Moscow 874 | 9th Cosmoscow International Art Fair
17 – 20 Sep 2021

“The capital of Russia is proud of its past, appreciates the present, and values tomorrow. Our tomorrow is created today.”
From the official letter of the Mayor of Moscow
on the occasion of Moscow City Day, 2018

Our beautiful Moscow is 874 years old! We at fābula gallery are delighted to congratulate all residents of the capital on this special holiday. This day is an occasion for each of us to remember the past and think about the future: in a little less than nine centuries, a unique atmosphere, a visual ensemble, and a balance of contrasts has formed on these seven hills. The works of Misha Gudwin and Anna Taganzeva-Kobzeva, presented at our stand E18 at the Cosmoscow International Contemporary Art Fair, are one of the many gifts to Muscovites for this City Day. Both artists live and work in the capital, drawing inspiration from the textures and plots of the city for their work.

Misha Gudwin’s object Snake, 2020, is the author’s interpretation of the main heraldic symbol of Moscow: the coat of arms depicting St. George piercing a snake with a spear. In his typical manner, Misha uses the found objects and the visual language of street art. Another object – Interface, 2019, is inspired by the scale of the recent construction works in the capital, and to express this idea in this work, the artist uses a found shard of granite.

The works of Anna Taganzeva-Kobzeva are characterized by the use of abstract synthetic elements, reminiscent of both occult practices and runic symbols. Anna has repeatedly mentioned that an important source of inspiration for her is the aesthetics of the Middle Ages. Her paintings and graphics, presented at our stand, are a reference to another Moscow: to the medieval city, intertwining the traditions of the East and the West.

A series of sculptural objects Ivy on the Castle Wall, 2020, have been created from stones sourced in the Moscow quarry. It is due to the colour of this material that Moscow was called “The White Stone City”.