I am certain that contemporary works can be no less beautiful and compelling than those of the great masters.

Art is a reflection and an expression of its time.

When people wish to hang historical canvases in their interiors, they would do well to understand that in doing so they begin to live in the past. It is even somewhat absurd when a person surrounded by the latest gadgets, the most modern technology and automobiles decides that the walls must bear copies of works from the nineteenth or eighteenth century.

Moreover, owning copies always carries a negative undertone. The most obvious parallel is the world of fashion. For some reason it is clear to everyone that a copy of a Chanel handbag is a faux pas. That the same holds for copies of design pieces or works of art is less obvious. And yet the situation is even more complex: a genuine Raphael is not for sale, even if you could suddenly afford to buy one. The chance of acquiring a contemporary painting of real quality—one that is pleasing to you personally, right for you personally, and that adorns your interior personally—is far greater than that of choosing a successful copy.

I am certain that contemporary works can be no less beautiful and compelling than those of the great masters. What is more, when you set out to buy a contemporary work, you can speak with the artist, learn the story of the piece, and attend a fascinating exhibition. Such pastimes are deeply absorbing: a new circle of acquaintances appears, new events, and new colors in life.

If you have a good eye and taste, it is not unlikely that you will recognize future masterpieces among contemporary canvases. The classic example is the Russian collector Sergei Shchukin: a man from a traditional merchant family, of the oldest customs and rules, who came to love and assembled a magnificent collection of the avant-garde that became a national treasure.

In short, I see far more advantages in collecting contemporary art than in collecting copies of the artistic classics.
It affords greater room for creativity, and it is very much alive, unlike the old, which lives only in museums.

Olga Kosyreva,

design expert,

organizer and director of Olga Kosyreva's Design Lecture Series

Website: www.designlectures.ru