Yakov Skulskyi, a gallerist, exhibition curator, art historian, and art dealer, specializes in Ukrainian, Russian, and Jewish art, along with American art from the emigration period of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. He provides insights into his exploration of the works of painters and sculptors who immigrated to the United States, becoming pivotal figures in American art.
Yakov, where were you born, and at what age did you start engaging with art?
I was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, in 1998, into an intelligent Jewish family where discussions about art were a daily occurrence. My grandfather was a musician, my father a collector, and other family members were doctors and psychologists.
My interest in visual arts developed when I could first speak. Our house was adorned with paintings, and there was an extensive library. My father would share various stories about our culture, and I observed all of this, sparking my curiosity from early childhood.
Yakov, what factors and events contributed to your interest in studying American art created by immigrants from the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union?
Since childhood, I delved into the niche of American art created by immigrants from the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, including Mark Rothko (1907-1970), Arshile Gorky (1904-1948), Alexander Archipenko (1887-1964), Louise Nevelson (1899-1988), Nikolai Fechin (1881-1955), and many other great figures in American art. At the age of 21, I was included in the Russian Foundation ‘Art and Architecture of the Russian Abroad’ as an art expert.
This question has been fascinating and crucial for me, as this area is still not fully explored and is full of mysterious stories. I was always drawn to unraveling mysteries. I heard stories from my relatives about how my ancestors left the Russian Empire for the United States, France, and other countries willing to accept Jewish families. And now, I find myself becoming an immigrant.”
What does immersion in art offer?
Art serves as a form of philosophy and a reflection of events unfolding across different eras. It spans from governmental portraits to intriguing narratives that are linked, in one way or another, to politics, territory, or simply convey the artists’ perspectives on contemporary events. It explores how they perceive the world, nature, and what they aim to depict, presenting, at times, enchanting and, at other times, melancholic images of humanity.
How long have you been in America?
Since last year. Honestly, I’ve dreamed of coming to America since childhood. The appreciation for art here is evident, as seen, for example, in the popularity of abstract expressionism in the 1940s. While in America, I’ve firsthand experienced that this particular art field is not fully explored, and American specialists are almost unfamiliar with the early periods of the biographies of painters and sculptors who arrived in America from our region in the late 19th to early 20th century. As a result, I’ve developed a desire to work in this field in the United States. The skills I acquired while working in Europe will enable me to make a substantial contribution to the study of local art.
You are the founder of the First Artist Foundation – «Ladislav Trakal Foundation» in Ukraine. Could you provide more details about it?
My work centered around the creation of a book and the organization of an exhibition featuring my collection of paintings by Ladislav Trakal (1873-1951). In 2019, I discovered and acquired 119 works by this artist in Prague. For a long time, I sought the legacy of Ladislav Trakal, a native of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was then part of Austria-Hungary. The artist came to Kharkiv, where he lived until 1922, after which he returned to his homeland but to Czechoslovakia this time.
The goal of my search was to resurrect the name of an unjustly forgotten artist. His legacy and identity were obscured due to the turbulent period in our history—the 1917 revolution. Through my efforts, I successfully uncovered these paintings and archival materials in Prague from the artist’s great-grandson, as well as in other European archives, private collections, and various museum collections. This task took over a year and a half before I could make this crucial discovery and bring Trakal’s legacy back to Ukraine.
What recognition have you received for your significant contribution to the field of art?
For achievements related to organizing an exhibition and writing a book about the artist Ladislav Trakal, I received letters of appreciation from the governor of the Kharkiv region, the Minister of Culture of Ukraine, Dmitry Gorbachev (known as the most influential art historian in Ukraine), Valentina Myzgina (the director of the Kharkiv Art Museum), and art historian Olga Denisenko. Many Russian experts, including Oleg Leyking (an art historian and expert on Russian emigration), auction house owners, gallery owners, as well as various Czech and English art historians, also conveyed their acknowledgments. In 2023, I was honored with the prestigious ‘Golden Fund of the Nation’ award, personally presented by the Minister of Culture of Ukraine, for a unique contribution to the study of visual arts.
Can you share your experience in collaborating on international exhibitions?
I have collaborated with numerous galleries worldwide, from Kyiv to Hong Kong. Recently, ‘Les Noms Gallery’ approached me to organize an exhibition of Ukrainian artists in California. American collectors and art dealers regularly seek my expert opinion on specific works in various fields.
You collaborate with various galleries. What are your responsibilities, and what projects are you currently working on?
Simultaneously fascinating and functionally complex, this work encompasses many aspects of my activities. I perform managerial functions, promote artworks in galleries using my contacts, thereby expanding new connections in other galleries in the US and Europe. I also interact with collectors, providing them with detailed information about paintings and sculptures in art institutions. Additionally, I am building my personal collection of visual art.
Currently, for instance, I am working on the works of the American artist Revington Arthur (1907-1986), with more than 1,500 of his works presented in a California gallery I am currently collaborating with. I have already started writing my new book about him and studying his archival works. This promises to be an exciting narrative presenting the artist’s work from various perspectives. Most importantly, it will be a rediscovery of yet another forgotten artist!
How do you conduct your research on paintings and their histories? Which archives related to Ukrainian culture in the U.S., both private and government-owned, do you interact with?
The process is interesting and challenging; success can only be expected with an unprecedented desire and passionate dedication to the work. I won’t reveal all my strategies, but I can say that I explore every niche related to art, asking questions to anyone interested in it. Whether it’s museums or archives, collectors or dealers, descendants of the artist, or the artworks themselves, information can be found, gathered, and compiled from various sources.
Have you made any interesting discoveries?
Yes, there is one story related to the collector Eduard Grunwaldt (1856-1915), who, in 1904, brought a vast collection of paintings from the Russian Empire to the U.S. for a large-scale exhibition during the St. Louis World’s Fair held alongside the Olympic Games. The collection was lost. Fortune favors me, and I have already found some of the works. This is not the end but only the continuation of a century-long story to bring significant paintings back to the world.
How much do art dealers earn?
Hmm, a good question, as they say in my homeland: “Money and happiness love silence.” But seriously, earnings vary widely for art dealers, as in any profession. There are different levels, and everyone has their achievements. The annual turnover of the visual arts market reaches $100 billion globally, encompassing auction sales, private transactions, digital art, and many other cultural market channels. I won’t go into specifics, as I am not a statistician, but I can say that many professionals in my field are included in Forbes lists.
Can you describe the portrait of a contemporary collector? Who buys art today?
Compared to other countries, America excels in many ways. The number of collectors grows every year. A modern American collector is not just a fan of a specific artist or someone collecting puzzles to cover all their walls with favorite paintings. They are individuals who look ahead, knowing that visual arts are one of the most profitable investment options. Investments over a period of sometimes 5 years can yield returns of 10, 20, or even 1000 times. Even in the Ukrainian collector’s market, paintings that cost $100-$200 in 1995 were reaching $30,000-$50,000 by 2005. The same happens in the U.S. Smartly purchasing paintings or other art objects, collectors can not only hedge against inflation but also earn without actively doing anything. That’s why they turn to professional dealers, gallery owners, and art experts.
Yakov, what are your goals and plans for the future?
In my plans, there’s the organization and curation of exhibitions that will present unjustly forgotten aspects and names of American art to the wider public. My long-term goal is to establish new galleries and build my own qualified team to implement various ideas. Additionally, I see significant potential in IT technologies related to the Art Market. That’s why California entrepreneurs recently approached me to participate in their new project. It’s an online trading platform called “TradeArt”, intended to encompass the entire art market, including galleries, auctions, private transactions, and more.
Categories: News
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
