On 24 November 2016, the launch of Images. Beyond the Reality took place at the Sheremetev Palace. From ritual artifact to artistic alter ego, this exhibition traced the how the role of the mask had developed beyond being a sacred object and form of religious costuming into becoming an interface with unexpected depths of artistic expression, offering an uncanny magic – and often challenging persona – to different aspects of art and theatrical performance. Historical dress and masks from the collection of Russian Museum of Ethnography were shown alongside examples made by Kazimir Malevich, Vladimir Maiakovsky, Olga Rozanova, Daniil Burliuk, Ilia Zdanevich, Natalia Goncharova, Mikhail Larionov, Valdimir Tatlin, Sergei Paradzhanov, Garik Assa, Sergei Chernov, Sergei Bugaev-Africa, Sergei Kourekhin, Alexander Petliura, Vladislav Mamishev-Monro, Andrey Bartenev.