Billions, Serdyukov, and a spiritual turn: ex-Oboronservice affiliate Vasilyeva opens art hub on Moscow’s Golden Mile
A key figure in the high-profile corruption scandal involving massive embezzlement in the Ministry of Defense and a close friend of former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, Yevgenia Vasilyeva, has opened her own gallery in one of Moscow’s most prestigious areas — on Ostozhenka.
The space is located in a pre-revolutionary income house from the early 20th century, built before the revolution and having survived the changes of eras — from elite housing in the imperial capital to the modern “Golden Mile.” The new gallery is just a few minutes from Molochny Lane, where Vasilyeva initially served house arrest and now lives with former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov.
The opening featured an exhibition with the philosophical title “To Be”. The show includes works by contemporary artists such as Lika Cereteli, Valeria Gai Germanika, and others. The concept revolves around reflections on freedom, personal choice, and the spiritual path.
All of this is presented as a new cultural statement, though the figure of the gallery’s owner gives the event a very different, far more down-to-earth meaning.
