The executive director of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art Vasily Tsereteli named on Tuesday, December 1, the president of the Pushkin Museum. Pushkin, Irina Antonova, whose death became known earlier on the same day, a man of the era and the greatest museum professional.
“I value the moments of getting to know her. She paid a lot of attention to the academy, attended all general academic meetings. He was a man of the era, the greatest museum professional. It took a whole time, ”Tsereteli said in an interview with the“ 360 ”TV channel.
He recalled that Antonova had been the commissioner and curator of the Russian pavilion in Venice for many years.
“You can say that she has built one of the world’s museums on her hands – not only one of the leading museums in Russia, but also in the world,” Tsereteli said.
According to him, she has always enjoyed great prestige in the world museum community, and everyone was proud of her.
The death of Irina Antonova at the age of 98 became known earlier that day. As a source told Izvestia, she died of the coronavirus. According to the source, the president of the Pushkin Museum. Pushkin received a positive test for coronavirus infection about a week ago.
Antonova headed the Pushkin Museum from February 1961 to July 2013, when she was appointed president of the museum. She is a full Knight of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland”, has the distinction “For Benefits” and was awarded the honorary title “Honored Worker of Culture of the RSFSR”, specifies the NSN.
Antonova became a laureate of the State Prize of Russia in 1995, was a Knight of the Legion of Honor, Commander of the Order of Merit for the Italian Republic, and had many other awards.
Antonova initiated and headed a working group on the preparation of a concept for the development of the museum, the creation of a “museum town”, which was dreamed of by the founder of the institution, Ivan Tsvetaev. At her suggestion, one of the world’s largest architects with experience in the field of modern museum architecture, Sir Norman Foster from Great Britain, was involved in the reconstruction of the museum.
With her, the largest international exhibitions were organized in the museum: Leonardo Da Vinci, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Kazemir Malevich, Wassily Kandinsky and Marc Chagall, specified on the website kp.ru.
Under the leadership of Antonova developed a program of events for the 100th anniversary of the Pushkin Museum. Pushkin in 2012, which received support and funding from the government. She also became one of the initiators of the December Evenings of Svyatoslav Richter Festival of Arts, which has been held annually since 1981.
As a member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), she served as its vice president for 12 years. Since 1992 – Honorary member of this authoritative international organization.
Antonova taught teaching in Russia and at the Institute of Oriental Languages in Paris. She has published over 100 works – articles, scripts for popular science films and television programs.