Sochi-style art awards

The Art Newspaper Russia handled its annual awards in a dazzling event at Moscow's Manege on April 4.

Fifteen dancing Pushkins, a gondola and the battleship Potemkin with a choir of sailors and an intriguing Dasha Zhukova – Roman Abramovich love story by the satirist Yuri Kwiatkowski made the night:

“Dasha Zhukova is trying to catch the eye of Roman and distract him from Chelsea Football Club affairs. Disappointed, she withdraws to read an issue of The Art Newspaper Russia. When Roman finally wins the football cup for her, she ignores the victory. To gain her back, Roman hires a group of 007 agents to hunt for the best contemporary works of art across the globe. Eventually, the couple become founders of the Garage Center for Contemporary Arts. Thus, the power of art symbolically initiates the couple’s reunion and rekindles their love.”

Russia's minister of culture Vladimir Medinskiy sent a telegrame to congratulate the winners:

Nikolay Molok - Russian Artists at the Venice Biennale 1914-2014 - for the book of the year;

Natalia Goncharova - Between East and West - for the exhibition of the year;

Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow - for the Museum of the year;

Alvar Aalto’s modernist library in Vyborg - for the Restoration of the Year;

Collectors and patrons Dasha Zhukova and Roman Abramovich for personal contribution.