Artist of the week. Sixties Nikolay Rotanov
ARTinvestment.RU   07 ноября 2017

Until Friday AI Auction sale abstraction Rotanova 2003. In the late 1970-х the artist, whose works are bought Kostaki, became a regular basis to obtain waivers vystavkomov. In the end, exhibition history Rotanova was interrupted for many years

Nikolai Mikhailovich Rotanov (1940-2010) — "flying Dutchman" Russian unofficial post-war art, we can say the artist-призрак. He then suddenly appeared in the stormy sea of artistic life, then just as suddenly disappeared in the fog for many years. Rotanova cannot be attributed to any known "cage" artists. Paradoxically, his name, which is known to collectors since the late 1970-х years, not even in the "Other art". However, why paradoxical? Most likely, Rotanov chose to build a life in art that is: not adjacent to any circle, to any group, any Association, not to participate in any of the deliberately resonant (and potentially controversial) exhibitions.

From the very beginning of creative activity, from 1966, a young promising artist, a member of youth exhibitions, five minutes to the member of the artists Union, has taken "the wrong way". Instead of chanting the labour feat of the people he plunged into the study of ancient art, icons, ethnic art. In the end, as usual, in a few years, the political unconscious, self-presence is needed and experiments pushed the artist on the shifting path of irrelevance.

it could come to an end in the early Brezhnev era? There is evidence that in 1970-е years of abstraction Nicholas Rotanova started buying the legendary collector George Costakis. And about this time went frequent failures vystavkomov. In the USSR, experimental art is not forbidden, but were driven to the exhibition "reservations" — to display in a small separate exhibitions, is addressed not to the audience from the street, and critics and colleagues-художникам. The main income for the artist remained teaching at the people's Correspondence University of arts (ZNUI he has worked since 1968) and in the art Studio at DC Dept.

With the beginning of perestroika, since the mid-1980-х, work Rotanova were exhibited together with the works of the first names of unofficial art — Vladimir Yakovlev, Dmitry Plavinsky, Mikhail Shemyakin, Erik Bulatov, Dmitry Krasnopevtsev, Andrei Grositsky. In the early 1990-х exhibition process even more intensified. The work of Nicholas Rotanova become in demand among collectors, his works have sold several galleries in Moscow. Then came 1998, the public was not to art, there was a long pause. A new surge of interest in the work of Nicholas Rotanova occurred in 2009. Gallerist Victor Spengler helped to organize a personal exhibition of the artist in the main Museum of the country — inThe state Tretyakov gallery (hall in Tolmachev). The audience first saw such an ambitious project, in which were exhibited about 100 paintings and graphic works, as well as "artist books" — decorated Romanovym poetry Maximilian Voloshin, Marina Tsvetaeva, and Gennadi Aygi, and others. The exhibition in the Tretyakov gallery was released a good catalog.

the success of personal computers in the Tretyakov gallery was secured at auction — Russian and international. In 2010, Sotheby's set an auction record for the artist — $7 260. It was the peak, the market of Russian art of the lived expectations for a speedy recovery. Then there were no signs of imminent re-crisis-2014 that will ruin many plans and will stop healthy processes.

the auction market of works of Nicholas Rotanova today is quite well developed. The artist is extremely liquid. Of the 15 exposed at different times of the works were sold 12. This is a phenomenally high percentage of sales. Interestingly, 9 of these 12 works have been sold on our Auction AI. What is the explanation? Rotanov undervalued today. Or, more correctly, again underestimated. His works are sold at auction in the range of 25 000-60 000. Affordable price with very good quality. Yes, the name is — is likely to experts, to experienced collectors, the novice will have little say. But experienced collectors sometimes interesting to diversify my collection, to go beyond the "list Grobman" and other current "clips", you can purchase any thing more for quality. And then work Rotanova — at the time.

Vladimir Bogdanov, AI

Sources: artinvestment.ru, artlib.ru

What else to read on the topic on AI:
Retrospective of Nicholas Rotanova in TG;
AI: My favourite artists — Nikolay Rotanov.