Even during the political conflict of the last century between the two countries, Antonova was organizing Andy Warhol exhibitions in Moscow and helped exhibit domestic treasures in the US.

“The possibility simply to send an exhibition and to show works – not only of Russian artists, but impressionists also, whose works are kept in our collections – was very important,” Antonova told journalists on Tuesday, having added that American museums were queuing up to host those exhibitions.

“I was wondering why there was such a queue. After all you have your own magnificent artists. Why is the public interest so heavy? But the [Americans] are interested in it. Sometimes I think that this is a thread in relations [between the two states] that cannot be broken,” Irina Antonova said.

She received the prestigious Liberty Award at a reception in her honor in the General Consulate of Russia in New York. This award was previously handed over to novelist Vasily Aksyonov, and dancer, choreographer and actor Mikhail Baryshnikov, along with others.

Well-known writers and critics who made up the jury said that Antonova “belongs to the selected group of great museum leaders of our time” and deserves “respect and admiration”. She “helped the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts rise on the international scene, having granted it an honorable place on the cultural map of the world, and establishing strong relations with leading museums of the US.”

She thanked the organizing committee for the award and underlined that behind all the work done are the workers of the museum.

Irina Antonova has won numerous Russian and foreign awards including “For merits before the Fatherland”, the State award, and the French Literature and Art Commander award.