The Russian Icon Collection is devoted to the research and promotion of Orthodox icon painting. Founded by the collector and entrepreneur, Oleg Kushnirskiy, it is centered on his collection of Russian icons from the mid-17th to the early 20th centuries, which he assembled in the US.

Kushnirskiy's deep-rooted connection with these religious artifacts can be traced back to his days as a photographer in the 1980s in the then-Soviet Union. While working for the Russian National Library, he traveled extensively, documenting rural life in Russia. It was during these photographic journeys that he became captivated by the spiritual allure of Russian Orthodox icons.

The collection was formed predominantly in the 1990s in the US, where Oleg Kushirskiy moved with his family. The icons he brought together present a rich tapestry of Orthodox religious art. The collection, which currently includes 60 pieces, is built around icons depicting Russian religious holidays, with some pieces dating back to the 17th century. Most of the icons date to the 18th and 19th centuries and were created in accordance with ancient icon painting traditions.

Notably, many pieces originate from the famous icon-painting villages such as Palekh, Mstyora, and Kholuy in the Vladimir region. Additionally, the collection features icons from the Old Believer communities of Guslitsy and Vetka, as well as various workshops in central Russia. A distinctive subset comprises smaller icons, meticulously adorned with miniature stamps. These miniatures depict scenes from the Resurrection, miracles, religious celebrations, saintly images, and iconic representations of the Mother of God.

The odyssey of these icons, which traveled to the West amid the turbulence of the 20th-century emigration waves from Soviet Russia, highlights an often-overlooked dimension of Russian icon history. The cataloging of this collection was undertaken by  Anna Ivannikova, a prominent specialist in Russian icon painting from the 18th to the 20th centuries and a certified expert and curator of the Late Icon Painting Collection at the State Hermitage Museum (Saint Petersburg). Two other prominent scholars who contributed articles to the catalog are Wendy Salmond, Ph.D., Art historian and professor at Chapman University (California), and Alek D. Epstein, Ph.D., an Israeli sociologist and cultural researcher. The book, released in April 2023, draws attention to the previously overlooked late iconography, which is now garnering interest among researchers, and offers invaluable material for future studies.

While the collection reflects the passion and interests of its founder, Oleg Kushnirskiy, it also stands as a testament to a renewed appreciation of Russian icon painting, highlighting its historical and artistic significance in a broader context.

Russian Icon Collection is committed to fostering ties with institutions, projects, and individuals sharing the common goal of preserving Russian cultural heritage and the exchange of knowledge.

In line with this vision, the first-ever show of Oleg Kushnirskiy’s collection will be held at The Museum of Russian Art (TMORA) in Minneapolis from October 26, 2024 to January 26, 2024.

"I am excited to share the following project with you. Having conceptualized and curated several exhibitions of Russian Sacred Art, I am particularly looking forward to seeing this collection being exhibited in 2024."