Why Russia recorded record-breaking attendance at museums?
ARTinvestment.RU   10 апреля 2017

At the final Board meeting of the Ministry of culture of Russia were summed up official results of 2016: the Russian museums visited by 123 million people. Wow! Why is happiness and can it not to waste?

the number, however, is not a sensation. In December 2016 at the Council for culture and the arts Putin said about what-то simply stunning the number of visitors to museums — 120 000 000 per year (with a population of 146 000 000). And that was only a preliminary figure. Now Vladimir Medinsky it said: "overall, in 2016 the visit to the state museums of the Ministry of culture of the Russian Federation in comparison with 2012 (note: not in one year!) increased by 41 % — from 87 to 123 million visitors a year." This is even without taking into account private museums, which are becoming more. Revenue growth of museums from 2012 to 2016 (again note: not a year!) was, according to the Minister, 225 %. In particular, two of the most popular exhibitions the Tretyakov gallery (Ivan Aivazovsky and Valentin Serov) was visited by 1,000,000 people, which allowed the Museum to make about 400 000 000. This amount includes money not only on tickets, but also from the sale of books and albums.

123 000 000 visitors a year? Well, what? Sounds bizarre, but no more than 86 % of the rating or 54 % of the vote in the Duma elections. It's not even that 123 million — is approximately 84 % of Russia's population in 2016, including babies, prisoners and the infirm elders. Here, too, if you want you can draw what-нибудь explanation: all of a sudden we just didn't notice how the people every Friday to buy tickets and sabarimala in museums all weekend? Or haven't noticed that foreign tourists from affluent countries go to great flocks hungering and cultural values? It is, after all, a matter of imagination. But another strange. The Ministry provides statistics that two of the top exhibitions in the country for a couple gathered one million visitors. So, in order to believe 120 million visitors, need to believe that in the country in 2016 swept at least 240 of the Museum's "blockbuster", not inferior in class, Aivazovsky and Serov. You can imagine it? Is difficult for me personally.

In General, I don't know what to think.

However, regardless of the specific numbers, the positive momentum given by the Minister, I believe quite willingly. The fact that in recent years there has been a surge of interest in culture in General and art in particular, visible to the naked eye. When the queue in the Tretyakov gallery have pulled together a field kitchen? Was it like that before ever in history? I doubt it. And this eternal online-дефицит of tickets to the Pushkin and the Tretyakov gallery on the top of the exhibit? Among my friends nobody has been able to buy tickets online — everything instantly sold out. On the ferry to the Crimea to buy tickets is easier than on our Caravaggio. The Museum phenomenon foolish to deny. It has emerged in the last two-три years, and one convincing explanation for him to hear me is still not accounted for.

it is Possible to propose different versions of why the audience rushed to the museums of the first row.

the First — jaded by the Internet and media entertainment. Tired not that TV, but YouTube, videos from social networks and even TV shows from torrents. And that's why we need to get up off the couch is perceived as a real adventure. People want reality. And Museum, but stilltaken by storm, — is a good adventure.

the Second version (intersecting with the first) — fashion intellectual image. Cool was not to show wealth, but to broadcast an interesting experience, not available to all. What to post on Facebook? Cars, iphoney, lobster tavern or the Eiffel tower — as-то frankly gone. And here is a photograph from Svalbard (where tour price is comparable to iPhone) or from the Vienna state Opera or a selfie from the masterpiece from the fashion fair — is quite another matter. However, this is not an exhaustive explanation. The majority of adults standing in the cold, were to be exhibited clearly not for photos in social networks.

the Third version of — economic. We are experiencing a historic moment with unpredictable prospects. For a long time. Accumulates the need for bread and circuses. The majority became less likely to travel abroad, Thyssen-Борнемису many will see not soon. And the Tretyakov gallery and the Pushkin Museum next door, and the level of the world. So why should the nose turn?

the Fourth version: the jump in attendance — a natural reaction to a sharp increase in the quality of work of museums. Ambitious Directors, daring exhibition plans, competition in the Museum grounds for the viewer — again, all of this is relatively recent. It is evident that the organizers have enough drive and from local museums to the exhibition to collect, and foreign cultural institutions on the exchange to negotiate, despite the disturbing foreign policy nonsense. In museums became more interesting than before. If there is dust flying and all were afraid of everything, then there would be no queues Serov, Caravaggio, Michelangelo and the treasures of the Vatican.

Well, and the fifth version (the most probable) — that all the factors simultaneously. High Museum attendance we are experiencing a new civilizational phase, historical phase, when successfully matched vectors all acting forces. This as earlier argued in the kitchen, then moved on to online-форумы, then social networks, then decided to go to procrastes in real — everything comes in waves. It is unlikely that the Museum's attendance always will be, after the rise the decline can occur. To stay in place, the organizers of the exhibitions will need to run hard. The bar is set high, and museums, this call is clear.

And what sense to guess how long it will last and when it will end. It is important that today everything is good: people got a taste for intellectual amusement. Moreover, the process is natural, without pressure or manipulation, without the frenzied agitation and even without massive advertising. In General, it is not known exactly how, but suddenly-то very good happened: the Russians suddenly were less likely to listen Stas Mikhailov, and often go for a good exhibition.

Well. Aivazovsky @our mdas. What's next? Is it possible to ride this wave of abnormal interest in art? Whether it is the use of artists and members of art-рынка?

Before you discuss this topic, I suggest to remember how in recent years the number of spectators in the exhibitions corresponds to the number of art buyers. According to experts, the percentage of conversion in this case — depressing: less than 2% of visitors go to the art fairs. And buy — even less. In particular, the active participants of auctions of art in Russia of 300 people. All over the country. Will give Aivazovsky and Serov momentumthe art market? Partly Yes. Maybe another 20 people will feel the need for regular purchases. However, this opinion is in the category of "cautious pessimism", that is, if we carry on as before.

But there is another view. The opinion that it is not necessary to think as it was before, because "before" is no more.

the country has a sector with much untapped potential, decades, surviving decades of internal compressive spring — Russian contemporary art. And the Russian current is used with a special power to open up at a critical historical moments. When the air is full of anxiety and uncertainty, but the Vita hope for the best, — now is the time for new art. In such a situation of "fire" and the first Russian avant-garde, nonconformists, and the art of the "dashing" 1990-х. Now is the time than-то similar. The spring remains compressed for thirty years, a whole generation had to change, and intuition tells us that the infinite can not continue. @Ndashто will. New viewers will find their artists. Moreover, as shown by the unexpected Museum boom, can occur all in the same sudden way. And so they meet in the entourage of the underground or exhibition halls, with money or without money again, — is another question, time will tell.

Vladimir Bogdanov, AI

Sources: mkrf.ru, kremlin.ru