As part of the exhibition “Frol Sergeevich’s Cabinet of Curiosities”, prepared for the Biennale of Private Collections, Frol Burimsky — founder and gallerist of Flor et Lavr Gallery — appears not only as a promoter of contemporary art, but also as a collector of stories, emotions, and fleeting moments. His approach to collecting is far from the classical model, which emphasizes specific styles, media, or time periods. For Frol, collecting is, above all, a search for meaning and personal resonance, which he often finds in the most unexpected objects.

Working with the collection — which brings together items from various eras, artists, and contexts — the gallery’s program director, Petr Ivanov, constructed a cohesive narrative of the collector through the prism of his assemblage. The exhibition features works by the gallery's artists, whose pieces hold a special place in Frol’s collection (Polina Rukavichkina, Artyom Lyapin, Gelya Pisareva, Alexander Pozin, Valery Bytka, Matvey Shapiro, and Oleg Savunov), alongside more eclectic finds.

Among them are Helmut Newton’s iconic photograph “Sigourney Weaver” (1983), graphic works by Soviet and Uzbek artists of the 20th century, icons, jewelry, and unique items acquired at flea markets and antique shops during his travels. These objects allow us to see the collector not as a systematic researcher, but as an intuitive gatherer — attuned to detail, mood, atmosphere, and personal memory.

The exhibition will unfold in the Salon of the A–House space — an intimate chamber within the historic chambers of Prince Drutsky, one of the oldest buildings on the Arbat, once owned by a noble family. Perhaps the prince himself, as was customary in his time, also collected works of art — a detail that adds another layer of dialogue between the exhibition and its setting. The display will follow the principles of a cabinet of curiosities: artworks will line the walls in a salon-style hang, while artifacts will be arranged on shelves and in niches, creating a dense, almost theatrical environment in which the private collection becomes a living narrative.

Some of the works featured in the exhibition — part of Flor et Lavr Gallery’s current offerings — will be available for purchase, marked with special yellow labels. This reinforces the idea that art is alive and accessible, and that engaging with the artistic process can be not only contemplative but also personal.

“Frol Sergeevich’s Cabinet of Curiosities” is an intuitive map of memory, where each discovered or chosen object becomes a point along the journey. Here, collecting is not accumulation — it is a way of seeing, remembering, and connecting time, things, and meaning.