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search of works by Russian artists
who had died unknown, some in
labour camps or mental asylums.
Gradually he won the trust of
widows and relatives, many of
whom were happy to get rid of
piles of dust-collecting works. In
one case he rescued an oil painting
being used to patch a leaky roof.

Savitsky, who died in 1984, had the
advantage of working almost with-
out competition. Most Soviet mu-
seums were forbidden to display
avant-garde art because the govern-
ment considered it not only hideous
but degenerate. The few private
collectors of the period bought
no more than a handful of works.
Only Savitsky, whose base in the
Uzbek region of Karakalpakstan was
almost unimaginably remote from
the centres of Soviet power, was
allowed to collect -- and he did so
with boundless enthusiasm.
the works of contemporary Uzbek On 4 September 2015 100th anni-
One of the most extraordinary and Karakalpak artists. The local versary of Igor Savitsky, the foun-
aspects of Savitsky's approach was authorities are constructing two der of the State Art Museum of the
that he wanted not just the best new buildings, and when these are Republic of Karakalpakstan was
work -- but everything. Often he ready the museum would be able widely celebrated in Nukus in pre-
came away with several hundred to display some 12% of their sence of the Government officials,
drawings, prints and paintings by total collection, compared to 5% representatives of the diplomatic
a single artist, showing not just the today.
corps, numerous local and foreign
U
mature work but what he called art historians.
the artist's "cuisine" or phases and
experiments. As a result, the Nukus
PUBLICITE
Museum demonstrates the develop-
ment of individual artists as well as FRENCH - GERMAN - ENGLISH - ITALIAN - SPANISH - CHINESE
of the entire Russian avant-garde -- 3)
a perspective perhaps broader than 0 ECOLE VARADI SA G W
'~ r>-'
that of any other collection.
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Many ruined artists or their survi- Around a language in 80 hours VIV
vors gave Savitsky their collections TURKISH French 'English. German • Russian + 33 languages
without charge. To pay for others, he
sold his possessions. When he could Personalized programs from 1 to 20 lessons per week: NVI1VOID -
no longer pay, he wrote promissory SWEDISH - adults • adolescents • children
notes. By the time he died, Savitsky Special programs for companies, banks, organizations
had accumulated more than 80,000 -
pieces. His collecting absorbed him School support and motivation in all subjects: IV1
completely, leaving him often sick GERMAN - Math • French • German 9 English • all languages IS
and, in the end, without his family. Preparation for English and French schooling -

Today, the Nukus Museum houses SWISS Specialized pedagogy for gifted children, ADHD, dyslexia
a collection totalling about 90,000 Secretarial Diploma in 3 to 12 months
items, including graphics, paintings B - Flexible schedule from 7 am to 10 pm - 7 days a week
and sculptures, as well as thousands First lesson without commitment
of artefacts, textiles and jewel-
lery, ranging from the antiquities of 32, avenue de Frontenex - 1207 Genève
Khorezm's ancient civilization to
www.ecole-varadi.ch
022 736 28 74 www.varadischool.com