Results-2009: What a year - so is the arrival

ARTinvestment.RU – 23.12.2009,09:02

From a business perspective on the art market (and not only) a year was that more ... on these say that they just need to survive. And the survivors - and that fellow. Remember what happened? Ten months "bottom" of calm, which was worse than the crisis storm, - stagnation, uncertainty, the threat of collapse of many initiatives.

However, why not look at the situation without zanudstva? It could in fact be worse. Just might. In fact, there were two variants of global developments. First: with the onset of crisis is beginning to get rid of nakuplennyh works both on the shares, many sellers hunt for scarce buyers. Latest feel slack, so prices are falling dramatically and works of art discredited as an investment tool. Second choice: economic situation is worsening, but the owners do not want to part with previously purchased works (profitable investment alternatives simply do not) - and the prices are not falling. As a result, the market enters a phase of intense stagnation - a proposal narrows, auction houses can not create interesting directories and all participants are looking forward to an economic "thaw" to engage in active trading regime. Almost our version. Another thing is that now the warm wind, it seems, begins to inflate the sails. But this optimism of the future. And the results of 2009 are still have to sum up almost apologetically - just a year was such that there is nothing special to boast.

Event of the year. Crisis

At the end of "fat" 2008-th (where almost all updated rating of top-12 results for the auction of Russian art) does not believe that the crisis seriously, and all long. America - well, reserves are accumulated, "TV" is full of confidence - maybe blow over. I remember with what interest the forum users ARTinvestment.RU watched the first crisis "Russian auction" - wondered what would be the percentage of lots sold? Moral and were ready by 30 percent, but still hoped for 50. And in general for such a situation was not all bad. Let no records, no multiple exceedances estimate: but more than half of the items found a new owner.

By year end, everything became much more wondrous: the money and the courses became more clear, but then disappeared from the sale of items ... Recently, the December auction of the leading auction houses were just "horror with a gun." High-class work easily converted on one hand, and the unconditional masterpieces and not been a single. So much so that for the first time in ten years, individual system collectors just do not go up for auction, disappointed in the selection of catalogs.

This, of course, the problem for most money auction, antique lines, because by the Russian contemporary art auction sales while still exotic (the Kandinsky Prize nominee Nicholas Polissky them, for example, does not). So the auction houses were not measured. But there are subjective evaluations of gallery owners, specializing in kontemporari: annual sales in quantitative terms fell several times (with very "few" - That way once in five). Public price while generally remained at pre-crisis levels, but increasingly began to use tool discounts and exchange techniques. For example, a number of galleries, has traditionally focused on the euro, was transferred Prices in U.S. dollars. "Aidan Gallery" and agreed completely with the artists to change in the euro-dollar price tags, not touching the figures: what had previously been suspended 3 000 euros, was 3 000 dollars. Most of the other circuits more complex, but the strategy is the same - without dumping to go to meet the crisis battered consumer.

Record of the year. 5,4 million dollars for "Portrait of Madame M." Tamara de Lempicka

I know, I know ... Who wants to talk about the "purity of blood" and belonging to the repertoire of Russian art, go to the appropriate forum thread. The facts are as follows: Tamara de Lempicka de - the only artist, having broken our "chart" of Russian art in 2009. In May 2009, ie close to the theoretical bottom of the crisis, its meter canvas "Portrait of Madame M." in 1932 was sold at Christie's for 5.4 million dollars, slightly below the lower estimate. But the figures - a stubborn thing: this is for Impressionist and post-war modernist five million is not money. And for Russian art - is the eighth in the rankings. 5.4 million - a figure sufficient to "move» with "Rainbow" and Ilya Kabakov with the famous "Zhuk", and Boris Kustodiev with his 2.84 million pounds for the "Village Fair" - and does push from the top ten. Here you and sprightly art-diva, here's the glamorous "Cubism-Lights» ...

Tamara de Lempicka Portrait of Madame M 1932. Oil on canvas. 99,5 x 64,8 Estimate: 6.8 million Result: 5.4 million Christie's. 06.05.09. Lot № 26

Exhibition of the year. The main project of the Third Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art

In the final review of the noteworthy event-skewed towards modern art. Subjectively, so it is: the year was indeed a watershed in terms of promotion of contemporary art. This is not about sales (there is just all modesty), namely, non-commercial side - the year was a shock for the biennale, discussions. It so happened that the drums of modern art in this year sounded, perhaps louder than the "classic" violins and cellos.

Thus, unlike the other nominations in the art of the spectacle has got a shock : OSTovtsy in "Elysium» , « American artists from Russia Empire "in the Tretyakov Gallery . From antique important exhibition projects keep pace and kontemporari - continued daring exhibitions Mary Dormousov on "Red October», opening date exhibition of contemporary art at the Tretyakov Gallery , display assembly Francois Pinault in Moscow and, finally, The third Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art - a representative review of world art with a recognized curator Jean-Hubert Martin. Apart from the main Biennale project, launched in the "Garage", within the inspection took place in Moscow has dozens of parallel exhibitions, including the already famous "Russian poor. Still, with an eclectic main project of the Third Biennial "Against exception" no match was pointless - the undisputed event of the year. It's nice that most of the project, even against the background of Anish Kapoor "Russian landing" did not lose: our Dmitry Gutov , Paul Pepperstein , Anatoly Osmolovsky , Ivan Chuikov and others were very level. refresh fond memories of the main projects of the Third Biennial help photo essay on our forum .

Perhaps the only major setback Biennale - a runaway demonstration of the famous project" Horizon "of the British star of the sculptor Antony Gormley . It was planned that in Moscow will bring 27 anthropomorphic sculptures of grown-in, which was placed on the roofs of buildings, and another 14 sculptures will support the group on the ground. And it seems to agree, even the officials were received, but not fused. A pity.

Book of the Year. Catalog-Nicholas Krymov reason

Exit reason the artist (the composite collection of all known of his works) - this event and pride for the art market. Indication of its development, civilization, organization. And for our market - the triple event. In our complex history and years of neglect, the work of systematizing heritage requires a lot of asceticism. Not accidentally reason Russian artists can be counted on the fingers: the Robert Falk (painting), Mikhail Shvartsman, Pavel Filonov, Alexei Kharlamov. Big union catalog of paintings (but not the reason) is Dmitry Krasnopevtsev preparing catalog-reason (as stated in the announcement) Alexandra Deineki. But in general, not very thick. Therefore out reason the famous symbolist Nicholas Krymova - is an automatic application for book of the market for Russian art.

titanic work to systematize the heritage of the artist spent Ivan B. Porto. In the year the book came out he was gone. Sorrowful year. In the 2009-meters away from the life Dina Verni , Sawa Yamshchikov, Vagrich Bahchanyan , Alexander Gnilitskiy , Andrei Vasnetsov , Olga Lopukhova.

scandal years. Discussion of "enemies of culture and problems of" degenerate art »

That had been the scandals: catalog fakes," Shishkin-Kukkuk "," nesuny "in the Hermitage - feast for the eyes! The current scandal poskuchnee. This is an echo of last year's awarding of the Prize Kandinsky. Then choice in favor of the patriotic project of Alexey Belyaev-Gintovt divided the art community to those who turned out to prefer boldness of conception, and those who do not agree to consider the art Belyaeva-Gintovt outside the context of its political belief in the "Eurasian" platform.

picks, charges almost in nationalism and opposing any pathos ideological projects in Chechnya continued throughout the year. But at the end of 2009 picks went beyond appearances: in November site ECM authorized or there appeared some sort of statement about the "march against degenerate art" in which Erofeev, Osmolovskiy and Tar were called "enemies of the Russian people in the field of culture» . The words attributed to Alexey Belyaev-Gintovt, and «enemies of the Russian people ..." immediately responded in an appropriate manner of emotional occasion . And hurry. The statement was quickly disavowed, and the responses to it are still available. On the one hand, everything seems clear: in the modern art there is a politicized part of the warring parties, with the provocations, skirmishes with the emotional. In parallel, there is a significant part of those whom this does not touch them. But more disturbing: the artists - they are people who feel very thin processes in society, often ahead of schedule, so that this skirmish - a symptom of major movements.

analysis of HIPC year, can be noted three events: the arrest in France of the exhibition poor Alexandra Exter, in which, according to the parties to the dispute, appear questionable work ( Andrei Nakov" argues "with Jean Shovlenom ), an administrative decision on the forthcoming demolition of the Central House of the artist and The trial of the organizers of the exhibition" Forbidden Art - 2006 ». However, the last - this is probably taking place in the category of "Shame of the year" or "misunderstanding year».

Work Alexey Belyaev-Gintovt on the stand gallery" Triumph "on the" Art-Moscow - 13 » price target - 20 thousand euro

Artist of the Year. Sergei Shutov

It would seem that what is there to think? There Kandinsky Prize. Just behind the curtain year. Literate selection, qualified jury - who would be called, he and the hero. And then it happened.

imagine how many people sat writing urgently to rewrite the ready-made publication after the announcement of the winners of the major nominations. And no wonder. The result was not so much intrigue, but a certain incident. Formally, the shortlist in the category "Project of the Year" were three distinguished nominees: Polissky, Pepperstein and Zakharov . But the main rate immediately made to Nicholas Polissky (ex-Mitek, which showed how to turn culture into a lever for economic growth) and Paul Pepperstein (ex-Inspection Medical Hermeneutics ", which showed a lot of things in the field of postmodern literature and fine arts). The question was put squarely: Polissky will or Pepperstein? And the answer to all was: "Wrong, Zakharov. Not to be smart and "guessing" is not played.

Zakharov, so Zakharov. Context, as context. Moscow Conceptualism, a circle Andrew Monastyrskoye , the practice of co-sponsorship as a way of, publishing, a significant contribution to the systematization of modern art of Russia . All is well. Just to the findings of the jury have no complaints. Regrettable another: there was not much resonance that prize piece is extremely important. Recall that last year's Kandinsky Prize with the winning Belyaev-Gintovt halloo a year. And now she does not give much rest. For her people quarreled, quarreled, and shared their views about each other in the press - in short, was a stormy debate. And with the current premium, I'm afraid this will not be. And even diatribe medalist Vadim Zakharov (for some reason forgotten about Andrew Monastery, which is steeper Kabakov ?) Large noise is not nadelala. After last year's scandal (utterly far-fetched), the organizers are likely to strive for greater respectability that no one with whom no quarrel. Wanted, then got. I have nothing against Zakharova, bonuses were all worthy.

But, remembering the past year, most definitely impressed by another "dinosaur" of modern art of Russia, Sergei Shutov . Sign painter, his works are quite expensive (indicative range of large format works - from 25 thousand dollars), but still heavily undervalued, with significant growth potential. Information reason for nominating Shutava is more than worthy. In late January, the Moscow Museum of Modern Art ended its luxury high rise retrospective exhibition "necessary and optional» , in which the factor deserved did not restrict liberty of painting and multimedia art material.

СЕРГЕЙ ШУТОВ Ничто человеческое. 1992 Холст, масло, смешанная техника. Коллекция компании «Микроинформ». Фото с выставки «Необходимое и необязательное», январь 2009

Владимир Богданов, AI