With some signs of the coronavirus lockdown easing, and doors of galleries, museums, exhibitions and theatres starting to re-open, we’re taking a look at the way the art world has responded to the coronavirus pandemic, and what the ‘new normal’ might look like. The doors of the Design Museum in London are finally open again, and celebrations are well underway in the new exhibition Electronic: From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers. There are sights including...
Nike Air Jordan 1 sneakers game-worn by basketball hero Michael Jordan in 1985 sold at auction at Sotheby’s for $560,000 – the new world auction record for any pair of sneakers, surpassing the previous record set at Sotheby’s for the Nike 1972 Nike Waffle Racing Flat ‘Moon Shoe’ sold for $437,500 in July 2019. Following a bidding war which drove the value up by $300,000 within the final twenty minutes of the sale, the pair...
It’s 80 years since Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Great Britain, and Sotheby’s is marking the turbulent years of the great man with an online auction of many of his personal effects in New York from 10th-20th of May. Sir Winston Churchill is remembered as one of the greatest leaders and politicians to ever lead a nation, and his clear-headedness, resolution and rhetorical skills are regarded as major elements in the struggle for victory...
Reports from the art trade suggest that galleries and auction houses in the UK may be able to start re-opening from June 1st. The Art Newspaper reports that Freya Simms, chief executive of trade body LAPADA, has confirmed with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) that galleries and auction houses can be recognised as ‘non-essential retail’, included in Phase 2 of the easing of lockdown starting on June 1st. The government’s 60-page document...
Known for its breathtaking beaches and beautiful landscapes, Barbados brims with a rich and vibrant artistic heritage. The birthplace of musical icon Rihanna and legendary cricketing giant Sir Garfield Sobers, this 166 square mile jewel in the Caribbean Sea is a treasure-trove of creatives, whose talents are not only reflected within its shores but have also made waves around the globe. While culturally Barbados was born out of a blending of West African and British...
The following statement from Sotheby’s was distributed today, Monday 16th March 2020: An Update from Charles F. Stewart, CEO “Needless to say, the last few weeks have been very challenging as we grapple with the health, safety and market effects of the COVID-19 virus spread. Our top priority has been to ensure the safety of our employees and clients, and we are responding accordingly. As a global business, we have been reacting to the virus...
International car auctioneer RM Sotheby’s kicked off its 2020 calendar with its 21st annual Arizona auction, bringing in a total of $30.4 million in sales, with 90 percent of all lots sold. The two-night auction, held at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix during Arizona Car Week, saw bidders from 26 countries in the room and via phone and internet, 25 percent of them registering to bid with RM Sotheby’s for the first time. The top...
As we usher in a new year, international auction house Sotheby’s has previewed 20 sales to look for in the first quarter of 2020. 1. RM Sotheby’s: Arizona, Phoenix, 16th–17th January Kicking off the collector car auction season, RM Sotheby’s returns to the stunning grounds of the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, 16th–17th January, for its 21st annual Arizona sale. The auction will feature sub-$100,000 collectible cars, as well as sports and GT...
Olyvia Kwok made her debut in the art world when she purchased a Chinese scroll painting at an auction for $33,000 and later sold it at a Hong Kong auction house for $220,000. She was just 22 years old at the time. Today, Kwok has accumulated over 15 years experience in art collection and has founded her own firm, Willstone Management, where she now offers bespoke art investment services. In this exclusive interview, Olyvia Kwok...
Sotheby’s New York’s “Selling Exhibition” celebrates the art of collecting with an assemblage of artworks and sculptures inspired by the tastes of two most influential lines of collectors, the Chatsworth and Cavendish families. Inspired by Chatsworth: A Selling Exhibition revisits the country house aesthetic, via its splendid collection of 18thcentury silver, commissioned portraits of nobility, captivating biblical paintings, diamond jewellery and domestic items. Original Compositions Giovanni Battista di Jacopo Rosso, otherwise referred to as Rosso...
