Investments in the Russian conceptual photography
ARTinvestment.RU   18 ноября 2010

In search of a new art form conceptualists expanded the scope of illusory space, combining image and word in one shot

Russian conceptual photography - a unique direction, which appeared in 1980. In search of new means of expression, photographers realized the incredible power of visual range, commented in short: objects on photographs should be perceived not as objects of reality, but as a concept about these subjects. In the emerging semantic relations and is the significance of a work.

In the 1980 picture appealed to the urban culture, and with it - to the street signs, slogans, posters and billboards in which the word tackle a problem - says no plot, but the idea works, the concept of the author. Therefore, for these photographs was fixed name of "conceptual photography».

In the photo photographer Vladimir Kupriyanov (born 1954) "Do not reject mene from your face" specific frame is compared with the abstract signature. Picture is divided by straight lines on some parts, the phrase is located below the photograph and the same is divided into fragments. Image corresponds to the signature, among them there is a semantic space, the viewer is invited to a concept of the author, where you can see the appeal to history, the comparison of past and present of these people. It is worth to note that the photo was taken in 1990 - at a time when the country chooses its own path. The significance of photographs has been fully appreciated: in 2008 at Sotheby's in London picture was sold for 70,100 pounds.

chunking - a characteristic feature of conceptual photography. The viewer is invited to consider a photo from the private to the whole and vice versa. For example, a series of well-known contemporary photographer Igor Mukhin (b. 1961) "Fragments of the Soviet billboards" consists of photographs of monuments and boards of Honor of the USSR. Series tells the story of a fading Soviet propaganda. On the pictures we see people's faces full of pride, but the board of honor look old and dilapidated, indicating that the true situation in the country, forcing thinking the unspeakable.

In 1980 photographers started to take off real, non-idealized life in the country in search of the plot began to turn to different materials, which previously had been banned. During perestroika coup in mind. People began to analyze the reality of the true, unvarnished form. This could not affect the pictures.

renowned master of conceptual photography, and chronicler of the Soviet empire is fading Boris Mikhailov (born 1938). In 1970 he filmed the daily lives of people. In a conceptual series of photographs "Luriki", "Red Series" and "Sots Art" Mikhailov using touch-up images in red created a context of the situation. Conceptualism seen in earlier studies Mikhailova, particularly in the Sequence "Overlays." The author connects the unconnected text from exercise books and picture. As a result, this photo gets a new art form, and with it a special meaning.

A good representative of conceptualism can be considered an artist Vadim Zakharov (born 1959). The basis of his art installations and performances have become. For example, the "Five photographs documenting the artist's performances" are pictures with captions of the author, in which the product is of the artist. At Sotheby's in New York in 2008, this photowork was sold for 7,500 dollars. In 2009, Vadim Zakharov was awarded the Kandinsky Prize in the main nomination contest, "Project of the Year" for installing "Necklace Saint Sebastian».

In a series by photographer Vadim Gushchina (b. 1963) "Changes Army's diary "the main theme is the humdrum military life. But the author shows her in a particular way: fragments of official instructions are verbal support snapshots. Thus, in the picture human figures contrast with the text of the hard army regulations. Amateur footage included in a technical text. The author tries to show not the heroes of the country, but ordinary guys that carry the service, as evidenced by the various inscriptions such as "Garik, earrings and Shafikov. In this case, labels, signs and symbols, as a word in conceptualism as a whole, creating a kind of a situation in which there is an image.

Snapshot artist Alexander Kosolapov (born 1943) in a series of "Mother Russia" can also be regarded as a good example Conceptualism in Russian photography. Kosolapov - representative of sots-art, above all, he is known for his sculptures, objects and installations on the theme of stereotypes of socialism (Lenin Coca Cola »,« Mickey-Lenin, etc.). This photo appeared on the Sotheby's auction in New York in 2008. Although she has not been sold, offered with the estimate of 10-15 thousand dollars.

Photo another conceptual artist and Igor Makarevich (born 1943) Metamorphoses (Self-Portrait)" was also estimated at 10-15 thousand dollars and sold it in 2007 at Sotheby's in New York for 30 thousand dollars.

Russian conceptual photography holds a special place in the history of Russian photography. Photographs of famous Conceptual keeps popping up at auctions. If you intend to complete your collection of works of conceptual photography, buying them at a public auction, you should plan the budget at the rate of 4-40 thousand pounds for the product. Photographs by Boris Mikhailov, in 2009-2010 offered at various auctions (Phillips de Pury, «The Golden Section", etc.) in the range of 3-7 thousand pounds sterling. Auction sales Vladimir Kupriyanov can be counted on the fingers of one hand: the three proposals, two of which did not result in the sale (though the photos were estimated at 4-6 thousand and 30-50 thousand pounds in 2009) and the record price Photograph "Do not reject mene from your face, exceeded the estimate by almost two times.

While it can be concluded that the Russian conceptual photography has great potential. A significant portion of investment-grade photographs is an area of high affordability and could become a considerable part of the collection of Russian conceptual art.

Marina Bondarenko, AI