IN SHORT:
Zuzeum reduces its collection of works of art
The art center “Zuzeum”, which opened in September last year, has been thoroughly audited and has selected a thousand works to be offered to other art lovers from the collection of Jānis Zuzāns from about 26,000 art units. “The collection is a variable size,” explains Jānis Zuzāns. “Something that loses interest at some point in time no longer fits into the overall creation of the collection, maybe an artist has stopped working. The collection can do without these works. If it is not sold, it will be put back in the collection.”
Zuzan claims that “Zandele” does not have Class A works in his collection. However, among the works decided for sale are the works of Jānis Pauluks, Džemma Skulme, Ritums Ivanovs, Kaspars Zariņš. Also the triptych of the artist Anna Heinrihsone, which the art collector bought in 2012 after her solo exhibition in the gallery “Art XO”. Anna Heinrihsone tries to distance herself from her emotions when she learns that her work is no longer needed in the Zuzeum, but it is a real surprise that in Zandele the triptych is sold in parts, not as a single work of art:
“I find it strange that one work is divided into pieces, and that way of exhibiting the way it all happens is selling the garage.”
Zuzan admits that the price tag indicated for each part of Heinrichson’s artwork – two and a half thousand euros – is a human error: “It sells as one. I admit my mistakes, but with so many works, it’s understandable.”
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Zuzāns has not bought Zenta Logina’s works in Zandele at market prices
The misunderstanding was caused by Zuzāns’ decision to include Zenta Logina’s works in “Zandele”. This overwhelmed the painter’s fund, as the life’s work of the pioneer of Latvian abstractionism was handed over to Jānis Zuzāns for research.
In a letter to the LTV program “Kultūršoks”, the Foundation “Zentas Loginas muzejs” writes: “Zentas Loginas’ lifetime work was transferred to Jānis Zuzāns to provide we consider the works to be rather hasty and completely ill-considered. “
Art reviewer and curator Thomas Parup accuses Zuzan of dishonesty:
“At the moment, Mr. Zuzan is” boiling “for the works he has received almost or for free.”
The collector himself does not see anything bad in his possession: “When we bought the collection, we had an agreement that we would one day dispose of some of the work directly to finance research.” However, after the talks of the Zenta Logina Foundation with Jānis Zuzāns, several works of the artist have been removed from “Zandele”.
“Zandelei” is accused of flamethrower style
The way the art is done has worried the art world about the works selected for sale.
Visual arts critic and curator Vilnis Vējš chooses harsh words, adding “Zandeli” to the black days of Latvian art: attitude, without explanation. It is easy to see that this art is being degraded in this way, and there will only be sufferers. “
Art Curator Thomas Parup reveals that he is very offended and angry that the artists’ works have been “exhibited in such an unworthy way, without thinking about the overall composition of the space, the strategies for exhibiting the work.”
Artist Anna Heinrihsone’s “Zandele” has a statement that we live in a “banana republic”:
once again, there is proof that we are a European province where art is still considered to be between entertainment and jokes and to be treated as such. “
Jānis Zuzāns rejects all the accusations: “Do you look like a flea market here? Go to any flea market or gallery and you will not see the same order as here. Why can Jarmarka make his own and Zuzeum his own? “If some people don’t deal with their emotions, maybe the covids have left an impression on them.
From left: Zane Brikmane, Jānis Zuzāns
Photo: LTV
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LNNM director Māra Lāce believes that the problem of “Zandele” is the chosen way of communication, turning it into a simple trade process:
“Andele-Mandele-Zandele” may not have been the best solution for refining or improving the quality of the collection.
The sale of works of art from collections happens all the time, only it happens a little differently. Either through individual galleries, through auctions, which is in very good shape, but not displayed as a discounted commodity. “
The prices of works of art are objective
Artists on social networks are also angry about prices. Art curators also believe that art is being dumped at the Zandele market. “At some terrible moment, of course, such things happen. After wars, crises, when people give the last one to survive – diamonds are sold for five, but I don’t think that’s the situation right now,” says Vilnis Vējš.
The prices of the works selected for sale are determined taking into account the acquisition value of the work, its degree of rarity and other factors. They range from a few euros to several thousand. Jānis Piesis, the manager of the gallery and auction house “Jēkabs”, admits that, evaluating the low-activity art market in Latvia, “Zandele” prices are close to an objective art market – neither extremely cheap nor expensive: ” artists’ paintings are usually cheaper on the secondary market than on the artists themselves, with most on the secondary market accounting for almost half of the prices charged by artists for their work.
What’s more, they’re organizing the event for the first time, they need to get the attention of the audience – it’s the same as Lidl bananas for a few cents. “
Vilnis Vējš is convinced that currently the biggest victims will be artists who will find it difficult to sell their current works.
Jānis Piesis emphasizes that from a legal point of view, nothing can be blamed on Zuzan, it is his private property: “He can sell, not sell, theoretically destroy, which, I think, is not in anyone’s interest. and it’s no longer his property, just like the carmaker – Ford won’t claim that they still have the right to it. “
Zuzan has no financial difficulties
“Zandele, organized by the Zuzeum, has suggested that Jānis Zuzāns, the founder of the art center and owner of the gambling business, has had a hard time due to the restrictions of the pandemic and gambling laws.
Already last spring Zuzan announcedthat it is suspending planned funding for arts and cultural events in protest of the government’s decision to close gaming halls during the pandemic. September broadcast “De facto” reportedthat another millionaire – Ainars Gulbis – has filed a lawsuit against Zuzan. The reason for the dispute is the ownership of the works of art.
However, the latest list of millionaires compiled by Pietiek.com journalists has ranked Zuzan again 6th on the list of Latvia’s richest people, claiming that his wealth has only grown. Zuzāns himself denies that “Zandele” is in financial difficulties. The reason is the Covid-19 pandemic: “Terrible chakarswho then does not have? I already have a basic business chakars, it still doesn’t work. I actually fund it all at my own expense.
And those loud shouters might be able to help and buy some work, not just drink beer and judge. “
Zuzāns says that according to the work plan of “Zuzeum”, there should now be an exhibition of Baltic artists in the premises of the art center. Instead, it was decided in favor of “Zandele”: “Given that we have already had two exhibitions because of the covid, because of our active government, which opens, then closes the center again, we decided that – if it is allowed to work for a while, we will not invest work on creating an exhibition, but let’s make a fair that we can control ourselves. “
Proceeds from Zandeles will be used for the development of Zuzeum
During the pandemic, the art center “Zuzeum”, which opened in the autumn of 2020, did not go as brightly as originally planned. As in other cultural places, this year the doors are more closed than open. According to publicly available information, SIA “Zuzeum” received a Covid-19 downtime allowance in the amount of 5667.22 euros this summer. With Zandeli, the art center expects to earn several thousand euros, which, according to Zuzan, will be used to complete the next planned works: we are working on research, books, we are researching Zenta Logina. That’s where the money will be invested. “
While there is a way forward for the Zuzeum, the art critic Vilnius Wind does not think so:
“I think this is the beginning of the confidence that has prevailed for 30 years, that everything in the field of visual arts can be safely entrusted to the private sector, and that there the market and the processes of savage capitalism will settle everything.
This is already the case when this faith does not work. “
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