Artist of the week. Simon Faibisovich
ARTinvestment.RU   10 февраля 2010

ARTinvestment.RU tells about one of the most famous Russian artists, fotorealistov

exposition Seeds Faibisovich (b. 1949) - one of the most eminent contemporary Russian artists. The exhibition includes two large series: "Evidence" of the first half of 1990 and Razgulay late 2000's. These projects share the twelve years, during which the artist never painted. However, this does not mean that it disappeared entirely from view fans and researchers of art: Faibisovich exhibited photography, video and installations, as well as engaged in literary work. At the same time, his paintings have acquired an aura of Soviet-era classics and significantly increased in price.

Auctions Faibisovich debut in October 2007. At London's Phillips de Pury auction appeared four works by the artist, and everyone left with a prominent excess of estimate; particularly noteworthy canvas in 1989, entitled "Soldiers" (a series of "At the station"), which brought much as 311 thousand pounds in the assessment of 40-60 thousand . Not surprisingly, in the year in the artist's name was included in five of the most successful auction starts . After a few months "Another look at the Black Sea" (1986), estimated at 60-80 thousand pounds, sold at the same Phillips for 300 thousand. Of course, comeback artist after such strong results seen by many as an indulgence of the market, but the Faibisovich claims that the decision to return to painting was made long before the fateful Phillips. In interview with Catherine Tar (April 2008) artist said that the reason was the return of the missing in the 1990 tensions that arise between the grim everyday life and the world posed by the authorities and the media: the past it was" an endless Theater of Soviet reality ", now it took place" gloss ».

Faibisovich attributed to the painter fotorealistam. Direction emerged in the U.S. in the late 1960's, to him belong to such famous authors as Richard Istes (Richard Estes), Chuck Close (Chuck Close) and Duane Hanson (Duane Hanson). Precisely reproduced on the canvas of a photograph, the painter-fotorealist attached story "epic", underlines its importance, the result of his work makes the viewer think about the deeper meaning depicted in the snapshot, turned into a monumental canvas - he wanted to emphasize the artist, choosing one or the another photo ?..

plot, or "what do we see?" was a key problem to be solved by the early work Faibisovich. The essence of Soviet everyday life, on Faibisovich, it is best read in situations at the interface between private and public, such as: a trip in the bus, waiting at the train platform, etc. But in the early 1990's daily retreated under the onslaught of consumerism and spectacle, took power and "look into the eyes of the Soviet snake" - and the focus shifted to painting Faibisovich « how we see?" His experimental work of that time devoted to the optics of human vision. According to the artist, and various "blind spots", the effects of residual vision and other minor at first glance, especially visual perception can serve as conduits to another world where the boundaries between reality and abstraction are blurred. It is from these works is a project "Evidence».

In the new work is important and "what", and "how". Paintings representing the utterance to the social theme (images vagabonds, drunks and other outsiders), performed in a rather unusual way: the artist moved to the canvas images made with a cheap mobile phone. These pixel mosaic of the artist, tell us about the new intermediaries between people and the reality - that "total mobilization (from" mobile phone ") view, and postmodernism, which repealed and replaced the coordinates of its schizoid Soviet paranoia, and the glamor, it sank all the information and cultural space who had seized the banner of Socialist Realism in the substitution of high-gloss world of real, which is again the default was homely, irregular, uninteresting. It should be noted that in contrast to the almost unanimously enthusiastic reception of works late eighties and early nineties, new cycles Faibisovich were met in different ways. Not everyone understood the rate of the artist to use modern technology of digital printing and circulation to the acute social themes. The contrast with the work of two decades ago by many admirers of talent Faibisovich experienced not easy. Well, a new stage. And contemporary art is not obliged to surround comfort.

Over the past three years at a public auction there were 27 works Faibisovich. This is quite a lot by our standards - evidence of the development of the market and an abundance of useful material. Not all of the exhibited works were met with cheers at: the last time of crisis often note the results "not sold". Prices have also become somewhat more modest. Perhaps the market is simply growing too fast, and then inevitably have to deduct turnover, at least for a time. Conditional mathematical statistics, said that over the past year, prices of Faibisovich significantly adjusted downwards (in particular, the index fell ARTIMX for the year to 37 per cent). But all such figures should not forget to make allowances. It must be borne in mind that even in difficult times masterpieces remain in the price, and subside mostly medium and weak work.

Exhibition on Gogol will run until February 28. Photo Vladimir Bogdanova, AI with the opening day can be seen here .

Material prepared Yulia Maximova, AI , and Vladimir Bogdanov, AI

Source: openspace.ru , artinvestment.ru