US-Italian curator Francesco Bonami has been appointed artistic director of GES-2 House of Culture in Moscow, according to Art Newspaper. The appointment puts Bonami in charge of shaping artistic programming at one of Russia’s most prominent contemporary art venues.
GES-2 occupies a former power plant built in the early 20th century opposite the Kremlin. The venue opened in 2021 and is funded by billionaire Leonid Mikhelson’s V-A-C Foundation.
What Was Announced About The Bonami GES-2 Artistic Director Role
In the appointment announcement, Bonami said his role is to “catalyse artistic energy” and “search for the best projects.” “My experience should help with this,” he added.
The appointment follows a long relationship between Bonami and the institution. He has worked with the V-A-C Foundation since 2010, and in 2024 he co-curated the exhibition Square and Space: From Malevich to GES-2 alongside Zelfira Tregulova.
Bonami’s Background And Recent Work
Bonami began his career as an artist before becoming editor of Flash Art magazine. He went on to serve as artistic director of the 50th Venice Biennale in 2003, co-curate Manifesta 3 in 2000, and co-curate the Whitney Biennial in 2010. He also spent nearly a decade as a senior curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.
More recently, Bonami curated Maurizio Cattelan’s first solo gallery exhibition in 20 years, staged at Gagosian in New York in 2024.
Bonami has also addressed the broader political context surrounding cultural work tied to Russia. In a 2024 interview with Artnews, he said, “Sanctions are economic, not cultural. To sanction culture is a white crime that kills people’s souls.”
Changes In GES-2 Leadership
The appointment comes amid a shift in who oversees programming at GES-2. Teresa Iarocci Mavica, the Italian-born co-founder of the V-A-C Foundation, stepped down as head of GES-2 about a month after the venue opened in 2021.
Alisa Prudnikova, a curator who founded the Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art, has overseen programming at GES-2 since 2022. According to Art Newspaper, Prudnikova will remain in that role until December before continuing to work with the institution as an independent project curator.
What’s Next
Alisa Prudnikova will remain in her day-to-day role until December before continuing as an independent project curator for GES-2.
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