As art works on the business

[Евгений]

In the Year of France, Russia, Renault brought to Moscow its corporate collection of contemporary art. art historian Anne ANDREW told the correspondent "NG" Olesya HANTSEVICH on the interaction of art and corporations.

- Today, all major companies are dreaming of an art collection, couture has reached Russia. As a Renault had the idea of using art to promote its brand?

- In this sense, the Renault is the pioneer, because our collection - the progenitor of many modern corporate collections, she is a role model. The company began work in this direction in 1967 - then started patronage of art activities. The initiator was Claude-Louis Renard, one of the company at that time, a passion for art. He was able to convince the CEO to the viability and in a sense revolutionary such a project. As often happens, the important role played personally identifiable.

- What was the concept of philanthropy?

- Not to buy ready-made product or sponsor a ready-made exhibition. The company wanted to go in front of art, participate in the process of creating works. It was an unprecedented practice. For nearly 20 years, until 1986, the company has attracted artists from different areas, ages, fame, and even different nationalities. They are chosen by Renard, for their taste and knowledge. Artists were united only that they lived in Paris, who was then the cultural capital of the world. The main idea was to invite the artist to help: just financial support, technical support engineers and workers, access to the shops of the plant, engineering and design offices, equipment, provision of facilities and materials. All that could be offered in the human and the scientific sense.

- What is required of the artists?

- They had to create a new series of works, one of which left the company itself and placed in the collection. Other works remain at the disposal of the artist, but only after taking part in exhibitions, which Renault has organized all over the world. For example, in the Museum of Applied Arts in Paris, Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Louisina Museum in Copenhagen. It was a fantastic opportunity for artists, because then the sites, where contemporary art is shown, it was quite a bit. It was another time, another era, artists have to evolve in a limited circle of professionals and amateurs. In 1973 the corporation built a new headquarters and asked the artists to work with architects to integrate their work into a new workspace. Paintings, sculptures and other works now adorn another building in Paris, but most works are in storage, or wander the exhibition.

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- What are the dividends for the company brought a collection?

- Originally it was intended to help Renault to enter the international market - a goal facing the company in early 1970. Rapprochement with the arts, not only improved the company's image as a whole, but also gave him a human dimension, innovative sound. These tasks are a collection of fine carries to this day. When management decides that it is necessary to adjust the reputation of the brand in a country, we send back the exposure. In the case of the Moscow exhibition of the initiative came from the Russian office of the company and was paid for entirely by the office in Moscow.

- Who are the artists went through collaboration with the company?

- Just a collection of some 300 works, but works of art created in this way, together with Renault, many times more. Work with us once unknown authors, who later became world stars such as Armand, Takis, Tinguely, Soto, Robert Rauschenberg, Niki de Saint Phalle. But join the project also has the famous at the time the artists - Jean Dubuffet, Victor Vasarely, Henri Michaux, Sam Francis, Pierre Alechinsky.

- In the collection stand out photos by Robert Doisneau, who was not involved in the sponsorship program of the corporation.

- This is a special story. At the Moscow exhibition of works by the great French photographer Doisneau is a separate room. In 1934, Renault took it to work the photographer, by the way, this was his first job. He worked at the company until 1939, then after the war - for another 10 years. Because of this we have an exceptional foundation of his work.

- Why is the corporation had ceased work to support artists?

- Exclusively for economic reasons. In 1985, Renault was faced with a serious crisis and was on the brink of extinction. To save the company, it was decided to cease all activities not related to the production of automobiles. But even now, after 15, after "conservation" of the collection, she continues to work on the capitalization of the company's image around the world.

- Today, the company has no plans to resume the completion of the collection?

- I work in the company since 1992, and every time when we really speaks about it, there comes another economic crisis. We have to postpone the resumption of better times.
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1.Ann Andree demonstrates one of the works by Robert Doisneau of a corporate collection.