International Fine Art Fair 2012. Results of
ARTinvestment.RU   20 декабря 2012

The main result MWFAF 2012 - that the salon was held

accomplishes four-year break after the International Fine Art Fair. Old brand and a number of former members, and the rest - almost from scratch. Changing the team organizers, instead of "old-fashioned" Manezh forced moved to "high" Expocentre. What was much more comfortable in terms of customs regime (Fairgrounds - customs zone), offset by the low-skilled installers, so overlap could not be avoided.

But, anyway, one day there was nothing was reminiscent of the opening of a crumpled, and entered the salon working channel. With stubborn hanging on the wall right. On stands for which was a lament for 20,000 euros, went to welcome the shadow of luxury. There too, and earned a wardrobe as it is necessary, and only the press service of the Salon took journalists as native (nowhere this attitude more and do not remember).

Meanwhile brought first-class objects. Clearly, in terms of names: Gauguin, Monet, Marc Chagall , Picasso, Leger, Vlaminck and others from our: Isaac Ilich Levitan , Polenov , , Roerich , Lansky , etc . Surely we can say that the quality of supply, no other event in Russia compared to the salon can not yet. Dwell on the prices will not - you will find them in our photo essay online AI . If roughly identify price ranges, the 35 thousand euros for modern painting to almost 5 million euros for Cranach.

Within Salon organized several roundtables. The first - "4 poles of the art market: the Russian or Western, modern and old masters" - moderated Mikhail Kamensky (Sotheby's Russia) and Marina Sitnina (Gazprombank, Art Finance). Just in time for it called for a yellow card galleries with questionable material. Second - "The problems of attribution of paintings by old masters" - organized Art and Antiques business . Paintings of the old masters was actually calling card past the cabin. Brought to Moscow the painting "The Virgin and Christ Child and St. John the Baptist "by Sandro Botticelli," Winter Landscape with townspeople and skate "Hendrick Avercamp," Still Life with Lobster "by Peter Claes," gardener ", Bernardo Strozzi," Capitol "Giovanni Paolo Panini. Not surprisingly, the profile round table brought together leading experts and specialists in this area: M. Perchenko (Vice-President of the International Confederation of antique and art dealers), V. SADC (head of the department of old masters Pushkin Museum. Pushkin), critics and experts.

What about the results? According to our feelings, in private conversations and polls gallery owners, among the satisfied results can be attributed about 30 percent of the participants. And among them, not only foreigners, but also some of our galleries.

By the way, our gallery to really rasstaralis Salon. Even old-timers class actions Antique Salon noted that the Russian public galleries put your best product that actually they tend not to. Prepared for the holiday.

Foreigners mood was different. Of course, they were happy red dots, but in general for many it was important to first promotion. So many people said to us, and we believe them. Their motives - to meet new potential customers, introduce ourselves, then to somewhere in the TEFAF or at auction (Booth attended Christie's and our "Kabinet") Russian would go to them now as their "own." On spontaneous shopping so expensive segment hoped would be weird. Foreigners say that it is important to work in the future. Only the Russian participants in the "promising contacts" is viewed with skepticism. Believe only what is here and now. It can be seen, such is our specification - we are accustomed to for a long time not to think.

the whole future of the organizers of the Salon is possible to formulate a couple of suggestions:

1 . Enter the independent Expert Council with sufficient authority. Obviously, you need a barrier to the dubious activities, as is done in the antique shops and even more so in European fairs. In general, you can not bring to a situation where a representative of Sotheby's and an expert accredited MKAAD have to warn the clear on a number of "masterpieces" of the Russian avant-garde.

2. Analyze the effectiveness of advertising channels. The fact that the advertising is not enough, many participants indicated. There was a sense that the information to potential clients not reached. And it is perhaps the most important thing for the exhibitors. The expectation that the galleries themselves dispatch invitations to the right people, was originally destined. Antique dealers do not like to call to the interior of its existing customers - high risk "gift" to their competitors. But this all needs "fresh blood." I have heard this view: "We ought to let the organizers were collected from participants in the" top five "more, but would buy more advertising." We have with us, by the way, also was not fair advertising.

3. For consideration: to change the venue. Several participants wistfully remembered Arena, although it is understood from the discharge is almost impossible. Maybe Arcade, something more pathetic. However, the options are, unfortunately, not much. Separately, we note that a new place to ourselves rather liked.

4. Improve the technical support: choosing the right materials for the organization hanging, working with a qualified installer, support for the galleries on stage hanging. Mundane moments, but they can outweigh a lot.

Overall main result MWFAF 2012 - that the salon was held. I sincerely wish that the organizers and the next time all the "fused" to come visit again. The event is important for all of us and yet unique.

Vladimir Bogdanov, Konstantin Babulin, AI