[SergeiSK]

Article seven years.

The Director of the Moscow Arts Center Marina Loshak told about the customs of new and emerging Russian collectors.
- Only on the part of the paintings in the exhibition indicate to whom it belongs. At most - an impersonal "From a private collection.
- As always, there is a group that is ready for the publicity. A majority is not ready - for obvious reasons. I'm interested in that was as much as possible information. I need to know where to find things to use them at exhibitions. I've only heard from all sides: this thing bought, the other thing was bought for and who bought and where it is not clear. Latest Russian collector should explain that the things you want to work, they should publish and organize - it increases their cost. Collectors should be taught with the museum staff and experts, they should go to the exhibition. They must become part of this world - not the world of antique shops, and major world museum life. And the new collectors are willing to dip into it. They are like children, all vanity and enjoy the fact that ascended to a new level.
- Major collectors in Russia is not so much. You probably know all of them in person?
- Even three years ago almost all the major players in this field, I knew. Not now. They became much more. There were mastodons, which I only know that they exist. For example, Viktor Nekrasov, the owner of chain stores "Arbat Prestige" ( where he is now ...?). He bought an incredible number - about 4 thousand - works that hang in his right in the stores. There are people who collect the stunning collection, while in the West. There they bought - and the West remain the same things. Therefore, the most important thing - make a directory that would reflect the situation, for example, for the past year. I even know that was purchased in 2002 by a Russian collection: the terrific Konchalovsky, and fantastic Borovikovsky - masterpieces of world level.
- The newest Russian collector - what is it?
- I can only talk about those with whom they work. Mostly young people. There are quite young, 30-year-olds, and was about five or six years. There are those who started collecting recently, but do it intelligently. All of them are very successful in his business. Usually they are people of "intelligent" business - related computer programs or pharmaceuticals.
This is very interesting: Collecting can tell a lot about character. If a person collects - hence, nothing human is alien to him. So he is alive. Because it speaks of the passions and that he is not be formal in his private life, what do you have to be in official life.
- Antique collectors themselves looking for things and meticulously checked their history. New collectors, probably relegated it to other people?
- Brand new, too, are. They also arranged - and Andrew Eremin, and Mikhail Krasnov, and Boris Molchanov. They do look and go, ready to take extraordinary effort. They are very nelenivy and vehement in their aspirations.
- And people are different now, and conditions. Can collections, began to gather five, ten, fifteen years ago, to compete with the famous old collections?
- Collection Andrew Eremin have no way inferior collections Solomon Shuster and Abraham Chudnovsky. Although most of the new collections is still in the "accumulation" stage. Select a brand new, on the one hand, is limited because there is no quality work and they are very expensive. On the other hand, it more than ever, because the market is much broader.

Tatiana Markina
(Kommersant »№ 17 (2620) on 01.02.2003)