AI Auction a large watercolor from the series "October" one of the most important artists of the avant-garde 1920-30-х, an eyewitness to the events of 1917-го and member of the Civil war Alexander Labasa

• Alexander Labas at the opening of the personal exhibition. 1976
  Source: labasfond.ru
• Alexander LABAS On the train. Option V. series "October". 1958
  Paper, watercolor, whitewash and pencil. Of 68.5 × 48.5 (sheet), 66,5 × 46,5 (light)
  Source: artinvestment.ru

Today the name Alexander Abramovich Labasa (1900-1983) — symbol of romance the mid-1920-х. Finally-то the war ended. Here-вот will finish the last remnants of counter-revolution and begin to live by-новому — happily. Heaven will surf airships and airplanes, people will morning rush at the airports, all parts of a large country will suffer a high-speed train, and the leisure of the victorious proletariat will be to brighten a new progressive art.

books where everything is laid out on the shelves, sometimes the illusion that the Russian avant-garde 1910-30-х years developed strictly according to the temporal and evolutionary stages, there is some logic and consistency. Here, conventionally, was the "Jack of diamonds", then they were replaced by Malevich with Suprematism and Tatlin's constructivism with, and then — times, and came to the easel with Labasa, on — Association of artists of revolutionary Russia and... in 1932, when there was a decision, all associations of artists instantly dispersed and included masses of total social realism 50 years ahead. From the literature the impression that the same Tatlin and Labasa were a whole era. And actually, if you look closely, the difference in age they were only 15 years old, and Malevich in Labasa difference 22 years. It was a shared kitchen, close the circle: with the same Tatlin they for many years close friends, and Malevich, the artist was also familiar: Maitre came to Labasa to the workshop to get a first impression about the work Labasa twenty years. "Obnovlentsy" was also to Labasa is not from another world: the legendary founders of the Association Pyotr Konchalovsky and Ilya Mashkov was one of his teachers. What I? Just useful to understand that all these very different artists at the same time crossed the raging ocean of artistic passions, albeit on different ships, boats, and even feeble ships. Roaring, fighting, arguing at the level of their groups and art associations — and with "enemies" and each other. And all this occurred in parallel, at the same time. For example, UNOVIS Malevich — is 1919-1926-й, and the Association Method with Labas — is 1922-1925-й. Famous now OST (Society of easel), one of the founders of which was Labasa, started in 1925, that is, during the life of the "Founders of new art". Artists one time, they existed in the great General circulation of innovative ideas. Not many know that the now acknowledged master of the romantic figurative of plastic, with its inspired by trains, planes and airships in the years 1921-1924 he was really into non-objective painting and developing our own ideas of geometric abstraction. Only in 1924 Labas rejected abstraction. But then, in 1950-е years and in the late 1970-х again to irrelevance, to color the songs that inspired him in his youth and that 30 years ago was interested in Malevich.

• Alexander LABAS the Color composition. Oval. 1920-1921
  oil on Canvas
  Private collection
  Labas was fascinated by geometric abstraction and color compositions from 1921 to 1924
  Source: labasfond.ru
• Alexander LABAS the View of the Kremlin. 1946
  Canvas; butter. 77 × 97
  Macdougall. 25.11.2012
  sale Price: $360 100. Auction record for the artist
  Source: artinvestment.ru

Figure Labasa 1920-30-е years was constantly in the midst of the revolutionary events on isoprene. It was a time of high competition of ideas, accompanied by unusually high passions. Artists sorted out relations, the organized public debates, quarreled and argued until they were hoarse. Constantly created, split, broke up and was going to re-new artistic companies and groups. Labas was one of the notable participants in these processes. But it is hardly a rebel. It was rather romantic. Romantic bold (others are not going to a Civilian volunteer in 19 years), uncompromising in matters of art and what is called a man with a rod. Confirmation — his position after 1932, when the notorious decree of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) "On restructuring literary-художественных organizations," the activities of all these communities and groups has been terminated and the struggle against formalists. Art that does not call the masses to labor and military feats, declared not needed. It would seem, well that was worth the compromise and fit into a system of socialist realist production painting? Why to persist, to fight, barely making ends meet, living at times just to work wife? The price of such positions — not only lost material possessions, but ten years without exhibitions, without an audience, the risk to be forgotten and fall out of art history. Yes, and all this — seeing how satisfying and profitable settled in the Soviet system of yesterday's colleagues. However, Labas have chosen the path of independence. As far as possible.

Nobody could have foreseen that in 1932, Labas will be removed from the exhibition process is not just long, almost for 30 years. What-то time rescued. Then periodically began to appear orders for the production of panoramas and dioramas. Labasa involved in the design of important foreign exhibitions — USSR pavilions at the World exhibitions in Paris (1937) and new-Йорке (1939), etc. After the war, the Labas continued to do panoramas and dioramas, but often had to live on the earnings of his wife. Its Leonie Neumann-Лабас was German and translated books of Soviet writers into his native language. In all difficult times Labas continued to pursue easel painting and graphics.

Despite the lack of exhibitions of Alexander Abramovich Labasa remember, he was very respected among his colleagues and the younger generation of unofficial artists. For the latter, he was an example, pioneer, and the indomitable artist of Russian avant-garde.

• Alexander Labas (center) with artists Eduard Steinberg and Victor Pivovarov at the opening of his exhibition. 1976
  Source: labasfond.ru

Since the late 1950-х work Labasa already managed to sometimes include rare mixed exhibitions, which were mostly only know their own. For example, in 1959, 50 works Labasa shown at the exhibition 26 artists from Moscow,dedicated to the Moscow coke and gas plant, in DC in the suburban town of Vidnoye. Even so. And 7 years later the artist was much more noticeable group exhibition with Axelrod and other colleagues (1966). Here it has seen a wide audience, and its follow-up appeared the first after decades of neglect, the publication in the press. Well,-настоящему great return Labasa to the audience took place only in 1976 in a solo exhibition in honor of the 75-летия artist. In the exhibition hall of the Union of artists at the Kuznetsk Bridge was shown a retrospective of works by the master. At the same time the part of the works from that exhibition were acquired by the best museums in the country.

Today, Alexander Labas — is one of the most sought-after artists among collectors and lovers of art, and his exhibitions in the leading museums of the country gather in long lines. In 2000, his solo exhibition devoted to the 100-летию birthday, was held in the Pushkin Museum. Of A. S. Pushkin. In 2011, the New Tretyakov made a large-scale project "Alexander Labas. For speed of the XX century". And now at the Institute of Russian realist art is an important exhibition "Alexander Labas. October". Painting and graphics" — opinion not just of the artist as the witness of the revolutionary events: "I tried to be on the street, — recalled the artist, — I captured this rhythm, shooting, a crowd of soldiers, trucks with soldiers. This time, I amazingly feel, and always these images haunt me".

• Alexander LABAS Night in October. 1929
  oil on Canvas
  the State Russian Museum
  Source: labasfond.ru
• Alexander LABAS the First steam locomotive to Turksib. 1931
  oil on Canvas
  the State Tretyakov Gallery
  Source: labasfond.ru

Works by Alexander Labas are not just the best Museum collections but also in high-profile private collections. The market is still largely gallery, but the auction works were sold a lot. In particular, our database recorded nearly 200 auction events. The current auction record for creativity Labasa — $360 000 — was set at auction in London in 2012. However, Labasa. Just on auctions has not yet appeared the best things, the most appreciated by collectors of themes and subjects. Especially high in the work Labasa appreciated the romance of technological progress — airplanes, airships, trains. I think that inspired the picturesque things of this genre can potentially cost $500 000.

However, the high prices of the masterpieces do not mean that ordinary collectors to Labasa not to approach. There are things much more affordable. For example, his soulful watercolor landscapes the size of a sheet A4 on the auction market in Russia can cost in the range of 40 000-90 000. They are not uncommon, a lot of them, there are plenty to choose from. Large finished detailed drawings to purchase much more difficult. In the Russian auction market, such examples have not been, and at Christie's in 2015, large (60 × 40) gouache from the series "Moscow" (1950-е) was sold for $5 700-7, 200 per sheet. That is adjusted for our internal conditions (less Commission, another economic situation, etc.) it would be in the area 240 000-300 000. By the way, the watercolor Labas "On the train", presented now for the Auction AI, just because of the discharge of suchrarities: large, finished, with valuable subject (remember the ongoing the "exhibition"Alexander Labas. October at IRRI) and the impeccable source of origin (from the collection of Olga Baskini-Лабас). Provenance is particularly important. For Labasa keep an eye on the auction and private market there is a lot of fakes.

fortunately, the issue with authenticity papers today managed to restore order, and exemplary-показательным way — is an example to all. In 2011, the successor copyright of the artist Olga Beskin-Лабас gathered authoritative Board of Trustees and registered in Ministry of justice Labas-Фонд (the Fund of assistance to preservation of the creative legacy of the artist Alexander Labasa). This is the archive of the artist, list of his works, paintings and drawings 1920-80-х years. Today Labas-Фонд — is a place that makes the final decision about the authenticity of the works of Labasa and issues a corresponding certificate. For collectors and buyers is a huge help and greatly increases the attractiveness of the market of the artist.

• Cover of the monograph "Labas" from series ZHZL (2013). Author — Natalia Semenova
  Source: artinvestment.ru
• a Sample certificate of authenticity issued by Labas-Фондом
  Source: labasfond.ru

Another important tool for new collectors will be developed media coverage of the master. To shows Labasa was issued to luxurious catalogs, his life and work is the subject of numerous articles and books. The earliest monographs — is "Alexander Labas" Evgenia Butorina, vypushennaya in 1979. In 2006-м the album "Personal Labasa. Alexander Labas in private collections". In 2008, saw the light of the book of the artist's son Julia Labasa "When I was big". In 2004, 2011 and 2012, for exhibitions Labasa was published directories, including 200-станичный folio to the project of the Tretyakov gallery "Alexander Labas. For speed of the XX century". Finally, in 2013 in the legendary series "Life of remarkable people" published monograph "Labas" Natalia Semenova.

Vladimir Bogdanov, AI

What else to read on the topic on AI:
"Hits auctions ARTinvestment.RU. Alexander Labas. Prices, demand and investment";
"Alexander Labas at the Institute of Russian realist art";
Biography of A. A. Labas for ARTinvestment.RU;
AI: Collection of Boris Suris in Galeev Gallery. Photo;
"Exhibition-презентация of the book Natalya Semyonova about Alexander Labas";
AI: Myasnitskaya, 21. Crossroads of destinies. Raisa Idelson, R. Falk, A. Labas, Alexander Rodchenko;
"TG: "Alexander Labas. For speed of the XX century"";
"Alexander Labas in the Russian Museum";
"Opened the website of the Foundation Alexander Labas";
""Fantasy Labasa" at the Moscow Museum of modern modern art".