How would you like to furnish your apartment with pieces from David Bowie’s private collection? If you don’t mind bidding against a world of avid fans and collectors, you soon could.
Sotheby’s of London is set to auction off his pieces in the striking Memphis style. Brightly coloured and constructed from juxtaposed shapes and elements seemingly stuck together, Memphis is an amalgamation of art deco and pop art.
Bowie, whose death earlier this year was mourned by millions worldwide, was an avid collector of art, design and all things creative. In fact, he studied art and design before finding success as a musician. So it’s no surprise to us that he was a fan of the strikingly different Memphis style.
Exactly 100 items from his collection will be up for auction, from cabinets to chairs to lamps. And you shouldn’t have to break the bank to grab a piece – the guide prices range from £60 up to £7,000.
Founded by a group of designers in Milan, Italy the bright and somewhat bizarre design movement aimed to shake up the design world during the early 1980s. It spread across industrial design, fashion and furniture.
Considered ahead of its time (or just plain crazy by some), the Memphis style took a while to gain the respect it now has in the design world, and received greater recognition in the late 1990s.
Speaking to dezeen, Cécile Verdier, Sotheby’s co-head of 20th-century design said, “The works produced by the historical avant-garde design collaborative Memphis Milano, led by Ettore Sottsass, could not have found a more receptive and tuned-in audience than David Bowie.”
Love it or hate it, Memphis is now instantly recognisable as the epitome of 80s design, and anyone wanting to add a timelessly iconic piece to their contemporary apartment might just want to take a look. The Sotheby’s auction will take place between 1-10 November.
source: dezeen
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