Norman Rosenthal: I am for beauty, but not vulgarity

[Евгений]

In the former confectionery factory "Red October" was a famous lecture by the curator of London, who headed the Royal Academy of Arts, Sir Norman Rosenthal. He came within an educational program dedicated to the exhibition at the Gagosian Gallery "For what you are about to receive" ( "The fact that you have to"). After the lecture, Sir Norman Rosenthal responded to questions ALEXEI b-Mokrousov.

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- Your recent withdrawal from the Royal Academy of Arts disappointed many, because it is in your life Academy exhibition has gained worldwide recognition.

- Thirty years at one place - that's enough. Retirement is good, but as an independent curator, I can do much more, including projects that had absolutely impossible. In addition, the children grew up, they want to study in America, but it costs money.

- Lately, you often in Russia, not only as a consultant of the project "Hermitage 20/21".

- I would like to contribute to the Hermitage to update its display of postwar art. We are now preparing proposals for the long-term "lease" - free, of course - works from the museums in the Hermitage.

- And the museum itself is not in a position with the help of sponsors to buy the missing?

- When it comes to Magritte, de Chirico and Dali, which are not in the Hermitage, on Jasper Johns and Jackson Pollock ... hardly a museum in the world today capable of such purchases, even if it aspires to be a universal museum.

- That is come to an end the era of museums?

- No, but they should cooperate more with each other, their future in international cooperation. I dream of a joint action by the Pushkin Museum and the Hermitage. Why not do an exhibition on Shchukin, for example, it can be shown within three months in Moscow, and Morozov - three months in St. Petersburg? And then make an exchange? "

- You have already offered a director?

- Do you think they would be against it?

- Try. What, besides a lecture on "Red October", brings you to Moscow?

- I really wanted to see the exhibition Kabakov. I even flew to her discovery, but has been inattentive to the visa in his own passport. At the airport, it became clear that the visa is not valid. But in the VIP-hall, I saw, albeit fleetingly, a living legend - Mr. Gorbachev.

- Successful replacement Kabakov?

- Well, no, not in an artistic sense. But he is a symbol of new Russia. Like Kabakov - I am delighted with his exhibition, especially from the part that Volkhonka.

- How time she liked least about the critics.

- Oh, it's a romanticism, there is so much symbolism, roll with a picture of Claude Lorrain, stored in London, with a tradition that runs from Turner to Monet and Redon ...

- Many now collect Russian art. Does wealth combined with neofitstvom on the quality of collections?

- Every time I come to Moscow just a couple of days, but I dream to be held here two weeks, to see not only museums but also a subculture ... I saw you and the beautiful and terrible private collections. The main thing is that they are accessible to society. Poor spectators and especially the poor artists should be able to see this art, this was the goal and the Shchukin and Morozov. For many years I'm friends with Charles Saatchi. Some see it as not a collector and dealer, but it is not, and I want to say that he shuns publicity, but considers it important to make its collection accessible. After all, it affects the museum life.

- When you were preparing the exhibition "From Russia", there was a scandal caused by the reluctance of our ministry of culture to produce pictures in England (Kommersant wrote about this in December). What was most interesting for you in the experience of training?

- I believe that absolute assurance of repayment, which insisted that Russia - a perfectly normal phenomenon. It's great that they are able to give (British Parliament passed a special law for this .- "Y"), as a result of half a million people saw the Russian and French art together. So it was a fun experience.

- "Funny" - only your definition of the situation?

- Art importantly, the policy only appendage. If the exhibition is not held, it would be very upset, but nothing more. In the world there are many things that much worse.

- The scandal and was accompanied by Cranach exhibition at the London Academy. Authorities have banned its advertisements in the subway, which was reproduced kranahovskaya Venus.

- Many of my friends were sure that I myself gave birth to that scandal. Unfortunately, this is not so. I really like Cranach, like all the old art, it was my last exhibition at the academy, but - there is a naked lady naked lady. I think in America it has not got whatever on the advertising poster, nor on the cover of the catalog. And that, in Russia such advertising could be seen in the subway?

- In Russia, the censorship concerns mainly contemporary art, we now have even tried two curators.

- I do not know all the details, but in principle I stand for freedom in art - the freedom, which does not exclude liability. There are good and there are bad provocation.

- Who should decide? The police, the Puritans, the criticism?

- The artist himself. He must understand how an intelligent, constructive work he has created or unconstructive and vulgar. I am for beauty, not vulgarity. You know, Boyce said: "It is true - this is the beauty." However, to him it seems, said Lenin, and even earlier, Dostoevsky?
http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?Do...amp;print=true

[Meister]

Eugene since I posted this post, I will comment on this lecture, which I, unfortunately, visited. Explain why "unfortunately." When I went there (ie the way through the dense jungle jams), I was filled with the most gracious promise, that's it today, I will explain all the advantages of modern art that I finally understand how it perfectly and I will love and adore him to end of his days and making fun of how stupid I was before and could not appreciate the genius of "the great modern artists" ...

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convince me that in addition to Sir H. Rosenthal, who is undoubtedly an extremely well-read, intelligent, educated and interesting man, tried two representatives of the Gagosian Gallery - Victoria Gelfand, who was there for the background in my opinion, and another man, like at the London dandy. Just last and Sir Rosenthal attempted to answer listeners' questions and explain the uniqueness contemprorary art ... That's me personally, they were unable to convince the general ... Sir Rosenthal vividly told stories from his life and what used to be art, as few people were interested in them if and how many are interested now that we must love art, it should be like and no matter what it costs money and so on and so forth ... BUT! no reasoned commentary in favor of the artistic value of works of contemporary artists, including hanging on the walls of work, was not at all. Sorry, but it was just water, talk about anything in this forum much more interesting to discuss the problems and trends sovremennoogo of art. On a question from the audience: "Well, hang Fontana, what is it dear?" - Sir Rosenthal launched into a discourse on the level: "This is such a wonderful, wonderful, unique work, she's so unique, so interesting and remarkable, it so much is not normal, it can be interpreted so many ways to consider and so and so ... and so on. The listener explained: "Well, you, personally, that it like?". Rosenthal: "Everyone sees it our way, each his world, someone will see one, I see another ...", - and launched into a lengthy discourse on how differently people perceived art.
To my great regret, the whole conversation took place in that line ... No specifics, no parsing of artistic pictures ... Most of the words were about how people love contemporary art, as it is to everyone's taste, as in the global cohort of Russian collectors are moving oligarchs, as Gagosian Gallery like to bring here and sell it "zamechtatelnoe, the unique" art that is available (which is very often stressed) only elected.
As a result, I have not approached the understanding of contemporary art, but even more alienated from it, made sure that all these big words for a completely empty essence, these multi-million dollar prices - the result of constant brainwashing and PR, and even such great man, Sir Rosenthal, can not turn the dirt into the diamond dust ...

[Meister]

OlgaV, and incidentally a great idea to raise the data and analyze))) excellent analytical material was obtained)