On the opening day of the exhibition (15.07.2017), Pashmin Art Gallery presented the private Stumpf Art Collection in an exclusive show for the first time, making the collection that was at the back of hidden doors since the 1990s, open to the public. Each piece of art simulates a story that is closely linked to the artists and the collector. After these works have been quietly hidden for more than 30 years, Pashmin Art now exclusively presents these high-quality exhibits by the well-known Russian artists, alongside some works by the artist Davood Roostaei.

The following is an excerpt from the speeches at the exhibition opening by the curator Mrs. Zahra Hasson and the art critic Dr. Peter Schütt.

“For the first time, this exhibition at the Pashmin Art Gallery will not focus on a single artist or a group of artists. Instead, a highly respected and highly-earned art collector, sponsor and patron, Mrs. Ludmilla Stumpf, presents some examples of her treasures. What she and her late husband did for the promotion of young and often unknown artists cannot be easily and highly estimated. She herself, like her husband, is a model of modesty and restraint. What she does, she does for love, from pure love for art. “– Dr. Peter Schütt

 “Ms. Ludmila Stumpf has been collecting art for 25 years. In its diversity, the successive collection since the early 1990s is an impressive testimony to an emotional desire to see and experience art. However, this emotional relationship to art objects is no accident. For instance, Stumpf was already interested in painting and sculpture from childhood and developed a great passion and flair for it. "I have always dreamed of owning my own paintings," said Ms. Stumpf in her first conversation with us.

She acquired her first work in 1992: The Cat of Aidarov. Cats generally play a major role in her collection, so she has collected them from different artists and different techniques. Together with her husband Stumpf have visited many exhibitions, traveled and conducted talks with different artists. At one of these meetings she met Mr. Nouri Nouri, who drew her attention to  Davood Roostaei’s art.

Today, her collection includes over 100 exhibits of Russian avant-garde in addition to international contemporary artists. Over 40 works by a total of seven artists are exhibited here: Igor Rebrov, Ilias Aidarov, Vladimir Jurpalov, Tatiana McKinney, Tatjana Apraksina; the works by the cryptorealist artist Davood Roosatei should not be overlooked as well. "–  Zahra Hasson

Dr. Peter Schütt also refers to the exhibition in the following context:

"Viewed from this perspective, we can call our present opening day a summit of the international art scene. But this is not about the display of power, money and weaponry; it is about the pure opposite, about the peaceful competition of the art-makers from all directions, about their contribution to the aesthetic and ethical education of the human race, about the improvement and embellishment of the world in which we live. For its part, Pashmin Art Gallery has reached a summit of multicultural cooperation. Let's look at the switchboard of this global network: Sherpas, summit strikers, from half the world, from Germany, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Latvia and Russia work hand in hand, and they are in constant contact with their partners in Miami on the one hand, and in Beijing and Shanghai on the other side of the globe."