An interesting question. People often ask me: “What happens when an artist dies?” Honestly, I have no idea what happens to a person after death, and neither do you. But I do know what usually happens to their artworks. Unfortunately, in most cases, the story is much shorter than people imagine.
picture of Leonid Afremov with his sons a couple weeks before his death
- Leonid - 1 (1).jpeg (79.57 KiB) Viewed 8094 times
Let’s do a simple exercise. Right now, without using Google, name as many artists as you can. Van Gogh. Picasso. Monet. Rembrandt. Maybe Chagall. Maybe Kandinsky. Maybe a few more. If you’re very interested in art, you might name twenty. Now think about this: Millions of artists have existed throughout history—millions. Yet most people can barely name twenty. That’s the sad reality. When most artists die, their work remains for a while. Then, gradually, the world moves on.
What Usually Happens to the Paintings?
The paintings become part of the estate, just like a house, a car, a bank account, or personal belongings. The copyrights and intellectual property usually pass to whoever inherits them according to local law or the artist’s will. Most often, that means family members—children, a spouse, or other relatives. Then those people start making decisions, usually very practical ones.
I have many originals hanging at my home. This is one single wall
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And honestly, I don’t blame them. If someone inherits paintings, copyrights, and inventory, they often try to get the best possible price. That’s normal. That’s what most people would do. The paintings get sold. Collectors buy them. Dealers buy them. Some pieces end up at auction. Others disappear into private homes. Eventually, the artist becomes a memory.
We still have many original paintings left to be sold. You can find them here https://afremov.com/original-oil-painti ... t_dir=desc
We Chose a Different Path
When Leonid Afremov passed away, we could have done exactly the same thing: sell everything, close the business, and move on. Many people expected that. Instead, we did something very different. We kept the studio alive. We continued building the brand. We continued creating artwork under the Afremov name, not because we were trying to pretend Leonid was still alive—he wasn’t, and everyone knows that. But because we believed something important: Why should a name die simply because the person died?
a video of Afremov studio artist working
Luxury Brands Do This All the Time
Think about it. Louis Vuitton is gone. Rolex is gone. Ferruccio Lamborghini is gone.Walt Disney is gone. Yet their brands continue to exist. In many cases, they became even bigger after the founder died. Nobody finds that strange. So why should artists be different? Why should an artist’s name disappear the moment their heart stops beating?
The Important Difference
Of course, honesty matters. If a painting was created by Leonid Afremov himself, it should be described that way. If a painting was created by the studio, it should also be described honestly. Customers deserve transparency. That part is simple.
We have made special pages on our site explaining every kind of product we have
https://afremov.com/recreation-what-is-it.html
https://afremov.com/mixed-media-what-is-it
https://afremov.com/what-is-gallery-retail-price
Does Every Artist Deserve a Living Studio?
Probably not. Most artists don’t leave behind a studio, a business, or a brand, and that’s okay. But when an artist creates something larger than themselves, I don’t see why it must automatically disappear.
wMost artists die twice. The first time when they leave this world. The second time when people stop saying their name. I think that’s the sadder death.
That’s why we chose a different path. Leonid Afremov is gone. But the studio continues. The name continues. The paintings continue. Maybe, in some small way, that allows part of the artist to live on as well.
a link about more information on afremov studiohttps://afremov.com/visit-my-studio.html#
a link to Afremov studio youtube playlist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVZeqBX ... 4O-K5193r_