RELEASE: Christie's Shanghai Presents Chinese and Asian Contemporary Design
PRESS RELEASE | SHANGHAI | 17 AUGUST 2015 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHRISTIE’S SHANGHAI PRESENTS
CHINESE AND ASIAN CONTEMPORARY DESIGN
‘MENTAL SKETCH MODIFIED’ Two tall cylindric vases
Master Shuji Nakagawa (Kyoto, Japan)
RMB 35,000-40,000 (2) US$ 5,500-6,500 |
‘DA TIAN DI’ (SKY AND EARTH) A pair of celadon eggshell lacquer stands Shang Xia Master Yong Qi (Jiangsu, China) RMB 180,000-250,000 (2) US$ 28,000-39,000
Two tall cylindric vases Two tall cylindric vases |
Shanghai – Following the enthusiastic response to the inaugural auction of “Chinese Contemporary Design” last year in Shanghai, Christie’s this season is delighted to introduce “Chinese and Asian Contemporary Design”. The sale will combine the best of Chinese and Asian contemporary design and continue the dialogue between modernity and tradition across the continent.
The auction will be held on October 24th, 2015 in Shanghai and will celebrate the dynamism of Asian decorative art and design, its exceptional craftsmanship and modern day utility.
“Chinese and Asian Contemporary Design” features a unique selection of 35 lots especially made for the auction by masters from China, Japan and Korea.
The sale challenged the masters and artists to undertake new artistic endeavours. For example, ‘ECHO’, a pair of red enamelled eggshell porcelain bowls, marks the very first time the artist Ding Yi has worked with ceramics and ‘DA TIAN DI’ (SKY AND EARTH) boasts a combination of the high-tech carbon fibre and traditional lacquer. Innovations introduced through new media and techniques lend the objects new forms, textures and perspectives.
To further unravel the magic of living with art, Christie’s has invited three internationally renowned architects and designers to create in drawings their own interior inspired by the pieces offered in the sale. These concepts by Cho Byung Soo (Korea), Kengo Kuma (Japan) and Jiang Qionger (China) will be revealed at a later stage.
Géraldine Lenain, International Director, Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, said, “The success of ‘Chinese Contemporary Design’ in 2014 is a strong indication of the level of global interest towards objects and traditions originating from China and imbued with contemporary design philosophy. The subsequent response from our collectors further inspired us to broaden the concept beyond cultures, and prompted us to use an innovative approach to showcase how to live with art. I am looking forward to the upcoming season and to the exchange of views with our Chinese and international collectors.”
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE AUCTION
Designers Yann Debelle de Montby (Shanghai, China), Tiziano Vudafieri and Claudio Saverino (Milan, Italy)
Garnet brown shagreen, steel, copper, domed sapphire crystal and titanium 4.4cm diam. (1 3/4in.)
Estimate: RMB 300,000-350,000 (4) US$ 48,000-56,000
Each watch features a different face of the moon on an exquisite hand-etched clock face, the design based on Nasa moon photographs—full moon, first quarter, last quarter and new moon. They only carry a hand painted red steel hour hand as a reflexion on our relationship with Time. Interpreting Time as restful and peaceful, he watch illustrates the luxury of not being obsessed with the minute-punctuality. These four watches are poetic and romantic, the Moon being feminine, powerful, reassuring, and even sometimes seen as protective. The advanced tourbillon mechanism is handmade and manufactured by Heng Bao. Imagined by Yann Debelle de Montby Tiziano Vudafieri Claudio Saverino, numbered 1/一, 2/一, 3/一and 4/一, and as a limited edition of 8 sets, this is the first one to be revealed. It is accompanied by a beautiful box made of African blackwood decorated with a moon painted on top and a cactus pin. |
‘SHANGHAI YUE LIANG’ (SHANGHAI MOONS) A set of four one hand watches, 2015
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‘ECHO’ A pair of red enameled eggshell porcelain bowls Shang Xia 2015
Master Lu Jiande (Jingdezhen, China) for the porcelain and Ding Yi (Shanghai, China) for the painting
Porcelain and enamels 29cm diam. (11 3/8in.)
Estimate: RMB 100,000-150,000 (2) US$ 15,000-23,000
Each of elegant round shape and delicate as an eggshell, the white porcelain bowl has the ‘thinness of a butterfly’s wing and the weight of a cloud’. Both covered with red enamel pattern inspired by artist’s painting ‘Appearance of Crosses 2009-9’, one on the inside, the other on the outside; Shangxia mark, crafted by Shang Xia and Ding Yi, dated yi wei nian one on the base for one, in the interior for the other. Ding Yi (born 1962, Shanghai) is regarded as one of China’s foremost artist and a pioneer of abstraction. It marks his first time to paint on ceramics.
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‘DA TIAN DI’ (SKY AND EARTH) A brown ‘Bo Luo’ lacquer and carbon fiber table Shang Xia 2015
Master Gan Erke (Anhui, China)
Chinese traditional natural lacquer and carbon fiber 180 x 90 x 73cm (70 7/5 x 35 3/8 x 28 3/4 in.)
Estimate: RMB 700,000-800,000 US$ 111,000-127,000
Elegantly shaped, the table stands on very thin legs, all in high-tech material of carbon fiber and the surface delicately covered with brown pineapple lacquer finish. A combination that creates the lightest yet solid, most graceful evolution of the form and linking the tradition to modernity, past and future; Shang Xia golden mark, Gan Erke, dated yi wei nian on the base.
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‘CLOUD’ A pair of rocking chairs Pusu 2015
Designer Chen Yanfei (Shanghai, China)
African blackwood, nan mu burl, hua li burl 63 x 58.8 x 86 cm (24 3/4 x 23 1/8 x 33 7/8 in.)
Estimate: RMB 60,000-65,000 (2) US$ 9,000-10,000
Inspired by traditional Ming dynasty chairs, each chair rests on curving supports so they become rocking. The rectangular shape of the seating in nan mu and hua li displaying beautiful design balances well with the rounded legs, according to the traditional Chinese ‘the sky is round and the earth is square’; signed in Chinese Chen Yan Fei and dated 2015.6.18
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‘PLANET’ A set of eight nesting lacquered bowls, along with a panel and sphere 2010
Master Keikou Nishimura (Kyoto, Japan)
Plywood, urushi lacquer, washi paper, silver, zelkova, and pigment Sun: 45 x 45cm (17 3/4 in.) Bowls (8): from 8.2cm diam to 21.6cm diam (3 1/4 to 8 1/2 in.) Sphere: 23.5cm diam. (9 1/4 in.)
Estimate: RMB 130,000-150,000 (10) US$ 21,000-24,000
These eight bowls represent the eight planets of our solar system, each covered with a different color of lacquer: grey with craters (Mercury), red (Mars), green (Venus), blue (Earth), red with orange (Uranus), dark red (Saturn), dark blue (Neptune), natural and black (Jupiter). Each rotating around the sun (the circle on square black panel), all fit into one another and in a sphere. Third generation of urushi lacquer master; along with a box for the bowls and another one for the sun, dated Made on December 2010, signed and sealed Keikou and entitled wakusei (planet) and taiyou (sun), all in Japanese inside and outside the wooden box.
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PRESS CONTACT:
Michelle Zhang | +86 10 8572 7977 | mzhang@christies.com
Zhongwei Qin | +86 10 8572 7950 | zqin@christies.com
About Christie’s
Christie’s, the world's leading art business, had global auction and private sales in the first half of 2015 that totalled £2.9 billion / $4.5 billion. In 2014, Christie’s had global auction and private sales 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.
Christie’s has a global presence with 54 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, Mumbai and Dubai.
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium and do not reflect costs, third-party financing fees or application of buyer’s or seller’s credits.
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