Collector Costakis, The

Alternative title: George Costakis
Synopsis: George Costakis is well known as the foremost collector of early 20th Century Russian avant-garde art. The walls of his public housing flat in Moscow are crowded with his rich collection of banned and forgotten works by artists such as Malevich, Tatlin, Kandinsky, Chagall, Lissitzky, Rodchenko, and Kliun. Public figures such as Edward Kennedy, Stravinsky, and Alfred Barr are amongst some of its high profile visitors over the years.

Director Barrie Gavin met the collector in 1982 at his home in Athens where much of this documentary was filmed. Costakis, a Greek born in Russia, shares his story and those of the Russian avant-garde artists whose precious works he so carefully guarded. Their works are his legacy - without him, they would not have survived the political upheavals in Russia which saw many works of art destroyed.
Series: Art Lives
Language: English
Country: Germany
Year of release: 2014
Subjects: Art
Keywords: art - Russian art; art collections

Name: Illuminations
Email: louise@illuminationsmedia.co.uk
Web: http://www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk External site opens in new window
Phone: 020 7288 8400
Address: Studio 121, ScreenWorks
22 Highbury Grove
London
N5 2EF
Notes: Illuminations produces and distributes programmes on arts-related subjects, some of which are made for television and others in conjunction with cultural institutions to accompany specific exhibitions. Many titles are available for sale on DVD, including continuing series on leading contemporary and twentieth century artists and modern architecture, as well as a few programmes on religion, drama, history and ideas.

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British Universities Film & Video Council