Projects

The Ruarts Foundation presents ‘5 angles’, a new large-scale exhibition devoted to the artists and collectors of street wave art. With more than 150 works by 63 artists from 5 major collections belonging to the Ruarts Foundation’s Marianna Sardarova, Catherine Borissoff, Elchin Ali-zade, Sabina Chagina and the artist Dmitri Aske, the exhibition allows us to see contemporary street art from different ‘angles’, through the prism of each participant’s personal vision.

The ‘5 angles’ exhibition was conceived as a curatorial experiment by Catherine Borissoff, art director of the Ruarts Foundation, to show how we can understand street art through private collections, monitor the trends and predict – or rather, determine – the future of this movement. Although the owners of these collections have different perspectives and backgrounds, they are united by a meticulous approach to collecting. Their individual choices not only reflect personal preferences, but also preserve, interpret, and legitimise the ‘street wave’, thereby actively influencing the development of contemporary art as a whole.

The collection of Ruarts Foundation founder Marianna Sardarova takes a look inside the system. Her collection is structured as an archive of key names and works, including rare techniques and large-scale projects. It demonstrates how private initiatives create institutional value by giving previously marginalised art a place in museums, catalogues, and research. This is an investment not only in objects, but in history itself.

The collection of Ruarts art director and curator Catherine Borissoff, who is passionate about abstract and erotic art, represents the most subjective and sensual part of the exhibition project. For Catherine the energy emanating from the works is important – the plasticity of the body, the pulse of abstraction, and the hidden eroticism within the actual gesture of graffiti.

Elchin Ali-zade, founder of the print-art publisher Format One, gave a powerful impetus to the scene as a whole by rendering the works of street artists accessible. His collection is comprised of canvases, prints, zines and objects by the most daring graffiti and street artists. It is these publishers and collectors who lay the foundation for the market, creating an environment where artists can be seen and their works acquired.

The collection of Sabina Chagina, co-founder of the Artmossphere Street Art Biennale, is a celebration of vibrant, text-based art. She focuses on fonts, witty slogans and poetic interventions. This collection emphasises the main source of street art’s power – this is direct expression, capable of changing the atmosphere of a city and entering into dialogue with the viewer.

A highlight of the exhibition is the collection of renowned artist Dmitri Aske, who progressed from graffiti writer to monumental artist. His choice reflects inner dialogue and the support of colleagues. He collects a variety of works, balancing between figurative and non-objective, focusing on graphic art in particular. This collection is also a laboratory that explores the connection between studio work and the artists’ street practices.

“Collectors are not just the owners of beautiful works. They are archivists, patrons and visionaries. Their personal choice becomes public property, and their passion is a powerful force shaping the market, museum collections and, ultimately, the history that future generations will study. It is their bold decisions, personal ambitions and financial risks that transform collections into objects of cultural heritage. This exhibition is a tribute to those who not only observe street art, but also actively support its development by gradually collecting works, artefacts, documentation and emotions,” says curator of the exhibition Catherine Borissoff, speaking above all as a collector.