Vladimir Ovcharenko of the market of contemporary art in Russia

[Евгений]

Interviews little old (2003), but I liked to eat a lot of interesting ideas, relevant and now .. (EA)
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On the market of contemporary art in Russia, says gallery owner Regina Vladimir Ovcharenko.
 
     Since the early nineties in Russia "unofficial" art became a "current". Came after private galleries have been and remain the most independent fairgrounds, showing the most ambitious, forward-looking and radical artistic projects. To date, private art galleries play a decisive role in pricing in the market of contemporary art, Russia, and bring to the world art scene with new names that have become recognized stars. Regina has existed since 1990 and has always enjoyed a high reputation among the leading galleries of our country. Vladimir Ovcharenko, one of the most influential people in his professional field, discusses the strategies of private galleries, working with artists and buyers.
   

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- Market development is impossible without the emergence of new names. How can you assess the situation in Russia's art education from the perspective of modern art?
     - Lack of basic art education has always felt, even if the author works in genres far, for example, from traditional painting. In Russia there are many schools that prepare artists of the traditional direction, that is, teaching the basics. However, they, in turn, can not provide education in the field of contemporary art. The young artists should be a choice - to continue to take classes in painting, sculpture, architecture or to learn video, photography, art of installing. But such objects known to me in Russian schools do not yet exist.

 - Can we speak of the emergence of a new, already Russia, the official art? What, in your opinion, should be the relationship of art and the state?
     - From the standpoint of the federal government, the official art, in my opinion, does not exist. But the municipal authorities, such as Moscow, has created for itself the official art. Supporting such artists as Shilov, Glazunov, Tsereteli, the municipal government was clearly made its choice.
     Fine art can not exist in complete isolation from the public order. But at the moment the state at the federal level has been slow to express its position on contemporary art. Moreover, the state is not the means for consistent cultural policy, for a detailed program in the field of culture. Now in Russia this void to some extent filled the church orders. The Church has the opportunity to fund art projects and is currently the largest customer for the artists. Naturally, the religious orders belong to the field of traditional arts. The so-called actual art is experiencing a deficit of artists: young people, when confronted with the need to earn a living, often opt for the traditional arts, because it gives them more opportunities to receive orders.
     Coming to market such a big player, as a state, could seriously affect the situation. In an era of social realism with the state order very many artists have the means of livelihood. And we must not forget that as a result other than portraits of the leaders appeared remarkable works, still had not been adequately evaluated. Artists level Deineka, Samokhvalova, Pimenova - these are real world stars. Now the state is almost completely gone from this sector. Perhaps only in recent years there have been some changes: the organization is funded by major international exhibitions such as "Moscow-Berlin", and Russia's participation in the Venice Biennale this year has been more representative. Yet the market of modern art, which represent the artists, gallery owners, buyers and collectors, we are dealing mostly with private capital.

  - Private gallery operates as both a business and exhibition space, which come not only buy but also to watch. For galleries dedicated to modern art, a representative function has a special significance: it is often associated with a particular gallery appearance of new names and even directions. Do the priority you have any of these two functions?
     - All existing now in Russia gallery can be divided into two types. Some operate on the principle of shops, rather, boutiques, which, by and large, anyway, what to sell. They are guided solely by demand, the seasonal fashion. These galleries are working with a select number of artists that are also geared mainly to the fact that the greatest demand. Such galleries now appeared quite a lot, and they have a good income.
     Thus there are galleries, seeking to provide each of its artists as individual trade brand: promoting its work in the market, represent their authors' major art forums and fairs. Our gallery, of course, refers to the second type. The work of directors such picture can be compared with the work of the manager's football team: The main objective - to gather around him a group of talented artists, united by common ideas, to create a platform for creative debate. Any project, first hatched in the mind of the author, is formed in creative discussions, it is preceded by the creation of an original preparatory work. Often the technical performance of a work is not the most difficult stage. The task of any artist - to reach the hearts and consciousness of the viewer. Each author seeks to achieve recognition of his talent, let them have a small circle of spectators and their comrades. But people close to the artist and intellectual, with whom he could share his thoughts and vision of the world. The establishment of such a circle - the goal of our gallery.

 - Is the strategy picture, depending on the individual creative strategies for your sponsors?
  - Our gallery has existed for thirteen years, during which time many changes occurred. Some of the artists come and stay for a long time, but some, like football players, goes to another club ... not easy to find a talented artist, as a grain of gold or diamond, and we want to leave them here with us, and constantly engage them faceting. Not so many diamonds we have collected over thirteen years, but that have been collected, we are very happy. Each creator has its own program, and for me the primary goal - to give the author the opportunity to work.
     For the artist it is very important to concentrate on his work. Work of art - is a very thankless, and often have several years of hard work, before this activity begins to generate income. But the really talented work can create only a talented artist who gives his work twenty-four hours a day. You must have strong financial support, to successfully overcome the difficult initial phase of a career. To do this, and there are galleries: it happens that the gallery itself redeems the author of his work, if the viewer and the buyer is not yet prepared for their perception. If is clear to us that the artist is serious, that his work is relevant, then we invest our own funds, giving him an opportunity not to think about going into another profession. Our clients are also aware that the funds invested by them in the work of artists, ultimately contribute to the creation of new works of art. In my opinion buying the work, which often costs money - the highest degree of recognition of the talent of the author.

- What advice would you give a man who became interested in collecting, but not yet familiar with the market of contemporary art? Does Russia now prevailing system of assessing the quality of works that would help orient the buyer?
     - In my opinion, the buyer, a future collector, must first begin to regularly attend exhibitions in museums and galleries, self-acquainted with the art as a spectator. If this process really fascinates, individual works of disengaging the soul - hence, must continue. For me the main thing that the client is not faced with disappointment because he was persuaded to buy the work, or because he succumbed to fashion.
     Purchasing products through the gallery - it is a civilized form of the transaction, and the gallery thus assumes responsibility for the quality of the artistic product and the adequacy of its value. However, in the mass consciousness of many people live on hope alone to open a new star: buying a picture somewhere in or near the Izmailovo CHA on the Crimean shaft be a few years later the owner of the new Van Gogh. From my point of view, this is utopia. Buying a work of art in the gallery - it is the same as that perform financial transactions in the bank, and not to trust their money to street speculators. The client can choose between the tubes, just as he chooses between banks - in our art market are already well-known brands.

- Please comment on the situation with corporate collecting and philanthropy in our country.
     - Even when it comes to corporations, forming its own collection, here an important role played by personal taste of someone from the owners or managers. In any case, the collection is formed according to certain criteria, for example, captures the art of a certain period and a certain region. Most start with a local, national artists. This is confirmed by the history of Russian corporate collectors in the nineties of the last century: Tveruniversalbank collected portraits, Capital Bank - art 1910-1920-ies, Inkombank - contemporary art.
    On the other hand, corporate patronage associated with PR-strategies of large companies that choose with which image to associate them more profitable. These strategies have a place for fine art. For example, the image of a dynamic, growing, future-oriented corporation combines well with a collection of modern art. The same mechanism determines the sponsorship of exhibitions, including the largest state museums. Western companies have in this regard, the experience of several decades, and they extend the current model, and to Russia. Unfortunately, we have this tradition is still only beginning to emerge.
    - Can we now consider modern art in Russia in terms of an investment?

     - If a businessman wants to get a stable, guaranteed gain, say, ten per cent per annum, then I would not advise him to invest in contemporary art. Investment in modern art in some way akin to venture project, which involves a greater degree of risk. In order to succeed, of course, need to study the market and decide on the direction of investment, with the price range of artistic product. In Russia, this kind of investment has been limited. I have some orientation of its customers that they must first enjoy the works of those who acquire. It is a pleasure and I appreciate as a percentage of invested capital. If after five years the owner can sell the product for the same money, I think it's perfectly normal transaction, but perhaps the fact that the price could be many more - depending on the success of a career artist. For example, five years ago, photos of Oleg Kulik's selling for two or three hundred dollars, and now they can cost seven or eight thousand dollars, photographs of Sergei Bratkov, three years ago, valued at five hundred dollars, now faces two to two and a half thousand.

- What determines the pricing in the market of contemporary Russian art?
    - In the late eighties in the West in the wake of political interest in Russia began soaring prices for works by contemporary Russian authors. Fashion extends to practically any Russian artist. Fifty to sixty thousand dollars for the work was considered a normal price. In the early nineties in connection with the crisis of world economy and declining interest in Russia has changed, marketed among contemporary Russian authors were unity. In my opinion, this corresponds to the real state of things - we really brings to market the unit, but these artists have stable sales, and their creativity has authority in a professional environment.
    In Russia, unlike in the West do not exist until the institutions evaluate works of art, there is no auction (the volume of our market does not allow to cover the costs of their conduct), so the evaluation function assume the commercial galleries. They are responsible to the buyer for that job to sell it at a fair price. For the client it is important to know that, like buying his work, he made the right decision. Even with the most talented Russian artists collaborate few galleries, and a potential buyer may, if necessary to obtain information from them about the price of the work of this author. In the case of the famous artist price level will probably be the same.
- What can you say about the prospects of the market of contemporary art in Russia?
  - The art market is directly dependent on general economic and political situation in the country. If we are not to be global economic and political upheavals, it will gradually evolve, because the positive dynamics already exists. In addition, other types of artistic production, such as, for example, interior design, already in use in Russia in great demand among the wealthy. In this regard, the industry behind modern art is obvious, but the success of Russia's market of designer products, I see the potential for the gallery business. Culture of visual perception is formed gradually: the people living among the objects of modern design, will inevitably become more interested in contemporary art. After all, the interior suggests that it contains works that are in harmony with the surrounding objects, and by the master ...
     The value of contemporary art, in my opinion, is that it allows man to create history of their own lives, not to surround himself with objects associated with the fate of other people. The acquisition of contemporary works is different from the acquisition of antiquities that the buyer, the customer may not be only the first owner, but even the first to see and appreciated the work. This product is part of the life of its possessor, a part of his own history. In addition, the owner of such work can maintain contact with the artist, to follow the development of his career, read about it in newspapers and magazines, watch videos on it on television.
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On the subject (with forum) Semen Faibisovich. Exhibition "Evidence".
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Сообщение от Vladimir

ideologist "obviously" made "Regina", Vladimir Ovcharenko. Almost all the works of exposure Signature Courtesy Regina Gallery. The exhibition clearly divided into two periods of work: mature 1990-e (1993, 1992, 1995) and the late 2000's (2008 and 2009).