Avant-Garde Around the Corner
Young artists from the Johannson Secondary Art School now know where to see contemporary art nearby.
Memory of Kuryokhin: From Oblivion to Opening
In the early 2000s, Sergey Kuryokhin’s name gradually faded into the shadows; his bold experiments and music seemed forgotten by the city. Local authorities long showed little interest in preserving the composer’s legacy, and the future Center project remained in limbo. Everything changed thanks to Anastasia Kuryokhina’s persistence, who refused to let her husband’s name dissolve into history. Her energy and determination drew public and official attention, and in September 2025, the long-awaited opening of the Center finally took place, becoming a space for new ideas, experiments, and lively engagement with Kuryokhin’s work, where young people can be inspired by his daring and innovative projects.
Long-Awaited Opening
On September 11, 2025, the Sergey Kuryokhin Center for Contemporary Art opened in the former Priboy Cinema, which had stood unfinished for nearly ten years. It finally gained new life with two-story concert halls, exhibition spaces, a media library, and a panoramic-view restaurant. This event marked the culmination of a long journey from a typical Soviet cinema to an avant-garde cultural hub.
Legacy of “Priboy”
The Priboy Cinema was built in 1966 according to the design of Ostap Vasilenko, who worked at the 2nd workshop of the “Lenproject” institute, responsible for designing standard public venues in Leningrad. Alongside Vasilenko worked architects Natan Tregubov, Ludwig Shimakovsky, and Viktor Fromzel, under the leadership of Viktor Belov. This team created solutions for “Meridian,” “Maxim,” “Nevsky,” “Sovremennik,” and “Okhta”. Vasilenko’s project successfully addressed all major tasks: ensuring safe evacuation, a harmonious spatial composition, and functional audience halls, making the cinema both practical for visitors and open to the urban environment. These qualities allowed the Priboy building to withstand decades and become an excellent foundation for the future Kuryokhin Center.
New Project: Strengths and Gentle Critique
The final reconstruction project, carried out by Alexander Petrov together with Nikita Sidorov, Kuryokhin’s grandson, preserved historical elements of Priboy, including the round terrazzo floor, added concert halls, exhibition spaces, a media library, and a panoramic restaurant. Despite its advantages, the new building sometimes looks too “tidy,” and some design solutions appear overly pragmatic and predictable, not fully conveying Kuryokhin’s bold spirit. Yet the center functions successfully, attracts visitors, and creates space for experiments, which is far more important than attempting to make everything perfect.
Long-Term Construction Challenges in Saint Petersburg
Other long-term construction projects in Saint Petersburg have faced years of delays: the Youth Theater on the Fontanka River, built in the 19th century and converted into a theater in 1980, underwent a major reconstruction from 2011 to 2014 costing over 6 billion rubles, after which additional repairs were still required. Similarly, the Petrogradsky Palace of Culture and the Nevsky Center saw repeated project revisions, bureaucratic hurdles, funding shortages, and shifting priorities. These examples show how difficult it can be to complete even seemingly simple reconstructions, making the Kuryokhin Center’s success especially remarkable.
Art School and Kuryokhin’s Spirit
Near the Center is the Johannson Secondary Art School, where aspiring artists have long regarded Kuryokhin as a cultural hero and genuine avant-garde inspiration. They cherish his music, bold experiments, and daring ideas. The school has become a true forge for creative youth, where every project or exhibition is a reason for experimentation and exploring new forms, reflecting the same spirit as the Kuryokhin Center.
Kuryokhin and the Art of the Impossible
Sergey Kuryokhin possessed the rare ability to turn seemingly impossible ideas into real projects. He could gather a team, allocate tasks, and inspire people toward bold experiments, whether concerts, exhibitions, or theater performances. His approach always combined audacity, humor, and a precise understanding of how to bring ideas to life. Today, this spirit is revived in the new Center, where young people can witness avant-garde and daring solutions becoming part of everyday life.
A Center for Future Artists
The old Priboy has become a place where aspiring artists from the Johannson Secondary Art School can discover contemporary art just around the corner. The irony is that Kuryokhin’s boldest ideas are now literally under their noses.