MGM S.A. Yesenin and the «Invented in Moscow» Creative Lab

The priority directions for the project were formulated based on an analysis of the museum’s collection. The core of the S.A. Yesenin collection at the Moscow State Museum was derived from the exhibit of the Public Museum, which contained 1,451 items. Among these, the rare memorial objects—the personal belongings of S.A. Yesenin and his relatives—are of particular value. Later, when the Museum became a state collection in 1996, the collection continued to grow thanks to the poet’s relatives: S.P. Yesenina (niece, daughter of A.A. Yesenina—the poet’s sister), A.I. Yesenina (daughter of S.P. Yesenina—the poet’s great-grandniece), and A.I. Yesenina (wife of K.S. Yesenin—the poet’s son), Dr. Among the items they donated, documents, books, photographs, and certain manuscripts are of special value to the museum.The Museum possesses a broad range of artifacts. The collection comprises 11,050 items, including 6,564 core items and 4,491 scientific and supplementary fund items. Among these are not only memorial but also typological items that reflect the life of Moscow in the first quarter of the twentieth century, as well as paintings, graphics, and sculptures associated with the poet. The museum also houses items of ethnographic value, as they are connected to the history of the Ryazan Governorate (the birthplace of S.A. Yesenin).Based on the analysis of the S.A. Yesenin collection at the Moscow State Museum, several thematic sections were formed and proposed that could be linked through digital routes.

This collection of artifacts pertains to the personal belongings and furnishings of S.A. Yesenin and his close associates. As indicated in the provided inventory, the museum’s holdings feature not only exhibits from the early 20th century but also later items that connect to events of the mid-century. Expanding beyond the poet’s immediate life could also be considered a promising direction for the museum—partially thanks to the extensive archive of K.S. Yesenin.

This section features original publications by S.A. Yesenin, posthumous works about the poet by his contemporaries, as well as rare books from the first quarter of the 20th century related to the poet’s biography or kept by his close associates. Studying the typographic techniques and variations in the book design of S.A. Yesenin and his contemporaries within this collection could also be a promising avenue for exhibition work.

In this section, we have gathered photographs from the museum’s collection. These include photos depicting S.A. Yesenin, among which are works by N.I. Svischev-Paoli. The museum’s archives also house many photographs from the K.S. collection, including rare prints from Zinaida Reich’s youth. The work of the local historian and photographer V.S. Molchanov is particularly popular; he captured the landscapes of the Ryazan region and places close to the poet. The photographic series of G.A. Benislavskaya’s apartment is part of the local historical research and has never been exhibited at the museum before.

This section focuses on mass-produced and serialized artifacts from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Unlike unique works of art, this category includes everyday objects familiar to people—ranging from inkwells and kerosene lamps to tin tea boxes. Studying these items and exhibiting them is an integral part of the work within the MGM S.A. Yesenin collection. This area is also considered promising for future endeavors.