Imaginarium of the new academy

The first rule of the new academy is to talk about the new academy more often. Whatever you mean by this brand. The second rule - do not try to find out who and what he calls the new academy. There is a great risk of quarrel with friends and make new (or first in life) enemies. By and large, these are the affairs of the St. Petersburg art test, a number of galleries, several foreign and Russian collectors. The general public in Russia is unknown, and if you are suddenly interested in it, then you get into the terrarium. These are not converters - participants in the events are alive and often offended (and better not ask what or anyone). The relations of artists with each other and with the outside world are so complex and contrasting that the alien a priori falls into disgrace, trying to at least linearly find out who is not friends with whom and who is busy. If possible, we traced the fate and prospects of the heritage of two obvious stars - Timur Novikov and Georgy Guryanov. They are very different, but similar to the fact that the market recorded their elite status posthumously with the price tag.

The price tag for Timur Novikov fell due to the ambiguous relations of copyright holders with the owners of work, and after the death in 2013, George Guryanov, we never saw the promised posthumous exhibition. Recently announced the revival of the activity of Mayakovsky's friends -an organization from the distant past art underground. The club threatened to shed light on some skeletons in the closet. “The New Academy is a purely Timurovsky thing. It existed while Timur was alive (Novikov. - A.S. ), and died with him, ”says one of the founders of the new academy and the closest friend of George Guryanov Denis Egelsky. - What is happening there now and why my works are exposed without my knowledge, I, frankly, do not know. It's about things that were in the collections of Novikov and Guryanov. By the way, Timur did not record the rights to the New Academy brand. He was registered by Olga Tobreluts. Even on the booklet, which went to the posthumous exhibition of Guryanov, there were two logos at once. One is Timurovsky, the other is Olga Tobreluts. The funny thing is that they are the same. ” Media artist Olga Tobreluts is the main, if you like, the ideological rival of the Unified State Examination. It does not reach the transition to the personality, but each of the heroes clearly has some kind of “New Academy”. See point the first.

- After all, Timur did not record the rights to the New Academy brand. He was registered by Olga Tobreluts.

But back to Guryanov so far. An unrealized posthumous exhibition of this artist is a painful topic. Usually, before the work of the departed masters will rise in price, a large -scale vernissage is organized - a sort of fixation of the artist in the history of art. Guryanov’s retrospective (not somewhere, but in the Hermitage) fell at the last moment. As a result, the role of a memorial exhibition was played by an unpresentable dwarf exposition from one unfinished work and a number of sketches at the Museum of the New Academy. The so -called museum - a room in the labyrinths of Pushkinskaya 10, which is difficult to find, is not easy to open and I want to forget. Dusty plaster, crooked walls and lack of control at the entrance-departure-except for the bearded inhabitant of the art center, which graciously opened the museum, surprised that someone came there at all. If you wish, the work of the most expensive modern Russian artist could simply be taken out.

“This was the same case: there is nothing to put up, but I want to put it up,” continues the Unified State Register of Legal Entities. - At the time of Guryanov’s death, his work was in collections in Moscow and abroad. People who had works of George agreed with Piotrovsky, had to be a large exhibition in the Hermitage. If this happened, the prices for Guryanov would still jump. And during his lifetime they were rather big. The last work that he sold, as far as I remember, “left” for 80 thousand euros. Then the exhibition could go to Moscow. ” At the same time, the Guryanov sisters did not have his painting, but mostly valuable artifacts. That is, a collection of ties, boots, mirrors (which in some volume was present at the poor exhibition in the catacombs of Pushkinskaya 10). As a result, according to the Unified State Examination, “someone” suddenly dissuaded Guryanov’s sisters to make an exhibition. The work quickly dispersed through collectors who would hardly provide them for a hypothetical monographic exhibition. “George was very fond of photography and photographed, after him there were giant archives. There are many not yet manifested film. Valuable pictures, there are not only a “movie” group. What is important, now the Guryanovsky archive can still be raised - the heroes of his pictures are alive, much can be attributed. True, the artist’s sisters “do not get out”, and they themselves are allegedly not going to engage in the archive. ”

Why it turned out that the heirs and copyright holders do not have Guryanov’s work, I managed to find out from the artist Oleg Maslov. We communicate in the workshop again at 10 Pushkinskaya, 10. “Guryanov is now sold for hundreds of thousands of euros, and he still found his take -off,” says Maslov, “but at the end of his life he was already weak, he worked little, as a result of his paintings in the market, in principle, there were few. Partly because of this they were so highly appreciated. In addition, Guryanov’s work was often sold without being written. After the artist’s death, nothing remained in his own collection (from his own works. - A.S. ), except for several unfinished paintings. He worked for a long time, carefully, almost painfully. There were times that the museum employees came to take the picture to the exhibition, and he tried to finish it along the way. The collectors, already paying the money, literally begged for his paintings. And he could not finish. He treated himself very strictly: he wrote, then cleaned, rewritten, became only worse. For example, the collector comes and says: do me, Guryanov, good Guryanov. Pays an advance, and possibly the entire amount. What does Guryanov do? Merring, rejoices, begins the picture. She doesn't go with him. And so from year to year: the collector writes, comes, brings expensive wine, snacks, sits with Guryanov, discusses work. The collector, satisfied (or displeased), leaves, passes another year ... "

Looking around even at the nearest past, you understand that Petersburg artists, with all the integrity and liveliness of the direction, were extremely inorganized. It is now they say a little enviously that the Moscow conceptualists “sat down at the negotiating table” and “agreed”. With which galleries, art critics to work, how to maintain creative productivity, without sliding into squabbles. Alas, this did not happen with the new academy, although, having heard a story about the fattening of the 1990s, one cannot but notice that "happiness was so possible."

- The collectors, already paying the money, literally beged his paintings. And he could not finish.

“I think that until the beginning of the 2000s the new academy was not just the coolest, but in general the only area in which there was a great community of artists,” Maslov continues. “Even, I would say, the only one that has arisen.” The first exhibitions occurred in the 1990s, abroad. Then we did not have a gallery-maybe in Moscow a couple, and in St. Petersburg there are several places that traded souvenirs-well, you understand what the whole level was. Sales were also abroad - the price tag began from five thousand dollars. There was no euro then, every country had its own guilds, pfennigi, etc. In those days it was a lot of money, you could buy an apartment in the center of St. Petersburg.

- So easily, sold one picture - bought an apartment?

- Yes, like that. But some did not buy an apartment for themselves, thinking that it would be better further. We were interested in, publications like Guardian published articles depicting us with these “fascists of the Haughters”. Can you imagine such a combination? This created a powerful interest in the new academy. But times have changed, as well as the attitude to our country in Europe. Our artists were only happy there at first.

Russian collectors turned to neo -academism in the zero years, and already as a “historical” phenomenon promoted in Europe. The work of neo -academics in many emerging banks - following the example of European colleagues, bought up. However, unlike European banks, newborn Russian often disappeared in a year or two, and together with meetings of art.

In the case of Timur Novikov, according to Denis Egelsky, the artist’s collection is more important. “Novikov was much more sociable,” continues the Unified State Register of Legal Entities. “His archive is more than Guryanov’s.” There were piles of drawings, documents and other things that are not put in order. The widow of Timur, Ksenia, paid a lot of attention to the digitization of the video. After all, Novikov married five years before his death, as a result, his heritage was “privatized” - everything that is “officially recognized” is considered a fake from above. ” Only the Committee of Timur Novikov can recognize the genuine Novikov by the established order. Meanwhile, only the lazy does not mention the generosity and altruism by Timur. How he gave his work to friends and friends of friends, he traveled a lot and also distributed masterpieces on trips. “Novikov could come to visit, make a couple of paintings and immediately leave them to the owners,” says Unified Film. “The number of textiles remaining after him is not given accounting.” After Novikov’s death, copyright automatically passed to his widow Ksenia, and then to her (not Timur) daughter Masha. The system of confirmation of the authorship of work in Russia is not adjusted: according to the Unified State Examination, people who have “unofficial” works by Novikov can achieve recognition through the court. Something is not visible, and how to make an expert assessment? Through the Committee of Timur Novikov, the same one that many neo -academics now consider the enemy?

- In the case of Novikov and Guryanov, the main thing that you need to know is that there are heirs. As they say, it will be so.

“In the case of Novikov and Guryanov, the main thing you need to know is that there are heirs,” says artist Sergey Shutov, a member of the Committee Timur Novikov. - As they say, it will be so. And the club of friends Mayakovsky is a long -obsolete, relict organization. Well, imagine that Beethoven would have started writing to me with claims that I somehow perceive him or interpret it incorrectly. The Club of Friends appeared when there was a need to interact between artists and officials. Rock musicians had a rock club, and the artists had a club of friends. Then he resolved, a new academy appeared. The anonymous claims of this organization are now the same as claims of the 1980s by the 1990s and 2000s. Her time has already passed, like the new academy, art historians should be engaged in the study of these things. True, there are no such specialists yet, but nevertheless. And all these showdowns and fuss are in my opinion, a purely St. Petersburg feature. The Committee of Timur Novikov appeared when Ksenia Novikova was alive. She turned to us, the friends of Timur, who knew him personally, for help.

- And what about the possible falsifications of Novikov? And with stories about canvases personally donated to Timur friends, but not recognized by his author?

- What falsifications are we talking about? Is it really possible to seriously think that someone from the committee-to me or Ekaterina Andreeva, for example,-you need to fake Novikov’s work that we are doing this? Any falsification is a one -time action. Legalizing falsified work is to bring down the price in the market. Why do we need it? The Committee exists so that gallerists, collectors addressed it. It includes competent people, they can confirm the authenticity of work. As for the “friends”, which Timur gave his work, you know, there can be a lot of them around the world. We have a statement mechanism so arranged that each member of the committee has a voice, but not decisive. The line system characteristic of Ksenia Novikova is evaluated, the manner of breeding, characteristic of Timur, stencils. I myself personally taught Novikov to make stencils, we cut them together. Thus, the committee has knowledge that exists not only in the memory of people, but also literally in our hands.

- Okay, but if we talk about exhibition problems. Where is the collection of Timur Novikov himself now?

- A strange question. For the heirs, where else. In your opinion, I should ask: "Masha, where do you have work from the Timur collection?" In a safe place, probably. My collection is at my place. The heirs of Timur Novikov are no longer related to the academy, this is another story. And what, all the artists thought that they would fall a little fame of Timur Novikov? No, he will not fall. No one prohibits the use of work from the Novikov collection at exhibitions. Let a person come to the heirs, say: I have a desire, time, money, I want to organize an exhibition. I will print the catalog, agree with the Hermitage (or the Russian Museum), let's make an exhibition. But no one comes! The same situation with Guryanov - his so -called fans and close friends say: how so, the works of the great artist were not in those hands! I would like to ask: where were you all before? You, the "fans" of the great artist Guryanov, are not ashamed to say so? I remember very well how the first thorough catalog of Novikov was published, I remember how difficult it was for Ksenia. This is a huge amount of strength, labor, tears. This is always humiliation, begging. Yes, it is difficult, more difficult than scolding everyone around. Most of the most worthy works Timur during his lifetime presented to museums in advance. So there are an opportunity to organize exhibitions.

- Guryanov’s paintings, in principle, can also fake any graduate of “fly”.

We discussed the question of falsifications with Oleg Maslov: “Immediately after the death of Timur, his work was very risen in price, for some time he became the number of one among Russian artists. Then, in connection with the fakes surging into the market, the price tag fell. In the time of neo-academicism, Timur did something like banners-plush or velvet, velor, velvetov. These were such beautiful things with a icon sheathed with beads. For example, Oscar Wilde appeared as an image. It was a developed style-at the same time Assembly, and Radi-Mide, and banners. He himself could not scribble on a typewriter: at first he was helped by fashion designer Kostya Goncharov, then the future wife, Ksenia. Since she was already cut off, how to do it, he had only specifically (he was already blind) to come up with plots and images. Then he could feel the work with his hands and put his signature - in the form of a stencil or embroidery. Ksenia Novikova, in addition, had the art of beads - she sheathed these banners. " It is easy to fake banners, according to the artist, it is easy to find a similar plush in a commission, find and sheathe a picture with beads. “I think there were also intrigues between different sellers, everyone strove to accuse the other that he had a fake,” continues Maslov. - Guryanov’s prices are still holding, but I already see that this mouse fuss begins. Guryanov’s paintings, in principle, can also fake any graduate of “fly”. Only a specialist or a person like me who was near, saw and knows all mistakes, misses, shortcomings can distinguish the fake. A certain set of “jambs” that everyone has, even a large, artist and by which his original can be distinguished. And you can fake anyone, even Rembrandt. ”

Well, the final chord: I still asked Olga Tobreluts how things are with Guryanov’s exhibition (which, according to my sources, was killed in the bud). Tobreluts believes that the devil is not so terrible. We started the conversation with the fact that Olga decided to register the New Academy after the artists themselves addressed her and did it “with great work”. “The trustees were Alexander Davidovich Borovsky and Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovsky,” says Tobreluts. - But then the matter did not advance. The City Committee on Culture boycotted all our letters and did not answer any of them. It became clear that the city not only does not want such an exhibition space (museum of the new academy. - A.S. ), but does not even want to discuss these initiatives. I'm not an official. I am an artist. Walking through the instances and proved obvious things is disgusting to me. Moreover, it turned out that friends cannot do this for various reasons. ” Here it seems to beg the same question - where were the friends of Timur Novikov?

“As for the exhibition of George,” Olga continues. - I do not know what broke and how. His sisters turned to me with a request to help organize the exhibition and publication of the catalog. I found a philanthropist who sacrificed money for the catalog and preparatory work. Andrei Chlobystin collected material, wrote off with collectors and collected all the information that Arkady Ippolitov transmitted. George told me several times that it was Arkady to make his catalog, and I should persuade Hippolytov to make him a lot of effort. The layout makes Pavel Gershenzon, and, as far as I know, he is almost ready. I took a slight part in the process of collecting the catalog. Perhaps she only coordinated the photographer with collectors for shooting paintings. Но и в семье осталось много графики и есть живопись, которую всю удалось сфотографировать для издания. Все ждут, когда каталог будет закончен. Это кропотливая работа, и я не могу говорить за Аркадия, когда это случится». Теперь, по словам Тобрелутс, предполагается выпуск скорее не каталога, а некоего более масштабного труда Ипполитова о Гурьянове. Историю с комитетом и наследием Тимура Новикова Ольга прокомментировала обтекаемо. Конечно, трения и споры заметны со стороны, но она была Тимуру другом, а не искусствоведом. В итоге мы ожидаемо пришли к тому, что есть некий конгломерат друзей (возможно, бывших), творческая жизнь которых протекает в мутной воде. Кто ловит в ней рыбу да и водится ли она еще — неясно.

Вопрос денег для художников — один из ключевых. В Петербурге их (денег, а не художников) ощутимо меньше, чем в столице, и вопрос, кто заплатит за издание каталога и прочее материальное обеспечение, тут — предмет насущный. Новая Академия с ее маргинальным юмором и лобовым гротеском интуитивно прочнее связывает местных художников с Европой, чем надуманные искусствоведческие сентенции. И многим неоакадемистам вдвойне тяжело существовать в системе арт-рынка — не потому, что они бессребреники, а потому, что значительная часть творческой жизни прошла в условиях либо отсутствующего, либо стихийного, долларового, жадного до модного продукта рынка. «Вся эта ностальгия меня раздражает и мучает», — замечает Олег Маслов. И добавляет: «Я пишу цветы. Эмигрировал, так сказать, в них». На мольберте и правда живопись с красочным цветком.

В сухом остатке мы имеем крайне важное для самосознания и идентификации художника явление, замурованное в локальные склоки. Одни герои этой некогда яркой тусовки нашептывают гадости про соратников, не называя, впрочем, имен — не хотят «активных военных действий». Другие грустно констатируют, что все это слишком грязно даже для частного обсуждения. Третьи пружинистой походкой входят в новое время, собирая с него дань за свое славное прошлое. Деньги в этой схеме — субстанция неочевидная, ускользающая. Как, собственно, и искусство.