Elena Prilashkevich / 📺 Iskusstvo TV
In St. Petersburg, the Association of Contemporary Art Galleries has been established, intended to create a distinctive informational field in the context of contemporary art. The official presentation of the project, held at the House of Cinema, caused a real stir. The newly minted members of the Association had expected no more than a dozen people to attend the event. In reality, things turned out differently. The small space of the art café Stendhal was filled to capacity. The gathering drew not only members of the press but also active participants in St. Petersburg’s art scene.
The presentation began with remarks by Marina Koldobskaya, director of the St. Petersburg branch of the State Center for Contemporary Art. Ironically, it was she—who had been involved in the gallery world only from the position of curator and artist—who initiated the creation of the Association of Contemporary Art Galleries. According to her, the city had long needed such an institution. “We’re not doing very well with contemporary art, and things are even worse with the contemporary art market,” Koldobskaya noted. “And there will be no market until the city adopts a different attitude toward contemporary art—until people understand that it’s important, engaging, and that there is nothing incomprehensible or hostile about it.”
Marina Gisich, owner of one of the oldest galleries in this field, also pointed out the general unpreparedness of the St. Petersburg audience to perceive contemporary art. “It’s time to share our love of contemporary art with the masses, to convert more viewers and buyers to our cause,” she emphasized. At present, galleries are usually visited by only a narrow circle of aficionados, and sales of contemporary works are often sporadic. The Association aims to attract broader layers of the public into this traditionally elite sphere. According to Natalia Pankova, director of AL Gallery, this is particularly important for such an imperial city as St. Petersburg. Unlike Moscow, it is less receptive to innovation, which forces constant efforts to break through entrenched traditions. The members of the Association intend to change this situation. “Together we are strong,” they declare.
As of now, the Association of Contemporary Art Galleries includes AL Gallery, Anna Nova Art Gallery, ART re.FLEX Gallery, Dmitriy Semenov Gallery, Kremlin Gallery, Lazarev Gallery, Marina Gisich Gallery, Modernariat, and Frants Gallery Space. The latter has a branch in New York, actively promoting St. Petersburg’s artistic culture in the West. The youngest member of the Association is the recently opened Modernariat, which combines contemporary art practices with vintage design classics. The overall membership list of the Association remains small; the galleries currently listed were brought together through a process of quick mutual recognition. In the future, new members are expected to join by submitting appropriate applications.
Legally, the establishment of the Association of Contemporary Art Galleries has not yet been formalized. This fact sparked a lively debate at the press conference. Some were quick to suspect the gallery owners of launching yet another PR campaign to draw additional attention to their activities. The gallerists tried to refute such remarks, pointing out the need to address much more serious tasks connected with raising the profile of contemporary art.
The main event-driven initiative of the Association was promised for June of this year. However, the first steps toward joint work between the galleries are expected as early as this weekend. On January 22, an Opening Day will take place, during which each participating gallery will present a special exhibition project at its own venue. The goal of this initiative is to establish feedback with the residents and visitors of the city.
21.01.2011