For the fourth edition of ‘Boundless: Contemporary Art’ at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, anything goes: Street Art, Design, Contemporary Chinese ink painting, Post-War works of art...
Bidding begins on January 20. We catch up with Isaure de Viel Castel before the sale, who reveals the 105 Boundless lots.
This is a relatively new series of sales for Sotheby’s, where does the idea stem from?
This is the fourth sale of the series, the first of which took place in December 2012. We wish to respond to the growing demand of collectors in Asia who want to broaden their scope, beyond the confines of classical and contemporary Chinese art. From now on, the Boundless series will take place twice a year in April and October. We focus on a contemporary selection of pieces to satisfy the generally younger group of collectors in the region. We sought the perfect opportunity to bring Western art forward to the Asian market, what with the numerous western galleries opening up in Hong Kong and Asia in recent years. With this sale, we attract collectors from all over Asia, including Australia as well as art collectors across the world.
Which works of art do you think will create a reaction?
There is a certain appetite, if slightly unexpected, for the works by Invader that we are offering for sale. It is all the press is talking about! And it is with true pride that we offer this piece in the sale. He is French, internationally known, and interest in Street Art is developing in Asia and so naturally, we are enthusiastic about his work. Even if Street Art is not a first for Sotheby’s on an international scale, it is the first time that we will offer works by Invader at auction. We can also expect a surprise from the sale of the ink painting, Untitled, by T’ang Haywen. The market for T’ang Haywen is expanding and to our knowledge, it’s the only market to exist for an artist at such a level. It is a real masterpiece.
« We want to remind collectors that art does not have to subsist within the boundaries of the walls, but that art can be present as a whole across the interior. »
As the name suggests, Boundless intends to go further beyond the confines. With regards to this, was there a central theme running through this sale?
In fact, all the works share one common trait in that they are all post-war creations. Even if some artists are classed as modern, the selected works for this sale are contemporary. The works were often created late in the artists’ career for example.
Often, a dialogue is naturally triggered between two artworks, for example between design pieces and paintings. If we look at Franck Stella’s painting and Charlotte Perriand’s animal-hide bench, they work together very well visually. We want to remind collectors that art does not have to subsist within the boundaries of the walls, but that art can be present as a whole across the interior.
What themes can be teased out of previous Boundless sales and what are the elements that make it different from previous sales?
The Asian market is maturing and collectors are very much up to speed with the international market. It is essential that estimates run in line with international prices and this is a dimension of the industry we take particular care with. For this sale, we have integrated design pieces with a very varied array of artists, from Ron Arad to Eames, as well as Jean Prouvé. It is the first time that the front cover of a Sotheby’s catalogue in Asia has an element of design on it. In the same way, selling Street Art is a first for us in Asia. In previous Sotheby’s sales in Hong Kong, we noticed that design was of interest to collectors in the region and that the demand was high for this genre of art. Local collectors ask us more and more frequently when the next Boundless sale will take place, proof of the recognition and quality of the sale!
