few months ago, the eminent New York art dealer Larry Gagosian (Larry Gagosian) sent to Abu Dhabi a few dozen of the most valuable works of modern art. He has prepared an exhibition sponsored by the Government of the Emirates, was named RSTW - the first letters of names submitted by artists: Robert Rauschenberg (Robert Rauschenberg), Ed Rushi (Ed Ruscha), Richard Serra (Richard Serra), Cy Twombly (Cy Twombly), Andy Warhol (Andy Warhol) and Christopher Wool (Christopher Wool). Everything - the artists whose works he was selling. Gagosian has arranged a feast for the eyes: Rushi works in the exhibition nineteen Twombly - thirteen Warhol - already twenty-one. What distinguishes RSTW from such luxury exhibitions, arranged them in the branches of your gallery throughout the world, is the fact that all the exhibits come from the private collection of the dealer. The British newspaper The Art Newspaper asks the question: What do I think collectors about the collecting of pictures of traders? Could it be that the dealer will have to compete with their clients and even his own business? What is the ethical side of this issue? And finally, can a collection of art dealer to find a "permanent home" in a museum?

course, "the dealer-collecting" - not a new phenomenon. Most of them are engaged in the art business was for the love of art - in this situation it is natural reluctance to deprive themselves. As he writes in the catalog Gagosian RSTW, «collecting and trading art - related to one another occupation." In a famous example is the dealer Sidney Janis (Sidney Janis), known for his support of art abstract expressionist. In 1967, he donated more than a hundred works from his private collection of the New York Museum of Modern Art. In 1991-1996 he Metropolitan Museum of Art has received from his colleagues Klaus Perls (Klaus Perls) works of African art and modernism in the $ 60 million. Two years ago the English gallery owner Anthony d'Offe (Anthony d'Offay) gave 725 (!) Subjects the Tate Gallery and National Gallery of Scotland. Recently, the dealer Jeffrey Dyche (Jeffrey Deitch) left the trade in art for the post of Director of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, the main issue of observers was: what will become of his private collection ?..

Previously, museums preferred not exhibit the work of the personal collections of dealers from those considerations that, thanks to this show raises the market value of items. However, over the years, the border between the concepts of "dealer" and "collector" poisterlas few - there are cases when collectors sell works of art as actively as gallerists. Gagosian is not the only one who dares to show their treasures to the public. Trader works of old masters, Richard Faig (Richard Feigen), for example, this year lent 50 works Art Gallery at Yale University. His colleague, Richard Gray (Richard Gray) sent to the exhibition in the Art Institute of Chicago more than a hundred items, including works by Rubens, Degas and Kandinsky . The only thing that is not yet available to dealers - a board of trustees of museums, though this rule there are exceptions, it all depends on the code of ethics agencies.

Serious collectors are fully aware that their dealers are not themselves off to hunt for high-class works of the authors of their wards, the majority have nothing against this passion. "It is important that dealers maintain their artists and have the property of their works", - said New York collector Shlifka Randy (Randy Slifka).

Of course, sometimes there are problems, too. Many buyers have complained that some dealers buy at wholesale prices work and leave the best currently. "Let them collect. That is their business, - said collector from Paris Steve Rosenbloom (Steve Rosenblum). - The only thing: they have a chance to see the work first. In this case, the question arises: Do they take the "cream" itself? Or did observe some balance? »

One New York collector with 30 years experience, who asked not to be named, was unpleasantly surprised to visit a friend gallerist: in his words and works of art decorating the home merchant, were far better than what he was offering to its customers.

In addition, there are other, less obvious caveats. Here is what one interviewee The Art Newspaper: «I do not like it when dealers bring work to the fair and sell to each other at below market prices. Spend time on a trip to some distant country or where due to bad weather can not even walk - all in order to buy any one job, and discovers that it has acquired, not a museum, but " Insider "».

In the end, it all depends on ideas about the ethics of the dealer. There are stories of gallery owners, which had been stockpiled in his work, the most fashionable artists, then to sell them when prices rise. This, incidentally, was engaged in a famous Ambroise Vollard (Ambroise Vollard), which opened the world of Picasso, Gauguin, Maillol and others. Now this behavior is not very nice with respect to the artists and buyers.

the dealer to avoid conflict? .. Perhaps the best course of action chosen and to the above-mentioned Jeffrey Dyche: we all know that he collects art, but what works included in his collection, nobody knows. Collectors converge on the fact that such withdrawal - the most reasonable. "Well, when dealers to buy a work of art in which they truly believe. So they provide a tranquil old age itself - says one collector. - But collectors can not discuss it: a conversation can get very unpleasant ».

« I think this is a question of honesty and integrity Dealer - says Richard Gray. Until recently he did not invite clients to his home and even conceal the very existence of his collection. "Nobody knew what we gather," - he says.

material was prepared by Julia Maksimova, AI

Sources: theartnewspaper.com , artinvestment.ru