"Small retrospective" Russian artist Eric Bulatov, Geneva: 20 years after Zurich
ARTinvestment.RU   23 октября 2009

The first personal exhibition of Russian artist Eric Bulatov held in 1988, not in Moscow, and Zurich. On the history of "bulatovsko-Swiss" relations says Alexander Tikhonov

October 28, 2009 at the Museum of Modern Art (Mother) Geneva opens personal exhibition of Russian artist Erik Bulatov . The exposition includes 21 picturesque and 28 graphic works, provided by the artist, known Swiss and French museums, galleries and private collectors. Works created in the period from 1971 to 2009, given the entire fourth floor of the Geneva Museum. The artist himself calls the exhibit "small retrospective. Taking into account the role played by Switzerland, but rather a Swiss collector Paul Yolles ( "Through him and his family, - said E. Bulatov - Switzerland has become my second home.") And the museums of Zurich and Bern, it is interesting, in our opinion , to dwell on the 20-year history of "bulatovsko-Swiss" relations.

first personal exhibition of Russian artist Eric Bulatov was held in 1988 - Apogee perestroika in the Soviet Union - not in his native Moscow, where 55-year-old painter studied and worked, and in Zurich, Switzerland. As the artist himself said later: "In 1988, the Swiss at their own risk, gathered my paintings and arranged my exhibition at the Kunsthalle Zurich. This was the first exhibition in my life. After all, in Russia I have never had one exhibition, and there is still no. So Switzerland for me - a second home. This exhibition was a great success and went to museums in Europe and America. " To date, the Swiss Museum (Basel, Bern) and private collections (Bern, Basel, Geneva, Zurich), works by the artist is ten times more than the entire former Soviet space. Especially when you consider that over half a century of creative activity Bulatov was written only about 200 paintings. It is therefore not surprising that most of the works on exhibition at the Geneva Museum of Modern Art is a Swiss public and private collections.

of a Swiss collector, multiplied by the adjustment, Bulatov, opened the way to Zurich. The latter - the road to peace. The road, which until then had been far from simple. Last but not least the role played in this character (Bulatov always believed that the greatest freedom - for man and the creator - is to remain itself) and claimed as a student, 1950, the years of civil position of the artist, which were a continuation of his paintings, where everyday life of the Party and Soviet state and society, a telescoping, face the person with the system - unlike the others, to explore it more under the microscope, with a backyard - eye of the artist in front of the audience turned into its negation. What in fact happened in the subsequent years, the exhibition in Zurich.

artist Erik Bulatov did not participate in any official - the infamous - in the Manege exhibition in 1962, or in informal exhibitions - in a day of apartment exhibitions, the so-called "Bulldozer Exhibition" of 1974, as well as followed it in exhibitions in the Izmailovo Park and VDNH (1974-1976). It was not his work and exhibitions in the hall of the Municipal Committee of the graphs in the Little Georgia. Of which in the "crown of thorns" artists out "other art" - at least, but by and large, no less - "the second Russian avant-garde" (!). Mikhail Fedorovich Larionov , Malevich and the rest Tatlin , as they now say," rest ". Works of Eric Bulatov and was not at the famous Sotheby's auction in 1988 in Moscow. Swiss Simon de Pury, which he said many years ago, the author of these lines, holding a hammer "on the auction, beating them unprecedented at the time the price of the work of the representatives of" other art ", 20 years later in London, will sell at its auction Phillips de Pury & Company Bulatov's paintings at prices that are an order of magnitude higher than in Moscow in 1988 (from one to two million dollars).

Accordingly, as in the Soviet Union and the West on Bulatov's not writing or art critics in the special editions (exhibitions do not exist), or the party-state functionaries of journalism in newspapers and broadcasts on the radio (the scandals and provocations were not). For all pretend, as the artist, "that I do not." Erik Bulatov as an artist was not in the USSR, was not in the new Russia until the beginning of the twenty-first century. It generally would not be if it were not for collectors. Again, not domestic. The latter are obviously too literally knew the name of the artist's paintings - "Caution" (1973), "Danger" (1972-1973), "no entry" (1974-1975), "Do not lean" (1987). They stood aloof - from harm's way. What can be said about the art-lovers from the West. Which, break through the cordon of silence of the artist as the official authorities, and much more enterprising "brothers" on the shop floor "of the pen and brush, managed to get into the artist's studio on Clean Ponds and saw nothing on similar works by the artist," sinks "for him for the rest of life. As it was in 1970 when famous Parisian galeristka Dina Verni met with Eric Bulatov and after long persuasion, and was taken to Paris "Self-Portrait" (1968. Oil on canvas. 110 x 110) of the artist. Three years later, the only work Bulatov not only graced the cover of the exhibition catalog Avant Garde Russe. Moscou 73, but was reproduced on posters, plastered all over Paris. So, with the light hand of the famous galeristki, the West became acquainted with the Russian artist Eric Bulatov.

After the Paris exhibition in the artist's art lovers began to appear in Western countries. Some bought (for the most important things to pay from 10 to 15 thousand dollars), and legally exported they like pictures of the USSR. For all these Ministry of Culture, put "permissive" stamp "has no artistic value". Among the visitors was, and regularly came to the end of 1950 to travel to Moscow, a senior Swiss diplomat, who was initially the position of Assistant Director-General, and subsequently the Executive Secretary International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, and a big fan of Fine Arts, Paul Yolles. For the first time he visited the studio Bulatov in 1978. In subsequent years, the Swiss diplomat and collector repeatedly returned to the clean ponds. As a rule, not one. He cited and acquainted with an artist of his colleagues from the Embassy of Switzerland, with which the artist formed friendships. Led the curators of museums and the people of Western art, culture and diplomacy. Brings his wife Ernu and very young daughter Claudia then. First, no non-binding, the diplomat's visit to the artist gradually developed into a friendship that lasted more than one year. Subsequently, P. Yolles in the book devoted to the Moscow meetings (Paul R. Jolles. Memento aus Moskau. Begegnungen mit inoffiziellen Kunstlern 1978-1997. Wienand, Verlag, Koln, 1997, 239 s.), devote several pages, and Erik Bulatov, illustrating their together photographs and works of the artist, based in his collection. I take this opportunity to express my appreciation and gratitude to Alexander Yollesu (son of P. Yollesa), a lawyer by profession and a collector of family tradition (A. Yolles also is the secretary of the Swiss Society for collectors), who several years ago after learning that I do not have books of his father, who kindly gave it to me.

Thanks to Western collectors by the end of 1980 almost all the paintings Bulatov were abroad - in galleries, private collections and museum collections. Why would an artist, and - in complete safety. For since the early 1980's, as he says E. Bulatov, he is, and not without reason, "afraid" that he built with his own hands, and his friend, artist Oleg Vassiliev Union of Artists on instructions "from above" take away the picture there are, confiscate, and as "having no artistic value, destroy.

But this did not happen - in the country "perestroika and glasnost" not to artists, not to their pictures ... While the workshop on Clean Ponds have for many years remains lure for those wishing to under one pretext or another of its "privatize". But the studio suffered "troubled" times. And it remains the same as it was built 40 years ago. What the author could see himself in the spring of 2008.

But back to the "Swiss-bulatovskim" relations. Introducing P. Yollesom proved useful not only in the context of Moscow, but also internationally. In late 1987, Eric Bulatov receives from Claudia Yolles, of which we have already mentioned above, a letter of invitation to ... his personal exhibition in one of the most prestigious Swiss museum - the Kunsthalle Zurich! And if the artist, despite the bureaucratic obstacles, gets the night before the flight service (blue) passport and still flies at the beginning of 1988 in Zurich, where he will spend a week, his wife Natasha at the beginning of the documentation procedures, it was stated that riding in a business trip to accompany her husband are not supposed to "according to rank. He advised to get a personal invitation and process documents through the visa and registration office on general grounds. Personal invitation, signed by State Secretary of the Swiss Confederation Paul Yollesom was obtained. If the letter was signed by a teacher from Zurich, it is possible that Natasha would have received an exit visa in his native OVIR. But from a senior government official ... That could just be ... Ordinary Soviet citizen. Invitation ... And the visa was denied. Therefore, Eric Bulatov and was on his first solo exhibition in the life of one, without Natasha. Without knowledge of languages. Thank you, Swiss, and there helped. E. Bulatov still recalls with deep appreciation the two local teachers, who owned the Russian language, who took over his patronage.

The fact that the exhibition (Erik Bulatov, Moskau. Kunsthalle Zurich, 15. Januar - 28. Februar 1988) destined to radically change the life of a Moscow artist, it was hard to even imagine. But exactly what happened. Although the exhibition was a non-profit project: none of the works not intended for sale. For the simple reason that all were from private and museum collections in the West. The success was complete. Already on the opening day the artist received a proposal to show the exhibition at other museums, working with galleries. What else should the artist, for thirty years of creativity, since 1958, have never heard such proposals in their homeland. In subsequent months the exhibition was also held in Bonn, the former capital of the then West Germany, Frankfurt - the business capital of not more united Germany, as well as in Amsterdam, again in Germany - Freiburg and completed her two-month exposition in the path of the Pompidou Center in Paris. As he said later, Eric Bulatov, with his usual delicacy and modesty, "this exhibition in Switzerland has made me" if not "famous", it really "known" from Europe to America. But not in Russia, we will continue. It was in Zurich, Eric Bulatov accepts the offer to work Phyllis Kind Gallery in New York. And next year with his wife Natasha and sent first to London, where he held his show, and from there - to work in New York. Since 1991, E. Bulatov lives and works in Paris.

But back to Switzerland. In 1988, several months after the exhibition in Zurich, working Bulatov, along with the works of three other artists from Moscow, were exhibited in Bern Kunstmuzeum. The exhibition, as well as for 15 years before in Paris, Dina Verni, held under the "sign" Bulatov. It was his painting "I live - see" gave its name to the entire exhibition and dedicated her catalog (Ich lebe, ich sehe). Interestingly in this regard, a Swiss eyewitness testimony of the event - then a young teacher of French-speaking Switzerland - Pierre-Henri Jacot of the impression made on him show how he "fell in love" to work Bulatov, and how his dream was to become acquainted with it has come true (more on this see: Tikhonov live - see: Erik Bulatov//Russian art. 2008. № 3). Personal meeting Jaco, who eventually becomes known Geneva gallerists with Erik Bulatov occurred almost 20 years later in Paris, the artist's studio. Then there were exhibitions of works Bulatov Gallery Scopia, which represents the Russian artist in Geneva, and at its booth at Art Basel in 2007 and 2008. And in 2008, "kvadriptih", so to speak, of the four papers "Day-Night" was shown in a special project Art Unlimited's most prestigious fairs in the world of contemporary art. At the first exhibition Bulatov, which took place in the gallery Scopia in September 2007, all drawings were sold out long before its closure. As I said gallery owner, Russian buyers for the 15 thousandth sheet was not. All the works were purchased by young Swiss collectors. The exhibition at the mother, in the preparation of which Pierre-Henri Jacot was actively involved, you will see one of the last works Bulatov's "How do I know where" (2009. Oil on canvas, pencil. 200 x 200), giving the gallery Scopia.

Marianne Karabelnikov, art historian, art critic and author of publications on classical modernism and contemporary art, led in 2007 the prestigious gallery Arndt & Partner in Zurich, was first introduced to the works Bulatov 27 years ago. Working in the journal DU, unpublished work Bulatov, M. Karabelnikov now says that each of these works live on today in her memory. At that time, she continues, "his work and shocked, and interested me. But only much later, I was able to grasp their significance. And now I just love his art. " (Full text of reflection Marianne Karabelnikov on Bulatov and his art, see: Tikhonov I live - see: Erik Bulatov//Russian art. 2008. № 3). Just as in the first case, carried through many years of love Swiss to the Russian artist Eric Bulatov (personal meeting which took place much later age of MI in the journal Karabelnikov DU) was not left unanswered. Since 2007, the gallery Arndt & Partner (Zurich, Berlin) is a Russian artist Eric Bulatov as in the capital of Germany, and in the business capital of Switzerland - Zurich.

This happened back Bulatov in 2007 in the country and city where 20 years ago with the help of a friendly family Berne Yollesov began his path to world art Olympus. Including in Russia, where in the Tretyakov Gallery in 2006, largely thanks again as collectors, but this time Russian - Vladimir and Catherine Seminihinym, held a grand retrospective exhibition Bulatov. Two years later, in 2009, having made a journey of 20 years from 1988 to Zurich, Geneva, Erik Bulatov, returns - this time, according to the artist, "a small retrospective - on their own, as he himself says," the second home ».

Three works in this exhibition - from the collection of the Cultural Foundation "Ekaterina": "Hitchcock" (1995. Oil on canvas. 160 x 140), "Venus at the mirror" (1996-1997. Oil on canvas . 190 x 140) and "How are clouds - how things are going" (2001. Oil on canvas. 200 x 200).

Among the other works would like to note axiomatic canvases, partly familiar to the exhibition in the Tretyakov Gallery, but little known in Switzerland. Some of them became part of the current exhibition in the Mother or exhibited in June 2009 at the Palais des Nations, UN Office at Geneva. Among the latter - "Horizon" (1971-1972. Oil on canvas. 150 x 180). Within the space, they are limited, and we lived and worked and loved. Not knowing that - "there beyond the horizon, where the horizon ...»

For 20 years, which were needed Bulatov on a path that was marked by exhibitions in prestigious museums and galleries around the world, from the eastern to the western Zurich to Geneva, much has changed. And this time Natasha Bulatov be able to fully share the success of her Swiss husband, who was in Russia twenty-first century have ranked as a "living classics" and declared a "national treasure". Natasha has not changed. They are on the opening day will be two: one with Erik Bulatov, another - on a wonderful canvas "Natasha" (1978-1979. Oil on canvas. 260 x 200. Private Collection, Bern), which shows that which would later become the wife of the artist. It seems to me, the most poetic, romantic work of Erik Bulatov. And not only Bulatov, but perhaps the entire Soviet painting of the second half of the twentieth century. Under the romanticism in this case is understood to be writing C. Baudelaire, not the plot, not the reliability of the image, and the way to feel. "To me, romanticism - this is the most modern, most powerful expression of beauty. Who says "romanticism" - continues to French poet and art critic from the mid-nineteenth century, - says "contemporary art" - in other words, intimacy, spirituality, color, aspiration towards the infinite, expressed by all available means of art ».

All of these qualities, in our opinion, are not unique to "Natasha", but creativity Bulatov as a whole. It is his timeless and vneterritorialnaya "modernity, universal in nature, multiplied by the faultless realization of his canvas, Bulatov, vision and led to worldwide recognition of his talent - both collectors and leading museums and galleries from Russia to America.

presence in the exposition of recent work is particularly valuable. Because they clearly traces the evolution of artistic language Bulatov in the direction of greater brevity, simplicity, and the concentration accumulated by the artist during the period of its more than 50 years of creative life energy, as can be seen, for example, in a series of four paintings on the theme "Day and Night "2006 (private collection).

Pierre-Henri Jacot (gallery Scopia, Geneva), a longtime, since 1988, a fan and connoisseur of art Bulatov, so characterizes the evolution of the artist's career for 20 years, dividing Bulatov, how it learned in Zurich and Bulatov, it appears under the "Small Retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Geneva:" Recent work differ significantly from those that we saw 20 years ago (they are also present at the exhibition. - AT ). These works are more simple in its composition, more minimalist and radical technique for his performance, but what an incredible strength, beauty and significance. Lying on the surface simplicity actually hides complicated relationship between time, light and grandiose, and no identifiable space. Almost unimaginable concentration of those quintessential knowledge of the artist is one of the peaks of creativity Bulatov. Nova forms, but the spirit is still the same, the same problem, the same sense of space. Magnificent ensemble. The artist continues to live. And work the way it always worked ».

Vernissage will take place Oct. 27, 2009 in 18 hours. A day later, on 29 October, the world-famous auction house Sotheby's will honor the Russian-Swiss-French artist Eric Bulatov under a special evening dedicated to him. The evening will end with dinner in honor of the artist. And before that, director of the Geneva Museum of Modern Art, Christian Bernard (Christian Bernard) in the presence of the artist will hold a tour of the exhibition "Erik Bulatov. 1971-2008. Few living artists were awarded this honor. Deserved ...

Exhibition Bulatov (October 28, 2009 - January 17, 2010), which passes through the Museum of Modern Art L'espece de chose melancolie: 7 expositions monographiques, is open from Tuesday to Friday from 12 to 18 hours, Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 18 hours. MAMCO, Musee d'art moderne et contemporaine, 10 rue des Vieux-Grenadiers, Geneve.

Alexander Tikhonov, Geneva