The Ruarts Gallery presents its final exhibition project, ‘Shift of Focus’. The exhibition will show works by artists the gallery has collaborated with over the past twenty-one years.
During this time the gallery has evolved from an exhibition space to a fully-fledged institution – the Ruarts Foundation with its own dedicated programme. To date the gallery has hosted more than 130 solo and group exhibitions, working with several generations of artists. Ruarts played a pivotal role in legitimising the Russian ‘street wave’ art movement and was among the first to introduce international stars to the Moscow public, while consistently exhibiting works by prominent Russian and foreign photographers, and actively supporting both established and emerging artists.
“The decision to close the gallery was not easy, but it was a deliberate one. Twenty-one years is a long time – to put it in perspective, that’s the age of an independent adult. The gallery has grown up, and we – myself, the art director, and the team – have outgrown it,” says Ruarts founder Marianna Sardarova.
“The gallery is closing, but Ruarts is not. We are redirecting our focus to the Foundation’s activities, to further expansion and display of the collection, as well as our publishing and educational programmes. The exhibition schedule for the space on Trubnikovsky Lane is already set through 2028,” explains Ruarts Art Director Catherine Borissoff.
Upcoming plans for the Ruarts Foundation include: the October opening of ‘Fields of Fall’ (showcasing the winners of the 2025 grant programme) and the announcement of the 2026 competition results; the November presentation for our second catalogue of the Foundation’s collection, and a solo exhibition by Anastasia Kriulina; then, in February 2027, a complete re-installation of the exposition across all floors of the Foundation, and the opening of a large-scale photography exhibition curated by Daria Panayotti.
‘Shift of Focus’ is an exhibition that marks the end of an era in the history of Ruarts. The Ruarts Gallery is officially closing. We want to look back at important projects, present works by the artists who have shared this long journey with us, pay tribute to everyone who has supported the gallery, and, of course, offer the chance to bid farewell to this legendary space. A change of focus marks a new beginning.
