The Bronstein Gallery, an unusual art space in Siberia

Siberia is notorious for being situated in the middle of nowhere. People from the rest of the world sometimes, mistakenly, think that art in Siberia is nonexistent. It’s far from the truth. If during your journey around Siberia, you want to visit some art galleries or interesting museums, I recommend paying a visit to the Bronstein Gallery, a quite unusual art space. 

Not a typical art museum

The Bronstein Gallery is one of the biggest art galleries in the entire region of Siberia. Its numerous exhibitions include graphic pieces of art, sculptures, and paintings made not only by Siberian artists but by those who live in different regions of Russia as well. Some exhibitions include the work of foreign artists, too. There are 2000 pieces in total in the collection. 

Sometimes, the gallery discovers some new unknown artists and exhibits their work too. The gallery is perfect for photoshoots, as it has a modern art interior. The Bronstein Gallery also functions as a space for various events (plays can be performed here, tours are made for the patrons, and it also has a souvenir shop with art pieces which can only be found here).  

The idea behind the Bronstein Gallery

The collection of art pieces started to form in 1998 by Victor Bronstein. He is a famous entrepreneur and philanthropist of Irkutsk. He decided to support local artists and painters. In the 90s, when Russia was in a difficult economic situation, Bronstein started to buy the works of local artists who suffered from poverty. His acquisitions became so numerous that it turned into a real substantial collection.  

Victor Bronstein managed to collect the pieces that reflected the art in Irkutsk for the last 70 years. In 2011, the first gallery hall of modern art appeared in Irkutsk. This hall hosted exhibitions and vernissages. Some years after, Victor Bronstein closed the hall for the reconstruction. In 2015, however, he opened the largest exhibition space in Siberia. 

Nowadays, the collection has pieces that can be sold to visitors. It also has a permanent exhibition with monumental pieces of world-famous sculptor Dashi Namdakov. He has a very talented family that provided some hand-made dolls for the exhibition. 

The sculptures of Dashi Namdakov are breathtaking, for example, there is one called A Bird and A Tiger. It is made of lazurite and bronze and there is no other similar sculpture like it ever made. Dashi Namdakov often supports new artists and presides over various exhibitions (like The Doll's Exhibition, the Jewellery Collection Presentations, and other exhibitions of the modern sculptures).  

Fun stuff to do at the Bronstein Gallery

The gallery is not only a space for art exhibitions. It is a place where everyone can find something of interest for themselves. The Bronstein Gallery takes part in the all-Russian event of Cinema Night. It also shows various plays on stage. The technical characteristics of the gallery are perfect for making events from fashion shows to international conferences. The space of the gallery unites various directions of art from experimental paintings to plastic performances. You can watch movies, plays, and concerts. Moreover, you can visit weekly free tours (every Wednesday at 5:30 one can visit Dashi Namdakov's sculptures and the dolls' exhibitions of his family. Every Thursday at 5:30, you can visit for free a current exhibition project at the display). If you are eager to see art on your trip, do not hesitate and go to the Bronstein Gallery, an unusual art space in Siberia!

The Bronstein Gallery, Irkutsk

Ulitsa Oktyabr'skoy Revolyutsii, 3, Irkutsk, Irkutskaya oblast', Russia, 664007