The Kirillov Collection: Art Auction at JTAG

The Kirillov Collection: Art Auction
On view: November 5 - 27, 2022
Reception: Saturday, November 12, 6-8pm as part of the Second Saturday Gallery Walk
Joshua Tree Art Gallery: 61607 29 Palms Hwy, Suite B, Joshua Tree, CA
Gallery hours: Fridays 11am - 3pm, Saturdays 9am - 3pm and Sundays 12 - 3pm

The MBCAC and JTAG are pleased to present a unique opportunity to acquire works of art from the Dmitry and Regina Kirillov collection. The Kirillov's moved to the high desert in 2000, and collected dozens of examples of local art over a 20 year period. The collection will be sold in a silent auction, without reserves or minimums. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity! The proceeds will support the MBCAC and its mission to support the arts and artists of the high desert community.

Artists include: Cathy Allen, Suzy Du Amarell, Jackie Angow, Uli Boege, Penelope Benson-Wright, Bonnie Brady, David Burnham, Brendon Chartrand, Jim David, Abe Deladerde, Shari Elf, Ida Forman Fick, Frazine, Robyn Goudi, Gretchen Grunt, Coco Hall, Wil Hanson, Anna M. Houghton, Shawn Housel, Ruth Hapsburg, Ryan Jonson, Dimitri Kirillov, Regina Kirillov, Adam Kopeisa, Noreen Lawlor, Llaree, John Luckett, Robert McCay, Chris Myers, Alexis Ochoa, Lee Lukes Pickering, Renata Riley, Craig Ross, Suzanne Ross, Roland, Sanchez, Andrea Smither and Ray Yeager.

Important Notice: Winners will be notified by phone on Saturday, November 26, after 3pm and bidders must be able to pay and pick up their purchases on Sunday, 11/27 - between Noon - 3pm and Monday, 11/28 10am - Noon Contact Katie Nartonis at 213-435-5955 with any questions.

Regina Kirillov and her late husband Dimitry, moved to Joshua Tree in the year 2000. They found a nascent arts community, centered around the Twentynine Palms Art Gallery and the first years of the HWY 62 Open Studio Art Tours. The couple attended the Art Tours every year, and enjoyed collecting the locally made art that spoke directly to their tastes.

Dimitry, who passed in 2021, was a talented photographer, and Regina was classically trained in ballet. Dimitry published over 75 articles in his field of laser spectroscopy. The desert artists captured the couple’s fascination, and before too long, they had amassed dozens of pieces of original local desert artwork.

“Dmitri and I met at a concert of classical music in Leningrad. We looked at each other - that was it - 50 years ago!” Regina Kirillov

By 2011, the couple found that there was no empty space left on their walls, so they purchased another house, and placed their art collection there. Regina recalls that they called it their ‘Joshua Tree Hermitage Museum.’ The couple had planned to open the house to the public, but they dropped the idea after discovering the county requirements for opening a museum to the public were too extensive. Instead, they made the collection available for private viewings and by invitation.

Regina is aware of the loss of art from previous generations of artists, and notes that they “wanted to preserve the tradition of local art for children and others who will live here, 30 to 40 years from now. The museum would have allowed them to view what the art scene - our art scene now - was like in the past.” Artists that are represented include: Will Hanson, Cathy Allen, Suzanne Ross, Robyn Goudi, Bonny Brady and the photographs of the late Dimitry Kirillov.

Regina Kirillov has donated their collection to the MBCAC in memory of Dimitry, and the Morongo Basin Cultural Arts Council will have the collection on view during the month of November at JTAG.

During this time, the collection is to be sold in a silent auction format to support the MBCAC and its mission to support the arts and artists of the high desert community. The collection will be on view at JTAG from November 5 - 25th, 2022. During that time, buyers can register and bid, with no minimum. Winners will be notified by phone and will need to pick up their acquisitions by Monday, November 28th. There will be an opening reception during the Joshua Tree second Saturday gallery walk on November 12th, from 6-8 pm.