At the TON Center in Moscow, Andrey Bartenev’s exhibition, «Futurist Dessert, or Nails in Sour Cream, ” is currently on view. How did the works of one of Moscow’s leading provocateurs end up in the former 19th-century Circular Depot building?
When the first graphic fair, «Overtone,» by Cosmoscow, took place at the TON Center this past February, many expressed skepticism about the venue’s future. However, by August, that initial skepticism had evaporated—a sentiment you can experience firsthand at Andrey Bartenev’s exhibition, «Futurist Dessert, or Nails in Sour Cream.»
Specifically for the TON Center, curator Katya Bochavara has assembled an exhibition showcasing the artist’s key works. Here, you will find the canonical performance piece «Botanical Ballet, ” which took place in Jūrmala in 1992, as well as collages with Zhanna Aguzarova and videos featuring green aliens from Burning Man. Furthermore, while this is not a retrospective, you can trace the development of Bartenev’s creativity and view rare pieces.
In addition to the exhibition, the organizers also prepared a performance titled «The Joy Wedding with the Bride Swap and Other Happenings.» The story recounts how the characters experience a wild Kupala Night. The main performers were not live actors, but avant-garde costumes by Andrei Bartenev, which moved before the audience using a special revolving stage accompanied by a multi-voiced choir. Here, the Mother-in-Law and the Witch, the Crimson Maiden, and the Rusalka meet, all of whom try to disrupt the marriage of the main characters.
Everything takes place in the setting of a traditional Russian wedding, while maintaining a modern tone and fairytale absurdity. On the night of Ivan Kupala, the main character, Yarina, falls in love with a young man and saves him from a Rusalka. Then, there is an attempt to replace the main character, because, in the groom’s family’s opinion, she does not meet traditional standards of beauty. But don’t worry—when the switch is revealed, the heroine takes control of the situation. And, of course, there was a wedding in the end.
Perhaps all we need today is to believe that miracles exist, that we can still regain control of what happens, and that love will ultimately prevail.
Andrey Bartenyev. The Futurist’s Dessert, or «Nails in Sour Cream»
August 13 — September 20, 2026
TON-CENTER
