Archive of Contemporary Art in Krasnodar Krai

The Archive of Contemporary Art in Krasnodar Krai was founded in Krasnodar in 2019 by the artists of ZIP Group (Evegny Rimkevich, Vasily Subbotin, Stepan Subbotin) and the researchers and curators Elena Ishchenko and Marianna Kruchinski.

The archive team aims to collect and systematize information about the processes linked to the development of contemporary art in the region since the 1970s. Most of the material covers the period from 2000 to 2020.

The archive is constructed around a broad range of personalities, starting with Evgeny Tsei, who is considered the main representative of Krasnodar nonconformism, and ending with young artists. The collection includes biographical information, portfolios, information about exhibitions, press releases, photographs, and videos. The majority of the material is digital copies, with the originals remaining with the artists.

The team also collects and systematizes information about institutions whose activities aim to develop the artistic environment in the region. This part of the archive concerns the work of state, independent, and self‑organized initiatives, such as Krasnodar Institute of Contemporary Art (KICA), Typography Center for Contemporary Art, and Larina Gallery.

The materials cover Krasnodar, Novorossiisk, Gelendzhik, Anapa, Armavir, Kropotkin, the village of Golubitskaya, and other cities, including some outside Russia, that are connected to the activities of the people in the archive.

In 2020, a separate sub‑archive was created based on the collection of researcher Tatyana Ukolova, which focuses on contemporary art in Sochi.

Until 2022, the archive was based at the Typography Center for Contemporary Art.

Krasnodar: Lines on a Flat Surface. The History of KISI, exhibition view, Fabrika Center for Creative Industries, Moscow, 2013. Courtesy of ZIP Group