The Moscow public may be familiar with the name of Anatoly Bekkerman in the light of his flagship educational projects: in 2014, the main building of the Pushkin Museum hosted a large exhibition “Art as a Profession. Meeting of Maya and Anatoly Bekkerman", in September 2016 in the New Manege - " Russian art from Borovikovsky to Kabakov." Beckerman is a well-known art dealer and owner of the New York gallery ABA Gallery. Anatoly did not receive a specialized education, but was born into the family of a sculptor and from childhood he learned to understand art himself. The collector’s latest visit to Moscow was associated with the opening of the exhibition “Georgian Avant-Garde” in the Department of Personal Collections of the Pushkin Museum. A. S. Pushkin, where he gave Kakabadze’s abstract composition of the 20th year for exhibition.
What is the main focus of your collection?
— These are masterpieces of Russian art of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The direction that will always be in demand: now it is appreciated all over the world. Investors from China, England, Germany, for example, come to my ABA Gallery in New York for Russian art. Because the best examples of Russian art of this period are still cheaper than best works American or French artists. This is a promising segment: its growth rate is higher than that of Western art.
How many years have you been collecting art?
— Almost thirty years already. I can call my collection what I started collecting while already living in the United States, where I moved at the end of 1974, and then I began keeping a catalogue.
First painting you purchased?
- This is a painting by Korovin depicting the landscape of Gurzuf, which I bought in the tenth grade in thrift store. I convinced my father to give me about three hundred rubles - at that time this amount was equal to the average two-month salary. Since then, Korovin has been one of my favorite artists.
Where do you buy art?
— Since I have my own gallery, people know that I collect Russian art, so dealers, auction representatives, and individuals contact us. But I can’t say that this is happening unilaterally—my employees and I are looking for some things ourselves. Now, for example, we are hunting for works by David Burliuk from the Japanese period, which are considered rare. As far as I know, only one work by Burliuk from this time is exhibited in Russia - “In the Rice Fields” of 1921 in the Russian Museum. In general, the fate of the painting can be surprising: we purchased one of Goncharova’s works privately in Brazil, and we found several paintings by Boris Grigoriev in Chile and Argentina.
Do you have a consultant you trust when it comes to purchasing art?
- Eat whole line artists that I myself understand very well are Natalya Goncharova, Mikhail Larionov, Alexandra Ekster, Konstantin Korovin, Ivan Puni, David Burliuk. There are areas of art, even Russian, in which I feel less confident, for example, 18th-century portraiture. In these cases, I involve art critics whom I trust. Grigory Goldovsky is a wonderful specialist from the Russian Museum in 19th-century painting; Irina Vakar and Evgenia Ilyukhina from the Tretyakov Gallery are experts on the Russian avant-garde; Galina Tuluzakova - researcher of the work of Nikolai Feshin; Vladimir Polyakov is a specialist in the first half of the 20th century; he recently published a monograph on Burliuk. Of course, my wife, Maya Bekkerman, is directly involved in the formation of the collection, and I like that sometimes our tastes do not coincide.
For you, is the collection an outlet or a second profession?
— Since I am a professional art dealer, this is both a job and a hobby for me. My wife and I have a private collection that we do not sell, and there are things for sale.
How many items are in your private collection?
- About three hundred, I think. I only buy when rare and important items come on the market. That's the beauty of the investment side of collecting: masterpieces are few and far between, and when they appear, I try to respond immediately. The most important criteria for a work for me are its quality, rarity and originality.
How important is participation in exhibitions for you?
— I try to respond to all worthy proposals. I am always ready to participate in projects that help popularize Russian art. We held dozens of exhibitions in New York, participated in Russian exhibitions - at the Russian Museum, at the Tretyakov Gallery, at the Pushkin Museum. At the Russian Museum these were the projects “Russian Paris”, “Russian Futurism”, “Time to Collect”, where about fifty paintings from our collection were presented. We presented a number of paintings by Natalia Goncharova for her retrospective at the Tretyakov Gallery.
What are your next exhibition plans?
— Next year we plan to bring two exhibitions to Russia. The first is “Masterpieces of the Russian Abroad,” where works by Goncharova, Larionov, Grigoriev, Roerich, Falk, Korovin, created not in Russia, will be exhibited. The second project is photographs by Mikhail Baryshnikov. The exhibitions will be held simultaneously: on this subject we are negotiating with a space that is already familiar to us and suitable for the idea - the New Manege. We are going to participate in Mikhail Larionov’s exhibition in 2018, we are preparing big exhibition David Burliuk in Japan, Spain and Russia - 2018 will be the year of friendship between Japan and Russia.
Who do you consider to be influential collectors in Russia?
- Petra Aven, who has a wonderful eye and good taste. He has a very serious art collection, which was recently exhibited to a sell-out in New York at the Neue Gallery. I myself stood in line for Aven’s exhibition and have great respect for his knowledge and approach to collecting. Boris Mints opened a worthy museum of Russian impressionism - this is a big deal, I, for example, do not have such ambitions and opportunities. I know that another good collector, Igor Tsukanov, is planning to open a private museum, who is still doing a lot of useful things for Russia and modern Russian art.
Do you like contemporary artists?
— The “freshest” that I have are the works of the sixties: Kabakov, Weinberg, Nemukhin, Krasnopevtsev. We held an exhibition of Oleg Tselkov a year ago, it was a great success. We also have works by my younger brother, the famous and sought-after artist Edward Beckerman.
Paintings from your collection with unusual story acquisitions?
— We recently found a wonderful painting by Nikolai Ulyanov “The Procession”; it was at an exhibition of Russian art in New York in 1924, and has since been lost. Just recently they found a completed sketch for Vladimir Makovsky’s painting “Party,” which is in the Tretyakov Gallery. The sketch itself in last time exhibited in 1902.
Where is the bulk of your collection kept?
“It is concentrated in several residences in the United States and in a warehouse. It's impossible to hang everything.
What do you think about the attitude towards Russian art abroad?
— It is gaining popularity every year. Recently, an auction took place in London, at which Russian artists set a number of records. In the museum contemporary art An exhibition of Russian avant-garde opened in New York, and a retrospective of Alexei Yavlensky was opened in the same Neue Gallery. This is very positive dynamics. Although Americans, in fact, have always loved Russian art: in 2005, the “Russia” exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum broke all attendance records.
How will you manage the collection in the future?
— I hope it’s too early to think about it. But I have two daughters. We periodically give something to Russian institutions, and I plan to continue charitable steps in this direction.
Yours latest acquisition for your personal collection?
— Just a rare work by David Burliuk from the Japanese period, “Rickshaw” (1923), where you can see the influence of the country’s art on his work. Burliuk lived in Japan for two years; his works were collected by the emperor and his sister.
David Burliuk. Rickshaw. 1923
The Moscow public may be familiar with the name of Anatoly Bekkerman in the light of his flagship educational projects: in 2014, the main building of the Pushkin Museum hosted a large exhibition “Art as a Profession. Collection of Maya and Anatoly Bekkerman”, in September 2016 in the New Manege - “Russian art from Borovikovsky to Kabakov”. Beckerman is a well-known art dealer and owner of the New York gallery ABA Gallery. Anatoly did not receive a specialized education, but was born into the family of a sculptor and from childhood he learned to understand art himself. The collector’s latest visit to Moscow was associated with the opening of the exhibition “Georgian Avant-Garde” in the Department of Personal Collections of the Pushkin Museum. A. S. Pushkin, where he gave Kakabadze’s abstract composition of the 20th year for exhibition.
What is the main focus of your collection?
— These are masterpieces of Russian art of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The direction that will always be in demand: now it is appreciated all over the world. Investors from China, England, Germany, for example, come to my ABA Gallery in New York for Russian art. Because the best examples of Russian art from this period are still cheaper than the best works by American or French artists. This is a promising segment: its growth rate is higher than that of Western art.
How many years have you been collecting art?
— Almost thirty years already. I can call my collection what I started collecting while already living in the United States, where I moved at the end of 1974, and then I began keeping a catalogue.
First painting you purchased?
— This is a painting by Korovin depicting the landscape of Gurzuf, which I bought in the tenth grade at a thrift store. I convinced my father to give me about three hundred rubles - at that time this amount was equal to the average two-month salary. Since then, Korovin has been one of my favorite artists.
Where do you buy art?
— Since I have my own gallery, people know that I collect Russian art, so dealers, auction representatives, and individuals contact us. But I can’t say that this is happening unilaterally—my employees and I are looking for some things ourselves. Now, for example, we are hunting for works by David Burliuk from the Japanese period, which are considered rare. As far as I know, only one work by Burliuk from this time is exhibited in Russia - “In the Rice Fields” of 1921 in the Russian Museum. In general, the fate of the painting can be surprising: we purchased one of Goncharova’s works privately in Brazil, and we found several paintings by Boris Grigoriev in Chile and Argentina.
Do you have a consultant you trust when it comes to purchasing art?
- There are a number of artists that I myself understand very well - these are Natalya Goncharova, Mikhail Larionov, Alexandra Ekster, Konstantin Korovin, Ivan Puni, David Burliuk. There are areas of art, even Russian, in which I feel less confident, for example, 18th-century portraiture. In these cases, I involve art critics whom I trust. Grigory Goldovsky is a wonderful specialist from the Russian Museum in 19th-century painting; Irina Vakar and Evgenia Ilyukhina from the Tretyakov Gallery are experts on the Russian avant-garde; Galina Tuluzakova - researcher of the work of Nikolai Feshin; Vladimir Polyakov is a specialist in the first half of the 20th century; he recently published a monograph on Burliuk. Of course, my wife, Maya Bekkerman, is directly involved in the formation of the collection, and I like that sometimes our tastes do not coincide.
For you, is the collection an outlet or a second profession?
— Since I am a professional art dealer, this is both a job and a hobby for me. My wife and I have a private collection that we do not sell, and there are things for sale.
How many items are in your private collection?
- About three hundred, I think. I only buy when rare and important items come on the market. That's the beauty of the investment side of collecting: masterpieces are few and far between, and when they appear, I try to respond immediately. The most important criteria for a work for me are its quality, rarity and originality.
How important is participation in exhibitions for you?
— I try to respond to all worthy proposals. I am always ready to participate in projects that help popularize Russian art. We held dozens of exhibitions in New York, participated in Russian exhibitions - at the Russian Museum, at the Tretyakov Gallery, at the Pushkin Museum. At the Russian Museum these were the projects “Russian Paris”, “Russian Futurism”, “Time to Collect”, where about fifty paintings from our collection were presented. We presented a number of paintings by Natalia Goncharova for her retrospective at the Tretyakov Gallery.
What are your next exhibition plans?
— Next year we plan to bring two exhibitions to Russia. The first is “Masterpieces of the Russian Abroad,” where works by Goncharova, Larionov, Grigoriev, Roerich, Falk, Korovin, created not in Russia, will be exhibited. The second project is photographs by Mikhail Baryshnikov. The exhibitions will be held simultaneously: on this subject we are negotiating with a space that is already familiar to us and suitable for the idea - the New Manege. We are going to participate in Mikhail Larionov’s exhibition in 2018, we are preparing a large exhibition of David Burliuk in Japan, Spain and Russia - 2018 will be the year of friendship between Japan and Russia.
Who do you consider to be influential collectors in Russia?
- Petra Aven, who has a wonderful eye and good taste. He has a very serious art collection, which was recently exhibited to a sell-out in New York at the Neue Gallery. I myself stood in line for Aven’s exhibition and have great respect for his knowledge and approach to collecting. Boris Mints opened a worthy museum of Russian impressionism - this is a big deal, I, for example, do not have such ambitions and opportunities. I know that another good collector, Igor Tsukanov, is planning to open a private museum, who is still doing a lot of useful things for Russia and modern Russian art.
Do you like contemporary artists?
— The “freshest” that I have are the works of the sixties: Kabakov, Weinberg, Nemukhin, Krasnopevtsev. We held an exhibition of Oleg Tselkov a year ago, it was a great success. We also have works by my younger brother, the famous and sought-after artist Edward Beckerman.
Paintings from your collection with an unusual acquisition history?
— We recently found a wonderful painting by Nikolai Ulyanov “The Procession”; it was at an exhibition of Russian art in New York in 1924, and has since been lost. Just recently they found a completed sketch for Vladimir Makovsky’s painting “Party,” which is in the Tretyakov Gallery. The sketch itself was last exhibited in 1902.
Where is the bulk of your collection kept?
“It is concentrated in several residences in the United States and in a warehouse. It's impossible to hang everything.
What do you think about the attitude towards Russian art abroad?
— It is gaining popularity every year. Recently, an auction took place in London, at which Russian artists set a number of records. An exhibition of the Russian avant-garde has opened at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and a retrospective of Alexei Jawlensky has opened at the same Neue Gallery. This is a very positive dynamic. Although Americans, in fact, have always loved Russian art: in 2005, the “Russia” exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum broke all attendance records.
How will you manage the collection in the future?
— I hope it’s too early to think about it. But I have two daughters. We periodically give something to Russian institutions, and I plan to continue charitable steps in this direction.
What is your latest acquisition for your personal collection?
— Just a rare work by David Burliuk from the Japanese period, “Rickshaw” (1923), where you can see the influence of the country’s art on his work. Burliuk lived in Japan for two years; his works were collected by the emperor and his sister.
David Burliuk. Rickshaw. 1923
An exhibition opened in Moscow “Russian art: from Borovikovsky to Kabakov”. Seventy works national painting shows the owners of the New York gallery ABA Anatoly And Maya Beckerman. Two years ago, collectors brought items from their own collection to Moscow. The project “Art as a Profession,” carried out at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, was a huge success with the public: one hundred and twenty thousand spectators visited the exhibition in a month and a half. Then part of the exhibition was shown in the Russian Museum.
ARTANDHOUSES met at the Moscow vernissage with collector and dealer Anatoly Bekkerman, whose energy and enthusiasm are aimed at returning masterpieces of Russian art taken from the country during the first waves of emigration or “stuck” in America after Soviet exhibitions 1920s.
Is there only one Borovikovsky?
There are never too many Borovikovskys. Most settled in museums. The discovery of each such work is always a great success. We recently bought a portrait of Dmitry Troshchinsky, who began his career as a regimental clerk and rose to the rank of Minister of Justice, in the States from an American couple who had probably had the item in their collection for about forty years. They themselves once bought it at some small auction. I showed the portrait researcher Russian Museum to Grigory Goldovsky, and he immediately identified the brush of Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky. They also have a portrait of Troshchinsky in the museum, only painted six years apart. IN Pushkin Museum in 2014, if you remember, we brought “Portrait of Sergei Savvich Yakovlev” from 1805 by Borovikovsky from our collection.
Are the concepts of that exhibition and today’s different in any way?
Only because our personal collection was exhibited at Pushkinsky, and these paintings belong to the ABA gallery.
In other words, can this exhibition be considered commercial? And all these things are for sale?
Of course, nothing is for sale here in Moscow, but if anyone is interested, they can contact our gallery's New York office.
And can you easily part with these paintings?
It is impossible to have everything and eat everything.
On what basis was this exhibition formed?
My principle: quality and rarity. We think it will be interesting for the viewer to look at things that have not been in Russia for a long time.
Who are you more, a collector or a dealer?
Split personality (laughs). The collector is rather my wife Maya.
In a gallery in New York you have already held an exhibition, as I understand it, called “From Borovikovsky to Kabakov”?
There was an exhibition in New York with the same name, with the same time frame, but with a different composition, which changed by ninety percent. This is due to our new acquisitions, which we brought to Moscow.
For example?
For example, “Portrait of Maria Khrushcheva” by Dmitry Kardovsky. Fantastic stuff. By the way, the painting was in the collection of the Guggenheim Museum in New York for a long time and in 2000 it was presented at the large exhibition “1900s”. When the museum put the portrait up for sale, we were happy to buy it.
Put up for sale?
American museums often sell. And this applies not only to Russian paintings, they sell both American and European things. They simply free up money and funds for the purchase of some other, more important works for the museum.
"Portrait of Maria Khrushcheva"
around 1900
We know the artist Dmitry Kardovsky primarily as a book illustrator, just as we know Paolo Trubetskoy as a wonderful sculptor. And suddenly his painting...
In my opinion, in Russia there is not one painting work Paolo Trubetskoy. I bought "The Girl in Pink" in the States. His brother, Pierre, is nearby too. interesting artist. Portrait of a wife. The rarest thing.
I read that the first painting in your collection is Korovin. You bought it as a 10th grade student in Russia before emigrating. The current exhibition includes six works by Korovin. Apparently this is one of your favorite artists?
Yes. “The Girl at the Window” is a complete masterpiece, I think. Look at the glare, how the air and sun feel outside the window. We've been hunting for this job for fifteen years. The owner did not want to part with her; he also really liked the “Girl”. The item was purchased directly from Korovin by the collector Garvin. I bought from his heirs, in the family.
Konstantin Korovin
"Girl at the Window"
An item with provenance.
Yes. The rest also have an interesting story. An American woman from Miami once called me and told me that one day a singer named Shatapkin came to see her grandfather, the owner of a men’s clothing store in Manhattan. A shut up in English - “shut up.” The family always laughed about it later. So, the singer, and in fact it was Chaliapin, had to perform at Carnegie Hall, but he lacked a new tailcoat. He invited her grandfather to buy from him paintings by Konstantin Korovin, with whom, as you know, he was friends. Now, after many years, the lady offered to buy them from her.
You manage to find things under which in art albums they write: “Location unknown.”
The history and biography of things are extremely interesting. We sometimes find them in Latin America, in Japan, in Europe, of course - in France, England, Italy. I have a staff, but I make decisions myself in terms of the importance and necessity of the work. “Procession” by Nikolai Ulyanov was in private hands for almost a hundred years, after it was shown at an exhibition in New York in 1924, in the Grand Central Palace building. When the item surfaced at a tiny auction, naturally, we “jumped” on it.
"Procession"
Among the famous names in your collection there appear the names of artists who are not exactly famous. Here is Olga Sakharova...
This is a wonderful artist who worked in France and Spain. Neo-primitivist. Her work echoes Henri Rousseau. You see, I don’t follow the opinion of the crowd, I myself determine what is good and what is bad. I can afford it. If I find an artist that interests me, who is not so well known in art history, then I think that he deserves attention, a second look and re-evaluation. Since the New Manege is still not a museum and this exhibition is a gallery exhibition, here, along with absolute masterpieces, there are simply very good works.
You have again brought your beloved David Burliuk.
Yes, including three works by Burliuk from the Japanese period that were never on the market and came from the artist’s family. He lived in Japan for two years. I have been studying David Burliuk for a long time, we have done many exhibitions featuring his works - in New York and in Russia, at the Russian Museum. Remember the exhibition “Russian Futurism and David Burliuk”? The book “The Artist David Burliuk” was recently published. (ARTANDHOUSES will tell you in detail about the publication in the near future. - E. G.), for which art critic Vladimir Polyakov wrote wonderful text and where previously unknown things of Burliuk were published. After the book was published, we received several proposals for new exhibitions, including Germany, Japan, and Russia.
"Marusya"
1921
Which of these Burliuk pieces is your favorite?
Right now I like the 1921 Rickshaws. Snow, frozen people. Others may have a different impression from this very small picture. She talks to me.
What do you look for when buying paintings?
I must like the picture. There were a couple of very famous collectors in the States who formed one of the best collections of modern art in the 1960s. Then years later they sold it at auction. And he was very successful. The reporter asked them a question: “How were you able to be so perspicacious and at one time guess what you had to buy?” To this one of them replied: “When I entered the gallery, I bought exactly what annoyed me the most.” You need to buy something that evokes emotions in you and does not leave you indifferent. Nothing can be worse than indifference. There must be a reaction, be it positive or negative. There must be a dialogue.
Anatoly Bekkerman, a prominent American collector, art dealer, owner of ABA, the most famous gallery of Russian art in New York, told Profile about the exhibition he brought to Moscow, about whether Russian art that has become fashionable is often counterfeited , and how the cooling of relations between Russia and the United States affects cultural exchange.
– Exhibition “Russian Art: from Borovikovsky to Kabakov. From the collection of the gallery “ABA” was already shown in 2012 in New York. In the New Manege, will visitors see the same exhibition or has something changed in your concept during this time? Perhaps new interesting paintings have appeared, or, conversely, some paintings are not exhibited in Moscow?
– The exhibition that we are bringing to the New Manege and opening on September 22 in Moscow actually has the same name as the New York exhibition, since chronological framework in both cases given by these famous Russian artists. The exhibition will be opened by a portrait of Dmitry Troshchinsky, Minister of Justice early XIX century, and finish with drawings by Ilya Kabakov from 1971–1972. About 90% of the exhibits presented at the exhibition have never been brought to Russia before. These are works by Konstantin Korovin, Nicholas Roerich, Boris Anisfeld, Abram Arkhipov. Behind almost every picture there is interesting story. For example, “Portrait of Maria Khrushcheva” by the Russian artist Dmitry Kardovsky, who graduated from the academy in Repin’s class and studied for several years at the famous Munich school of Anton Aschbe. In many ways, the portrait echoes the works of Kardovsky’s comrades at the Ashbe school - Igor Grabar and Wassily Kandinsky. The latter, by the way, has this job long time mistakenly attributed under the title "Lady with a Cat". For many years the painting was in the collection of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, and in September viewers will be able to see this painting at our exhibition. – Are you the organizer of the exhibition at the New Manege yourself or were you invited by your Russian colleagues?
– The exhibition is organized by the Moscow Department of Culture and the Manege Moscow Military District, as well as the ABA Gallery, of which I am the owner. Initially, I discussed the idea of the project with Mikhail Shvydkiy, the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for culture, since the exhibition sets itself educational and educational goals. For several decades we have been promoting Russian culture abroad. At the same time, we received support from Leonid Pechatnikov, Deputy Mayor of Moscow, who helped with the implementation of the project at one of the central exhibition sites of the capital. I would also like to mention Vasily Peganov, a representative of the board of directors of BashInvest Group, who became involved in the work on the exhibition, understanding the importance of cultural ties between Russia and America.
– What is the main idea of this exhibition? What unites all the presented paintings? Which ones do you find most valuable or most interesting?
– We wanted Moscow to see masterpieces of Russian art that were exhibited in their homeland either for a very long time or never came to Russia. This happened for various reasons. Some works were exported during the revolution, others were created by great Russian artists in the West. All the canvases that we show at the New Manege are united by their uniqueness and quality. For example, viewers will see a sketch for famous work Vladimir Makovsky’s “Party,” which was shown in 1902 in St. Petersburg at the exhibition “V. Makovsky and E. Volkov.” The painting “Party” is kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery. Alexandra Exter is represented at the exhibition by the “Triptych”, which was known from a small photograph in the book of the famous researcher of the Russian avant-garde John Boult “Alexandra Exter” and was considered lost for a long time.
We will also present “Landscape” (“Bridge for cutting”) by Ivan Shishkin in 1871, which was exhibited during the artist’s lifetime and was published in F. I. Bulgakov’s catalog “Album of Russian Painting. Paintings and drawings of Professor I. I. Shishkin" in 1892.
Nikolai Ulyanov’s unique painting “Religious Procession” was publicly exhibited for the first and last time in 1924 in the USA at the Grand Central Palace, for which it was specially created. It is worth paying attention to several rare works Japanese period David Burliuk, which were acquired from the artist’s relatives.
– You often call yourself not only an art collector, but also an art dealer. Can you tell me which paintings from your famous collection you are not willing to part with at any price? Or do you have no such restrictions?
– We have a clear boundary between the ABA gallery collection and the personal, family collection. Works from our collection are not offered for sale.
– There are quite a lot of works in your collection that were considered lost – you gave them a second life. Do you like the role of the “discoverer” or is it a chain of coincidences? Or maybe patterns - you just find yourself in right time V in the right place?
– Yes, it’s true, in the collection of the ABA gallery there are paintings that were considered lost. I don’t know whether this can be considered an accident or a natural phenomenon. But I know one thing: in order to see and understand that there is a lost, unknown masterpiece in front of you, you need to be prepared for this moment. I have spent over 40 years accumulating knowledge and understanding of art, as well as acquiring the skill to see the quality of painting. This is a constant and ongoing process, I learn and discover something new every day.
- You long years live in the USA, engage in Russian art and collaborate with the most major museums Russia. However, in this moment Official relations between our countries, as they say, leave much to be desired. Have you felt this “cooling” in your activities as a private gallerist?
– Yes, unfortunately, relations between Russia and America are currently quite complicated. State inter-museum exhibition projects have not taken place for many years. It seems to me that it is in such a situation that it is very important to preserve, maintain and even develop cultural ties. Therefore, we work hard to ensure that Russian art is seen and known in America. For example, several years ago we presented in New York works from the collection of Mikhail Baryshnikov, and then paintings by the wonderful nonconformist artist Oleg Tselkov. – When you just started collecting your collection in the 80s, Russian art was not in demand in the United States. Therefore, on the one hand, it was a risky investment, but on the other, it made it possible to buy valuable paintings at low prices. Over the years, the demand for Russian artists has grown throughout the world. Is it difficult for you now to find and acquire new items for your collection? In the Internet era, this can be done through online auctions - perhaps you have felt the “offensive” of competitors and non-professionals?
– Of course, the Internet has changed the art market. A huge world of auctions, galleries, and exhibitions around the world has opened up to lovers and collectors. But right now, more than ever, the role of an experienced gallerist, advisor, expert in his field, who can give valuable advice on the acquisition of a particular work and protect the novice collector from mistakes and disappointments. Often young collectors get burned when buying art on the Internet without sufficient experience and knowledge.
– Are you looking for paintings to add to your collection in Russia or only in other countries?
– I visit Russia quite rarely and search for new things mainly in the West.
– How relevant is the problem of counterfeits now – both of Russian art and works of artists from other countries? Have you ever purchased paintings that were later found to be fakes? How is the situation in America and Russia different in this regard?
– The problem of fakes is relevant all over the world, and Russian art is no exception. Knoedler Gallery, which had been in business for over 160 years, recently closed in America. They sold fakes of artists such as Rothko, Pollock and Willem de Kooning. Not long ago in Germany there were scandals involving the sale of fake works by Max Ernst, Andre Derain, Georges Braque and other German expressionists. This once again confirms the need for advice and assistance from an experienced expert.
– You often bring exhibitions to Russia. Is this nostalgia? Charity? Or business?
– Despite the fact that we have lived in the USA for more than 40 years, we were born in Russia, and Russian culture is very dear to us. We want viewers on both sides of the globe to understand and appreciate the beauty of Russian art.
The “Art as a Profession” project, presenting almost 150 works from the collection of Maya and Anatoly Bekkerman, stands out even against the background of those exhibitions from the “Collections and Collectors” series, which have been organized for twenty years by the Department of Personal Collections of the Pushkin Museum. A.S. Pushkin.
Not only because the exhibition organized by ABA Gallery (USA) and the Pushkin Museum. A.S. Pushkin, in a situation of frozen exchange of exhibitions between museums of the USA and Russia, turns out to be a significant not only cultural, but also a diplomatic gesture, emphasizing the close artistic relationships of the two countries. Traditionally, the display of private collections brings the figure of the collector to the forefront, demonstrating his preferences, taste and, of course, capabilities. The current exhibition brings to the fore the identity of the gallery owner and art dealer.
This is an inherently bold exhibition. Art in museums is kind of like heaven. It is “free” from talking about money, transactions, buying and selling. Like, these are low matters. But it was not for nothing that Goncharova remarked: “Works cannot be given as a gift, only sold. If a ruble is paid for a bad thing, it is valued more than a good gift given.” So, the exhibition “Art as a Profession” pays tribute not only to artists, collectors and gallery owners. She pays tribute to the profession of an art dealer. Those whom art critics call “art prospectors.” Those who find true “spools” at auctions and dusty shops, in the ruins of family gatherings and sales. Those thanks to whom these “spools” end up in collections and museum collections.
Thirty years ago, Anatoly Bekkerman was perhaps the first to risk specializing in Russian art in the United States. Not the most obvious choice in the 1980s. Even in the 1970s, Alexandra Ekster’s heir, who lived extremely modestly, sold Alexandra Alexandrovna’s theatrical sketches for almost $30. They were bought (apparently out of sympathy for this worthy man's plight) by his neighbors. As for American collectors, they were not very interested in the works of Alexandra Ekster, Boris Grigoriev or Boris Anisfeld. It is significant that in the early 1970s, the largest dealer of Russian art in New York, Leonard Hutton, refused to purchase Exter’s legacy. For obvious reasons, there were simply no buyers from Russia. They began to appear after perestroika.
Choosing Russian art as their “niche” for Anatoly and Maya Bekkerman meant not only searching and purchasing works, but also showing Russian art not only in the USA, Europe, but also in Latin America... However, artists of Russian emigration had to be discovered primarily for Russia . If in America they didn’t know Exter, then in Russia many people didn’t know anything about the names of Vladimir Baranov-Rossine or Boris Anisfeld... Meanwhile, Anisfeld did scenography not only for performances of the Theater of V.F. Komissarzhevskaya and Mikhail Fokin - in the 1920s he designed performances for the Metropolitan Opera. His works are stored, for example, in the Public Library at Lincoln Center in New York. In short, in America he had a more than successful career. But his first exhibition in the new, post-perestroika Russia took place precisely thanks to Anatoly Bekkerman, who helped restore the paintings and show them in 2001 at the Center for Contemporary Art on Neglinnaya. And today, Boris Anisfeld’s “Self-Portrait” from the 1940s, Maya and Anatoly Bekkerman donated the Pushkin Museum to them. A.S. Pushkin.
Actually, the current exhibition in many ways continues this discovery of artists of Russian emigration for Russia. “Every significant period in the history of painting must certainly have its dealers. Great artists create great dealers,” Daniel-Henri Kahnweiler, the discoverer of the Cubists, once remarked. If he is right, then Anatoly Bekkerman was “created” the best masters Russian emigration. They were by no means failures; their activity, creative energy and talent were in demand. It is enough to recall the rich heritage of Boris Grigoriev, who only during his travels in Latin America created a huge cycle of gouaches (about 300 sheets), as well as Parisian works for the theater of Natalia Goncharova and Mikhail Larionov, the scenography of Boris Anisfeld, the painting of David Burliuk... Works, in particular, These artists can be seen today at an exhibition on Volkhonka. Among the most striking works is Boris Grigoriev's painting "Man with a Bull" (1920). Actually, I would like to call it “Bull with a Man”, because in this compact, powerful portrait, the main thing, of course, is the bull. Powerful, calm, beautiful, like Zeus from ancient myth.
Next to his “face”, which occupies almost the entire square of the canvas, the profile of the “lord of nature” - man - looks secondary. Low-browed, with a heavy jaw, a suffering gaze turned upward, this character evokes a mixture of pity and horror. This masterpiece by Grigoriev became the painting with which the collection of Maya and Anatoly Bekkerman began.
Today this collection is located in the White Hall, which, through the efforts of Yuri Avvakumov, has been turned into a “mirror room”. Instead of the spacious colonnade of the White Hall, the viewer finds himself in a space divided into six “halls, combining the memory of neoclassicism (thanks to two columns in each) and strict minimalism. This is not a “white cube” - rather, a bright chamber space in which the paintings find themselves “at home” "The halls are located on both sides of the corridor with mirrored walls, creating a strict and double space at the same time. The corridor leads straight to the painting “Apple Picking” (1910s) by Sergei Sudeikin, which captivates with the image of the “golden age” - either from Pushkin’s times, or or antique (the winged Cupid always confuses the cards). For those who come closer, a “secret” niche will open - with “Porcelain figurines” by the same Sudeikin. In this exhibition space there is room for imagination, unexpected finds, and play.
Direct speech
Anatoly Bekkerman, AVA Gallery (USA):
The fate of the paintings is so incredible that you can walk through a flea market and come across a masterpiece. Such discoveries do happen. Rarely, but it happens. We bought one of Natalia Goncharova's works in Brazil. One day we arrived in Chile, and Maya saw a sculpture by Mark Antakolsky in one of the antique stores. This is a very strange feeling - in a foreign, distant country, where you least expect to find works by Russian artists, you suddenly see things that are dear to your heart. We bought this sculpture, and then before we left, we mainly worked on putting together a box in the hotel in which it could be transported. I can imagine how the hotel staff were at a loss when the sound of a hammer could be heard from our room, and we were carrying boards, nails...
In our family, Maya is probably more of a collector, I am more of an art dealer. There have been times when I brought things home to take them to the buyer the next morning. In the morning I got up, and Maya was already so in love with the painting that she couldn’t give it away. But, of course, this became possible when our position became more secure.
We are glad to have the opportunity to show Russian art created in exile, works that have not been seen in Russia. It is planned to display this exhibition in the Russian Museum and in several museums in America. And with great joy we donated Boris Anisfeld’s self-portrait from the 1940s to the Pushkin Museum. A.S. Pushkin.