Round Table "Antique Market in Russia: problems of development and research issues"

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The magazine " Russian Art » № 2/2013 an article was published researcher at the State Institute of Art Inna Pulikovoy dedicated round table " Antique Market in Russia: problems of development and research issues ", which was held in the GII in March 2013. Today we introduce readers to the material I. Pulikovoy , published in the journal " Iskusstvoznanie » № 1-2/2013 ( str.582 ), where a round table covered in more detail.
 
Roundtable conducted by the State Institute of Art in collaboration with the International Confederation of antique and art dealers in March 2013 , was not the first controversial event that united the representatives of the modern Russian antiques market . The problems of this sector of the market are discussed as its direct participants and analysts often enough, willingly and in a variety of formats. However, it should be noted fundamental differences roundtable " Antique Market in Russia: problems of development and research questions " from other seemingly similar in focus and organizational characteristics, activities.
Market research - its main trends , investment attractiveness of individual segments - made ​​before , but, as a rule, were initiated and carried out the structures associated with the antiques market and therefore have a highly applied focus . Roundtable held in GII , was organized in the framework of the national study of art and antiques market - research , which starts this year, Department of Economics of Art and Cultural Policy Institute under the direction AY Rubinstein. This will be the first independent scientific research sector of our economy which emerged in the last two decades and have a real influence on the processes in the sphere of culture.
Status of the academic research institute , which has an organization - the initiator of the research work has been an important factor in the interest of the roundtable participants for the event , as an independent discussion platform GII may permit a broad discussion of the most pressing issues of the contemporary antiques market .
Opening the event roundtable moderator Director of GII NV Sipovskaya paid attention to the research potential of the Institute , with a particular emphasis on the fact that the Art Institute carries out fundamental projects on the history of European and Russian art , conducts research on the sociology of culture and the economy , leading expert activities in the field of cultural heritage and contemporary art , is involved in the development of legislation and regulations of the Russian Federation . According NV Sipovskaya , after twenty years of its existence, the Russian antiques market may be the subject of a full-fledged scientific research, and today is in the GII beginning of a long period of cooperation with all institutions that shape the market and interested in learning .

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The representatives of these institutions have become major participants in the first round table. President of the International Confederation of antique and art dealers VV Bychkov addressed the topic , which is fundamental for the study - the existence and accessibility of representative indicators and data sources for the analysis of the antique market. For research purposes , of course, will be useful characteristics of the Russian Antique Salon , as the situation on the old art fairs around the world is fairly accurate indicator of the situation in the antique market . To a certain extent the history of the Russian Antique Salon is a reflection of the history of domestic antique market .
The salon is held in Moscow twice a year since 1996 (when the participants were 18 interior galleries , the number of visitors reached 24 thousand people.) . The participants of the second cabin were 30 galleries, the fair was visited by 30 thousand people . At the XII Salon , held in 2002 , was marked by the rise of interest in the old art and the collections were already 106 galleries. The next five years are estimated by experts as a period of excessive demand for antiques - not by chance saloon participated in the XVII 206 galleries.
Became a landmark in 2004 , when fifty of the best players in the Russian antiques market together with the International Confederation of antique and art dealers. In 2007 , moving in line with global trends , Russian Antique Salon became actively support the organization of specialized exhibitions in the stands of the fair participants , facilitated and active operation of the Expert Council of the cabin. In autumn 2008, was recorded the maximum number of participants in the cabin, then the market ( like the rest of the domestic economy ) felt the impact of the global economic crisis - was marked by the outflow of the participants. In autumn 2009, the salon was attended by 167 exhibitors. The situation stabilized in 2010, and by 2013 the number of participants is almost back to pre-crisis levels .
VV Bychkov said that the object of study can be ambiguous and indirect dependence on the art market in the economy , despite the interrelation of processes taking place there . In particular, the fall of 2007 , the cost of a barrel of oil exceeded $ 120 and antique dealers had expected growth in activity of buyers in this segment of the market, but this has not happened , and Autumn Salon in 2007 was one of the most difficult , with low interest consumer audience . Turning to the international practice of market research , VV Bychkov drew attention to the discussion on what to order CINOA (Confédération Internationale des Négociants en Oeuvres d'Art - International Confederation of National Associations of antique and art dealers) , regular study of the world market of antiques, but information on the Russian market, where there is little or it (because of information closeness of our market ) is conditional enough : in the media a figure of 1%of the total world market , which the whole is estimated at 43 billion euros. According to V. Bychkova , members of the International Confederation of antique and art dealers have come to the conclusion that at this stage the participants of the national antiques market is not enough scientific, serious study , which was conducted for the overseas market.
Speaking about the prospects of this study , the general director of " Sotheby's Russia - " MA Kamensky supported the idea that the study of the Russian antiques market is difficult because of the lack of reliable indicators and objective indicators that can be relied upon - due to the closeness of the information market participants. MA Kamensky said that a private gathering, and the art market are more dependent on the political situation in the country than the economic . According to him, this is confirmed by the departure of buyers from the market of Russian contemporary art after the return of Vladimir Putin to the presidency. Changes in the political situation leads to the fact that a significant number of collectors move to the West and gradually change the subject collectibles that affects the situation on the market.
In the context of the discussion was very useful replica Vice President of OAO " Gazprombank" M. Sitnina about the fact that if the subject of the study stated antique market , then it should discuss the market ( based on the developed world practice models and indices ), where a work of art is only a commodity, and not a subject of art history research.
Responding to it , AJ Rubinstein ( Head of the Department of Economics of art and cultural policy GII , the first deputy director of the Institute of Economics ) drew attention to an important feature of the antiques market , is actually a conglomeration of two directions - the economy and art , to share that in the analysis of the market would be a mistake . Then he focused on studies of art markets, which for more than fifty years, known in the cultural economy , noting that whatever instruments , indices, the researchers did not use the statistics of the Russian market , they will not have enough data on which is built the Western economic science - it comes to the study of specific market participants, including the use of the theory of expectations. AJ Rubinstein said that the antique market operates on an object with a unique property - self-expansion of value, which would seem to make antiques attractive asset for investment from the point of view of any business group , however , in practice , the situation is not so clear . Along with this, AY Rubinstein pointed to importance of the study for understanding the specifics of market instruments and the institutional environment ( which is not conducive to the development of the Russian market).
Some skepticism about the prospects for the study expressed by the head " Galeev Gallery » II Galeev . From his point of view , the need for market research is, but we should not overestimate the significance of the results of analysis: graphs and tables can not accurately predict the direction of the market , they only record the state, since the antique market is , in fact, self-regulating system . Then , actually opening up a new forum topic , II Galeev said that market participants and museum professionals need to get rid of excessive indulgence in respect of the controversial exhibition and publishing projects , about which need active public debate. In addition , II Galeev spoke about the interaction of museum workers and the antique market , as well as the problems that arise in this connection. As one of the factors that influence the development and functioning of the market , II Galeev noted art criticism , which is an integral part of the market infrastructure , regretfully pointing to the low level of contemporary Russian art critics .
Subject relationships museum professionals and antiques community was very urgent and continued VE Markova ( leading researcher Pushkin Museum. Pushkin ) , we note that we do not know the past antiques market , how to work the various segments of the market, as interacted with the West, as the relationships built museum staff , collectors , antique dealers . As a representative of the museum, VE Markov believes that the market can not exist without art history , and vice versa (meaning not corrupt , as is normal, legitimate , working relationship ) . The scientific community should react to the way the market is developing , for example, the massive inflow of works of art from abroad enrich the market these receipts or clutter ? According to the VE Markova choice Institute of Art as an independent discussion platform makes it possible to stand up " over the situation ," to unite the participants with diametrically opposing views , and single out the most important topics for research.
The head of the gallery " Three Centuries " AV Rudentsovu do not just have to deal with the opinion of museum directors who believe that with antique dealers in principle should not support contacts. This position is all the more surprising since it is often the items found , recovered and Attributed antique dealers , museums subsequently acquired in their collections . Comparing research and publishing activities of public museums and private galleries, AV Rudentsov said that in his view gallery today are much more active than the museums (especially when you consider that the museums more financial and human resources). But the museum has its own serious problems : A. Rudentsov critical of the recent statement by the Minister of Culture , that all museums should be transferred to the " self-sufficiency ", and no new purchases of works of art for museums do not do as long as it will be completely dismantled the existing museum collections .
Publishing became a separate topic on the roundtable : The International Confederation of antique and art dealers donated to the library GII excellent selection of books published by antique dealers . Russian collector of antique books A.A.Vengerov presented his collection of antiquarian books , and AV Rudentsov - publishing projects of the gallery .
ML Molchanov ( director of the gallery "Elysium" , the vice - president of the International Confederation of expertise of antique and art dealers) at the beginning of his report gave an example of questionable cultural project - some of those mentioned above . According to her publications such as catalog-reason Natalia Goncharova , adversely affect the antique market , but out of this directory , no response - not from the museum community , or from antique dealers who are dealing with the works of Natalia Goncharova (and this is a situation when it is in Russia 's largest collection of works stored Goncharova ) . The absence of an unambiguous response professionals and open a negative evaluation of the publication has already led to the fact that there were examples of confirmation by Western experts fake papers Goncharova. Since the issue of expertise is extremely important for the modern Russian antiques market , ML Molchanov , in his report outlined the main requirements which , in her view , must comply with the examination work of art. The expert 's report should contain a detailed study of art history and comparative series ( including an indication of the place of work in the heritage of the artist) , technological expertise . On this basis, the expert may be the only person in a position to provide all this information and gorgeous ( not the books ) who knows the work of the artist, who has access to the comparative series.
ML Molchanov said certification that gone are the experts of the International Confederation of antique and art dealers who meet the requirements of the market: they are certified, highly specialized experts with the right to give expert opinion on the work of a single author or group of authors ( and not by experts , say by all the authors who worked for a century .)
Assessment of the impact of e-commerce on the antiques market , as far as the Russian antique dealers use the Internet for their business - these issues were also present on the agenda of the round table . Speech by AK Biryukova , the head of the categories of " Antiques & Collectibles " Company "e - Commerce Group" (the site «Molotok.ru), initiated one of the most active discussions. The open marketplace Molotok.ru began work in 1999. Based on the analysis of segments of sales in 2012, the company's specialists have found that 60%of sales on this web site are made in " Antiques & Collectibles ". Thus on auction model in this segment were sold 51%of things, but on a " Buy Now " - 49 %. Sales volumes in 2012 in " Antiques & Collectibles " amounted to 1.7 billion rubles. ; Most actively sold numismatics, decorative and applied arts, bonistic , faleristics , militarika , icons , but there are practically no sales of painting. According to AH Biryukova , our specialists are watching the constant growth in sales of collectibles online and suggest that Russia is a global trend of increasing importance of online sales for antiques market .
Commenting on the report, the vice- president of the International Confederation of antique and art dealers ME Perchenko was critical of the level of things that are sold over the Internet, but the roundtable participants were generally appreciative of the role of activation of Internet sales for the overall development of the market. In particular, the opinion was expressed that the comfort and «users-friendly» for novice collectors, operating not very large sums , the system of online shopping allows beginners to make "training " buy , build collections , not feeling the psychological discomfort that often accompanies the purchase of antiques off-line . A certain portion of Internet buyers of collectibles can then begin to make more expensive purchases and move directly into the sphere of antiques ( large paintings and decorative arts ), shop at galleries and fairs. Thus sites like Molotok.ru, becoming a kind of "school" , preparing new generations of collectors - what is certainly interested in the Russian antique community .
The round table was repeatedly mentioned the importance of art criticism for the functioning of the antique market and talking about it , TJ Markina (observer department "Culture" of the newspaper " Kommersant "), noted that the tradition of art criticism Russia and the West are very different : the Russian media , but the facts are required , " drama ", which is able to attract more readers , and it happens that the " invoice " sacrificed to the severity of the material. Commenting on the publication of numerous expensive purchases of works of art , TJ Markin noted that some of the newsmakers well aware of the significance of such major acquisitions as an excellent public relations , promoting a positive image , and cited as an example the fact that influences the market: Russian collectors do not like to buy expensive things at live auctions in the country. However, for the same things at the auction in London, our buyers are paying much more. According to TJ Markina , we should not underestimate the role of the media in the formation of the "image of Antiquities " - in Soviet times it was so negative, but talent is formed that has not changed in the eyes of the public.
The discussion of the factors affecting the state of the market of antiques, A.I.Borovkov (expert gallery " Russian avant-garde 1910s -1930s . "), Called the legislation on imports and exports . TJ Markin in response cited the example of China - the country rather closed , similar to Russia by the rules of import and export , but occupies a third of the world market purchases of antiques, and suggested that the activity of buyers affect not only the laws of the import or export , but the situation in the country.
SH Sadekova ( editor of " Art Market " newspaper «The Art newspaper Russia») drew attention to the fact that the antique community in Russia is very closed , in contrast to Western , which found the way of constructive interaction with the media, and it does not interfere with information closeness only research, but also to the antique dealers . And since now in the public perception does exist sustained negative image of the antique market participant , the antique dealers themselves have to make an effort for the development of professional public relations management in their organizations ( often for the objective of informing the audience enough to provide timely and complete information to journalists .)
According to I. Pulikovoy (organizer of the round table , a researcher at the GII , development director of the magazine " Russian art), working on the scientific development of" antique market and the private collection : main trends and patterns "- it is logical that the main participants of the first round table were the ones who forms the market , that is, the representatives of strategic institutions : antique galleries , old art fairs , auction houses . The coincidence of the plans of the academic research institute and interest directly involved in the antique market offers a real opportunity to conduct a full investigation and assessment of the market ( which is virtually impossible without the participation of market players ) . In the future format of the roundtable will be invited to the dialogue of representatives of other institutions - museums , expert organizations , insurance companies, banks, etc. - involved in the functioning of the domestic market and affecting it .