Melnikov. 133

Konstantin Stepanovich Melnikov (1890-1974) is one of the most famous and at the same time controversial masters of the 20th century. Known for his works of the 1920s and 1930s, Melnikov was always considered a genius of the avant-garde in all its manifestations: from classical elements to mechanics and kinetics in architecture. He managed to create his own style, which combined the best techniques from world architecture on the basis of new times and Russian art. For 14 years of his creative career Konstantin Stepanovich managed to create 12 buildings, including 5 Moscow clubs and one outside the capital - in Duljevo, 4 garages for buses, lorries and cars, an administrative building of Novo-Sukharevsky market and his own house in Krivoarbatsky pereulok.

The exhibition at the Duljevo Club is a continuation of a large project to popularise the creative heritage of Konstantin Melnikov, which was launched by the Museum of Architecture back in 2014. One of the most important stages of this project was the monographic exhibition "MELNIKOV / MELNIKOFF", prepared for the 130th anniversary of the architect, which was held with great success at the Museum of Architecture (October 2022 - February 2023). Now the exhibition of Konstantin Melnikov's heritage will be shown in Dulevo, where in 1930 a club for porcelain factory workers was built by order of the chemists' union. The exhibition "Melnikov. 133" is a symbolic return of the architect to the last club he realised (and the only one outside Moscow).

The exhibition will feature copies of architectural graphics and photographs from the archive of K.S. Melnikov, illustrating the architect's creative biography. The exposition will be complemented by models of three of the architect's projects: the Melnikov House, the Paris Garage and the club in Duljevo.

The exhibition at the club will unfold in the foyer space, on the staircases and the first floor landing. On the ground floor, two of the most extensive themes in Melnikov's work will be revealed: clubs and garages. There will be shown materials telling about the club named after Rusakov, Burevestnik. Rusakov, Burevestnik, Kauchuk, Svoboda factory club, the club named after Frunze and the club of farfovo. There will also be shown four Moscow garages: a bus garage on Bakhmetevskaya Street, a garage for lorries on Novolyazanskaya Street, garages of Gosplan and Intourist. Melnikov's competitive, unrealised works will be shown on the main staircase. In architecture, conceptual projects are no less important than realised ones; they demonstrate the result of pure creativity and reveal Melnikov as a visionary architect. The second staircase will become a space for Konstantin Stepanovich's biography; it will contain a detailed account of the architect's personal and creative life. On the first floor two projects will be shown: the realised one - the architect's own house, an experiment of his life, and the conceptual one - the project of the monument to Columbus, which still amazes with the boldness of the idea.