museum of Russian Art, and the Pushkin State Museum - the grandest, the Pushkin, appears at first sight the less prosperous. An imposing, neo-classical gallery, with a superb collection - notably of post-impressionists (Van Gogh's magnificent Prison Courtyard, Cezanne's Pierrot and Harlequin ) although its display conditions are not always ideal. The first Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art ends Feb 28. Lenin Museum, Moscow. For the full story - click the title Irish Art