In the footsteps of the auction "Ukrainian alternative XX"

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October 16 in Kiev Gallery Dukat was second in line auction "Ukrainian alternative to XX". Opinions may differ: some say that the success of ambitious by today's tough times, some ironic smile. But one thing is certain: we are witnessing in Ukraine is born a new independent segment of the art market and the new concept of collecting.

Market participants are debating about the terms: "Underground", "non-conformism", "postavangard" vanguard of the second (or third) wave, etc. I think each of them has a right to exist. Each covers a specific group of phenomena of contemporary art, however, in many respects, these terms overlap, though not identical to each other. "Alternative Art", the definition proposed by the authors of the auction, in my opinion, the most capacious. Alternative to what? - Asks the skeptic. I think that the alternative epigonous academism and fashionable crafts "at news of the day." And if you really really pathetic - the alternative vkusovschine mainstream and every kind of shocking and imitation of art.

But back to the current auction. What he has shown? On the far-reaching conclusions too early, but that is not within the competence of the proximate analysis. But some of the observations in hot pursuit can say.

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Even on the basis of lots sold quite clear that buying in the first place artists stylistically distinctive, with formed beautiful language and imagery, with its own unique style and comprehension of the world, as well as the depth of understanding.

Andrew Bludov his estetskih arheologizmom, transparent corporeality, "patchwork" construction space, intra-memory, with its world of ancestors, coexisting with us in our reality and shaping it.

Pavel Makov, the designer of new worlds, the author's own non-Euclidean space, the artist trying to grasp the ontological basis of the most mundane things of everyday life, the creator, to condemn the profanation of the senses.

Matthew Weisberg, with its truly biblical symbolism ikonografichnostyu, antique dramatic impact not people, but the elements, the true picturesque "scribe" and the discoverer of the mysteries of ancient texts.

Untimely, tragic gone Oleg Vote, an artist has the unique ability to depict the world in its never-ending continuum. Painter in the full sense of the word psychedelic, from whom "all live" without exception. Master of brilliant irony and sarcasm on the verge of hopelessness and despair.

Alexander Zhivotkov, a virtuoso of dark and dull colors, who knows how to find the nobility of black, white, gray and brown in a myriad of diverse eons. Its things like ancient frescoes, faded by time, but has not lost its sacred power.
Maxim Mamsikov with its genre, realized in the space of hyperreality. At the auction were presented (and sold) his three small works, where academic merit shapes and brightness of the characters entered into the pop artovskoe space poster, a billboard or a dream.

All these artists are uncompromising, not coming in the wake of public taste, but rather trying to shape the taste.

Predictably found their buyers have already recognized masters of the time - Shapiro, Isaev, Aberdeen, Kolnik, Shepherd, Hmelyuk, Egorov, though little noticed were no less famous names - Yermilov, Wacker, Pavlov, Paradjanov, Babacan, Khrushchev.

It should be noted the triumph of "Kyiv School", while, as always leading in this "category" Odessa sold much worse. The least fortunate my sogorozhanam, Lviv artists, although at the auction were presented excellent works Scherbatenko, Levitsky, Savchenko, Kachanov.
  
I was also surprised that the audience paid no attention to the two great things Eugenia Tolkunova, but perhaps this is a private ...
In general, the least popular were the sixties and seventies, although it is somewhat surprising, because in Russia, for example, this prolific period of non-conformism is now the highest price category. Well, there's something to think about. The greatest attention was attracted by "current" artists, which seems quite encouraging in the context of the painful process of self-identification of Ukrainian art.

If you summarize, we can say: auction clearly showed that the alternative Ukrainian art comes to the forefront of the domestic art market, and perhaps we are witnessing the birth of a new, intelligent, generation of collectors. God forbid that so ...

A more detailed overview of the auction with a list of lots sold and the prices look here:
http://artlover.com.ua/node/2740

Illustration:
A. Bludov "Occurrence at dusk" - sold for $ 1800 USD
M. Mamsikov "Smokes" - sold for $ 1200 USD
A. Zhivotkov "Song number 2" - sold with znachititelny exceeded the estimate for 5500 USD
A. Voices of Children ride on the hay ride on a train "- sold for $ 7000 USD
M. Weisberg "Two and a comet" - sold for $ 6500 USD
P. Mac "Simferopol Landscape" sold for $ 5000 USD
Yu Scherbatenko "Picasso"
E. Tolkunov "Artist"
S. Paradjanov "Oriental motif"
K. Kachanov "Mannequins»