Investments in modern Russian photo. Part II
ARTinvestment.RU   15 июня 2011

Contemporary Russian Photography surprisingly diverse. Auction success, however, has made just that part where the desire to shock the audience deliberately takes precedence over the idea, technique and skill of the author

Contemporary Russian artists use photography as a means of expressing the most daring ideas. Their work is very far from the classical picture: in the XXI century authors work in fotokollazhnoy technique, fixed performances, actively using the computer graphics. Often the resulting looks nice indulgence, joke "on the topic of the day," invented in order to stir the viewer. But other photos shock and provoke: a dispute over entering them and the audience, and cultural figures, and officials up to the minister. The increased attention contemporary collectors are causing the most shots - as, indeed, any of the things that can cause strong emotions. At the auction's leading auction houses, the struggle is for the most shocking pictures.

artist (born 1961) brought fame performances, in which he appeared in the guise of "human-dog." On auction sites sold 10 works of Kulik, of which 8 - photos, with an average auction value photographs - from 2 to 14 thousand euros. Snapshot of a series of "white man's fears," estimated by London auction at Sotheby's in 2008 to 4-6 thousand pounds.

Many photographers at the beginning of the XXI century appealed to the aesthetic of postmodernism. Artist and photographer Mayofis (born 1970) gives new meaning to familiar images by resorting to this to the associations and concepts. Photographer working with different types of hand printing, toning and coloring uses images. At the London auction PhilipsDePury his photograph "The first acquaintance with the Russian Ballet," bought for 5250 pounds.

Ukrainian artist conceptualist Arsene Savadov (born 1962) is working with other images. In "Collective red" he turns to the subject of the Soviet Union and Soviet life, "in a carnival," uses the socialist symbolism. Pictures from this series appeared on auction at Sotheby's and Macdougall in 2009 were estimated in the range of 7-9 thousand pounds, but the buyer is not found. The most successful deal with photos Savadov was selling the image of a series of "Donbass. Chocolate, "which went under the hammer for 10,498 pounds at 4-6 thousand pounds estimeyte at auction Macdougall in 2007.

Ukrainian photographer Sergei Bratkov (born 1960) - one of the main characters of the Moscow photo-art scene. He participated in the Venice Biennale in 2005 and 2007. Photos Bratkov sold at auction a huge range - from 400 to 6000 pounds. Selling a picture from the series "Police cross" became the most successful deal: 8750 pounds at auction PhilipsDePury in 2008. At the same auction in 2010 photo «Change» was sold for 5000 pounds.

object creation Vladislav Mamysheva Monroe (born 1969) became his own appearance, or rather, the author of reincarnation in historical and mythological characters - Dostoevsky, Hitler, Dracula, Nicholas II, Napoleon, and others with the help of makeup and acting. To start Mamyshev turned into Marilyn Monroe, and so went into the image, which together with the appearance of taken over and last name, by attaching it to her. For photo Mamysheva Monroe "Peter the Great. Catherine the Great "to pay 3750 pounds in London auction at Sotheby's in 2009.

Many lovers of photography first became acquainted with the work the solo exhibition No comment at the Russian Museum in 2004. After that show Al's learned a lot and worked, and today it is confident in their abilities professional, her ideas are interesting, it has a good taste of professional and indifferent to those around her. Naked body on her shots - not an end in itself, it is always a second time, the photographer uses it only as a tool to better express the emotional state of his characters. In her work, no sleek, glamorous figure, and her characters want to be happy, but happiness will come if and how it is, these issues are the master leaves unanswered, and the viewer is clear that if it comes - because through suffering, and not - well, that we must live further. Lot containing three photographs from the series "Star episode" and "Happiness", was sold for 13,750 dollars at auction at Sotheby's in New York in 2008.

BLUE NOSES From the series" The Naked Truth. " 2007 Source: artinvestment.ru

BLUE NOSES Era charity. 2004 Source: art4.ru

BLUE NOSES Chechen Marilyn. 2005 Source: artinvestment.ru

Epatage - one of the major artistic techniques of the art "Blue Noses» . The band was formed in 1999 by Vyacheslav Mizin (born 1962) and Alexander Shaburov (born 1965). Photo of "Era of Mercy", better known as "Kissing Policemen", caused an uproar in 2007 at an exhibition of Sots-Art in Paris. The work was called "pornography." "Blue Noses" work not only with photography but also video art, performance. Their photographs and collages are neither deep inner meaning, or craftsmanship, they are focused only on what to give the impression of obscene images. The audience loves it, and on auction sites work, "Blue Noses" are sold in the range 1 to 5000 pounds. Sample of the series "The Naked Truth" bought for 6000 euro at auction in Moscow "Sovkom" in 2008. The image of "the Chechen Marilyn" was estimated at 8-12 thousand pounds on London's Sotheby's auction in 2009.

AEC F Action Half Life. Episode 2, № 12. 2003 Source: artinvestment.ru

Group "AES F» (Tatiana Arzamasova, Leo Evzovich, Eugene and Vladimir Svyatskiy Fridkes) represented Russia at the Venice Biennale in 2007 . The average price for group photographs - 10-25 thousand pounds. Snapshot «Action Half Life. Episode 2, № 12, "bought for 42 500 pounds estimeyte 35-40 thousand pounds at auction at Sotheby's in London in 2008.

Oleg Dou nun. 2007 Source: artinvestment.ru

Thanks to new technologies there is an art that is on the verge of photography and computer graphics. Oleg Dou (born 1983) works in that style. In 2008 he was nominated for Kandinsky. On average, the auction of his work to buy a range of 6-8 thousand pounds. Record was the sale of photographs of "nun" at the London auction PhilipsDePury this year for 13 750 pounds, almost twice the estimate.

Contemporary Photography in Russia is daring, often brandishing hooligan on social values. The impression is that today it is not enough high-level fotomasterstva - Beauty compositions, unusual perspectives, artistic, technical performance, etc. To draw attention to their creativity, the photographers are trying to shake the audience with something unacceptable. On the other hand, if this photo buy, it means that society is necessary, therefore, there is a demand for a photograph that goes far beyond the concepts of classical photography. As regards investment, the buyer must take into account key factors: how the artist's work is firmly inscribed in the modern history of art, whether his work is innovative, whether it is seen a professional environment and is surrounded by a publication. A comprehensive analysis of these factors will make the investment outlook.

Marina Bondarenko, AI