The museum confirmed that the Russian authorities have agreed to put on display works that were previously dismissed.

The crux of the matter appeared to be avant-garde works by Ter-Oganyan. In late September it was reported that four of his “Radical Abstractionism” creations were forbidden to leave the country and have been excluded from the list due to their alleged “call for a violent change of Russia's constitutional order and inciting religious hatred.”

The conflict flared up with renewed force when, in solidarity with Ter-Oganyan, seven other Russian artists due to present their works in the Louvre exhibition refused to take part in it in protest against Russia's Ministry of Culture and the Federal Surveillance Service for Compliance with the Law in Mass Communications and Cultural Heritage Protection.

In fact, it was not the images that raised eyebrows but Ter-Oganyan’s captions which went along with them, such as “This work is aimed at inciting religious hatred”; “This work calls on infringement on life of statesman V.V. Putin for the purpose of his state and political authority breakdown”; or “This work contributes to formation of a surefooted armed group (gang) in the purpose of attacking the citizens.”

As a result of the negotiations between the Louvre and Russian authorities, the large-scale exhibition is expected to run at the Louvre as scheduled from October 14 to January 11, 2011.