Bridget McDonnell Gallery

Paintings from St. Petersburg and the Ukraine

2 - 23 November 2007

The Russian for Art in the Cyrillic alphabet is APT.

For the past fifteen years, London dealer John Barkes has been a major conduit for works from St. Petersburg and the Ukraine which, after the perestroika in the late eighties, became available to Western dealers and collectors.
The fine draftsmanship and painting techniques were cultivated in St. Petersburg at teaching institutions like the world famous Repin Academy. For many years, graduates scarcely needed a market since successful artists were virtually salaried by the State. The movement towards democratization of Russia meant that works which were stored by artists now had to find willing buyers in an entirely naïve or primitive marketplace. John Barkes noticed hawkers selling Russian paintings on the streets in London and began visiting the St. Petersburg artists in 1992. He now regularly commutes to there and the Ukraine. He has become a familiar figure among both living artists and the families of some of his old friends, masters who have passed away.
This is our ninth exhibition of St. Petersburg artists. The acceptance of these works by Australian collectors has been mirrored by activities in London and New York where Russian art has now established a vigorous and well supported secondary market. More recently Chinese buyers have emerged as significant supporters of Russian art.

There are fifty works in the exhibition. Prices range from $850 to $6,800.