Alfred Barr and MOMA

The famous American art critic, art dealer and the first director of the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MOMA) has visited Moscow at least twice in search of new art. The first time this happened in the winter of 1928, when the newly appointed head of the MOMA arrived in the Russian capital to study and acquire avant-garde works.

Barr's second visit to Moscow took place in 1957 with Rene D’ Arnoncourt, the newly appointed director of MOMA. The purpose of their trip was directly related to Costakis’ unique collection, which by then had already acquired a worldwide fame. George Costakis warmly received the Americans at the apartment on Leninsky prospekt, showed his collection and also demonstrated the works of Anatoly Zverev. As a result, Alfred Barr acquired several first-class Zverev gouaches (mostly portraits) for the New York collection, which he immediately placed in the museum exposition - they marked a new milestone in Russian art. Costakis warm, friendly relations and correspondence with Barr continued until the latter's death in 1981.