Artist of the week: Zenon Komissarenko
ARTinvestment.RU   05 июня 2017

For the first time in the Auction AI — graphical work of Soviet avant-garde painter, pioneer of the dynamic figure and a revolutionary animation, vhutemasovtsev, a student of Tatlin, associate Nikritina. And not to blame, if you had not heard that name

That's fine. Many have not heard.

Generally, Komissarenko we came about the same story as last time with Sergey Simakov. The impetus for the "investigation" was a bold work brought to us for auction. Look, expressive avant-garde graphics. Dates back to the 1960-ми, but in spirit, like from the 1930s-х. Who is the author? Komissarenko. Strangely, the name doesn't ring a bell. Well, we let's find out. And flair did not disappoint. Looking ahead, I will say that before us was the work of one of the artists standing in the forefront of "revolutionary art" in the 1920-е years.

Vhutemasovtsev teachers Zenon Petrovich Komissarenko (1891-1980) was Tatlin and Malevich. His colleagues and comrades — Solomon Nikritin, Kliment red'ko, Alexander Tyshler, Sergei Luchishkin, Peter Williams, Alexander Labas. Together with them, the Zenon Komissarenko developed ideas proektsionizma in the group "Method", which existed from 1922 to 1925. The concept proektsionizma invented Nikritin: the artist must not produce things art, and their "projection" to produce meanings and methods on the basis of which will produce works for consumption. Artists "the Method" at the time, gravitated towards abstraction, prefiguratively painting. But ironically, their best work is represented in the Tretyakov gallery, — is later things, and generally quite figurative. For example, the ideologue of the group Solomon Nikritin most know heavy on the expressionist work "the court of the people" in 1934, rescued and donated to the Tretyakov gallery by the collector Costakis.

Inspired by the experimental "dynamic graphics", Zenon Komissarenko stood at the origins of Soviet animation. In 1924 hopelessly imperfect technical tools he and his colleagues did experimental propaganda animated film "Interplanetary revolution" — the tale of the red warrior of the Comintern with bourgeois flew to Mars on the planet all the bourgeoisie broke up. This black-белый poorly preserved cartoon you can watch on YouTube. Yeah, not a masterpiece. It is evident that the creators invent a technology, trying to build a picture of artisanal techniques. But the function of the avant-garde: he doesn't have to be beautiful, his role — to pave a new road. This Komissarenko coped. In his Studio he took his first steps, future famous animator and Director Ivan Ivanov-Вано. And here he is-то in twenty years, will be the author of the masterpieces "Skate-Горбунок", "the Tale of Tsar Saltan". Also, by the way, vhutemase.

One of the first Soviet animated film "Interplanetary revolution" (1924).
Multipliers: Yuri Merkulov, Zenon Komissarenko, Nicholas Intercessors
Source: youtube.com

Mars, that is Space, and the music was, perhaps, the favored topics, which are explored in his works, Zenon Komissarenko. In his extant graphic abstraction art historians feel the rhythm of the music, the invasion of the territory of "color music", the influence invented in the 1920's innovative musical instrument the theremin. How do I know. But it looks that way.

the artistic heritage Komissarenko were unhappy fate. He did a lot ofexperimental painting 1920-40-е years, but a large part of his paintings perished in the fire. Systematization and especially the museumification of heritage was no one. In the postwar period to exhibit Komissarenko has been very rare. The last lifetime exhibition of the artist held in the early 1970-х years on professional, not on the Museum grounds — in the House of cinema and at Mosfilm.

Since the late 1960-х Zenon Komissarenko worked and kept house work from his friends. Worked a lot, made many hundreds of graphic sheets. Remember that the artist painted until his last days. And Komissarenko lived to a ripe old age, died in 1980-м, a year before his 90-летия, in a nursing home for artists. According to others, in 1978-м.

2000-м years the artist was at least half-forgotten, and only recently have art historians begun to reflect on its role in history, to establish the facts of the biography, find and again to show the work to the public. In particular, recently the exhibition Zenon Komissarenko was our friends "Open club". Getting ready for it, the organizers have done a difficult work to clarify the details of the biography of the artist, identification of the boundaries of his creative periods. Nevertheless, in this matter there is still a lot more work to do. This I mean that before the new collectors of Komissarenko will rise many research challenges.

the works of Zenon Komissarenko is in the collections of the Nukus Museum of arts, the Russian Museum, MMSI, Yaroslavl art Museum and others.

as for the market, at a public auction appeared so far only one work Zenon Petrovich Komissarenko: graphics "Flight" was exhibited in America in 2007, with an estimate of $1 200-1 800, not sold. So not just at our auction, but in Russia in General Komissarenko will be exhibited for the first time. The reserve price will be comfortable, much lower than the us estimate. But overall, I think the reference to the drawings Komissarenko should be about $500-1000 depending on quality. Why? In the works, plus the level of works associated with the artist story. On the other hand, according to the testimony of people who have surrounded him in recent years, these sheets must be many. That means sky-high prices can not be. Must first be formed the circle of collectors, and this requires a specific nutrient medium: exhibitions, affordable prices, research, driving forces. On not going to think — auction soon will show a lot.

Vladimir Bogdanov, AI

What else to read on the topic on AI:
Komissarenko, Zenon p. (1891-1980), biography