James Birch: bringing the Bacon to Moscow | A Gallery from Saturday Morning | RNZ National

A new book by British curator James Birch recounts his experience taking the works of Francis Bacon to the Soviet Union.

James Birch in The Kremlin. Photograph by Bob Chenciner.

Young James in the bath, photographed by Francis Bacon.

Part of a four-page letter from Francis Bacon to James Birch saying he wanted to do the show in the USSR.

Queue outside the central house of artists, Moscow.

Elena Khudiakova outside the exhibition hall.

James Birch and Elena Khudiakova.

John Edwards alongside a poster of his portrait.

John Edwards in front of 'Study for Self Portrait' triptych, 1985-86.

John Edwars and Vladimir Zamkov in front of 'Study For A Portrait of John Edwards'. 1988.

Sergei Klockov and James in The Kremlin. Photograph by Robert Chenciner.

James Birch and Sergei Klockov in National Hotel. Photograph by Bob Chenciner.

Denis Wirth-Miller, Francis Bacon, and Dickie Chopping in Uzes, South of France, 1985.Photograph Claudia Lennon.

The images in this gallery are used with permission and are subject to copyright conditions.