Moscow University Museum Presents Insights Into African Artistic Culture – OpEd

The Museum of African Art, at the Moscow University of Finance and Law, is dedicated to a self-sufficient civilization with a rich cultural heritage. The exhibition, spread across two halls, is dedicated to the distinctive culture of the peoples of tropical Africa.

It ​​has become part of the large educational complex "Science, Technology and Art" of the Moscow University of Law and Architecture (MFUA-MASI).

Distinguished guests, including the rector of the Moscow University of Finance and Law, spoke at the gala event. Alexey Zabelin and the president of MSTU-MASI Galina Zabelina.

Alexey Zabelin emphasized that Africa has a civilization with a rich cultural heritage dating over 60,000 years. In the new museum, visitors and students would immerse themselves in the unique world of African culture. This experience represents an important stage in their personal development.

"We must cultivate in our students not only professional competence but also a broad cultural outlook—the ability to sense and understand the full diversity of world culture: from Western European and Russian to Asian, African, and Latin American. It is this holistic perspective, including a deep study of African art as one of the most ancient traditions, that allows us to see alternative paths for the development of civilizations and find within them the resources for building a common future," emphasized Zabelin.

President of MSTU-MASI, Galina Zabelina, who contributed to the creation of the new museum, while expressing her highest gratitude, said "We created this space to become a magnet not only for our students but also for all art lovers. We look forward to seeing everyone at the exhibitions and performances!"

Daria Vanyukova, curator of the African collection, added:"Today is a very important historical event for the university. Now anyone can explore unique exhibits that are part of a larger world culture. Direct, live interaction with authentic history provides our students with invaluable experience that cannot be replaced by lectures or textbooks."

The "Art of Africa" ​​exhibition features approximately 100 unique artifacts from the collections of the Moscow University of Finance and Law and the Moscow State Technical University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. The collection includes famous ritual masks and wooden sculptures, as well as household items, crafts, traditional textiles, and musical instruments.

"The African history and art have become understandable and relatable to the younger generation. Each exhibit here is unique and can tell a lot about the life of the continent," according to Sergei Kurasov, Rector of the Stroganov Russian State University of Art and Industry.

All exhibits have a rich history: they have undergone scientific attribution and have previously been exhibited at MGIMO, the Moscow Government, and the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

"We are incredibly pleased to have opened not just an exhibition, but a permanent collection. Our goal is to showcase the full diversity and indepth of the African artistic tradition, rooted in archaic cultures," director of the Museum and Exhibition Educational Complex "Science, Technology, Art" at the Moscow University of Law and Architecture (MFUA-MASI), Yulia Smirnova said.

Executive Secretary of the Russian-African Club of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Alexander Berdnikov, however, praised the African Art Museum as a bridge between the cultures of the two countries and a unique educational platform for young people.

 In his contribution, Louis Gouend, Chairman of the Commission for Work with African Diaspora at Moscow State University's Russian-African Club, called the museum a "strategic investment in the future," emphasizing its role as a bridge connecting Russian society with Africa's rich heritage.