Alina Pinsky gallery has recently joined the Parisian art scene with a group show featuring a broad and multigenerational show of work by Russian artists curated under the title 'Searching Eye'.

Based in Moscow since 2017 and originally founded as the Palisander Gallery before adopting Alina Pinsky’s own name, the gallery has become known for its commitment to modern and contemporary art, with a particular emphasis on abstraction and mid-twentieth-century collectible design. Pinsky’s decision to expand into Europe—specifically to Paris—is no coincidence: it was there that she refined her eye and deepened her understanding of the art world while completing a second degree in art marketing.

After nearly a decade taking part in various Moscow art fairs, the Moscow branch of her gallery debuted at the Art Paris fair this spring. At the time there was no talk of a dedicated space in the city, but now she has secured a 140 m² space on Pastourelle Street in the Marais´ Le Quartier des Archives[1] , a well-known address that houses several galleries and a picturesque, small courtyard.

Pinsky´s inaugural group show, titled ‘Searching Eye’, is inspired by a quote by Diana Vreeland, ‘The eye has to travel’, a challenge today where most of her Russian colleagues – whether artists or gallerists - have to 'travel' in their minds. However, neither financial nor border and customs restrictions seem to be an obstacle for Pinsky. She is one of the few Russian gallerists with a presence in both Russia and Europe.

Walking into the gallery, you first encounter a vivid red painting by Natalia Turnova (b. 1957), followed by the bright yet faintly pessimistic ´Builders´ by Igor Skaletsky (b. 1978). The visitor’s eye moves restlessly through the space, searching to grasp the underlying concept. Next come five sculptures of varying sizes by Igor Shelkovsky (b. 1937), accompanied by panels from his Japanese series, a 1970s work on paper by Tatiana Andreeva (b.1951), and monochromes by Michael Chernishov (b.1945). Finally, paintings by Lev Povzner (b. 1939) bring a figurative note to the ensemble, grounding the display in a grim yet compelling reality.

There are nine artists featured in the show representing several generations, the aforementioned and a younger contingent consisting of Tim Parchikov (b. 1983), Natacha Habarova (b. 1985) and Evgeny Muzalevsky (b. 1995). During the opening, Pinsky spoke at length about space for dialogue and the circulation of ideas; however, the parameters of such discussions remain unclear. Only three of the artists still live and work in Russia; two live today in Germany, one in Switzerland, one in the USA, and two in France. All that unites this ‘broad panorama of artistic approaches’ is their current or past life in Russia and/or the Soviet Union.

It is, perhaps, an Achilles’ heel. Unlike her well-conceived solo exhibitions in Moscow or group shows bound by a coherent theme, this presentation in Paris collapses like a house of cards. Instead of revealing any meaningful dialogue between East and West, it attempts the impossible: to display everything “Russian” at one stroke and neither Shelkovsky nor Parchikov can be considered imports in Paris—they already live there.

Instead, Pinsky’s “searching eye” aims to overcome “geographical and political restraints” of recent years. It seems however that somewhere along the way the complexity of the artists' identities is also overcome by the gallerist. Belonging to the most diverse and distinctive of generations, artists who survived various crises, wars and emigration, their art struggles when gathered together in a neutral space where there is only pure aesthetics left. Perhaps here there is ultimately a statement summing up the gallerist´s major activities in Moscow over the past near decade where she curated a solo exhibition for each of these artists.

Ultimately Alina Pinsky is planning to put on four or five exhibitions each year and to show Soviet nonconformists, emerging Russian artists and some interesting and unexpected new collaborations with European artists. Rumour has it that the lease is signed at least for nine years, so the hope for dialogue remains.