BONHAMS POST-WAR & CONTEMPORARY ART AUCTION
New Bond Street, London | 3 October 2019 | 17:00 BST
Bonhams and the National Saturday Club are collaborating on a charity auction as part of the Bonhams Post-War and Contemporary Art sale in London on Thursday 3 October. The forthcoming Post-War & Contemporary Art auction, including works sold in support of the National Saturday Club, will be viewable in a public exhibition alongside the Modern & Contemporary African auction from 28 September 2019 at Bonhams, 101 New Bond Street.
Bonhams is a privately owned international auction house. Founded in 1793, it is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers of fine art and antiques, motor cars and jewellery. Joining forces with the National Saturday Club; an initiative set up by Sir John Sorrell CBE and Frances, Lady Sorrell OBE to provide free creative education to young people aged 13-16, the proceeds raised from the auction will be used to enable more teenagers in the UK – often from deprived backgrounds – to study creative subjects for free at their local Saturday Club. With regular support and masterclasses from art luminaries such as Sir Anthony Gormley and Edmund de Waal, the NSC gives young people the opportunity to learn about art and creative thinking in a time when some schools are struggling to provide even basic art education now it has been stripped from the core curriculum. The aim of the charity auction is to help young, aspiring creatives discover their talents, raise their aspirations and learn about the diverse educational and job opportunities that can lead to exciting careers in art and design.
One of Katherine Maginnis’ represented artists, Tom Price will be among the artists generously donating works for the auction. Price’s new sculpture, Counterpart II (Lot 49) will be sit alongside 15 other lots which will be sold to the benefit of the National Saturday Club. Other donated artwork features the inspiring works of renowned contemporary artists, Frank Auerbach, Barnaby Barford, Phyllida Barlow, Fernando Casasempere, Shezad Dawood, Antony Gormley, Tess Jaray, Jennifer Lee, Richard Long, Garry Fabian Miller, Gerhard Richter, Bridget Riley, Mark Titchner, Edmund de Waal and Charlotte Verity.
Counterpart II
2019
Counterpart began as a special commission back in 2015 for the Duke of Devonshire and Chatsworth House. It comprises two contrasting blocks: one dark and light-absorbing; the other translucent and crystalline. The dark block is made from coal and references the 18th Century coal tunnel mines at Chatsworth. The glowing transparent block, made from resin, evokes the extensive mineral collection begun by Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire in the 18th Century.
For Counterpart II, the blocks have been spliced together, creating a more intimate, yet jarring juxtaposition. The unification of the two materials into a singular linear element hints at the transformative power of carbon in its sliding scale of purity and molecular structure – from coal and graphite at one end, to diamond at the other.
The coal section is made from ground coal which is mixed with a binder and cast into a mould. The surface is then stabilised with a sealer, leaving a smooth and lustrous finish. LED panels illuminate the resin from an integrated compartment in the base.
Admittance to the exhibition is free but you will need to register online or by phone if you would like to bid for the artworks presented.
The auction will take place on Thursday 3 October starting at 17:00 BST.
Click here to bid for Counterpart II at the Bonhams Auction
View more of Tom Price’s artwork for sale through Katherine Maginnis