Group of artists "Basis"

[sini4ka]

To offer a text E. Antipov "On the" basis ", about a group of artists' works and several members of the group: N. Pyatahina, Buldakov and most EV Antipov.

On the "basis", about a group of artists.

"The group was formed on the basis of the teaching staff the department of painting and drawing of the St. Petersburg Architectural University in those days, when the University has called LISI. Now the group includes three generations of adepts in the art of his professed language of aesthetic fundamentalism." Base "- it mainly members of the Union of Artists, but the range of creative interests "osnovtsev" indefinitely large: members of the group are also members of the Union of architects, writers and journalists. In addition to publications in art albums in a row of outstanding artists of the past - exhibition at the UNESCO and the Council of Europe in Strasbourg , art works and journalistic articles. Some way to delineate the scope of productive activities "Basics." With this name the group made its debut at the exhibition in 1992 at the Marble Palace. Then there was Singapore, where it is the "basis" fell open to our brothers singapurchan and domestic and all European painting. There have been exhibitions in more and more, but always with some strange rezonansikom.

I remember in detail the debut exhibition in the Marble Palace * (branch of the Russian Museum), defiantly correct exposure in a row and defiantly low-key concept of the exhibition - only still life. But now some time now: sugar rationed, soap bricks brown smelly rationed, there is no sausage at all, but on the streets of tanks grate, pull the tentacles of a young democracy. And there still life as a manifesto arrogant indifference to these dust storms. Probably, with this all started, with an intelligent silence in the context of general anger.

Actually, it all started back in the early seventies, when graduates of the Academy of Fine Arts - Nicholas Pyatahin, Anatoly Buldakov and others, such as politically short-sighted - were passionate about Cézanne. Against the background of tractors and harvest festivals formalistic hobbies were a sign of something ideologically alien, and on those graduates of the Academy vystavkomy looked firmly and strictly. Political short-sightedness are not graduates went to fight for the truth, do not become mimikrirovat under the martyrs are not fastened his views to a saving to the West. Taking a pen and paper, they went to museums, in museums, in museums. For there, in museums, in museums, where the silence, where no tractors, no harvest festival, the great mystery of the image is encrypted, the mystery of mastery. Moreover, the teaching activities, which they, the graduates were obliged to do, assumes that this secret specificity. The farther into the forest, from informal Cezanne to refined Poussin, so sophisticated, constructive, intelligent provided specifics.

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specificity, indeed, secret. More precisely, in the twentieth century has been lost. Lost in the form of genres, philosophy image technology (techno - in Greek art). And now it's apparently time to restore the initial letter that Greek Latin.

I remember, and its murky youthful concerns about the marked characteristics. How do you: behind and art school with the increased attention of teachers, and the acquisition of works in private collections, and high-quality copies for which no shame in 35 years, and started, used to write an independent still life, and saw that he is different, sorry, from the Hermitage. No craft, no animation, and a certain wisdom, the very secret specificity, youthful my mind is not accessible. For an artist of the twentieth century there is no fundamental difference between the formulation and still life - richly painted glassware, temperamentally, effectively, and is ready to work, admire, raduy unpretentious connoisseurs. But the Hermitage is still life narrative, plot and the plastic interaction of objects, this decision chess problems with his low-key intrigue, this is a picture. Then something in front of me, doubting, and there was a figure Pyatahina, Lord of the Rings. He was, however, is young, radical, wound up a half-turn. In anger cloak, like Peter, with pictures of Valentin Serov, and takes perpendikulyarchikom. Pass, and only hair we sway from him such dynamics. And so it turned out: the artist should not make rubbings all sorts of things, his left eye, should not catch, like a cheerful puppy, sun spots, the artist, it turned out being a purely analytical, and as an engineer, he must be constantly aware of the important - what does and what does .

But what about spontaneity, all sorts of explosions and bursts? And did.
In the process of deepening in the philosophy of the image and the formation of the corresponding method, painting of the first "osnovtsev" became calmer in color, the dynamics on the invoice.

I can not say that the introduction to the method inspired by the exploits. Rather, it is all like to work miner: a lot of coal dust and condescending attitudes poetic natures. But we, college boy-were also erudition, and close to something we were furious Fauves and mystical Dali. All young artists know, painting - the color and protest, and we are instead offered a creative rampage painstaking philosophy. It is insulting even. As an illustration, as a result - our work, then thirty years, the Patriarchs: Pyatahina, Buldakova, Nakhimova work quite monochrome, both visually and in fact: motherhood, a peasant of indeterminate age entourage, park landscape and still-lifes endless. Life without the barricades. But an interesting thing, as a method of comprehension, creative interest grew, and the vector of interest categorically changed. And now Daly is not no genius, and illustrator mediocre, but as suddenly opened Rembrandt, Rubens. And how many problems and solutions poses Organization simple-still-life, you're my mom.
The path from Poussin to Cezanne was even more interesting than from Poussin to Cezanne. And much thorny.
And it is not lush thesis, this biographical facts.

I never thought that peace-loving by nature, so provocative, I laid into his work. At least, all vystavkomy twenty years ago were for me a wonderful way: bring, put the picture out of the room. Not yet had time to get out and talk some of the commission, who more cheerful, now coming to work, commenting on their feelings in a very complimentary interjections. This means the reaction is, and the only question is, how many pictures will take the exhibition. A few minutes from behind the door lively sounds bu-bu-bu, and then asked to enter and answer questions. The question usually the same: learning from Pyatahina? Yes - answer to possible uncertainty and again listen at the door even more lively bu-bu-bu. Then the doors swing open nervously and finally. Some of the commission - with premature ejaculations - hard looks in the direction the rest of the exhibition looks at all on the floor, and a man with a ruddy face clearly said that no offers. Not that were not enough votes - the proposals do not. Then, citizens, why do so many "boo-boo-boo? Riddle.

There were, however, instances when a stray image still held an exhibition - but no further: in the exposition it is still not rendered. Well, not passed the second round of work, nothing unique. Unique on. Once in a respected study, I discovered this picture as much hanging over the most critical table. Another mystery. In the corner among the hundreds of paintings she can not hang, but over the table of the main man - maybe. And as it turns out, can - in fact, instead of Comrade Lenin V.I.Ulyanova-picture-my hanging.

And in the Union entered all fabulously: with complete unanimity, as if I had a son, afraid assume someone. But then the same painful thing: for twenty years in the Union of Artists exhibited 5 works. This is to say in all candor, a six-fold violation of paragraphs 3.4 of the Charter of the Union and malicious trampling on my rights. Even if we assume that initially, my aesthetics are not consistent with the Party line, but now something which it does not comply?

Occasional well-wishers I reported that some of the important people in SC did not love me well, you might say, hates. Come on - I waved, - for that I hate something, I pay contributions in order, nothing in return from the SC do not have any meetings gentle as a bunny, do not insist that all suits me, love all, as happy as oligophrenic. And yet - insisted wishers - yet ...

The All-Union House of Art, where I happened to visit a spent Soviet power, remember one old man deserved. At one time he wrote good scenery and Chapaya upright. The old man was awarded about him from afar color booklet. Somehow, the old man came to my studio and whispered that I am doing everything correctly and that the way his did not go. Nothing in my plans were, but a parting whisper thanks. Once he invited me to his workshop, to share, perhaps, experience. That experience shook me: squares, triangles and something abstract and dirty. It seems that the old man did not know what to do, but he knew why: they have to rebuild the whole country is living the new principles. He walked all the workshops, not only to me, and ponahvatalsya fresh ideas. The old man, of course, clearly lost its creative acumen, but felt that the winner he is not accidental. But the old man in the water looked. In Surikov school now some of the "iconic" art teacher, and before a "sign" that, had she not been a lady, her brushes should be ... In the St. Petersburg Academy - the same way: side by side with another teacher, even Mondrian stiff naturalist seems . And how can not remember Pyatahina with friends, with their strange evolution against the grain. It would be useful to the formalistic enthusiasm for dinner. And they? Yes, it can afford only a very irresponsible people.
Or very responsible.
In short, in front of me were examples of natural behavior, and in the House of creativity, I seemed typical receiver of their teachers.

He came from Moscow is very big man small in stature, the price we do not agree, why came some turmoil because price, which we do not agree, and so was four times higher than the record. My indifference warmed surprise to knowledgeable colleagues who were not understood by two points. 1. what tasks you can solve an artist, except for commercial and 2. how to refuse such an offer. Yes, just the amount claimed is essentially nothing in my life is not solved, but the painting still ought to work. After five years of the second paragraph had to remember, because this picture, incidentally, one of the program, including eighteen others were abducted. Burglary, with a very intelligent selection, with control of the Minister of Justice. The selection was, indeed, smart. This is a consolation. Console and more - the publication of pictures (of the number of stolen) in the album "Three Centuries of Russian Art". This seems to be provoked and theft. It was stealing paintings and a Pyatahina - also, incidentally, included in the "Three Ages", and in Nakhimova, which also in the "Three Ages". Thus, for a "Principles" issue of liquidity (which determines the rating of the artist), is solved without any problems, but is in Russian: steal. In general Nakhimova carried away with the exposure. All in the spirit of time and within the genre - cut with ropes and carried away. Here at Buldakova nothing was stolen. In the "Three Ages" it is, but the picture is not stolen. Suspicious even. Moreover, Buldakov in 2004, also received the Governor's Award.

Apparently, for members of the "base" psychology of the equatorial existence is not acceptable: we can either in one direction or another. I've somehow gone to America, in the U.S., and while there to museums but in the comfort of a global study of art authorities fraternized - Pyatahina, Buldakova and Muratova with nightmarish scandal of the Artists Union was expelled. Recovered only after ten years.

Creative team did not leave the viewer indifferent. This illustrates the reaction of the Directorates of halls in which the group had exhibited tactless. My aunt, who headed the exhibition hall of the Museum of Urban Sculpture, a very theatrical frown on such a painting and is regularly asked aloud a rhetorical question, to whom it might be interesting. But one day, her tone had changed: it turns out, yesterday visited someone very solid, all covered with guards, and uncanny interest in prices. But in the museum-apartment Block Alexander Alexandrovich announcement about the "group did not want to print. Not what used "basis" so vain, just the item was listed in the contract. Were good arguments nepechataniya: first, the prime administrator felt that a press release drafted illiterate (he did lead the St. Petersburg art critic), and then when things took a principled and started ringing from the administration, voiced the true motives - a very low level of professional painters. This is despite the fact that the museum-apartment Block was chosen just retired amateur. Perhaps on their background and the group looked like a losing one. In this bold version has a russet coat: themselves something of a "osnovtsy" not bad, you can catch their veil of mystery and romance, and all the genres they cover - from still lifes to history paintings - but that's against the realities of modern life seem they are, I admit, just not right. Especially theme of motherhood, which in the light of progressive humanism seems dense archaic. And for modern art - this is the first sign of provincialism and bad taste. Director of a major newspaper, through the prism of the true values of looking at art, short, but very capacious described the essence of the aesthetics of the group: pornography.
Indeed, where the fight against AIDS and for the freedom of same-sex love? A? Netuti. And what is called the artist's work so callous, heartless? And so it is: pornography.

Young iskusstvovedki publishers and galleries share the anger, but for other reasons. Throwing his eyes, they are ably indignant about the lack of those colorful transfusions, which they learned to talk intelligently and with admiration. My attempts to explain something, referring to Ingres and Caravaggio, look trepyhaniyami Cornet Obolensky before commissar pistol: Young iskusstvovedki these names to know do not know and firmly stood his ground. They can understand, their own vision of beauty are shaped by the immortal canvases Mitka, psychology of art they were learning, plunging into the complicated biographical vicissitudes of artists of the martyrs, who, in spite of hygiene, spiritual malaise and the use of random chemicals, found the strength to squeeze out a drop of slave and Finally something to abandon the beautiful craft.

The category of a new generation of working-extruded art explicable professional erudition, but the categorical - only one pole of the relationship to the "basis". The other pole is equally categorical relationship to the group forms a community of socialist realists among those who did not rush to change and who have no intention of a squeeze. And while aesthetics "Basics" is not so very antagonistic towards the tractor-harvest ideals, but the presence of an isolated pictorial philosophy and developed the conceptual apparatus takes her from the ranks of fighters for social and literary realism. And who is not with us, he knows who. Thus, the two irreconcilable camps agree on one thing: Group "Framework" - this is unacceptable. Even stronger, the camps cement price precedents, because prior to the acquisition pyatahinskoy painting "Mother and Child," a famous British film producer (Tim Helen Corrie) in 2006, St. Petersburg strip "to his contemporaries was installed Buldakova in 2003.

Let even so, indirectly, the group carries out its peacekeeping quiet (at least, consolidating) mission. Bad that quiet. Reflecting on the fate of creative team members, the prospect is drawn not encouraging. But whether you want them (us) to spare. After all, everyone is worthy of his biography. And everyone pays for his faith. If the martyr goes bare-chested on the tram - a deed. The act of a responsible, daring, worthy of admiration and emulation. There will be television and stormy debate with the best speakers. But if one "artist" has strong beliefs in the actions of their reliance on common sense and humility, if it is socially adequate and even, God forbid, a little bit successful, then the public will not personality, and not an artist. Thus, a trimmer. This remarkable logic inherent in all infantile heroes who know firsthand about the beliefs, but to war dream. Therefore, a tight-knit ranks of fighters for the true art in concert and with all the uncompromising will stigmatize all that they associate with the word "conservative".

Well, if the wisdom and knowledge, much to late, wish series resistance fighters in their heroic endeavor. And, above all, principled, guys, ruthless. Somebody's got to take on this thankless task - revenge filthy broom everything foreign, wrong. And if you must, then squeeze, squeeze "