Tallinn Business Bank and gallery ArtDepoo present: exhibition „Circus“, based on contemporary art collection of Artemy Troitsky.

 

Artemy Troitsky is all over-ex-USSR celebrity-music critic, who’s activity as art-collector has got more and more attention in recent years. His art collection is being appreciated as one of the best among Russian public people. In his collection there are Russian avant-garde stars like Ilya Kabakov, Timur Novikov, famous Estonians like Priit Pärn and Jüri Arrak, representatives of younger generation of Russian art like Vinogradov-Dubosarsky tandem, Dmitri Vrubel, Vladislav Mamyshev-Monroe, Oleg Kulik, artists from South and North America, trash art and music freaks from all over the world.

 

Circus, as grotesque concept of the show has several reasons.
First is off course eccentric atmosphere of entire collection, with its certain mystic non-homogeneity, which main connecting point is collector’s personality, his perception of the world and music taste. All this carousel of images revolves around him, as around „circus director“ , starts and closes up with him.
Second reason is an archetype of circus in Estonia. As in Estonia there was never neither circus building nor circus troupe, for Estonians Circus is often associated with visiting performances from Russia. Circus in local context has additional slightly nostalgic meaning. Nostalgia can be read as well in the mood of entire collection, as the main accent of it is on avant-garde art.
In the dialogue of exhibition curators Olga Temnikova and Artemyi Troitsky artefacts of the collection have unconstrainedly divided into show-programme, consisting of strongman and freaks, acrobats, performing animals, magicians, clowns and parad-allez. In distorting mirror modified by these images reflects our world, provoking observer for outbursts of laughter smoothly turning into anxiety attacks and backwards.

 

Artemy Troicky (born 1955) – music critic, known as “Russian John Peel”, author of the famous publication Back in the USSR on the rock music in the former Soviet Union (published in London in 1987, later in New York, Tokyo and elsewhere). From 1989 to 1998 worked as author and director of several Russian TV shows on life-style and art. Editor in chief of Playboy Russia,  director of the popular radio show FM Dostoyevsky Echo Moskvy for last 10 years, lecturer at the Moscow State University, Department of Journalism, and State Management University. Activist of Green Peace and Wild World Foundation.   

 

Troicky has made friends with artists but without concrete aims. So he has become an art collector comparatively lately (in the mid-1980s) and by chance. Some of the early acquisitions (such as Andy Warhol’s and Ilya Kabakov’s graphic works with inscriptions) have been lost over family life complications. Still, according to experts’ opinion, Artemy Troicky’s collection of contemporary art is one of the best collections among ones of Russian celebrities. 

 

Troicky on his connection to Estonia:
In due time I was visiting Estonia quite frequently /for instance Tartu music days/ and I was a good friend with Estonians and rock-managers, for example Rein Lang, who is quite influential politician nowedays. I knew Estonian music very well and appreciated it a lot: punk and new wave, Volkonski, Singer Vinger, JMKE. On the other hand there was very strong intellectual rock like In Spe and Erkki-Sven Tüür. I am so happy for Tüür becoming world-famous. I know less about current Estonian music scene: I liked Genialistid very much. It was a pity to get to know that they have now broken up. I wanted to bring them to perform in Moscow, but now...

 

Exhibition will be opened until May 29th.

Organizers thank our generous supporters - Tallinn Business Bank, Estonian Embassy in Russia, Helene Tedre, Hotel Telegraaf, Jacob's Creek and Santa Helena wines.