Ekaterina Semenikhina - Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in Monaco, who is responsible for conducting events with a Russian theme, the head of the Russian Cultural Center, the chairman of the Ekaterina Foundation. Wife, mother, collector and prominent figure - all these roles are combined in this fragile-looking woman.
The origins
Education Ekaterina Semenikhina, the granddaughter of Kosygin, received at the Moscow specialized school for the study of the French language. Then she studied at the Moscow State University named after V. Lomonosov at the Faculty of Economics.
In the mid-nineties, together with her husband, they founded their own construction company. However, in the biography of Ekaterina Semenikhina, it is traced that further fate will firmly connect her with art.
Family and Collectibles
An attractive couple - Catherine and Vladimir Semenikhin - today called the most influential people in the world of Russian art. Her husband Vladimir, like Catherine, received an economic education and began a career in his own business. The Stroyteks company organized by him has about 1 million square meters of built-up area in Moscow. However, the common passion of the spouses for collecting works of art led Vladimir to found a joint cultural foundation, Catherine, with his wife.
Today Vladimir is a well-known public figure in Russia and Monaco, a faithful husband and responsible father, who adores and enjoys pampering his children. In 2002, Catherine and Vladimir for the first time presented an exhibition of artists from the “Jack of Diamonds” group, which made a splash in the world. They also impressed the Russian public with a new magnificent exposition, “The Age of Grace Kelly, ” the organization of which was completely undertaken by Catherine.
The family residence in Moscow is located on Frunzenskaya Street, in one of the houses built by the company headed by Vladimir Semenikhin. The apartment has about 1, 500 paintings. The collection of picturesque masterpieces is constantly updated. Vladimir does not spare money for new paintings, which especially liked him or his wife.
In Monaco, the couple arranged a family nest for themselves, combining two apartments in one with an area of 450 m 2. Here, as in Moscow, all the walls are hung with paintings. Catherine herself chooses a place for each picture. She also often acquires elements of decor and interior design for their home. In addition to paintings, an apartment in Monaco is decorated with collections of art glass and crystal, which Catherine is interested in studying.
The couple raise two children - Dmitry and Anabel-Elizabeth, who are surrounded by art from an early age. The son often tries himself in painting.
Cultural Foundation "Catherine"
It was founded in 2002 on the submission of her husband, Catherine and named after her. Like-minded spouses who have been collecting rare and original works of art all their life, they decided to share the cultural treasury with their compatriots. By the time the foundation was created, the collections of Catherine and Vladimir Semenikhin were represented at international exhibitions about 70 times. So much material has accumulated that it became necessary to systematize it and arrange it accordingly.
Today the fund employs 5 people. It contains collections representing various schools of painting and historical eras. Early works belong to the period of classical art of the XIX century. Next, the masterpieces of the early twentieth century were systematized. Now the couple focuses on collecting works of contemporary avant-garde art. Among the authors of numerous masterpieces, the following names can be found: Shishkin, Roerich, Valdes, Konchalovsky.
Honorary Consul in Monaco
Since 2002, Ekaterina Semenikhina lives and works in Monaco. In 2015, she was appointed Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in this country. The duties of Ekaterina Semenikhina in this position, in addition to the traditional ones for the consul, include organizing events that raise the image of the Russian Federation in Monaco: concerts, sports, tournaments, meetings with young people.
To support the Russians living in the principality, in 2009 the Russian Cultural Center was opened, the activities of which began as a school organization. Since 2014, it was led by Ekaterina Semenikhina. Today, the center resembles a club that unites not only children, but also adults. Themed evenings, meetings, exhibitions are held for them. Among the main activities of the club are the following: a library, learning Russian for adults, a school for children. The number of members of the center is growing annually.
Hobbies and hobbies
Ekaterina Semenikhina, together with her husband Vladimir, are real connoisseurs of Russian art and culture of the twentieth century. And this hobby began in the 90s. with the study of painting. Today, their family has in their collection canvases by Shishkin, Aivazovsky, works of avant-garde art and paintings by masters of the 60s. Among the favorite artists: Mashkov, Grigoriev, Konchalovsky, Bulatov.
Catherine is a big fan of Murano glass products. Several times a year she travels to Italy only to buy herself something new from this material.
