14 May Victor Gordeev: “I don’t consider my collection as an investment”

Although Victor Gordeev doesn’t consider himself to be a collector, he feels in his element at Ukrainian art-market. Next – on the right ways of sailing the sea of contemporary art.

I am not a collector. To me, a collector is someone who intentionally collects something. For example, occidental art, the Impressionists or the Itinerants… But I buy Ukrainian works of art that appeal to me. Though, if I like pieces created by artists from other countries and I can afford them, I will buy them too. Ukraine is where I live, so I am more familiar with local artists. By the way, personal friendships influence my decisions a lot.

Initially, like many soon-to-be-collectors, I bought paintings to decorate interior. I can’t say I fell for it. Just at some point I realized I got more pieces of art that my home and office can house.

No one helps me to compose the collection. I’ve got friends that I can ask for advice, whose opinion I find interesting. Nevertheless the final decision is up to me. Plus I don’t buy pieces from completely unknown artists. It’s hard to make a mistake, for example, buying works of Zhyvotkov or Savadov.

I don’t consider my collection as an investment. Naturally, as any normal human being, I would be glad if with the passage of time the paintings I bought cost much more. But I don’t count on it. First of all, I would like the paintings I bought not to be sold at a price lower than I already paid for them. Unfortunately, at the local market it happens all the time – the range of prices for works of some artists is extremely wide. As long as the situation doesn’t change, art can’t become the object of investment.

I used to know where I’d put a painting when I bought it. Now I purchase what I like. If later it turns out that it can be hung up on some wall, I’m very glad. There is practically no more room left in my office. At my apartment the ceiling is higher and there is a little bit more free space. Besides, not all the pieces of art suit office. For example, I have some shocking Savadov’s photographs that had hung on the walls for some time, and then people began asking to take them away. It’s important to respect people’s views in the public areas.

By the way, I like Savadov’s photographs more than his paintings. The “Book of the Dead” series comprises impressive pictures. But I am sure that it’s impossible to live next to them – they are meant neither for offices, nor for dining rooms.

There is nearly one hundred works of art in my collection. I think that eventually I will issue a catalogue with accurate calculation and description of all my pieces. I like this idea.

It’s hard to say whose works I would like to have in my collection. I am not a collector, so I don’t determine specific tasks for myself. If I see a piece and it appeals to me – I buy it. There are works that I saw in other people’s collections – if they were for sale, I would purchase them. But coming to people and asking to sell their paintings – it’s not my method.

Out of young generation of artists I like works of Zhanna Kadyrova, though she is already an acknowledged master. Also Tanya Voitovych’s paintings, artworks of Roman Minin, Nazar Bilyk.