New Wave Collector's Choice
Dear collectors!
Thank you for agreeing to become a participant in a project that is important for the a—s—t—r—a gallery and the art market.
The exhibition “Portrait of a New Wave Collector” is a study in which we want to solve the following problems or, at least, lay the foundation for their solution:
- to introduce art market participants to new players in your person and in the person of other new collectors;
- to identify the main motivations that inspire people to collect art and invest in culture today;
- to consider a collecting strategy that may open the way to patronage in a broader sense;
- to hear feedback on the functioning of the art market and see the problem areas that you personally encounter.
What is the mechanics of the project I am inviting you to participate in:
Step 1: I ask you to choose any one work from your collection (regardless of where it was acquired, what technique it was made in, what period it was created in, etc.), which is personally significant for you or became a turning point in your collecting journey or has another story that would be interesting to tell about it in connection with you.
I would like to ask you (in compliance with all legal formalities) to exhibit this work in the space of the a-s-t-r-a gallery (CCA "Winzavod", 4th Syromyatnichesky per., 1/8, building 9, entrance 22) from July 4 to August 31, 2025.
2nd step: along with this letter, I am sending you a link to the catalog of works in the archive of the a-s-t-r-a gallery, and I ask you to select from 1 to 3 works that you like, which we will integrate into the exposition of the exhibition with the note "Collector's Choice Last Name First Name" and which will be available for sale to visitors of the exhibition.
3rd step: I know for sure that all collectors have the gene of a pioneer in their DNA. Therefore, on July 2, I will send you a link to a selection of works by young artists who are currently participating in the open call a—s—t—r—a OPEN Vol.7, from which you can personally select those who will participate in the exhibition and, perhaps, get a chance to advance in your career.
4th step: an interview about you and your collection. This will not take more than an hour: in a personal conversation or in written responses or audio messages, which will later form the basis of the research I wrote about above.
Understanding the difficulties along the way and the prospects that each of you is inspired by in this way of investing in culture will help me initiate positive changes in the art market through the program activities of the Gallery Association, of which I am a member of the Board, and analyze new trends in the modern philanthropic movement in order to make philanthropy a new norm in the future.
As if it all looks complicated, but I assure you, it is not. This is a game that will enrich both us, the organizers, and you, by bringing joy and novelty to this summer.
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About the Biennale
The Biennale of Private Collections is a joint statement by more than 50 cultural institutions operating in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Apatity, Kazan, Samara, Ufa, Kaluga, Vladivostok, Tomsk and other cities of Russia.
They all talk about “their” collector, significant for them and for the territory in which they are located. Galleries, cultural foundations, art centers, museums of private collections over several months present exhibition, publishing and educational projects in which the collector is defined as an iconic figure for the history of art and the formation of the cultural landscape.
A collector is a guide who connects time with his personal view of art. He preserves the legacy of the past and actualizes it in the present, is able to look into the future, supporting the artists of his time, and outlines the vector of art development for years to come.
Through the projects of the Biennale participants, the viewer will be able to see what is most often hidden from him: the choice of a specific person, the art with which he lives and which reflects both himself and a certain time. And he will definitely be able to understand a little better who a collector is - and how he changes our life, environment and cultural context with his personal choice.
About the Foundation
The New Collectors Foundation was created in 2023 by a group of collectors and cultural experts: Marina Loshak, chief curator of the Joseph Brodsky Museum "One and a Half Rooms", director of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts (2013-2023), Ekaterina Lapshina, entrepreneur, philanthropist and CEO of ERA Capital, Anton Belov, director of the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art (2010-2025), Mikhail Kamensky, art critic, CEO of Sotheby's Russia&CIS auction house (2007-2016) and collector Anton Kozlov.
The Foundation is a systemic non-profit platform that establishes relationships between art collectors and key participants in artistic processes.
The Foundation studies and popularizes collecting practices through exhibition, educational and outreach formats, opening up new opportunities for people interested in collecting.