The demand for "positive realism". That showed sales in London
ARTinvestment.RU   14 декабря 2017

In the beginning of 2017 in the backroom conversations of art-дилеров raised the question: frequent requests on search "solar" and "joyful" socialist realism — is that? Anomalous outburst or serious new trend?

a Ghost 100-летнего anniversary of the Revolution began to wander through Europe last year, popugaeva impressionable audience at exhibitions and conferences. The theme of the heritage of the revolution and the Soviet Union became the reason for the revival of intercultural relations, weakening for several years. So, in London, at the Royal Academy, and in early 2017, with the successful exhibition "the Revolution. Russian art 1917-1932". And she was alone. However 1917-1932 —, it is rather about the revolutionary avant-garde, not realism. Chronologically it ends 1932-м — year of adoption of the resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU(b) "On restructuring literary-художественных organizations", in fact, order the dissolution of any creative associations in favor of a single controlled of the creative unions on the basis of the state ideology.

Where did socialist realism? By 1932, the new education in the form of Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia drew the bottom line in search of avant-garde art forms. Its rules in art was limited to three simple principles: 1) "the rule of three R", meaning "to write, as Rubens, Rembrandt, Repin"; 2) "the struggle between good and better"; 3) monumentalism. This simple formula has returned the painting, brought avant-garde to the intellectual absolute, the craft function and reduced the degree of freedom and creative exploration to zero. But the orders could feed the whole gang of artists.

Back to market. Yes, vanguard is the most interesting to sell, who can argue. But where can I get it? Stuff for sale remains extremely small. And you need that-то to offer new collectors. And British auctions, mainly Sotheby's, decided-таки to try to promote socialist realism, which remained a lot. Not only in the forehead and in the wide front art of the Soviet era, which included the avant-garde, socialist realism and opposing recent social-арт, and informal post-war art.

In November within the framework of Russian week "Sotheby's" announced and held a specialized auction "the Art of the Soviet Union." As a result, we witnessed an interesting shopping experiment designed to answer the question of whether socialist realism to feed the sellers of art.

it Should be noted that "Sotheby's" don't let the process of preparation for the auction with the socialist realism on the course. In June held sighting — tried to sell the strongest examples of the genre. The most memorable at that time was perhaps the canvas "Zhukov on horseback" Vasily Yakovlev sold in terms of dollars for $80 600. This is a repeat pattern which is stored in the Tretyakov Gallery. For the indiscretion of this ceremonial portrait scolded not artist and model, the history of painting involves a lot of tales, and generally, of course, the thing is axiomatic. But it's the lyrics. Most importantly, the buyer was found and the signal was received: "Yes, to sell things of this class."

And if so, then you need to increase pressure. And strengthened. Under the artillery preparation for the November auction the offensive was launched a series of insider articles from the experts of the auction house "Sotheby's" and other knowledgeable people — for example, an interview with Vice-президента Sotheby's Frances Asquith with Tatyana Frenkel, grandniece of Solomon Nikritin. The former avant-gardist had to survive in Soviet times, escaping from the kinks and iron fist. The artist Pavel Nikonov recalledthat Nikitin "so afraid [of Stalin's repressions] that hide who he is". But whereas for the Western collectors Nikritin was practically an unknown artist, now under the influence of "soft power" in one season turned into "opening". And he is not alone.

the x-hour has come. November 28, 2017, Sotheby's held thematic auction Art of the Soviet Union. Result: of the 122 lots left 48 % and the revenues amounted to more than $2 700 000. But it's all together. That is, the figures include sales not only of socialist realism, but also posters, works 1920-х years, photography, austere style, non-conformism and critical social-арт. The real socialist realism began with 242 lots, with still life "Commissioner of social realism" by Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov. Ear domestic art, the name means hatred of dissent, and hundreds of ruined lives of artists from-за unfair accusations of formalism. Obscurantist statements Gerasimov quote to understand the ideological context of the Stalin era. And we need the same lot with a bunch of really Gerasimov went for $412 000. Funny hybrid of wizard, discovered five years ago by the auctioneer Leonid Shishkin, where the "two leader" (Stalin and Voroshilov) hover over the vast herd of red cows (lot 267), was not sold with an estimate of $106 000-160 000. Was not to the buyers taste and the lyric "Lenin in Razliv" Eugene Shcherbakov (lot 268), and even good and cheap photos Abramochkin (lots 251-253).

so, of the 122 lots to socialist realism can be attributed to 66. And that of these 66 were sold 27 lots, that is, 41 %. The average estimate of sold works — $ 865 000, and the amount of fees from their sale — $1 113 000 (without a fee, at the rate of 1.35 to the pound, the currency of the auction). It turns out that the "hammer" price was higher than the conservative expectations of the auction almost 29 %.

How to interpret these numbers? These are 41% and 29 % is considered good, or not?

+ 29% to the average estimate — well. It is bad when less than half the sold lots. Even by the standards of Russian auction market 41% on lots of — is below average. For comparison: at the end of 2016, the average percentage of lots sold in the segment of painting and graphics at the Russian auctions amounted to 44 %. And the best houses were sold, more than 60% of the lots. And it is in Russia, where the investment climate is frosty. London, Sotheby's 40 % —, it does twice as worse than their usual percentage of sales. Even including "Russian auction". In General, the triumph of the first solid experience in sales of socialist realism is not exactly unsuccessful. On the other hand — and the bread.

Analysts art-рынка should be grateful to the auction house "Sotheby's": they decided not just on the auction and on auction — social experiment. To them the idea of the rapid growth of interest in socialist realism there was in the status of "verbal intervention". High expectations were associated not only with the Revolution, but with the increasing popularity of Stalin, and with the understanding of the cyclical nature of fashion and individual success in this market segment on the local Moscow auction. In particular, in March 2017 at the Moscow auction "Russian Enamel" in Moscow is insignificant "lilac" by the same A. M. Gerasimov gave 3.6 million rubles, without a fee. However, the hypothesis did not stand the test. At auction Sotheby's, dedicated to Soviet art, major acquisitions occurred in the usual first class names Dmitry Nalbandian or Alexander Gerasimov. Less well-known artists went at low prices. Social realism, with a pronounced ideological component, even with the Sunny palette is like the clown from a horror movie "It". An educated collector for such a thing is unlikely to hold, and the investor, bearing in mind Russian bubbles of 2008, will go past the nameless working-крестьянских of individuals smiling with the heavy canvases.

Uliana Dobrova, especially for AI