Picture of the week. Yuri Vasiliev (MON). "Harmony of letters" 1971
ARTinvestment.RU   10 октября 2017

This artist-шестидесятнику Bulat Okudzhava dedicated the famous song "Painters, dip your brushes" (1959), which we hear in the movie "the Pokrovskie gate"

what was capable of Yuri Vasiliev with a trusted group of associates, provides a representation of the famous play "Pugachev" at the Taganka Theater, as an artist he became, at the invitation Lyubimov. Vysotsky in the role of Khlopusha, focus completely on the actor, the scenery, but these falling chain-оковы still remember all born in the USSR. Incredibly simple, bold, avant-garde, given that it was 1967, — Yes-да, the premiere of "Pugachev" took place 50 years ago. Even if Vasiliev nothing more is made, one is "Pugachev" enough to stay in history. But it was only one episode. And performances in the "Theatre on Taganka" Vasilyev was still a lot. With Yuri Lyubimov he did "Fallen and the living", "Master and Margarita" — a total of seven productions. On the day of death of Vladimir Vysotsky in 1980 Yury Vasiliev Director and friend of the poet asked to take the death mask.

Yuri Vasilyev (his work, he signed the pseudonym MON — "single") — soldier, fought 18 years, was wounded, awarded orders and medals. In 1953 graduated from Surikovka and almost immediately, in 1954, was admitted to the Union of artists. Since 1956, Vasiliev was exhibited at the youth exhibition on Kuznetsky bridge, along with Ernst Neizvestny, the Siddur — by Lemport — by Silis, Krasnopevtsev who was the Artist. In the late 1950-х met with Yevgeny Kropivnitsky, father-in-law of Oscar Rabin. The leader of the "Lianozovsky group" Oscar Rabin recalls that at one time Vasiliev was a student of Kropivnitsky. It at that time particularly interested in the cultural heritage of the Russian avant-garde, which Kropiwnicki could tell you a lot.

Despite the close communication with the "Lianozovsky" and other artists of the informal art, Vasiliev Soviet system was not openly opposed. Furthermore, friends, he gives the impression of a convinced in the ideals of communism people. According to a friend, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, was a "Communist-идеалистом". Although treated kindly by the authorities was not. On the contrary. Exhibition in the best case for one day, then closed. And full PCs Vasiliev was after his death. In the "Other art" you can find confirmation of this paradox in the memoirs of Ernst Neizvestny: "under Stalin, as a student, I started to do things informal, conspirare them. Differences with the socialist realism arose in the Institute primarily at the soldiers. Many of these young people were even Communists, but their experiences, their life experience did not match the smoothness of socialist realism. We do not theoretically, but existentially fell out of common, werequired other means of expression. I have the fate to be one of the first, but not the only. To this circle belonged Yuri Vasiliev, Oscar Rabin, Siddur and others." In turn, Oscar Rabin also recalled that Vasiliev "was a member of Moscow Union of artists, and even of the Communist party Subsequently happened to him trouble. In the famous American magazine “life” published an article about several Moscow artists and placed reproductions of their works. I don't remember about the others, but Yuri threatened to exclude from Mosha, from the party. The result was his first heart attack".

Around the mid-1960-х years Yuri Vasiliev, moving from expressionism to surrealism, increasingly drawn to abstraction and a special combination technique that includes elements of collage, abstraction and figuration. The late 1960 — 1970-е can be considered a particularly valuable period in the artist's work. At this time, Vasiliev made a series of particularly expressive original abstract works, one of which — painting "Harmony of letters" 1971 — this week just put on our auction. Please note that a combination of "hammered" in the canvas letters — is not a random set, and encrypted words that form a poetic pattern.

painterly abstraction Vasiliev (MON) 1960-70-х years long gone to private collections and rarely appear at auction. For the results that we capture the work of Yuri Vasilyev (MON) it is available a fairly wide range of collectors. The artist, according to AI, remains undervalued, there is potential for price growth. One relatively recent auction event — selling prefiguratively the song "Revival" AI Auction in 2016 for 90 000 rubles ($1 400) plus Commission. In the price ranking of auction sales for artist this is the second result. And in first place at the prices — just an abstraction with letters "Where the enemy is, where each" sold in 2013 for 130 000 rubles (it was almost $4000).

Yuri Vasiliev passed away 27 years ago, in 1990, after a long illness, and not the first is a heart attack. The artist left a surprisingly good memory. After his death, was published warm words friends: Bulat Okudzhava, Ernst Unknown, Bella Akhmadulina, Boris Messerer, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Yuri Nagibina. Especially Yevtushenko, for which Vasiliev was generally a favorite artist. Three years later, after his death, in 1993-м was organized his first personal exhibition. Today the work of Yuri Vasilyev are stored in the collections of leading museums, including the Tretyakov gallery. His sculptures are installed in France ("Harmony" in the city Voudrai) and in Japan ("Tenderness" in Yokohama).

Vladimir Bogdanov, AI

Sources: artin vestment.ru, artlib.ru, rupoem.ru, artlib.ru