CSAR
Centre for Studies in Russian, Central Asian and Caucasian Art

The Centre for Studies in Russian, Central Asian and Caucasian Art (CSAR) – officially inaugurated on March 6, 2011 – is one of the research centers of the Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
The Centre promotes interdisciplinary research activities and international scientific cooperation aimed at the study of the artistic cultures of its areas of focus. These activities take the form of conferences, academic meetings, scholarly publications, and exhibition projects, which have long established CSAR as a distinguished point of reference in the international field of art historical studies.

Upcoming events CSAR 2025/2026

Haroutiun Galentz: The Form of Colour

Haroutiun Galentz: The Form of Colour is an international study day dedicated to the work and cultural legacy of Armenian painter Haroutiun Galentz, a key figure in 20th-century modernism. The event will take place on May 25, 2026, at Aula Baratto, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
Curated by Silvia Burini and organized by Maria Redaelli and Giulia Gelmi of the Scientific Secretariat of the Centre for Studies in Russian, Central Asian and Caucasian Art (CSAR), in collaboration with the Armenian Arts Council and Skira, the programme brings together international scholars and researchers to examine the intersections of art, exile, memory, and modernity in Galentz’s work.
The afternoon session will include the presentation of the monograph Haroutiun Galentz: The Form of Colour (Skira, 2025), the first English-language publication dedicated to the artist.

CYFEST 17 / Natura Naturans arrives in Thessaloniki

We are pleased to announce the opening of the 17th edition of CYFEST – International Media Art Festival, this year dedicated to the theme “Natura Naturans: Human Beings, Nature, Landscape" at MOMus–Experimental Center for the Arts, Thessaloniki, Greece
from 27 November 2025 until 25 January 2026.

The exhibition explores the visionary force of the organic avant-garde through the possibilities of contemporary art: algorithmic systems, immersive environments, kinetic sculptures, and participatory practices engage in dialogue with twentieth-century works from the renowned Costakis and Frants Family collections.

More than twenty international artists will present works and installations that investigate matter, perception, and the interconnectedness of living systems.

The event is organized by CYLAND MediaArtLab, with the support of the Frants Foundation, in collaboration with MOMus and international academic partners, including CSAR.

The opening night will be 27 November, 7:00 PM. It features two live performances:
Hugo Solis, who transforms environmental data into immersive soundscapes, and Jaanika Peerna, whose participatory action uses ice as a symbol of fragility and transformation.

Find out more: Full exhibition website - Practical information