Rita Raeva, Homogenous Surfaces, 2022 

Salon culture has long played a crucial role in the history of philanthropy and arts patronage. Across cultures and eras, salons have taken many forms—from informal gatherings discussing creative ideas to exhibitions providing artists with platforms to present and sell their work. Since 1769, the Royal Academy’s annual Summer Exhibition has given artists the opportunity to showcase their work to a wide audience, offering Londoners a chance to immerse themselves in diverse artistic expressions and acquire pieces directly from the institution’s walls.

In this spirit, the Winter Salon at Pushkin House presents the works of emerging artists from Russia and Eurasia. Selected over the past year through ZIMA Magazine’s Artist of the Month* initiative—curated by Katya Granova—these artists are united not by a single theme, but by the shared context in which they now create.

Some of the artists have recently relocated and are navigating the challenges of adapting to a new cultural and professional environment. Others engage with ideas that may not have been fully explored in their previous settings. Their works span a range of subjects, from reflections on personal and collective experiences to broader explorations of contemporary life and the creative process.

Rather than offering a singular narrative, this display presents a dynamic and diverse group of voices—each artist bringing their unique perspective to the collective conversation. We invite you to explore these works as individual expressions of talent and resilience, and to consider supporting their evolving practices through the acquisition of artworks.

Featured artists: Dasha Loyko-Greer, Anna Kiparis, Alisa Aistova, Rita Raeva, Katya Bryskina, Andrey Chugunov, Karina Eibatova, Alexey Martins, Lyudmila Kalinichenko, Katya Zhingel, Evgeniya Strygina, and an anonymous artist known as 742. Additionally, works by jury members Pavel Otdelnov and Katya Granova will be displayed. 

The Winter Salon will be on display at Pushkin House until Wednesday 26 February. 

The event is organised with the support of TAEX – a curator-led digital art platform founded in 2022. TAEX showcases and produces collections by globally recognised artists in collaboration with leading institutional curators. Its mission is to foster a new community of collectors shaping the future of digital art. 

*Launched in early 2024, the Artist of the Month competition sought to spotlight emerging Russian-speaking talent in Britain and introduce them to ZIMA Magazine’s readers. The competition gave these artists a platform to gain recognition and share their work with a broader audience. 

An expert jury reviewed submissions, shortlisted candidates, and selected winners each month. The jury consisted of Katya Granova, Pavel Otdelnov, Igor Tsukanov, Marina Stager, Ruth Addison and Mark Sanders. Over the year, twelve artists working across various mediums – including photography, painting, sculpture, performance, and multimedia – were chosen to showcase their work at ZIMA Restaurant in Soho. 

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