MGM 美高梅 Art Space is presently hosting an Edgar Degas exhibition, showcasing 74 of the French Impressionist's bronze sculptures, including his famous 'The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer'. This free exhibition is open from 10am to 9pm daily (29 April to 20 Nov 2016).

The exhibition is sectioned into three areas of focus; (1) horses, (2) dancers and (3) bathing women, Heads and Picking apples. Sculptures are well arranged and supported with wall text describing motivations behind Degas' work and his interest in sculpture art form.

You can browse the exhibition in just a few minutes or take your time looking at each of the pieces and reading relevant information in 30-45 minutes.

The exhibition is a nice opportunity to see sculptures by the famous French Impressionist who is much better known for his paintings.

Donation from the M.T. Abraham Foundation to the State Hermitage Museum | 70th Anniversary of the State of Israel

The State Hermitage Museum is pleased to announce a pledge of three plasters by the French artist Edgar Degas (1834-1917) and two oil paintings by the Russian artist Vladimir Sterligov (1904–1973). This pledge is to honor the long-lasting relations between the State Hermitage Museum and the M.T. Abraham Foundation, which emphasize the close ties between Russia and Israel, and as part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of the State of Israel. The pledge adds a great significance to the museum's permanent collection of French Impressionist sculpture and of Russian post war art.

Edgar Degas is considered as one of the most complex and intellectual Impressionist. He has been described, often paradoxically, as both conservative and cutting-edge, as elegant and aristocratic -- yet also as a revolutionary. Take for example Femme Sortant du Bain (Woman Getting Out of the Bath). There is no tub as such -- only movement of the woman ascending upward, leaving to the viewer's imagination that she is about to step over a tub's rim. The other two Degas plasters being donated are Danse Espangole (Spanish Dance) and Danseuse Regardant la Plant de Son Pied Droit (Dancer Looking at the Sole of Her Right Foot). Both are prime examples of Degas' exceptional series of sculptures depicting dancers in various poses.

The two oil on canvas paintings, which are a part of the pledge, outline restoration at the Hermitage and are dated circa 1946. In 1946 Vladimir Sterligov, a Nonconformist artist, a pupil of Kazimir Malevich and a founder of his own art school, was commissioned by the Leningrad Council of Artists to paint the Restoration of the Hermitage to record the museum’s rebirth after the war and siege. Between 1946 and 1948 he was making sketches in the Ancient Sculpture Rooms which were then undergoing restoration.

Sterligov’s drawings are a testimony to the process which was not recorded on film. In 1948 the so-called “Leningrad Case” was fabricated, and even mentioning the struggle of the Leningraders during the siege and after the liberation of the city was now dangerous, which affected the fate of the painting and prevented it from being completed. The two paintings were part of the exhibition "The Unpainted Picture. Vladimir Sterligov, restoration of the Hermitage 1946–1948", which took place on May 2016 at the State Hermitage Museum.

The M.T. Abraham Foundation, which is celebrating 15 years since its establishment, is encouraging scholarship and research in art history, and to that end it organizes international traveling exhibitions of works from the Foundation's own collection of Impressionist and Modern art to museums and art institutions worldwide.

In its desire to contribute to museums and art institutions to stimulate an appreciation of culture and the history of the arts, the Foundation is continually expanding its current collection with the aim of creating a wide-ranging and comprehensive body of works from which traveling exhibitions can be mounted.

Prof. Mikhail B. Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum:

“For the past 10 years, the M.T. Abraham Foundation has been maintaining a strong relationship with the State Hermitage Museum. The ongoing collaboration between the Foundation and the Hermitage reflects the historic ties between Russia and Israel, which has recently celebrated the 70th Anniversary of its establishment. My sincere gratitude to the M.T. Abraham Foundation, its President, Mr. Amir G. Kabiri and his family, for the donation, which is significant and enriches the Hermitage's collection.”

Ms. Olga Slov, Consul General of the State of Israel to Saint Petersburg:

“I welcome the long-standing cooperation between Israel's cultural institutions, headed by the
M.T. Abraham Foundation and the State Hermitage Museum, which is reflected in important projects aimed at promoting culture among the general public. Many thanks to Prof. Piotrovsky and Mr. Kabiri for their work in the field. A number of joint projects are also planned for the coming year; projects which I hope will be announced soon”

Mr. Amir Gross Kabiri, President, M.T. Abraham Foundation:

“Guided by a purposeful desire to promote the public’s appreciation for Impressionist and Modern art, the mission of the M.T. Abraham Foundation fosters the arts as an important social force. In addition to sharing its collections and encouraging scholarship based on its holdings, the Foundation stimulates an environment that values and seeks understanding of the arts and its history. As we are dedicated to keeping our collections in the public view, it feels more than natural to pledge these great art works from the Foundation’s collection to the State Hermitage Museum.”

mtabraham.org | hermitagemuseum.org

With the support of the M.T. Abraham Foundation, on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the State Hermitage Museum, and with the kind collaboration of Mrs. Suzanne Landau, Director and Chief Curator of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the Hermitage Museum Foundation Israel celebrated on Sunday, December 21st, “Homage to Catherine the Great of Russia“. Among the distinguished guests were Dr. Mikhail B. Piotrovsky, the Director of the State Hermitage Museum, Mr. Amir G. Kabiri, President of the Hermitage Museum Foundation Israel, Mr. Ron Huldai, Mayor of the city of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Mr. James Snyder, Director of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, representatives from the Israeli Foreign Office and numerous guests that arrived especially for the occasion from Europe and the United States.

During the gala evening a benefit auction conducted by a representative from Phillips Auctioneers took place. Works by Israeli and Russian artists such as Zoya Cherkassky, Michail Grobman, Michal Na’aman, Vadim Zakharov, Tim Parchikov, Mstislav Valerianovich Dobuzhinsky, Anatoly Osmolovsky, Vladimir Wassilievich Sterligov, Raffi Kaiser, Leonard Baskin and Anatoly Belkin were proposed to the enthusiastic public. The highlights of the benefit auction were two unique items donated by one of the Foundation’s lead partners; Red-Diam: A 250th Jubilee Emblem of Catherine the Great Brooch – 18k custom-made rose gold with 138 fancy vivid pink diamonds, certified with 13 white diamonds, and a pair of 250th Jubilee Emblem of Catherine the Great Cufflinks – 18k yellow gold certified with 50 white diamonds and 6 Tsavorite diamonds.

The purpose of the benefit auction was to support the exhibition of the unique Göritz collection of Alexander Archipenko’s works, the biggest of its kind, which is at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. This collection will travel to the State Hermitage Museum in 2015, with the full support of the Hermitage Museum Foundation Israel. At the same time, works by Henri Matisse from the State Hermitage Museum will be on display at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. The 6th candle of Hannukah was lit by renown Oscar winner actor Haim Topol, famous worldwide for his leading role in “Fiddler on the Roof”.

The evening ended with David Da’or, world-renown singer, songwriter and composer. Da’or, who has been referred to as “Israel’s most acclaimed modern singer”, and “who has taken the musical scene by storm”, performs a wide variety of music, including pop, rock, dance, folk, klezmer, Yemenite prayers, classical, opera, and baroque arias. The guests and patrons who were in attendance or bought tables were businessmen, art collectors, publicists, bankers and included Mr. Gabriel Last (Delek Group), Mr. Elad Zohar (RedDiam), Mr. Eran Akerman (Halcyon Gallery), Ms. Inna Bazhenova (The Art Newspaper) Mr. Len Blavatnik (Clal Industries), Mr. Leonid Friedland (Phillips), Mr. Keith Gapp (EFG International) and others. The evening was a great success, and the board of the Hermitage Museum Foundation Israel reported that this was the beginning of intensified cultural relations between Israel and Russia, as well as of a long lasting exchange program of exhibitions, conferences & scholars between the State Hermitage and leading Israeli Museums and Institutions.

mtabraham.org | hermitagemuseum.org

Commemorating a milestone; the 10th Anniversary of the M.T. Abraham Foundation. One of the foundation’s major goals is to foster a greater understanding of the visual arts by facilitating and supporting curatorial projects throughout the world. To that end, the exhibitions sponsored by the foundation are all accompanied by an artist-led program of events and by children and family workshops in which educators and other art professionals provide participants with an in-depth look at the visual arts and how they may be integrated into daily life.

Courses are taught by artists, curators, critics and academics, and are offered at different levels, from the introductory to the more specialist. We believe that working surrounded by art works, along with artists and in an artistic environment is the best way of encouraging children of all ages, through an informal education enrichment, to discover, explore, and create, and help both students and adults to think in a creative and independent way.

The foundation seeks to enable both young and not so young visitors to connect with the art on display. We believe in an active museum experience which stimulates the senses: conversation, written work sheets, games based on works on display, interactive exhibits and more. We strive to provide the visitors to our exhibitions a unique experience in viewing our works of art wherever they are exposed.

For more information go to mtabraham.org