Room Dedicated to the Collector George Costakis – Interactive Applications

The space dedicated to the collector George Costakis is a tribute to the most important collector of artworks from the avant-garde period in Russian Empire and the Soviet Union (1900–1930). This exhibition-room presents the life, work, and collecting activity of George Costakis, highlighting his key role in the preservation and promotion of unique avant-garde artworks by artists such as Kazimir Malevich (1879, Kyiv, Russian Empire, now Ukraine – 1935, Leningrad, USSR, now Russia), Gustav Klucis (1895, close to Riga, Russian Empire, now Latvia – 1938, Moscow, USSR – executed during Stalin’s purges), Ivan Kliun (1873, Bolshiye Gorki, Vladimir region, Russian Empire – 1943, Moscow, USSR), Liubov Popova (1889, Ivanovskoe, Russian Empire – 1924, Moscow, USSR), Olga Rozanova (1886, Melenki, Vladimir region, Russian Empire – 1918, Moscow, Soviet Russia), Ivan Kudriashov (1896, Voronezh, Russian Empire – 1972, Moscow, USSR), Aleksandra Ekster (1882, Białystok, Russian Empire, now Poland – 1949, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France), Kliment Redko (1897, Kholm, Russian Empire, now Poland – 1956, Moscow, USSR), Aleksandr Volkov (1886, Fergana, Russian Empire, now Uzbekistan – 1957, Tashkent, USSR), Nadezhda Udaltsova (1885, Orel, Russian Empire – 1961, Moscow, USSR), Aleksandr Drevin (1889, Cēsis, Russian Empire, now Latvia – 1938, Moscow, USSR – executed during Stalin’s purges), Mikhail Matiushin (1861, Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Empire, now Russia – 1934, Leningrad, USSR), Solomon Nikritin (1898, Chernihiv, Russian Empire, now Ukraine – 1965, Moscow, USSR), and others.

Information about George Costakis

Born in Moscow in 1913 to Greek parents, George Costakis worked for many years as a driver at the Greek Embassy and, after the outbreak of World War II, as head of technical staff at the Canadian Embassy in Moscow. Despite not having formal studies in art history, he developed a strong interest in the arts. Before dedicating himself to the avant-garde of the period 1900–1930, he collected 18th- and 19th-century artworks, woodcuts (lubki), religious icons, and traditional folk toys.

From the 1940s onward, he began collecting works by avant-garde artists whose creations were banned during Stalinist times. His collection gained international recognition and is considered the most important of its kind in the world. He inspired many of his contemporaries from the generation of “non-conformist” artists (1950s–1980s).

In 1977, Costakis left the Soviet Union, donating significant parts of his collections to museums in Moscow (Tretyakov Gallery, Rublyov Museum, Museum of Decorative Arts) and received export permits for many artworks, including the biggest part of his avant-garde collection and archive, as well as all of his contemporary art pieces. He died in Athens in 1991. The Russian avant-garde collection was purchased in 2000 by the Greek state, while the archive was donated by the Costakis family. Today, they are preserved at MOMus – Museum of Modern Art – Costakis Collection, at the Moni Lazariston in Thessaloniki.

Interactive Applications in the Room

The "G. Costakis Room" is equipped with interactive media that offer visitors an educational and entertaining experience. It features digital knowledge-based games about George Costakis himself, his famous collection, and stories about some of the artists and their works from this unique period.

MOMus – Museum of Modern Art and the creative company MAIT (Modern Adventure Interactive Tourism, https://www.mait.club/), based in Italy, designed together a new digital experience for the museum’s visitors (children and adults) of the Costakis Collection, using innovative technologies to explore the art objects in new ways. Through augmented reality, animation, interactive games, visitors can deepen their understanding of the art world and enjoy learning about the paintings and objects and interacting with them. The “game-dice” leads to these experiences on the page of each artwork. MAIT’s approach is based on six practices: careful selection of objects, converting knowledge into games, storytelling, digital media, adaptation to different audiences, and participation.

Combine exploring Avant-garde Art with enjoying digital experiences on your mobile phone and enjoy little adventures exploring works from the Museum’s Costakis Collection! 

An exciting tour into the world of art and new technologies awaits both adults and children in the "G. Costakis Room"!

At the same time, visitors have the opportunity to purchase a range of related items from the museum shop to continue their exploration and games anytime, anywhere – even beyond the museum walls!