Damien Hirst, For The Love Of God. Estimate £1,000–1,500.
For the Love of God made headlines around the world in 2007 when Hirst encrusted a platinum cast of a human skull with 8,601 flawless diamonds. The work cost £14 million to produce before going on display at various locations in London such as White Cube and Tate Modern, at which thousands of people queued to visit. The inclusion of this print in Yellow Ball offers a chance to own a piece of the story that kept people talking in the art world, and beyond.
Damien Hirst, Camel Cigarette Lighter. Estimate £50–70.
Bringing together one of the world’s most recognisable brands with one of the world’s most famous artists, this customised lighter is adorned with delicate butterflies – an emblem forever associated with Damien Hirst.
John Currin, Rachel as "The Hag". Estimate £300–500.
John Currin uses his wife, the artist Rachel Feinstein, as his subject and muse in his exquisite portraits. Currin often draws on Old Master paintings as a source of inspiration, but his reinterpretation of traditional methods and symbolism gives his work a subversive take on the historical.
Gary Hume, Fuzzy Snowman. Estimate £200–300.
Gary Hume’s paintings distill people, places and objects in to graphic colourful shapes using silhouettes and cut-outs, rendered in high gloss car paint. Hume’s decision to omit facial features, shadows and intricate detail allows his viewer to complete the image.
Tracey Emin, Marlboro, circa 2000s. Estimate £300–400.
As a central figure in the YBAs, and now a Royal Academician, Emin’s art is created in a range of different media; working in neon, embroidery, installation and drawing to explore diverse and complex themes including femininity, memory, and the archiving of personal objects. This piece harks back to the artist’s Pop Art predecessors , who reconfigured existing objects to comment on consumerism, advertising and excess.
Jonathan Yeo, Falling Leaves (Olive). Estimate £1,000–2,000.
Jonathan Yeo is best known for his arresting portraits, and his subjects have included The Duchess of Cornwall, Cara Delevingne, Helena Bonham Carter and Stephen Fry.
In a departure from his usual practice,
Falling Leaves
is a collaged design for a bespoke wallpaper for which Yeo combined traditional leaf motifs with sexually explicit imagery.
Damien Hirst, Back Soon. Estimate £1,000–2,000.
Hirst’s fascination with death first began to manifest in his works when he was art school, and this interest has underpinned his work throughout his career. The artist’s macabre sense of humour is perfectly captured in Back Soon , a satirical look at human mortality, drawn on a menu from the Groucho Club.
David Bailey, Portrait of Frank. Estimate £500–1,000.
David Bailey was the enigmatic figure who brought a rock and roll element to fashion photography in the 1960s, when Swinging London was enjoying its heyday. Bailey moved in eclectic circles, and was the photographer of choice for the bohemian fashion elite.
Peter Blake, Bobbie Rainbow. Estimate £200–400.
Peter Blake is one of Britain’s most influential artists, and the creator of The Beatles' St. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band record cover. Bobbie Rainbow combines Blake’s characteristic use of typography, vivid colour and photomontage.
Read about Peter Blake’s contribution to Pop Art
here
.
Rachel Howard, Can't Breathe Without You. Estimate £800–1,000.
Rachel Howard's paintings sit between the abstract and the figurative, but Can't Breathe Without You makes a shift away from her usual style. At once humorous and melancholic, this ink drawing is charged with anxiety and double meaning.
Ahead of the Yellow Ball: The Frank and Lorna Dunphy Collection auction on the 20 September, and the accompanying online sale from 11–21 September, we look at ten works under £1,000 by leading contemporary artists such as Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Rachel Howard to kick-start your collection.
Yellow Ball: The Frank and Lorna Dunphy Collection
London | 20 September
Yellow Ball: The Frank and Lorna Dunphy Collection Online
Online | 11-21 September