Yuri Avvakumov is an architect, curator and artist living and working in Moscow. He was born in Tiraspol in 1957 and graduated from the Moscow Architectural Institute in 1981. He takes part in art/architectural exhibitions since 1982. He started AGITARCH studio in 1988 and established UTOPIA FOUNDATION in 1993.

In 1984, he reintroduced the term PAPER ARCHITECTURE to describe the genre of conceptual design in the USSR of the 1980s.

Since 1984, he organizes exhibitions of PAPER ARCHITECTURE in Moscow (Youth magazine, 1984 / Moscow Architectural Institute, 1992 / State Museum of Architecture, 1994), Ljubljana (SCUC, 1986), Paris (La Villette, 1988), Milan (Palazzo dell’Arte, 1988), Frankfurt (Deutsches Architekturmuseum, 1989), Cologne (Linssen, 1991), Brussels (Foundation pour l’Architecture, 1990), Zürich (Architekturforum, 1990), Cambridge (List Visual Arts Center, MIT, 1990), New Orleans (Contemporary Arts Center, 1991), Austin (Huntington Gallery,1991), Amherst (Fine Arts Center, 1992), Volgograd (Museum/Exhibition Center, 1997) etc.

In 1986, he begun the series of TEMPORARY MONUMENTS dedicated to the constructivism of the 20ies, that were exhibited at Linssen Gallery, Cologne (1990); Russian Museum, St. Petersburg and Museum of Architecture, Moscow (1992/93); Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin and State Historical Museum, Moscow (2003/04). Other works of TEMPORARY MONUMENTS were also shown at the ARCHITECTURE ET UTOPIE. Pavilion de l’ Arsenal, Paris (1989); VISION VON RAUM. Galerie Gmurzynska, Cologne (1991); DIE KUNST DES FLIEGENS. Zeppelin Museum, Friedrichshafen (1996); THE ARCHEOLOGY OF THE FUTURE CITY. Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo (1996); MIRAGE CITY. ANOTHER UTOPIA. NTT ICC, Tokyo (1997); FORM-SPECIFIC, Moderna Galerija Ljubljana (2003); RE:MODERN, Kunstlerhaus, Wien (2005); RED CORNER, Stella Art Gallery, Moscow (2006); DIESE OBSKURE OBJEKT: KUNST. Kunshistorische Museum, Wien (2008).

He took part at the Venice Biennale in 1996 (SENSING THE FUTURE. ARCHITECT AS SEISMOGRAPH) and 2003 (UTOPIA STATION). In 1996-2000, his installation RUSSIAN UTOPIA: A DEPOSITORY was exhibited in Venice (Russian Pavilion); Rotterdam (Netherlands Architecture Institute);  Moscow (State Museum of Architecture); Volgograd (Museum and Exhibition Center) and St. Petersburg (State Russian Museum).

From the early 80ies, he works with the heritage of the Russian Avant-garde, designs exhibitions of Popova, Rozanova, Melnikov, Tatlin, internet site of LEONIDOV; in 2002, he reconstructed Suprematist Architectural Model by Malevich.

In 2000-03, he curated PHOTOPROGRAM 24 of 36 exhibitions of urban/architectural photography, hosted by the State Museum of Architecture and Moscow House of Photography.

In 2007, he curated BORNHOUSE exhibition at Vkhutemas Gallery, Moscow (during 2nd Biennale of Contemporary Art) and Peter’n’Paul fortress museum, St Petersburg, in 2008 – San Stae cathedral, Venice (during 11th Biennale of Architecture), in 2009 – St Marie Madeleine cathedral, Lille (during Europe XXL festival).

He is the author of the book PAPER ARCHITECTURE. ANTHOLOGY, Garage 2019.

Public collections: State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg / State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow / State Museum of Architecture, Moscow / Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow / Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris / Deutsches Architekturmuseum, Frankfurt-on-Main / Victoria & Albert Museum, London / ZKM Museum of New Art, Karlsruhe  / Moderna galerija, Ljubljana / Nasher Museum, Duke University, North Carolina / Stella Art Foundation / Sepherot Foundation, Liechtenstein etc.