Dear
dedulya37. With all that you have written, I agree.
I just wanted to say that without the exhibition activities simply could not be a normal existence of the artist in the official Soviet system. (I am not talking here about those who have moved away from her or anyone removed.) In fact, after graduating from the university graduate had to dial a certain number of exhibitions to be accepted into the Union. And in the future of his show activity dependent, and its credibility among colleagues and financial situation. Including the waiting list for studio and an apartment (which is important). Now it's all irrelevant. Nobody will give you a flat no, order does not provide. Union maintained only at the expense of the remaining Soviet-era real estate and distribution of the workshops. I know some artists who do not want to join the Union, because they have their own workshops, exhibitions they organize themselves, and orders are also mined.
Current exhibitions are necessary either for sale or, indeed, show the result of their work. I, for example, constantly plagued by doubts about whether or not I show my work. They seem to me weak, insufficiently professional, kompilyatorskimi. For some reason I think that an artist should show the result, but not the way to personal nemu.Moya "censorship" is not yet ready yet to put a stamp "approved for display."
And catalogs were, they were. I remember them well. Yes, poor quality, black and white, and sometimes even no reproductions. But other then the quality was not, therefore, even a wretched katalozhek was important. I remember one of the exhibition catalog "USSR - our homeland." Since he was such a brilliant cover of "silver". He just made a sensation of some kind. I remember some artists for catalogs and prints was isolated in a separate workshop table. So that every incoming compliments had.
Do not you remember how ratcheted up their noses, some members of All-Union exhibitions before those who have only the Zone? And now - who cares? I, for example, no buyer was not asked to put me on it, or I am a member of the Artists' Union or not.