THE PRESALE EXPOSITION AT SOTHBEY▓S, MOSCOW

Date: 30.01.2007 Source: The Russian Antique

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Dmitry Krasnopevtsev. Composition with the Rods and the Ship. 1965 [zoom (144k)]

On January 26-28th, Sotheby▓s to exhibit in Moscow notable works to be put up for sale at the London auction on 15 February 2007. The auction is devoted to the Russian Modern and Contemporary Art of the 20th century, but also includes works by famous Western painters. According to the press release ╚the new Moscow project combining the contemporary Russian and Foreign Arts creates a special context for presenting these works╩.

The Russian and Western artists to be exhibited are equally important for their national schools. The works were selected in order to reflect the interaction and synergy of the ideas of the Western and Russian artists, e.g. the ones working in the Soc-Art and Pop-Art styles.

Olga Osipenko, an organizer of the Moscow event, commented its conception as follows: ╚The project has practically no historical analogues √ the exposition is compiled from works of modern Russian painters in the joined context with works of foreign painters.╩

The exposition will feature among the other works paintings by Lydya Masterkova, Eric Bulatov and Oleg Vasiliev. Many of them were never put up for auction and were provided by private collectors from the US, Europe and Russia. Different kinds art are to be presented: paintings, sculpture and photographs pertaining to the period of 1960√1990.

Andy Warhol. The Skull. 1976 [zoom (181k)]

The auction house Sotheby▓s is a market leader of selling the works of the Russian Art. In 2006, its turnover in the field of Russian objects of Art surpassed GBP82,000,000, which is by 46 % more than a year before.

In July 1988, Sotheby▓s organized the first auction of the Russian Avant-garde and Modern Soviet Art in Moscow. About 2000 participated in the event, which turned to a big success for Sotheby▓s (it gained GBP2,085,050). More than 11,000 visitors attended the presale exhibition of the lots. The exposition included works of the following painters-non-conformists: Ilya Kabakov, Edward Steinberg, Grisha Bruskin and Vladimir Nemukhin.

Head of the Department of the Russian Paintings, Works of Art and Icons, Joanna Vickery said ╚Last year, the Sotheby▓s London divisions specialized in selling the Modern Russian Art performed very well. They gained more than GBP2,600,000, and, responding to our client▓s requests, Sotheby▓s will stage an auction devoted solely to the works of the Russian Art of the 20th century. This sale will be held nearly 20 years after the first one organized by Sotheby▓s in Moscow, the one turning to a big success. It is expected that this kind of sale will be a regular item of the Sotheby▓s auction calendars.╩

Оleg Vasiliev. Landscape and Space. 1988 [zoom (218k)]

Increasing demand on the Russian Art items is one of the main trends of the world market of the recent few years. In the nearest three years period, the Russian Art market, traditionally comprised by the 19th century √ beginning of the 20th century paintings, works of Faberge and decorative applied art objects, expanded considerably. In 2006, Sotheby▓s twice organized Russian sales of books, maps and photos to meet this rapidly increased demand.

An outstanding example of the Soc-Art paintings is among the works selected for the exposition. It is a work by Eric Bulatov (b. 1933), ╚Revolution-Perestroyka╩, provided by one US collection. The Soc-Art style emerged at the end of the Brezhnev▓s era. Two painters were its founders: Vitaly Komar (works of him will participate in the February sale in London) and Alexander Melamid. These pair of artists developed a new conception and the form of Art, mocking the Socialist Realism style. The Soc-Art style reached the highest level of popularity and became dominant among the home underground trends. Works of a US painter, Andy Warhol, produced big influence on it.

Another important work to be exposed is a picture by Oleg Vasiliev (b. 1931) ╚Landscape and Space╩ (Estimate GBP20,000√GBP30,000). Working together with Eric Bulatov, the artist created a new style in Art, featuring the combination of the Photorealism and the Text.

Abstract Art paintings will also participate in the exposition, one of the main such works being Lidya Masterkova▓s ╚Nameless╩ (Estimate GBP35,000√GBP45,000). Vladimir Weissberg▓s ╚Nu╩ (GBP20,000√GBP30,000) was painted by one of the most prominent non-conformist artists of the 60-s √ the time of the Soviet authorities struggle against formalistic trends in Arts by means of the bulldozers and dirty language usage.

The exposition address is:
Moscow,
4/4, building 1Yakimanskaya naberezhnaya,
Phone:
Fax: