The main intrigue of the auction was the question: Will work Bulatova million for extraordinary prices?

anticipation is often sweeter than the events of the event. While the catalog of the upcoming auction has not been published, it happens the temptation of sensationalism nafantazirovat intriguing press release. And then it comes to truly wonder: why all of a sudden something этакое is obliged to have happened? It happened with the sale of the collection and restructuring of art by John Stewart at the Phillips de Pury 13 October 2007. The tender was successful, but only. If you do not tongue-in-cheek without leniency ignore the fact that out of 65 items remained unsold units of five, which is fabulously high rate for the fair auction. A six-dozen fragments restructuring optimism flew as hot cakes, even without a special price buzz, but for the impressive total of 16 million (about the same cost a top job Warhol).

Perhaps the main intrigue of the auction was the question: Will work again Bulatova million will go to extraordinary prices? It was whether a certain «razogrevochnym» stunt his record at the summer «Phillips»? I recall kontseptualist Eric Bulatov recently took second place on a pedestal Sixties - the most expensive works of authors. The first place is long and firmly occupied its counterpart in the past on the «Group Сретенского Boulevard» Ilya Kabakov. And its prestigious stage Bulatov price just recently taken - 22 June 2007, at the same Phillips de Pury, where his pictures «Do not lean» (1987. Oil on canvas. 240 x 169.9) was sold for 916 thousand pounds, that is nearly two million dollars. Then it set off a sensational ... puzzling. After all, only in February of that year, comparable to the technical parameters and the thing was - «Revolution-Perestroika» in 1988 to remember the size of two by two meters - was sold at Sotheby's over 165 thousand pounds excluding commissions. That is approximately 4.5 times cheaper. Even at the time that decision was seen by the buyer experts as being too wasteful. In general, the result could be attributed to the category of random and maloobyasnimyh if less than one year are not to be an exercise to consolidate.

Erik Bulatov. Brezhnev. Soviet space. 1977.
Oil on canvas. 260,4 × 200. Estimeyt: 750-1000 thousand pounds. Sale price: 860 thousand pounds. Phillips de Pury & Company 13.10.07. Lot number 411

In October, from the collection of Stuart to bid has been exhibited several works Bulatova - a crash of another. And if it is recognizable, and such like «restructuring» start to flounder, the «Soviet space» with colorful dear Leonid Ilyich quite another matter. Things besides that epic - that there is some uorholovskaya Marilyn! - So even dated «protracted» 1977. In other words, is made at the time, when the cartoon on the secretary general can be hard to get a cap with a bonus in the form of a syringe repressive psychiatry or stay on felling. Perhaps, therefore, a thing done with the formal seriousness: big, bright, poster - at least tomorrow to claim Gospremiyu. And same here Sots art, which should be the spirit of satire and provocative? And then - dear Leonid Ilyich, yet three-symbol of a desired still stability. Bulatova another trick: in this work clearly bust - and the scale and epichnosti, and ideological objectives. Stately Secretary General in Nimba flags blooming republics, strong host-sixth of the land. Incidentally, in 1977, the year of the creation of the canvas, Secretary General of the CPSU Central Committee was the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR - in terms of present status of the head of the Union.

What it could be fun? How much social art? If someone from the ill and prividitsya «Contra», so let them look around: on posters, banners and portraits of widespread leader. On the walls, in newspapers, in magazines, in the ABC of first. Not pridereshsya, all as a people. Even better. But excessive effort, right up to the point of absurdity, the court does not. In short, to assess the true intent, the obvious today, in those days could only «nesovetskie» people.

Since the death of the leader has already passed a quarter of a century. 25 years ago, a teacher with a lost person entered in the class and asked to turn the primer to the last page where the picture and the milestones of life, Leonid Ilyich. For my generation of Brezhnev relatively unappetizing part of the story. For people postarshe - memories. It will be a bit more time and memory is erase «discharge», Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan, Sinyavsky with Daniel. Will the mass-cult mumble a funny old man, which many nostalgic. Such a Soviet collective cult image - the likeness of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Liz Taylor and Mickey Mouse.

But back to money. So, «Brezhnev. Soviet space ». Sixty-two in height. Estimeyt 0,75-1 million pounds. In the end, the thing is sold for 860 thousand pounds - more than a half million dollars, but stressed in a estimeyta. No record for creativity. But the picture that was included in the history of modern art, perhaps, not much. At the very least, record «Do not lean» this couple did not work. Interestingly, «Brezhnev. Soviet space »can be seen even in the sale Sotheby's 15 February 2007: in the commentary on Lot 76 (the same« The Revolution-Perestroika », sold for 165 thousand pounds plus commission) in the photo studio of the artist is behind Bulatova« Revolution-Perestroika »1988, and next to it -« Brezhnev. Soviet space », made 11 years earlier. Strange neighborhood, but in fact all it is.

Superdorogaya Bulatova work at all is an exception for the past Phillips: most of the works went to a estimeyta. What is understandable, because, leaving aside the not very large, but the impact of general economic and political conditions, it should be clear: assembly is not completely exposed masterpieces, with the first names and a museum of things together the names of the simpler and quite average. Stuart bought up cardboard and canvas in a very short period of time, the most romantic of poverty and adjustment. Prefer to buy directly from the studios. In general, felt that was a broad brednem: Who got to go, whom to have failed, at that, and bought. Choose and watch it once. But the percentage of tag hits was strikingly great. It can be assumed that only one investor Bulatov brought to 100-200 dollars for each investment. But this, I emphasize, from the guesses.

in excess of those tender things went mostly to relatively low estimeytami. So, surprised Semen Faibisovich. This artist only in 2007 was placed on the auction world. Architect by profession, does not fall under the terms of the informal artists Faibisovich develop their mystical photorealism (with constant play of light) in your own apartment. Looking at reproductions of works Faibisovich, not immediately aware that you are not self-photos with genre scenes, and paintings. Trehmetrovoe canvas «soldiers», understandable, written in the apartment could not be just. Such a thing was possible only in an American studio. As a result, «soldiers» were sold for 311.2 thousand pounds, with five exceeding optimistic estimeyta.

We know that one of the works Faibisovich (2.3-meter stage in electric car, 1990) for 156 thousand pounds bought Igor Markin, who is going to have to put it in the winter exhibition of his museum art4.ru .

There is, obviously, we'll see some more work with Phillips de Pury, in particular the huge canvas of Natalia Nesterova «Red Interiors (Restaurant)» and photos of Boris Mikhailov.

Source: www.phillipsdepury.com , art4-ru.livejournal.com