If an individual was to be named the modern day Andy Warhol of fashion, that title would doubtlessly be bestowed upon Anya Hindmarch. The English creative has a knack for splashing her luxury accessories and clothing with cheeky pop culture references. For example, she’s previously put Tony the Tiger on a tote bag and turned a crinkly crisp packet (that is, in American English, a bag of chips) into a cult-favorite evening bag. Her fashion shows are modern works of art, too, featuring tea cups and laser shows.
So it makes perfect sense that the art world has embraced Hindmarch, who happens to be a trustee of the Royal Academy of Arts and the Design Museum. Sotheby’s is the latest art institution to show some love to Hindmarch, as they have invited her to guest curate a Contemporary Art auction. This show, which takes place in London, is also timed to coincide with the beginning of London Fashion Week.
“I think what really drives a great art collector is passion, you’ve got to love it and the impulse has got to be authentic. I know when I see a beautiful piece or something that affects me I can’t not have it,” explained Hindmarch in a statement.
The beautiful pieces in this lot includes a hot pink painting by Keith Haring, an elegant wood chair by Ai Wei Wei and a breathtaking seascape from Andreas Gursky. But don’t be fooled by this fashion designer; she hasn’t just selected these works for being aesthetically pleasing. See how Hindmarch described her adoration for Yayoi Kusama’s abstract piece, titled Sea at Sunset. “I think Kusama is an amazingly strong woman with a very particular set of fascinating characteristics, which clearly works into her art and only makes it more interesting. This early small work is a lovely example of her highly unique technique -it’s intriguing and beautiful,” Hindmarch detailed.
Click through to see all the pieces included in this auction and be prepared to kick off LFW with a new piece of art on August 20.