The Desert of Forbidden Art

Mar 11 2011 PG 1h 20m
Adventure, Biography, Documentary

How does art survive in a time of oppression? During the Soviet rule artists who stay true to their vision are executed, sent to mental hospitals or Gulags. Their plight inspires young Igor Savitsky. He pretends to buy state-approved art but instead daringly rescues 40,000 forbidden fellow artist's works and creates a museum in the desert of Uzbekistan, far from the watchful eyes of the KGB. Though a penniless artist himself, he cajoles the cash to pay for the art from the same authorities who are banning it. Savitsky amasses an eclectic mix of Russian Avant-Garde art. But his greatest discovery is an unknown school of artists who settle in Uzbekistan after the Russian revolution of 1917, encountering a unique Islamic culture, as exotic to them as Tahiti was for Gauguin. They develop a startlingly original style, fusing European modernism with centuries-old Eastern traditions.

Plot

The Desert of Forbidden Art is a sweeping look at decades of Soviet repression of the arts and Igor Savitsky's one man campaign to rescue 40,000 works of banned politically volatile artists. In complete defiance of the regime, he creates in a remote desert of Uzbekistan one of the most important collections of Russian art.

Written by

Amanda Pope, Tchavdar Georgiev

Directed by

Tchavdar Georgiev, Amanda Pope

Cast

Edward Asner, Sally Field, Ben Kingsley

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

Canada, United States of America

Languages

English

Awards

2 wins & 3 nominations

Scores
# of Votes
238
Average Rating
7.6 out of 10
Metascore
75
Popularity
NA