Formation of the art market in Leningrad-St Petersburg

[Allena]

Interesting article - it would be even less typos!

07.03.2003
Actual Art


Formation of the art market in Leningrad-St Petersburg
[Valery Valran]

The art market - this is our "bright future", so it makes sense to consider the current century is a European counterpart of this phenomenon and evaluate the characteristics of what we have here.

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Actually, the two major elements of the art market - the artist and the buyer (customer, a lover, collector, etc.) already existed in ancient Greece. The buyer could be the city, organization (church) or a private person. This simple model, the artist - the customer without significant changes existed for more than a thousand years until the mid-nineteenth century, when in France between the artist and the buyer has appeared active mediator - Marchand, paintings dealer, the dealer. By this time in France already existed museums (the Louvre was opened to visitors in 1793), the annual Salons (since 1667), arranged the exhibition and sale of works of art (the prototype of future auctions), there was a sufficient number of collectors and fans. There were also pictures of the merchants, but they specialize mainly in the trendy art, ie on what is sold "here and now." But, in addition, in the artistic life emerged something that never existed before. This - a generation of young talented artists, whose work was seen active artistic community negatively. "Indeed, what is consecrated in fashion, always sold faster than the creation of truly great artists, which the audience understands, the less they are authentic and original" (1)
Paul Durand-Ruel - merchant paintings, perhaps, first drew attention to the unrecognized geniuses, and for several decades to care for them. First there were the artists school in 1830 (Corot, Courbet, Millet, Rousseau and others), then the Impressionists (Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Pissarro, Sisley and others) prices for paintings by these artists during this period went up by tens, and sometimes hundreds of times.
Durand-Ruel was a true innovator and laid the foundation not only of gallery affairs, but also wider - the contemporary art market. He was for many years, nobody bought the work of unknown artists, organized exhibitions of their work, published directories, held sales and auctions, to promote the arts patronized artists, not only in France but in England, Germany, Belgium, Holland, USA, founded two art magazine , was concerned that the work of artists ended up in museums and prestigious collections.
Contemporary art market has inherited and classified that introduced the practice of Durand-Ruel. Gallery was a commercial enterprise, which is either buying works of artists, or takes them on a commission basis. In promoting the work of artists (exhibitions, brochures, catalogs), the gallery aims to sell them and raise their value. Galleries visiting lovers, collectors, critics and journalists. Through the media of exhibitions learns the general public. If the exhibition interested critics, the material on it may appear in a special art magazines. Galleries, which have proved their worth and participate in international exhibitions, often visited by curators of contemporary art museums, which form their collections, drawing on the experience of galleries. Often, the gallery works to provide periodic international exhibitions, fairs and art auctions.
Gallery as a commercial enterprise makes artistic values in economic value, ie in money. The effectiveness of this enterprise is determined by many factors, but one strategy is perfect. Is to take a group of young, unknown artists to anyone and make them world renowned. Paul Durand-Ruel at auction in 1875 bought the "Source" Renoir for 110 francs. In 1905 he sold the work for 70 000 francs, by 1910 its price has reached 300 000 francs. (2)
Galleries, have become world renowned and have an impact on the artistic and commercial conjuncture in the world is not so much. The majority of the galleries do not have such a high reputation and work with artists who are not yet sufficiently known. Usually gallery works with a limited number of artists who stylistically similar. Each gallery has its own range of clients and fans who are close to art galleries and policies they are potential and actual customers. The higher the reputation of the gallery, the higher the price of works of art which represents the gallery. "The better the artist, the better the gallery, the weaker the connection between the audience and creativity. This brings us to the proposition that the theory of functions of the gallery at the whole spectrum of culture: the task of the gallery - to reduce the relationship between artist and medium, to release him from the imperatives of the social environment" (3 )
However, most of the galleries function as a commission shops (selling works of various artists and take over a certain percentage), or rent artists to rent space, exhibition equipment and advertising. Their influence on the artistic process is not significant.
Career artist usually begins with a small little-known galleries. If after several exhibitions at him noticed, he was invited to a prestigious gallery, which is visited by art historians, critics, collectors, curators. If the gallery participates in international fairs and exhibitions, and artists interested in an international collector, curator of large exhibitions, such as the Venice Biennale, or the director of the largest galleries in London, Berlin or New York, the artist may be invited to one of the leading galleries in the world. The next step - selling works in the museums of modern art and participated in group exhibitions in museums. If the artist offered a solo exhibition in a museum like the Tate Gallery in London, he is almost on Olympus. The peak is Mount Olympus is the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
In the western world galleries, international exhibitions, museums of modern art form a pyramid, in which each level has its own rank and cultural capital, which corresponds to a certain monetary equivalent. The artist, gallery director, curator of the museum, an art historian, critic, art journal fairly easy to identify themselves on the ladder art hierarchy. At the top of the stairs is a limited number of directors of galleries and museums of contemporary art, curators, critics, art historians and collectors who form the artistic sense and direction of the artistic process. (4) They collectively (in communion with each other) decide who and what direction " elevate, and by whom, and that "to withdraw from the race."
This general model requires considerable clarification. Modern art is often financed by all sorts of foundations, philanthropists (private and corporate), the Ministries of Culture and other government agencies. A large number of artists find themselves in the fashion and commercial art, which allows them to comfortably exist, but it does not affect the priorities of the international art process. A special place is occupied by corporate collections and markets of provincial cities. The latter supported by local patriots and lovers. In some countries, such as Russia, strong anti-globalization trend and focus on "special path of development", which leads to the support of the artistic culture of national identity in opposition to international conditions. However, in Moscow peacefully coexist both international and national artistic contexts. For example, "Art-Moscow" and "Art Manege".
Thus, the main actors in the artistic process are artists, curators, art historians, critics, patrons, galleries, large group and international exhibitions, museums of modern art, art journals and other specialized periodicals on art. This can add more art auctions, corporate collections, journalists, who introduced the general public with the events of cultural life through the media, casual buyers, which decorate the interior works of art, etc.
Western artistic process sufficiently debugged and each party has its function in the overall structure. In addition to the functional component of this structure has a hierarchical organization. As the artistic process is a "living organism", which is constantly changing (one generation is replaced by other artists, galleries opened and closed, constantly changing artistic priorities, new museums of contemporary art, etc.) and its structure is not formalized and elaborated during long-term artistic practice, it is logical to talk about the latent structure of the artistic process and its infrastructure.
In relation to the Society for Contemporary Art process is fairly open. This - professional or semiprofessional community, events which have little impact on the surrounding sociocultural environment, and if they influence, the indirect and delayed. The general public learns about the various developments in the field of contemporary art through the media. But, unlike literature, music, movies, art still does not lend itself to mass replication of good quality and available to the general public is not the art itself, and talk about it. In other words, modern art, unlike other areas of artistic culture is elitist and is brewed in its own juice.
The art market in Russia if it exists, in a very peculiar form. Max Fry wrote that "there is in Russia no art market, but there are isolated cases of buying and selling contemporary art. But there are games in the art market - a lot of games, good and different" (5) Marat Gelman argues that in Russia, five " unconditional "galleries (Gelman Gallery, Regina", "XL", "Aidan" and "TV-gallery), and for five galleries for fifty artists in the great Russia, there is always some sort of market" (6) True, M. Gelman was referring exclusively to contemporary art-based international context.
Russia art market, there are 15 years old, while the west at least 150. The first gallery opened in 1988: in Leningrad, "Ariadne," in Moscow - "M'ARS" and "Moscow Palette. In addition to galleries, buying and selling works of art at that time were engaged in numerous co-operatives and various other organizations, because it was a way to convert rubles into dollars (buying paintings from the artist for rubles and selling them to foreign customers in dollars). However, if the formal institutions of the art market appear in the second half of the 80-ies, the informal, private its forms can be found already in the 60-ies.
Prior to restructuring in Leningrad was the only formal business structure - this shop artists (Nevsky Prospekt, 8). It opened in 1965 and belonged to the Arts Fund. The works fell into the shop, the prior recommendation of a special Arts Council, which formed the Union of Artists of its members. Initially, the shop went, as a miracle - hanging pictures and they could buy. Later opened two branches Stalls artists - on the Nevsky Prospect, 45, and under the Duma (Nevsky Prospekt, 31). Up to 70-s schedule of artists in the shop sold no more than 30 rubles, painting cost is usually 50 to 100 rubles. In the mid 70-ies prices began to rise. The first raised the prices up to 50 rubles per sheet printed graphics AL Kaplan because of his work enjoyed an unusual demand by visiting foreigners. In the 70 years, sold well enough to C. Nimenovoy. Here you can see the work of VF Matyukhov, I. Ershov and other left-wing LOSHa. In the second half of the 70's after Gas-Neva Exhibition at the store began to appear the work of elected non-conformists - A. Gennadieva, A. Sysoev, Yu Lukshina and some others who tried to "tame" the leadership LOSHa. However, members LOSHa and the more underground artists to sell work through the shop was practically impossible. Shop artists while focused on commercial success, but not at the expense of "ideological saboteurs". It was, above all, additional "feeder" for members of the Union of Artists.

I do not consider the activities of the Union of Artists and Art Foundation. These organizations are controlled and distributed by well-defined rules of state orders, most of which was to some extent ideologically oriented. This does not mean that artists members LOSHa did ideologically neutral and non-conformist works. But if they did, the "table" and an opportunity to show them the official announcements were very small.
Informal art in Leningrad, there were contrary to the laws of market economy - the "proposal" existed in the complete absence of "demand". Incentives for creativity were non-economic. Creation of independent artists, however, as photographers, musicians, poets and writers who emerged in the private sphere as a negative reaction to the total ideological control of the state in the public sphere.
Circle Aref'eva "formed in the late 40-ies of the students SHSH at the Academy of Fine Arts, which kicked out for" formalism ". V. Gavrilchik excluded from the art studio in 1960 for "formalist affectation." School Sterligova "existed solely in the private sphere. Pupils O. Sidlin engaged in art studio Palace of Culture. Kpranova and the Palace of Culture. Illich. School of Dlugach there was a semi-official ...
The level of prices from independent artists was somewhat lower than in the shop artists. Graphics cost up to 30 rubles, painting - 100. The only well-known collector L. Katzenelson was not a rich man, and artists often gave him his work, hoping thereby to be in a sufficiently representative collection. Prior to Gas-Neva Exhibition of work by independent artists no one bought, and if purchased, then at symbolic prices. V. Kubasov sold in the 60 years of its work no more than 50 rubles, but usually - 10 to 30 rubles. (7) B. Gavrilchik in the late 60's - early 70's sold the painting for 30 - 50 rubles, but extremely rare - no buyers. While in Moscow, the situation was different - V. Gavrilchik quite successfully sold his work at the headquarters E. Bachurina. (8) friends and family pictures were given or exchanged only on books, wine, and so on.
Actually, many artists of the informal culture of shy and felt awkward, set prices and selling their work. Creative thought, if not "sacred" task, then, in any case not focused on the sale. Commerce, like politics, is classified as "forbidden", "dirty", "vile". In the sphere of commerce, many unofficial artists formed a stable complex of inferiority. In 1979, after a joint exhibition "Still Life" (V. Gavrilchik, A. Polushkin, Valran) I wanted to buy from B. Gavrilchik his work "Dry Leaves" for 200 rubles. He gave up a price and took 100 rubles. Recently, he confessed that he feels is still some awkwardness and confusion when it sells its work. (9)
Although most of the informal Leningrad artists did not sell their work, and if they sell, then extremely rare, there were exceptions. Anatoly Maslov in the late 60's quite successfully sold its schedule, and since 1970, quit his job and lived solely on fees. (10) Mikhail Shemyakin's already in the 60 years of buying and supporting Dina Verni. "Among the employees of Western embassies in Moscow Rukhin was a success. His work is good buy, especially Americans. They all have identical apartments, and to a certain room at a certain wall hung a picture of each Rukhin." (11) Alexander Leonov, Yuri hot, Alexander Arefiev in the early 70's participated in exhibitions in Moscow apartment. Alek Rapoport wrote in his memoirs that he was in Moscow came to the apartment to his nephew Armand Hammer, which was an exhibition of Leonov and A. Aref'eva. "The apartment was filled with their labor and foreigners were buying them quite fluently." (12)
The situation in Moscow was much more favorable. Many embassy officials, foreign correspondents were potential and actual buyers of works of the informal artists. In addition, known Muscovites - Ilya Ehrenburg, S. Richter, A. Volkonskiy, B. Slutsky, L. Martynov - not only interested in the unofficial art, but some of them staged exhibitions in their own flats. In 1960 the exhibition was held at the apartment Krasnopevtsev D. C. Richter. Some time later - the exhibition EL Kropivnitskogo apartment A. Volkonskogo. Numerous informal exhibition of artists in the 60 years took place in research institutes, in the homes of artists. Since the early 60-ies of the informal work of artists began to buy. O. Rabin, the first two of his works sold G. Kostaki. "Arriving in Lianozovo, Kostaki chose two paintings and asked how much they cost. I was very embarrassed, and finally squeezed out of himself:" Fifty rubles ... "Then he hastily added:" If you dear, I am prepared to reduce the price by half. " He replied: "Your picture, my dear, are much more expensive. I am not very rich, but I will give you a hundred rubles for each. "(13) In 1965 he went solo exhibition O. Rabin in the London gallery Grosvenorgaleri", which apparently enabled him to buy "three-room apartment of 59 square meters for 5600 rubles. "(14) Of course, not all artists fate was like O. Rabin. For example, the first solo exhibition in the west at W. Nemukhin passed in 1986, ie 20 years after the show Rabin.
In Leningrad, the situation changed after the show in the Palace of Culture. I. Strip (1974) and DC "Nevsky" (1975). Disparate groups of artists to know each other and joined together at these shows. Trade shows were so popular that they have created admirers and fans, some of whom subsequently became collectors. Established its own art historians and critics, samizdat journals (since 1976). Despite the fact that the gas-neva exhibition, by its very fact, as it were legalized Leningrad underground, the regime is opposed to further publicity. Many artists of the gas-Neva Exhibitions pressure of the KGB and its own initiative, left the Soviet Union (Yuri Zharkikh, A. Arefiev, A. Leonov, I. Sinyavin, I. Zakharov-Ross, A. Bassin, E. Goryunov, Yu Dyshlenko, E. Esaulenko, J. Tulip, E. Zakharova, N. Lyubushkin, A. Rapoport, A. Putilin, V. Nekrasov, A. Okun, W. Klever, E. Abezgauz, Jupp, and many others). E. Rukhin tragically died in 1976, Morev - in 1979. Some artists - A. Vasiliev, A. Belkin, L. Borisov, V. Ovchinnikov, and others - were exhibited in the West.
Official and unofficial art exhibition in Leningrad during the second half of the 70 extremely scanty both in quantity and on the representativeness of participants. In response, numerous exhibitions have been held in private apartments and shops. Some of them have become a permanent art galleries, landlords are prosecuted in all possible ways of the KGB. The most famous use of the exhibition at the apartments K. Kuzmin, V. Nechaev, S. Kazarinov, Mikhailova, T. Valenta.
Official Culture - cultural officials, creative unions, the press, television, critics - have pretended that the counterculture is not there. However, they had no right to enter into any contact with her as an independent cultural movement from its very inception has been in action 5 department of the KGB to combat ideological subversion. But by the late 70-ies to ignore and not notice such a significant event in the life of the city was no longer possible - permanent apartment exhibitions, seminars, conferences, journals, the core of cohesive, active and experienced in conducting cultural events organizers, who have learned to assert their rights and behave in not contradict Soviet law.
In this situation it was necessary to destroy or counterculture, or search for acceptable forms of legalization. Officials from the culture, after lengthy approvals from the KGB and party bodies, on the one hand, and the constant onslaught of non-formals - with the other, began to accept applications for the exhibition informal artists. However, the real breakthrough came after the rent of the exhibition "On Bronnitskaya" (1981), arrested by the authorities. In response, the artists have established Association of Experimental Art (initiators - S. Kowalski, Y. Novikov, S. Grigoriev). In the same year, employees samizdat magazine "Open" Ivanov, Yu Novikov, Adamatsky opened a permanent Literary Club 81 ". Since then, thanks to the leaders of the official exhibition TEII underground became systematic and representative, but as part of "Club 81" is constantly held and poetry readings, meetings of sections of translators, conference on contemporary culture. "Club 81" was prepared and first officially published "Circle", and by 1985 the Club produced several magazines - "Obvodny channel", "Mitin zhurnal", "should", "Red schedrinets", "DIM". In 1981 he also discovered the Leningrad Rock Club.
After Gas-Neva Exhibitions improved and commercial situation in Leningrad. These exhibitions and afterwards informal exhibition of artists formed the fans and collectors. And although they were an order of magnitude smaller than the artists, those least likely sales there. In addition the informal artists began to buy diplomats and foreigners. However, the list of artists, which bought the diplomats, was extremely limited (no more than 10 - 15). A number of Leningrad artists exhibited at the apartment exhibitions in Moscow. For example, in yanvare1975 year was a one-day exhibition of Leningrad artists Lyudmila Kuznetsova, in 1976 - property exhibition of the "Aleph" in Moscow.
Most of the unofficial artists were forced to seek employment outside of art - rare sales could significantly change the situation. For example, in B. Gavrilchik did not have any sales after the show in the Palace of Culture. Strip (74), DK "Nevsky" (1975), Palace of Culture. Ordzhonikidze (1978) and only after the exhibition in LDHS (1979) had several sales. (15) V. Kubasov began to systematically sell their work year after the gas-Neva Exhibitions. (16) I from 1978 to 1985, sold vsego13 artworks (oil on canvas) at prices ranging from 100 to 300 rubles. Moreover, in 1981, Museum of the City bought me two urban landscape for 200 rubles each. Actually such prices (schedule - up to 50 rubles, painting - from 50 to 300 rubles) were kept until the restructuring. At higher prices bought by diplomats and foreigners - in the second half of the 70 paintings on canvas can be sold from 200 to 500 rubles, in the early 80's prices began to rise slowly. A. Maslov, in 1981, sold the painting to diplomats in Moscow on average for $ 1000. (17) But, of course, each artist had built its own pricing policy and we can talk more about the range, which ranged in price or the approximate price.
Thus, the artistic situation to mid-80's (before adjustment) as follows. In Leningrad, there were about 300 independent artists, who worked "for the glory of art." They had the opportunity to show their work in official periodic announcements or informal residential. Advertising Exhibition absent entirely. About exhibitions learned from telephone calls. Official press pretended that independent art simply does not exist. Similarly behaved art magazines. There was an art - Yuri Novikov, who participated in all actions of independent artists. Sympathetic critics and criticism are not officially spoken - is threatened with reprisals for supporting the "ideological saboteurs". Sale of works carried out in private - unofficially and illegally. Georgi Mikhailov for the sale of works in his salon had been convicted under the commercial mediation. Features sales were sharply limited. We bought diplomats, foreigners, domestic collectors and enthusiasts, but mostly they were interested in Gas-Neva artists. Most independent artists who came after Gas-Neva exhibitions, did not sell their works.

Since the beginning of perestroika, after the lifting of bans and restrictions on social activities, rehabilitation of the classical Russian avant-garde (in 1988-1990 in RM were exhibitions Filonov, Kazimir Malevich, Kandinsky, "Soviet Art 20-30-ies) and Western art of the twentieth century, there was a complete legalization of the Leningrad underground.
In May 1988, in Leningrad, was registered gallery - "Ariadne. True, the first exhibition galleries (A. Vermishev, Vic, V. Voinov) in the shop "Poster" (Lermontovsky, 38) has not been opened - the Department of Culture Commission considered it ideologically consistent. Next action "Ariadne" in the exhibition complex in the Harbor - "From the informal art to restructure" (1989) - was a huge success. It was exhibited the work of more than 200 artists. Every day it is visited by over 1000 people. It sold 80%of the work. For example, K. Trinity at this show completely updated its exposure, because of the constantly sold. (18) In this exhibition of work of many artists bought GRM. Completed this exhibition auction. Among the most significant group of buyers were foreigners, in second place - Muscovites, and very small part of the Leningrad work purchased by collectors and fans. (19)
In 1990, the "Ariadne" was "the first Biennale of modern art", which was attended by 204 of the artist. It is visited every day 800 people (on average) and commercial success was much more modest than the previous exhibition. (20) In the same year, "Ariadne" participated in Moscow in the first festival gallery "ART ONE MIF", where sales have been minimal. But on the second festival galleries in Moscow has sold 70%of the work. (21)
In 1988 were founded the Gallery 10/10 "(Foundation" Free Culture ")," The Leningrad Association of Free Artists "(Nevsky Prospekt, 20), in 1989 - Gallery" Anna ", Foundation" Leningrad Gallery, in 1990 - gallery "Delta", "Palette", "Modern Art" (in the room LOSHa), in 1991 - gallery "Borey", "Art College".
Galleries in addition to an exhibition of successful trading. Main pokupatelemi were foreigners and speculators, who were brought in large quantities paintings abroad and there is either sold in bulk, or staged exhibitions sales. Fashion on the Soviet unofficial art in the world was clearly politically motivated - interest and support of Gorbachev's perestroika.
Paintings sold everything - galleries, all kinds of cooperatives, brokers, dealers, adventurers of various nationalities. The artist could not leave the workshop - the city was flooded with dealers who are prepared to buy everything. For many artists this was a shocking experience - after decades of total absence of sales demand exceeded supply.
Prices for paintings up dozens of times, moreover, that the official salary remained unchanged. Against the background of the poor and needy fellow artists sex feel millionaires. In 1990, the gallery "Modern Art" has sold six of my works an American for 29 thousand rubles, ie an average of 5 thousand rubles for every job. In this case, my salary is the lead researcher, candidate of sciences was 250 rubles, ie fee for one picture was 20 times higher than official wages.
Since 1987, artists began to group and solo exhibitions in foreign countries, which received considerable fees in hard currency, which they bought used cars, home appliances and so on.
Many adventurers of all tendencies while engaged in art business. For example, two well-known artist held an exhibition "repressed artists. They came up with biographies of six artists who have written for their work in different styles, rented an apartment and the exhibition invited foreigners and diplomats. All the works were sold.
The situation began to change in 1992. Fashion for the restructuring of the West is over and, accordingly, the commercial interest in Russian art much smaller. Prior to 1995, yet ended with overseas exhibition and festival projects that are planned in the early 90's. By 1995, came full "calm". Many artists who came to the art market in the beginning of the restructuring and focused on commerce, went into other businesses. Many galleries have closed. The works of famous artists have stopped buying. Many artists were forced to look for side earnings for the fact that to provide for themselves financially. Some artists have lowered prices of their work about 10 times, others have transformed their style, hoping to please a potential buyer. But the case was that of the buyer in Russia did not exist. In any case, in St. Petersburg. He was in the West.
Then it turned out that in the years of perestroika (1987 - 1992) the artistic process was completely focused on the resale of works of the West and artistic life of the infrastructure remains in its infancy. The pathos of the many galleries - to gather a collection and create a museum of modern art - was a myth. Festival of Leningrad galleries, held in 1991, was the only one. Petersburg Biennale of Contemporary Art has completed its existence and In 1998, gently evolved into an annual "Autumn Photomarathon. The only magazine - "The Art of Leningrad" was closed in the early 90's. A few "new criticism" that appeared during perestroika, as unnecessary dispersed. Somebody became a painter, someone engaged in feature films, ended up in museums.
However, since 1991, began to appear the institution, without which modern artistic process in the city is unthinkable, but most of them is non-commercial nature.
In 1991, GRM was formed of the newest trends (Head - A. Bohr), which is already more than 10 years consecutively is representative of domestic and foreign actual art.
Since early 90-ies on the Pushkinskaya 10 was justified Humanitarian Fund "Free Culture" in which emerged during the decade Center for Contemporary Art. Currently, the "Pushkinskaya 10" houses the Museum of Nonconformist Art, six non-profit galleries, gallery of experimental sound, 40 workshops of artists and musicians.
In 1996, the group "Mitka" opened the Exhibition Center Street. Pravda, 16 - 20.
On the basis of the Central exhibition hall "Manege" Larissa Skobkina held 10 annual exhibitions of works by artists from St. Petersburg (1993), 4 international festival of experimental arts and a performance (from 1996), 5 international exhibition "Dialogues" (1993).
"Art-Collegium" held two of the festival "The Anatomy of Contemporary Art of St. Petersburg" (1998, 1999) and initiated the annual city festival photo "Autumn Photomarathon" (1998, 1999). In 2002 was the fifth "Autumn fotomarofon", the central exhibition which focused on "Pushkinskaya 10".
Since 1998, started publishing the magazine on the art of "Maxim" (Editor - M. Raiskin) in 1998 - the magazine "New Art World" (Chapter editor - V. Bibinova), since 2001 - the newspaper "Empire of Art" ( Editor - E. Karabutova).
In recent years, has opened many galleries - "Valencia", "D-137", "On Obvodnom" gallery "Ink-Club", etc. It makes no sense to list all the galleries - they had been in town about a hundred (according to D . Severihina), but each of them once there, found, developed, acquired its own niche in the artistic or kvazihudozhestvennom space of the city. And despite the fact that most experts claim that the art market we do not.
In general, the survival strategies of the gallery in the current circumstances was not so much - patrons (overt and latent), the establishment of subsidiaries in its territory (printing, design studios, etc.), renting out their own territory and sale of works of art.
"Art-Collegium" exists solely thanks to philanthropist. Sales of products are so insignificant that they can not even cover the cost of information provision exhibitions. With two festivals "Anatomy of Contemporary Art of St. Petersburg" ( "Art College" - 1998, 1999) was not sold a single work, although at these festivals were submitted to different generations, trends, schools, groups of artists, starting with the participants Gas - Neva Exhibitions.
Borey Gallery survive through the chamber subsidiaries - editorial, design studio, printing, book store, gift shop and DPI etc.
Gallery Delta, according to its director IG Bolotov, ensures their existence exclusively selling works of contemporary artists.
A similar question arises with respect to artists. How to survive in our city 10 thousand artists (4 thousand members of the Union of Artists of Russia), if the market does not?
Artists of the older generation, who began his career with the Gas-Neva exhibitions, are quite stable existence. They buy local and foreign museums and collectors, they will periodically hold exhibitions in foreign commercial galleries. The most active of them to establish contacts with overseas art market still in the 70 years, the restructuring only to formalize these contacts. It should be borne in mind that not all of them have achieved commercial success. V. Kubasov, for example, in the year sells one or two of work (at prices ranging from 1 to 3 thousand dollars), which allows it difficult to make ends meet (22). I know of at least 6, the six artists of this circle, which is not bought, and if they buy something extremely rare and they have to earn outside of art, or drag out a miserable existence.
Artists, who came to the Leningrad art scene to the adjustment or during the restructuring, most benefited from democratization. They are actively included in the foreign art hangouts at various levels, cooperation with which to some extent continues to this day. On the other hand, they sought to gain cultural capital within the country, allowing them to take full advantage of the opportunities - to get exhibition space, to museum-quality exhibitions, publish brochures and catalogs, to place their works in museum collections. I mean, first of all "Mitkov", "Pushkinskaya 10", and artists grouped around Novikova ( "New Artists" or "New Wild", "The New Academy of Fine Arts). It projects the artists of these groups receive priority in allocation of grants from various funds in the past 10 years.
Not all groups and artists were able to fully consolidate its position in the West during the restructuring. For example, a "nomadic" and "Hermitage" after a series of successful foreign tour, after the restructuring were not in demand abroad. And, despite the fact that they hold their exhibitions in the Manege, commercial success that does not work. Most artists these groups earn teaching. Two groups of college graduates Mukhinskaya - "Attack the elephants" and "his" - conducting a series of outstanding exhibitions in Leningrad and in Europe, disintegrated. Art fate of members of these groups later formed quite differently.
Post-Perestroika artists focused on an object, installation, performance, new technology, in my opinion, and do not expect to sell their works. They initially focused on various grants and foreign art-parties, who invited them to participate in various exhibitions and sponsored various projects. For example, a group of "new stupid" during its existence but have never managed to sell their projects, but several times they have received grants and paid for their participation in various festivals of contemporary art.

Thus, an artist in the current situation receives funds for art from the following sources. First, it is - all sorts of grants, not only from domestic but also from foreign funds. This also may include awards and scholarships received by artists from various organizations. Second, patrons. If they do not fund the process of creation, it is often involved in the financing of exhibitions, publication of brochures, catalogs and other information materials. Thirdly, the artist is selling their own work. Ways to sell completely different - gallery, auction, directly from the studio. And, finally, the last way - the artist earns outside the scope of art, and he financed his own artistic creativity.
Artists, which fully provide for their own existence selling their own works, much less than those who make money are not artistic creativity. And it does not depend on the quality of art works. I know a number of commercially successful artists, whose work on the level significantly lower than those who have to engage in design, teach, or to repair the apartment and engaged in creative activities in their spare time.
The main buyer of the work of our artists are still foreigners. My gallery-experience shows that, something that can be displayed, you can not sell a domestic buyer, but that he can sell, you can not stand - it is a kitsch, or beauty.
I do not know of any commercially successful artist in St. Petersburg, which would rely solely on the domestic market. Over 90%of sales made or other countries or foreign customers. Artists who are trying to survive solely on the domestic market, most often fall into the gap between interior and kitsch.
In general, the situation with the art market in St. Petersburg more than strange. There are a huge number of artists, there are many different levels of galleries - from those who specialize in souvenir painting, to those which represent mainly the actual art, many patrons in one or another degree of support for artists and galleries, there is of the newest trends GRM, which serves as the Museum of Modern Art, a number of large-scale periodic exhibitions, urban and international level, there are quite skilled curators and critics of contemporary art, there are media that are to some extent inform the public of developments in the artistic life of the city, go professional journals and there is no art market. Why? Whether all these necessary elements and agents of the art market infrastructure work piecemeal, in isolation and independently of each other, whether each of them doing something wrong and wrong? Or, perhaps, has not appeared yet, not mature domestic buyers of contemporary art?
Marat Gelman believes that the infrastructure of the art market by our works so much differently than in the world. "In Russia, the artistic situation is sometimes paradoxical manner. Here the elements that seemed to have a key role, in reality, just off of context" (23) For example, Igor Metelitsin wrote: "Obviously the absolute independence of the exhibition of contemporary artists living in the most prestigious museums in Russia and the price for them. In the West, these things are inextricably linked. In the West, art critic of The New York Times about the exhibition is tantamount to the commercial success of the exhibition. A combination of some museum already assumes a high price "(24)
Director of the Gallery's "New Collection" Michael Krokin said that "it is very difficult to exist when there is no sponsoring institution, the institution of collectibles, when there is no club" art lovers "(25)
Marat Gelman believes that "the most fundamental thing we do not have a secondary market, resale market" (26)
Could continue citing the Moscow gallery owners about the problems of the art market, but even so it is understandable that Muscovites are concerned about problems that St Petersburg is too early to think. What kind of resale market can say, if there is no market sales? M. Gelman in 2001, according to him had paid taxes for the art business with 200 000 dollars of profit. "This, of course, less than 97 m (27) I have no doubt that the income of all the galleries for a year in St. Petersburg was much less than the income of one Guelman.
Igor Metelitsin president of the Eastern branch of LCA says that "today, holding a number of exhibits a good level ... I can ascertain - from exhibitions are not buying. In Tokyo or New York to show this level of sale from 80 to 100 percent of the work. We have just the same exhibition event , cause hang out, drink good wine "(28) Any Petersburg gallerist or curator agree with this opinion. However, further Igor Metelitsin leads financial data necessary for the existence of a full gallery. Gallery mid-level "should have their product on the selling price of five million, is the minimum. In addition, "that there was a gallery, not including the purchase of goods, it is 15 -20 thousand a month" (29) Refers to the dollar. For the St. Petersburg gallerists are prohibitive, astronomical sums.
And although no doubt that the art market in Moscow and St. Petersburg are at different levels at different stages of development, however, there is one common problem - attracting, building, and the deceitfulness of domestic buyer's artistic production.
Are there any prospects for Russia's art market? "We think that Russia's art market is on the potency today number one in the world, because it is an unrealized currency incredibly high-energy capacity, (30) - says Igor Metelitsin, who spent 8 years in the Western art-bisnese and 3 years in Russia.

Sources:
1. Memoirs Durand-Ruelle. In the book.: "Impressionism." Ed. "Art", Leningrad, 1969, s.268
2. Ibid, s.291
3. A. Mole. Sociodynamics culture. M., "Progress", 1973, s.267
4. See J. Norman. Contemporary art market. In the book.: "The art of the twentieth century. Results of the century. SPb., Ed." Hermitage ", 1999, p.17.
5. Max Frye. ABC of Modern Art. In the book.: "Art Against Geography." MI - St. Petersburg. 2000, pp. 206
6. Marat Gelman. Culture should be redundant. In the book.: "Art Against Geography." MI - St. Petersburg. 2000, pp. 156
7. Materials an interview with V. Kubasov (17 November 2002)
8. Materials an interview with V. Gavrilchik (11dekabrya 2002)
9. Materials an interview with V. Gavrilchik (11dekabrya 2002).
10. Materials an interview with A. Maslov (January 21, 2003)
11. G. Makhrova. Forbidden colors era. St. Petersburg, 1998, pp. 174
12. Alek Rapoport. From the book of memories .- "St. Petersburg read. 1999 № 4, p.103
13. Rabin. Chapters from a book of memories. - In the book.: "Lianozovo: origins and destiny. M., 1998, p.8
14. Ibid, p.10
15. Covers interview (Dec. 11, 2002)
16. Covers interview (Nov. 17, 2002)
17. Materials an interview with A. Maslov (January 21, 2003)
18. Materials an interview with K. Troitsky (January 11, 2003)
19. Materials an interview with the curator of "Ariadne" IB Vinogradova (7fevralya 2003)
20. Author - gallery "Ariadne." Interview with T. Kulikova and IV Vinogrdovoy. - "Decorative Arts", 1990, № 7, pp. 22-27
21. Materials an interview with the curator of "Ariadne" IB Vinogradova (7fevralya 2003)
22. Materials an interview with V. Kubasov (17 November 2002)
23. Marat Gelman. Museums: image, market power. - In the book.: "Art Against Geography." MI - St. Petersburg. 2000, pp. 19
24. I. Metelitsin. Double Russia through the looking glass art market. - "Decorative Arts", 2001, № 3, pp. 77
25. Interview with the director of the gallery "New Collection" Michael Krokin. - "Art Magazine", № 32, p.82
26. Marat Gelman. Interviews with owners of galleries. - "Empire of Art", February 2001, p.10
27. Marat Gelman. I want to persuade the country. - "New World of Art",. № 4, 2002, p.4
28. I. Metelitsin. Double Russia through the looking glass art market. - "Decorative Arts", 2001, № 3, pp. 76
29. Ibid, p.78
30. Ibid. 76