100 MASTERPIECES TO BE UNVEILED IN A FREE, FIVE-DAY PUBLIC EXHIBITION OF THE LEADING ARTWORKS OF THE SUMMER SEASON, INCLUDING

THREE TITANS – EL GRECO, HEPWORTH AND BACON

 IN CONVERSATION WITH FOUR EMERGING ARTISTS

AS PART OF

CHRISTIE’S CURATES:

PAST PERFECT / FUTURE PRESENT

CELEBRATING OVER 2,000 YEARS OF HISTORY, FROM C. 1^ST CENTURY B.C TO THE 21^ST CENTURY

12-16 JUNE, ADMISSION FREE

London – A celebration of creativity which launches the summer season, Christie’s Curates: PAST PERFECT / FUTURE PRESENT showcases a dynamic juxtaposition of art from across the ages alongside innovative and new media works by four emerging artists, in Christie’s annual exhibition which runs for five days from 12 to 16 June 2015. This year’s curators Alina Brezhneva, Bianca Chu, Milo Dickinson and Tancredi Massimo di Roccasecca are driving the much anticipated exhibition in to a bold new chapter. With five rooms and five themes, the old is purposefully contrasted with the new, as Christie’s has invited artists James Balmforth, Armand Boua, Olga Chernysheva and Harry Sanderson to each loan artworks. These will be presented in conversation with the rare and the exceptional, the intriguing and the unexpected, by established masters spanning over two millenia. This fresh approach will provide a fascinating context for eclectic art lovers of all ages to engage with the art works - both old and new - in a unique and transformed setting.

“The beauty, quality, provenance and rarity of the pieces to be exhibited set the tone for the wealth of works to be offered at Christie’s during June and July when art collectors from all over the world congregate in London for the busy annual season of exhibitions and sales – we have selected 100 works for their quality in every category, irrespective of financial value, reflecting the trend of eclecticism among both established collectors and new buyers,” say Alina Brezhneva, Bianca Chu, Milo Dickinson and Tancredi Massimo di Roccasecca. “As a result, Christie’s Curates: PAST PERFECT / FUTURE PRESENT promises to delight the eye and stimulate the curiosity of our visitors with a rich selection of exceptional works of art that speak immediately to the senses and to the imagination. This exhibition highlights that Christie’s doors are always open, whether you are a new or established visitor and enthusiast, an art collector, or just curious.”

A curtain raiser for the summer season, this exhibition will provide the first opportunity to view many of the works from upcoming sales in London, including Chris Ofili’s The Holy Virgin Mary (1996). First exhibited at the generation-defining exhibition ‘Sensation’ in London and New York, The Holy Virgin Mary was a focal point for the widespread attention the exhibition received throughout the international media landscape, and dates from a moment that saw Ofili propelled to international fame. This exhibition includes five rooms with five themes: Building Blocks, Through the Looking Glass, Intersection Point, The [Anti] Portrait, and The Engine Room.

These works will be presented in a new context with a dramatic restaging at Christie’s King Street, allowing the visitor to admire and compare talent and innovation from artists throughout the centuries. Opening the exhibition is the concept of building, of constructing something new out of something that already exists. Few artists capture industrial landscapes better than L.S. Lowry, and this exhibition unveils an iconic, new discovery entitled Going to Work, which has not been seen publicly since it was acquired by the previous owner soon after it was painted. Among the star works to be unveiled is Sir Stanley Spencer’s Hilda and I at Burghclere, one of only two oils by the artist to portray Hilda, Stanley and their daughters. These works are shown in conversation with the textured and layered work of Armand Boua (b. 1978), which was heavily influenced by the violence that followed the disputed Ivorian presidential election in later 2010.

Celebrating the extraordinary and the eclectic, this exhibition comprises works which represent the human form and the ideals of beauty of the time in which they were made. Highlights include David Noonan’s Untitled, 2011, and Auguste Rodin’s Aphrodite, the first bronze of the subject to have been cast in the present size; it is offered from The Musée Rodin, Paris. In juxtaposition with Harry Sanderson’s ground-breaking new media works, the viewer is invited to meditate on changing definitions of beauty of the human form and their creation – male and female, hand carved and digitally produced.  

Originating over fifteen hudred years ago, chess has long represented more than just a board game. Chess has crossed continents and reveals how a universal language can take shape and find its way into diverse cultures. The chess board has been transformed in this exhibition to produce a stage where old and new paths cross. Christ on the Cross by El Greco and Studio is shown in converation with Neo Rauch’s Bon Si, 2006 and the work of James Balmforth.

This exhibition reveals a diverse selection of portraits by artists including Jean Dubuffet, Mark Gertler, Joan Miró, Andy Warhol  and Sir Peter Paul Rubens. Included in this selection is Chris Ofili’s The Holy Virgin Mary (1996), originally acquired by Charles Saatchi directly from the artist and first exhibited at the generation-defining exhibition ‘Sensation’ in London and New York. These works are exhibited alongside Olga Chernysheva’s photographs. Chernysheva’s portraits show the subject from behind and thus create a form of anti-portrait, whilst still capturing something personal and individual about each of her subjects. The lure of portraiture remains a constant and ever-present projection of the self is today’s society.

This exhibition comprises a creative workshop, signifying the innovation and slow grind of mechanical progress. The experiences of war are expressed with various exhibits, including a beautifully preserved black felt bicorne hat, once belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte and worn by the Emperor during the whole Campaign of 1807, in the Battle of Eylau and Friedland, and at the Treaty of Tilsit. Also present is the Merlin III engine from an authentic and immaculately restored Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1A – P9374/G-MK1A. This is a truly iconic aircraft which is symbol of the bravery ‘of the few’ in the Battle of Britain. Fernand Léger’s mechanical works were influenced by experiences of war, with L'araignée verte portraying a chaotic and swirling array of overlapping biomorphic, abstract forms.

Christie’s doors are always open to the public, with pre-sale viewing days and auctions free to attend throughout the year. With Christie’s Curates: PAST PERFECT / FUTURE PRESENT, Christie’s looks forward to welcoming new and established visitors, collectors and art enthusiasts to come and look at, experience and enjoy the masterpieces on display, and to watch or take part in the auctions themselves, either in person or via Christie’s LIVE^TM.  In response to record numbers of visitors in 2013 and 2014 respectively, Christie’s Curates: PAST PERFECT / FUTURE PRESENT will be open for five days, with a late night view until 8pm on Monday 15 June, and a complimentary pop-up café and bar open throughout the exhibition. All the works on display will be auctioned at Christie’s in London, with the exception of those loaned by the visiting artists.

Christie’s: 8 King Street, London, SW1Y 6QT

FREE PUBLIC EXHIBITION

www.christies.com/curates

#ChristiesCurates

OPENING HOURS:

Friday 12th: 9am–5pm

Saturday 13th: 11am–5pm

Sunday 14th: Noon–5pm

Monday 15th: 9am–8pm (Late Night View)

Tuesday 16th: 9am–1pm

PRESS CONTACT: Katie Carder| +44 (0) 207 389 2283| kcarder@christies.com

About Christie’s

Christie’s, the world's leading art business, had global auction and private sales in 2014 that totalled £5.1 billion / $8.4 billion, making it the highest annual total in Christie’s history. Christie’s is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, unparalleled service and expertise, as well as international glamour. Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie's has since conducted the greatest and most celebrated auctions through the centuries providing a popular showcase for the unique and the beautiful. Christie’s offers around 450 auctions annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $100 million. Christie's also has a long and successful history conducting private sales for its clients in all categories, with emphasis on Post-War & Contemporary, Impressionist & Modern, Old Masters and Jewellery. Private sales totalled £916.1 million ($1.5 billion).

Christie’s has a global presence with 53 offices in 32 countries and 12 salerooms around the world including in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai, Zürich, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Mumbai. More recently, Christie’s has led the market with expanded initiatives in growth markets such as Russia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates, with successful sales and exhibitions in Beijing, New Delhi, Mumbai and Dubai.

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium and do not reflect costs, financing fees or application of buyer’s or seller’s credits.

# # #

Visit Christie’s Website at www.christies.com 

Complete catalogue available online at www.christies.com or via the Christie’s iPhone app