The National Art Museum dreams of assembling Marc Chagall’s legendary triptych – Irina Matyas

Irina Matyas, Director General of the National Art Museum, emphasized that the museum serves as the primary guardian of Belarus's cultural heritage and an expert in promoting both national masterpieces and artworks from other countries. "However, our museum is not merely a center for culture, art, and history; it is also a vital educational and outreach institution that fosters national identity and an understanding of cultural values," she said.

"The museum actively participates in international projects—in China, Russia, and other nations—where visitors show great interest in Belarusian culture. In turn, this enables us to bring exhibitions from those countries to Belarus and showcase their unique cultures. Essentially, we facilitate mutual cultural enrichment," she noted.

The museum director highlighted the tremendous state support Belarusian museums receive. Large-scale construction of a new museum complex is currently underway. Funding for the "Museum Quarter" project has been allocated from the President of the Republic of Belarus's fund. "The concept for this museum quarter dates back quite some time; the idea was originally conceived by the museum's third director, Yury Karachun. I hope that the entire museum quarter will open to the public in 2028." "Additional exhibition spaces, a lecture hall, and extra storage facilities will be added, because this year our collection has grown by 5,600 works by Belarusian artists. We no longer have 36,000 pieces, but over 40,000," said Irina Matyas.

She also highlighted the successful collaboration with Russia's major museums. "The 'Chagall: A Walk at the Art Museum' project—a single-masterpiece exhibition—was a great success, and the Russian Museum is ready to share further masterpieces. We have requested works by Vrubel, Kuindzhi, Aivazovsky, Kandinsky, and Malevich; we have a long wish list. Through this cooperation and international friendship with major institutions like the State Russian Museum, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the Hermitage, we hope they will eventually bring us the works we desire. It is a pleasure to collaborate with these museums, and our dreams are coming true," she said.

The museum director also shared a personal dream: "I have a dream of seeing the third painting from Marc Chagall's triptych here at the National Art Museum," Matyas concluded.

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