Photographic exhibition in Moscow

March 28, 2009

As from today, the photographic exhibition Le Maître et Marguerite, Création Photographique, which had a tremendous success in Paris, is shown in Moscow. It introduces 50 marvellous pictures of fashion photographer Jean-Daniel Lorieux. The exhibition was opened by the French movie star Alain Delon.

On the background of the famous and recognizable natural decors of Moscow you can see Margarita, interpreted by the French actress Isabel Adjani, the Master, represented by the Russian actor Vladimir Kochevoy, as well as Woland, whoes role was reserved by the initiator of the project, its producer and businessman Evgeny Yakovlev.

«Basically, many things in this project occurred spontaneously», says Evgeny Yakovlev. «I cannot say exactly how I came to the idea of it. And it was pretty much the same for the choice of the stars. We decided that it was necessary to create something inspired by a known novel. The first one of which we could think was Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita.» 

«At the beginning everything was conceived as a commercial thing. But while working on this project, we ended up understanding that it was necessary to think only of artistic side. The international team consisted of 60 professionals. All were blazed for this project. Everything went so easily, as by itself. You can say that it was not a job, but a creation that brought pleasure.»

First Yakovlev made a career in the banking world. After that, he became general director of the machine factory Силовые машины (Silovye Mashi-ny), and currently he is the president of Атомстройэкспорт (Atomstroy-export), the Russian Federation's nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly which is linked to Gazprom.

The fact that Yakovlev spent 2 million euro to be photographed together with Isabelle Adjani - he claimed the role of Woland for himself - may raise suspicions about his real intentions but, frankly speaking, most of the photos are beautiful. Especially those with Isabelle Adjani. The photos with Yakovlev himself look sometimes a little ridiculous.

After its successful presentation at the Ariane Dandois gallery in Paris at the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009, this exhibition moved to London and New York, to end eventually on its starting point, as a return to its roots, in Moscow, at the Spiridonov House, right behind the corner of the place where the master met Margarita, where Mikhail Bulgakov met Elena Sergueevna, and where your webmaster met his future spouse.

From March 28, 2009 to April 28, 2009
Every day from 12 pm to 8 pm
Dom Spiridonova, Maly Gnezdnikovsky Pereulok, 9/8, Bldg. 1
Metro: Tverskaya
Tel. 629-5984