The number of private museums is growing
ARTinvestment.RU   15 июля 2010

Collectors of contemporary art are increasingly building their own museums to show the world their collections, hitherto kept under lock and key

Collectors of contemporary art are increasingly building their own museums to show the world their collections, hitherto kept under lock and key.

collectors buy works of art in such numbers that their numerous villas and Houses are no longer able to accommodate. But instead of storing in the basement of something that was not enough space on the walls and in the halls, they prefer to share the view of its acquisitions with the people. Individual museums Ultra collectors even got its name - "Ego Zeya».

While government agencies are suffering from budget cuts and lack of sponsorship, a growing number of private collectors to buy works contemporary art. Prices at auction have soared to the heavens, and the national museums often can not compete with private capital.

rich collectors from Mexico and China, Greece and Australia are building the grandiose plans for museums in their own right, reflecting their particular tastes in art, though often reducible to popular Damien Hirst (Damien Hirst), Tracey Emin (Tracey Emin) and Chris Ofili (Chris Ofili). Most of these private museums can be visited free of charge. But the public galleries of Great Britain, by contrast, are going to raise fees for tickets.

In early July, Charles Saatchi (Charles Saatchi) decided to present the gallery as a gift to the State . And many others would follow his example.

David Roberts (David Roberts), son of a simple Scottish sailor who made a career in the construction of individual houses, in their 1953 is one of Britain's leading collectors . Gathering for the past 15 years, nearly two thousand works of contemporary artists, including works by Tracey Emin and Marc Quinn (Marc Quinn), a collector plans next year to open a private gallery in north London district of Camden. Despite the fact that Roberts often offers other museums works from its collection, 80 percent of his collection is stored on the warehouse, where his personal tutor monitors the work.

In an interview with David Roberts observes : "If you have a lot of favorite works, sitting under lock and key, you want to display them to others. If you give them to museums or to provide long-term lease, there is no assurance that the work will be exhibited permanently ».

David Walsh (David Walsh) from Australia, by occupation and mathematician professional player, and in his spare time enthusiastic collector who plans to open his own museum in the capital of the island of Tasmania, Hobart. Walsh will invest 44.5 million pounds in the construction of the museum for his collection, worth 58.5 million pounds. Its collection presents works by Chris Ofili, brothers Chapman (Chapman brothers) and Jenny Saville (Jenny Saville).

three-story reinforced concrete building of the museum area of 6000 square meters should be open to visitors in January 2011. The exhibition will be presented provocative art on the theme of death and religion. Walsh will expose "the Holy Virgin Mary" by Chris Ofili, where the Virgin is shown black, the work of Stephen Shanabruka (Stephen Shanabrook) «On the road to heaven", which is fashioned from chocolate mutilated bodies of suicide bombers and other provocative works.

When Walsh asked if he wanted to shock the audience with their exposure, the collector said: "It would be strange if someone would not be shocked by it. Or we have resigned ourselves to be who we were? »

his outlook on the general tendency of private museums shared Sotheby's senior specialist for contemporary art Oliver Barker (Oliver Barker). According to him, when collectors simply provide their works in public museums, they do not take "creative participation in the process of exposure, unlike the situation with a private museum in which they can organize an exhibition space for its taste and color. "These collectors, like Abramovich girlfriend Daria Zhukova opened a gallery in a former bus garage, capable of conducting world-class exhibitions. Currently, organized by Daria exhibition Mark Rothko - one of the world's best exhibitions of contemporary art ", - says Barker. This exhibition opens April 23, 2010 at the Center for Contemporary Culture Garage».

Daria Zhukova has already announced its intention to build a second gallery. Plan to organize their museums Bernard Arnault (Bernard Arnault), owner of Louis Vuitton, and Alice Walton (Alice Walton), the heiress of the world largest retailer Wal-Mart. Damien Hirst is also going to open to the public of its reservists with the works of Jeff Koons (Jeff Koons), Tracey Emin's own works.

Among those who have already opened their own gallery in the UK - the family billionaires Zabludovich (Anita and Poju Zabludowicz). Adapting the chapel on the north-west London, under his own museum, they exhibited a collection of two thousand works. The attention they give to young authors such as Turner Prize winner Keith Tyson (Keith Tyson), and Graham Hudson (Graham Hudson).

number of collectors willing to pay more than a million dollars for a single work of art over the past ten years has increased six-fold. Therefore, we can fully expect a further growth in the number of private museums. And will the amount of money that - time will tell.

Material prepared Maria Onuchina, AI

Read also: Millionaires prefer art

Sources: guardian.co.uk , artinvestment.ru