Olya immigrated to the United States from Russia with hopes of opening an art school.

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"I think we are seeing a large amount of the top-quality Russian art going back to Russia, " said Philips, although in most cases it has been paintings.

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That has cleverly combined two of the commonest popular perceptions of Russia: harsh winters and historic strength in art and music.

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The more than 2, 000 works aim to move beyond Moscow's dominance of the art scene to exhibit pieces made throughout Russia.

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Russia holds over 200, 000 items of "trophy art", an issue which as dogged German-Russian relations since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

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Though Ms Wullschlager is fair and never sneering about his painting after he left Russia for ever in 1922, she is firm that his art was never as good again.

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Contemporary and street art, it seems, may be going mainstream in Russia.

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Collectors from Russia, Asia and the Middle East are flocking to contemporary-art sales, and the auction houses couldn't be happier.

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