Life after the CHA
ARTinvestment.RU   31 января 2017

While formally there is a strong rumor. Maybe this time will be able to fight back. However, it's time to imagine what the consequences for the national art market is fraught with possible transfer of areas under the jurisdiction of the CHA, the Tretyakov gallery?

that sooner or later this happens, it has been clear for a long time. Rather surprising it took so long to structures of Masut Fatkulina was able to peacefully coexist with the Tretyakov gallery. Causing the sale of masterpieces from the collection of the International Confederation of unions of artists at Sotheby's, for which Medina received the submission of the Prosecutor General, only hastened the denouement. Searches, detention, hint-хорошему to pass the state property of the Confederation — it was only a matter of time. The state needs these areas, and the occasion in any case there would be. Had it not been with Sotheby's of Nyssa, there would be what-нибудь more.

the Exact details of the proposed transaction Fatkulina with the state set him a time (this is important) and offer possible alternatives today is unlikely to know who-то from outsiders. But we can hypothetically assume that will happen when and if the state Tretyakov gallery will occupy the entire building on the Crimean Shaft, 10.

so, what is in store for the national art market likely minimize Commerce in the CHA?

1. Interrupted almost a quarter-century history of the Russian Antique Salon —, the country's only regular gathering of antique dealers. Optimists will say that the Cabin can move, open up in a new place or take place in a mobile mode, as previously passed the Moscow international salon of fine arts. But I don't believe it. The status of the Antiquarian Salon is largely based on tradition, and the factor of stable, prestigious places were very significant. In addition, for the fate of the Salon has always been a critical human factor: much of this case rested on Basil Bychkiv (Director of the operating organization "Ekpo-парк"), his personal relationships, ability to mobilize key actors. I doubt that the old people will want to re-start a business in a new place. And without this, how? In General, if you notice, a substitute closed in recent years, salons and fairs does not appear. Where, for example, replacing ART-МАНЕЖу after the eviction from the Arena? Where replacement art faculty after the eviction of the New Arena? You can destroy quickly, but to rebuild will take years.

2. Artists and organizers of exhibitions will be deprived of the only places where attendance was by gravity. In this sense, the CHA has performed an important social function. He was (and is still) not just a place where artists and gallery owners for a very reasonable price was able to rent space for their exhibitions. Paying rent to the walls in the CHA, they didn't be sad in an empty room, where people zero and in contact with the public. When more, when less, but in the Central house of artists coming in every day what-то people and what-то buyers. The other place is not. And his loss for many artists and their representatives will definitely be an impact.

3. The visited places have to move out and galleries that have rented in the CHA room. Over the years, Krymsky Val gallery formed a cluster, which was convenient to visit people in several cases. Customers got used to it. And once the galleries to disperse to different placesMoscow, the attendance of each individual predictable structure will fall. And the problem is not only that. In CHA was created all the conditions for trading precious Antiques — paintings for hundreds of thousands of dollars. There and security, and special storage. And everything is at hand. To exhibit at Antique shops, galleries had to do was move his paintings from one floor to another. Such a service is difficult to recreate in a new place. And very expensive. In General, moving in times of crisis — the process is so painful that some galleries-арендаторы probably decide not to continue in its present form.

4. The status of the Central house of artists (as opposed to commercial galleries), allowed the General press to write about their exhibitions without suspicion of conflict of interest. If the news about the exhibition commercial galleries commonly have to coordinate with your own advertising Department of the exhibition in Central house of artists was perceived conventionally as a Museum. About these you can write without restrictions. For the same reason this site was easier to win the attention of the cameras.

5. When the exhibition in Central house of artists you can count on the support of their own PR-службы. For example, they themselves sent out invitations to a large accumulated database of addresses. Now the organizers of the exhibitions (if you do not Pushkin and not the gallery) it is very difficult to win the attention of visitors and press. And if invitations from unknown people often go straight to the trash, letters from the house of journalists read. For the artist to support his exhibition from the powerful press-службы was very helpful. In the case of closure that will not or won't be the same.

Listed — this is not a complete list of possible consequences of the takeover of the CHA. The transfer state will lead to hundreds of small tragedies that many people will lose their jobs, many businesses will close or will lose a large part of the clients, the artists will lose the only exhibition venue of such rank and source of income. But who and when care, if we are talking about the interests of the state? And most importantly: an antique market without CHA will lose its main character and center of power. In no other area is so popular and suited for storage and trading of expensive Antiques.

How could this situation develop?

Pessimists-реалисты believe that doors will close and all will be asked to leave. Without any compromise. They say, sneeze the authorities wanted to the problems of antiquaries and artists. People who until this point had banned the export of art abroad, precisely to the bulb problems of the traders and the investment climate. For the climate they don't ask. Optimists believe that the authorities can offer a viable alternative. What? Conventionally, pick up another one-то halls, and even with Parking at a reasonable distance from the Center. And all of a sudden? Of course, even in this case, the former unique "ecosystem", built up over many years in the CHA, will not be recreated. But the exhibition process bad-бедно will improve. Well, at least that-то.

a Separate question — the fate of the Antique Salon. Here, even the optimists will be difficult to steer into a positive. The Salon has always been difficult participants (followed by the tens of thousands of euros during design week, so I have the right). Any new alternative structure will entice very difficult. Some of them already have the sad experience in recent versions of MWFAF. Enough already. Try and experiment with top-end galleries will not force — they need initially promoted the site. And where to take it? Another thing — "third floor" — gallery easier and individual entrepreneurs. They will be created accessible formats with different names — gatherings of collectors, weekend markets, etc. But all of these beginnings, like everything new, you will have to overcome a difficult phase of the initial mistrust customers. People from the CHA it took many years of hard work.

Vladimir Bogdanov, AI