On Friday, October 21, the ‘M17 Center for Contemporary Art’ (Gorkogo str. 104) will open a pre-auction show of Ukrainian and Russian contemporary art.

Ilya Chichkan. Yulia.

The show’s exposition will consist of more than 140 works by some of the most sough-after artists from Ukraine and Russia, including rare collectable pieces by Leonid Vartyvanov, Dmitri Kavsan, monumental pieces by Arsen Savadov and Aleksandr Gnilitsky, as well scandalous works by works by Ilya Chichkan and Aleksandr Savko. The show and the auction are organized by the ‘Zolotoe Sechenie’ («Золотое сечение») Auction House.

 

Arsen Savadov. Pride

The exhibition covers the time period between the mid 80s and today, presenting works from such movements and periods in Ukrainian art as the trans-avant-garde period, ‘New Wave’, ‘Paris Commune’, young art. Among the pieces presented special attention should be given to Pléiade (1989), a rare work by Leonid Vartyvanov. Among other interesting lots are the monumental pieces by Arsen Savadov and Aleksandr Gnilitsky. Savadov’s Pride, for example, has only been shown in New York and will be presented to Ukrainian public for the first time. Of great importance are also the early works by artist tandem ‘Martynchiks’ or the ‘Pertsy’ group, the works of which are part of the Tratyakov State Gallery and PinchukArtCentre collections.

 

Aleksandr Gnilitsky. Ulysses.

One of the most eye-catching works is Ilya Chichkan’s Yulia (2008). Other important pieces include works by Aleksandr Roitburd and Anatoliy Krivolap whose works are considered most expensive among Ukrainian artists according to auction results.

Special attention should be devoted to Russian contemporary artists and their works: Dmitri Vrubel (the man behind the ‘Brezhnev and Honecker kiss’ on the Berlin wall) is represented by his work The Last Pioneer (1988), and the most scandalous contemporary artist Aleksandr Savko is showing Maslenitsa (2006), his take on V. Surikov’s famous Bojarynja Morozova (1887).

 

Olek Golosiy. Dance .

The pre-auction show will also feature the most complete collection of Ukrainian young art. Among young artists, whose works are presented, are such figures as Artem Volokitin, the winner of the 2009 PinchukArtCentre prize, as well as works by «Р.Э.П.» and «Убик» groups, O. Suslenko, T. Kovach, the 2011 PinchukArtCentre prize nominees Masha Shubina, Hamlet Zinkovsky, Zhanna Kadyrova, and this year’s МУХі winner Daniil Galkin.

Aleksandr Savko. Maslenitsa.

The general worth of the collection has been estimated to reach $ 800 000 – $ 1 000 000, and according to Aleksandr Solovyov, and art-market expert, is one of the best collections of contemporary Ukrainian and Russian art to have been shown so far.

The show will be open to public between Oct. 22-28, 2011. Free admission.

The auction will take place on Oct. 29, 2011.