ERARTA, St. Petersburg, Russia

Instead of being greeted with threatening “DO NOT TOUCH” signs displayed so prominently in the majority of art museums around the world, as soon as you enter the Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art in St. Petersburg you’re likely to be invited to try out an interactive exhibit by one of the friendly resident art experts. And no pretentious air here either; Erarta’s atmosphere is warm and inviting. Housed in a spectacular building, the largest private museum in Russia boasts over 2,300 works by more than 170 artists from 15 regions of Russia.  Since opening their doors in 2010, their mission has continued to be to engage the public and encourage them to form a closer relationship with art.

Erarta’s motto is “we love art” and that guiding principle is evident throughout the museum. In fact, the standard that a piece must meet to make it into the museum is extremely simple:  the museum must deem it extraordinary and must be able to explain why to guests. Basically, Erarta’s staff is having a genuine love affair with every one of the 2,300 pieces.   And they try to inspire that love in others, not an easy task in Russia.

During the Soviet Era, Russians were not widely encouraged to express themselves, making works by contemporary artists practically nonexistent in the public sphere. While today Russia is home to many budding contemporary artists, the public still doesn’t possess a wide appreciation for contemporary art. A common phrase often heard by members of the staff from visitors is “I could do have done that.” If you share that sentiment, then get ready for the folks at Erarta to give you passionate explanation of how contemporary art comes directly from the soul. Trust me; their argument is more than convincing.

The first step in your conversion to contemporary art lover is complete immersion via a 15 minute stint in three of the museum’s U-Space rooms, arguably the most unique and thought provoking interactive installations at Erarta. Each of the five rooms has a particular theme intended to provoke a certain feeling or emotion in the viewer. Some feelings are overwhelmingly positive. The Child room, with its oversized furniture and light colors, recalls the whimsical spirit of childhood while the Cherry Orchard room inspires a sense of tranquility and happiness. The Origins experience is modeled after a traditional Russian home creating a comfortable and nostalgic atmosphere.

Conversely, the other U-Space rooms are a bit darker and more philosophical. The My House is my Fortress? room explores the fragility of personal space in communal living quarters like apartments. The deepest experience, however, is definitely to be had in the What’s Left When Everything’s Gone room. Designed like the play space for a little boy who wanted to be a soldier but then grew up, the room invites guests to think about the inevitability of the passing of time.

Erarta has really wrapped their head around a remarkable concept for engaging first time museum visitors. Their interactive exhibits like these U-Spaces as well as works in their permanent collection, such as Dmity Kawarga’s Model of Bipolar Activity, that turned part of an exhibition hall into a human brain, have put them on the map in St. Petersburg. Mr. Kawarga’s wired piece, complete with sound, mimicked impulses in the brain, and allowed guests to get an inside view of our cerebral hemispheres demonstrating how the force of interaction fluctuates depending on thoughts, moods, recollection and reflections.

Other interactive exhibits and activities, like the “Black Square Art Quiz” and the “Showcase Yourself at Erarta” program, seek to create a community around contemporary art. Erarta hosts concerts, lectures, plays, and “silent discos,” (where people dance together with their headphones on), to foster an ongoing relationship between the local community and contemporary art. Guests are even encouraged to write essays explaining what thoughts or emotions a specific work triggered for them. Erarta proudly displays a selection of these in a permanent exhibit.

Erarta is a testament to the importance of art in popular culture. While they may not have important pieces from world class international artists like a Damien Hirst or Jeff Koons, Erarta’s passionate spirit is contagious. A visit to this one of a kind museum is a must on the list of many other “must do’s” in St. Petersburg. It will leave you with a deeper appreciation for contemporary art and you, too, may just end up adopting their motto “I love art.”