A private collection turned public forum, this Moscow-founded gallery introduced Russian audiences to Damien Hirst, Francis Bacon and George Condo long before their names circulated widely in the city.
At a glance
Founded in 2005 by collector and dealer Gary Tatintsian, the gallery built its reputation on contemporary Western art largely unseen in Russia at the time. Its Moscow home occupied 13,000 square feet inside the ArtHouse building in Kitay-Gorod. That space is currently closed. The operation now runs from New York and Dubai.
History
Tatintsian opened his gallery as an extension of his own collecting practice, not as a neutral showroom. In 2013 the Moscow venue expanded into the ArtHouse building, designed by architect Sergey Skuratov, giving it one of the largest private footprints for contemporary art in the city center. From there it staged talks and public programs alongside exhibitions. The gallery claims a string of firsts for Moscow: George Condo, Peter Halley, Tony Matelli, Carroll Dunham, John Currin and Wim Delvoye all appeared there before elsewhere in the city. As of October 2025 the Moscow space is listed as temporarily closed, with the gallery’s activity continuing through New York and Dubai locations.
What you see
The Moscow gallery was defined by its container as much as its contents. ArtHouse, designed by Sergey Skuratov, gave Tatintsian roughly 1,200 square meters of open, adaptable floor space in Kitay-Gorod, a historic quarter just east of the Kremlin. The scale allowed large-format sculpture and installation work, including pieces by Damien Hirst and Tony Matelli, to be shown without the compression typical of smaller Moscow galleries. Programming extended beyond hanging works on walls. Public talks and events used the same footprint, blurring the line between exhibition hall and forum.
Cultural significance
The gallery’s significance lies in timing and access. It brought internationally established conceptual and figurative artists to Moscow audiences ahead of the market’s broader opening. Its long relationship with Soviet-era abstract painter Evgeny Chubarov gave that connection institutional form. Decades of representation led to the founding of the Evgeny Chubarov Foundation, which now holds and promotes more than 200 of the artist’s paintings and drawings. That pairing of international contemporary art with a dedicated Russian artist’s legacy sets the gallery apart from purely commercial spaces.
Key facts
- Founded: 2005
- Founder: Gary Tatintsian, collector and dealer
- Original Moscow location: Kitay-Gorod district, ArtHouse building
- Architect of ArtHouse: Sergey Skuratov
- Moscow space size: 13,000 sq ft (1,200 sq m), expanded 2013
- Related institution: Evgeny Chubarov Foundation
- Current locations: New York and Dubai; Moscow temporarily closed as of October 2025
Practical information & getting there
The Moscow gallery is not currently open to visitors. If you are researching the Kitay-Gorod ArtHouse building itself, it sits within easy walking distance of Red Square and the Kremlin, in one of Moscow’s oldest central districts. For current exhibitions, check the gallery’s New York and Dubai programs directly through its official channels before planning a visit.
Sources & resources
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