It was reported by Bonhams that this auction came on the heels of the 2007 sale of a Brychtova and Libensky which reached a record amount at auction for a glass piece. But what do record prices really mean except that there is someone with that much money to spend, and maybe the article should be about the buyer and not the piece of art, because astronomical prices paid for works of art seem to arouse our interest in the mind and lifestyle of the buyer rather than the art? So why is glass being marketed in this tedious manner? For glass, studio glass especially, this kind of hype is uncalled for, but maybe that is the only hype an auction house knows...and that is what is unfortunate for art in a market run by auction houses. But while the auction house perpetuates the stereotype that art is about money and not expression, it does give anyone the opportunity to bid on a piece of art that they like and want to own, whereas they might not have that opportunity in a gallery or elsewhere.
But who decided that what studio glass needed was to follow the trajectory of other types of contemporary art? As glass follows the path of other mediums, mainly painting and sculpture, and goes from main stream gallery to auction house, does it lose some of its identity (the hot shop, the performance, the technicality, the years of training to become a master, the history of the factory) to the hegemony of the art market?
I was not surprised that only 54% of the pieces sold. I was surprised that the artists commissioned to submit works did not sell very well, and most sold only one out of two pieces if at all, and those for extremely low prices. This was a grand experiment, however, and more experiments are called for to find out what will work to find appreciative homes for the art and to help artists make a living.
From the Bonhams website:
"On Tuesday 19th May Bonhams, in association with Dan Klein Associates, will be holding its inaugural sale of Modern and Contemporary Glass, the first of its kind in the UK. The decision follows the sale in 2007 of a piece of contemporary glass by Bonhams in New York, a cast glass sculpture by Czech artist Stanislav Libensky, which achieved the world record price of $400,000.
The preview at Bonhams in New Bond Street will coincide with the major contemporary decorative arts event of the year ‘Collect, organised by the Crafts Council and held at the Saatchi Gallery on King’s Road, Chelsea. Prices are expected to range from £500 to £15,000'
Mark Oliver, Bonhams Director of 20th Century Decorative Arts, firmly believes “The sale in May is an exciting first in Britain, and a marvelous opportunity for collectors of post-war glass to secure some key pieces, many of which will be one-off examples produced exclusively for this sale. Our working relationship with Dan Klein Associates coupled with Bonhams’ International network has meant that the profile of the sale is likely to attract many keen bidders from around the world.”
LEADING ARTISTS TO MAKE WORK SPECIFICALLY FOR THE AUCTION
As a special feature of the Bonhams auction eighteen artists, some emerging, some firmly established, have been invited to make work for the auction. The established artists include Alison Kinnaird whose installation is a feature of the Scottish Parliament building and Peter Furlonger, who is known for his exquisite lettering on glass. Among the emerging artists are three recent graduates from the Royal College of Art, Heike Brachlow, Sabrina Cant and Joseph Harrington, all of whom have already exhibited widely.
The body of the sale will include glass dating from 1950 to the present day with work from American and European artists. Among the earliest pieces included in the sale are a rare vase designed by Piero Fornasetti for the Venetian firm of S.A.L.I.R and two experimental Isle of Wight pieces.
“I was first attracted to the whole area of contemporary glass in the mid 1970s”, recalls Dan Klein, of Dan Klein Associates. “Then it seemed different from any glass I had ever seen. It was exciting, innovative and I felt here was the beginning of something new that had great potential for development. I was not alone in my enthusiasm and new ideas in glass spread like wild fire from America to Europe, the Far East and Australia.”
The thirty years between than and now have seen more artistic and technical innovation than perhaps any other area of the arts. Contemporary glass plays a significant role and has earned its place in art history with various museums around the world devoted solely to the medium. As the collecting public becomes more aware of the current state of the art along with its brief but exciting history it is exactly the right moment to hold the first auction in Great Britain devoted to this art form. Mark Oliver’s invitation to Dan Klein Associates to collaborate with Bonhams was enthusiastically accepted and the auction promises to offer a mixture of excellent new and historical work”
Artists began working with glass in a studio as opposed to a factory environment in the 1960s. Since then the impact of artists working in glass worldwide has been nothing short of amazing. Artists such as Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtova in the Czech Republic, Dale Chihuly in the United States, Erwin Eisch in Germany and Bertil Vallien in Sweden (all of whose work is included in the sale) are all in major museum collections, with Dale Chihuly’s chandelier extravaganza the centre piece of the entrance to the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The sale will include work by some of Britain’s best-known artists in glass such as David Reekie, Anna Dickinson and Steven Newell. All over Britain from John O’Groats to Land’s End artists have set up studios and the response to their work has been enthusiastic. In Britain The Contemporary Glass Society is a thriving organisation as is the Guild of Glass Engravers. In 2004 The V&A Museum, opened the new Merit Rausing Gallery devoted to international contemporary glass, next door to the older glass gallery. Jennifer Opie, senior curator of Glass & Ceramics at the V&A at the time, wrote in her book ‘Contemporary International glass’ (published to coincide with the opening of the new gallery) “In the last two decades, glass has come of age as a material for a global art form. There is an increasing conviction that it is the material for the future – for art, and for science.”
This is the first collaboration between Dan Klein Associates (Dan Klein and Alan Poole) and Bonhams, although Dan Klein is no stranger to Bonhams, having been International Executive Director of Phillips from 1998-2001 prior to its merger with Bonhams. Dan Klein Associates has been involved in staging major exhibitions including two Venice Glass Biennales ‘Venezia Aperto Vetro’ in 1996 and 1998, 21st Century British Glass in association with Daniel Katz Limited in 2005 and Lucio Bubacco’s extraordinary installation entitled ‘Eternal Temptation’ at SOFA Chicago in 2008."
Bonhams. "World Record Of $400,000 Contemporary Glass At Bonhams Triggers First Modern & Contemporary Glass Sale In Britain" website accessed May 26, 2009. http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?Screen=HeadlineDetails&iHeadlineNo=4054
From the Wall Street Journal:
"Bonhams on May 19 will hold an auction of contemporary glass objects. The catalog cover features a vessel formed from threads of bright color, "More Tropical Chaos" (1999), by American artist Toots Zynsky (estimate: £8,000-£10,000). The auction illustrates the enormous variety of the handmade glass market -- from the purely aesthetic to objects that make more of a statement, such as British artist David Reekie's "Mindless Technology" (2003), a group of four helpless-looking glass robots (estimate: £6,000-£7,000)."
Studer, Margaret. "Combining Craftsmanship and Contemporary Design." May 15, 2009. The Wall Street Journal. Accessed May 26, 2009. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124231769595420031.html
HERE'S A FEW OF THE AUCTION RESULTS: I've inserted post-auction updates into this Bonhams pre-auction press release in square brackets [-], and I've converted from GBP to USD using the conversion rate of May 26, 2009 of 1 GBP to 1.59541 USD. -ABJ
"Bonhams in association with Dan Klein Associates is excited to announce the first sale of modern and contemporary glass to take place in the UK on Tuesday 19 May 2009 which will be on view at the same time as ‘Collect’ here in London.
Please find enclosed a complimentary catalogue for the sale, if you would like further information, condition reports or would like to register for the sale please contact one of the department, details below.
The 164 lot sale [of which 54% of works sold during the auction] encompasses works from glass artists worldwide, made between 1950 to the present day including Italian artists and producers include
Lucio Bubacco [Lot 19, goblet, 1995, sold $11,478], Dino Martens [Lot 76, sculptural bottle, 1954, not sold. Lot 77, blown glass vase, 1950, sold $3,826],
[Gian Paolo] Martinuzzi [Lot 78, clear sphere on drift wood base, 1985, not sold. Lot 79, clear bowl on drift wood base, 1985, sold $2678. Lot 80 clear panel drift wood base, 1985, not sold],
[Archimede] Seguso [Lot 111, Merletto leaf bowl, 1952, not sold. Lot 113, rare Merletto vase, sold $9,947],
Barovier and Toso [Lot 4, stylized bird form vase, 1950, sold $1,817. Lot 5, Vetro Barbarico, tapered vase, 1950, sold $1,626. Lot 6, vase, 1960, sold $2,104. Lot 7, Lenti vase, 1940, sold $1722. Lot 8, tall vase, 1965, not sold],
Fulvio Bianconi [Lot 10, rare vase, 1950, not sold. Lot 11, Venini Spicchi vase, 1950, sold $1,626. Lot 12, Venini Spicchi vase, 1950, sold $1,243. Lot 13, Venini Pezzato, 1951, sold $8,034], and
Venini [of 12 lots under Venini, 9 sold],
as well as other European and Scandanavian works by
Bengt Edenfalk [Lot 36, Talata vase, 1960, sold $1,913. Lot 37, Iitala vase, 1962, sold $1,339. Lot 38, Talatta vase, 1960, sold $689],
Mieke Groot [Lot 44, mold blown free formed vase, 1987, not sold. Lot 45, mold blown free form vase, 1987, not sold.],
Jirí Harcuba [Lot 50, rare charger with deer, 1959, sold $4,973. Lot 51, 'Zak' engrave panel, 2008, sold $669], Klaus Moje [Lot 85, mosaic bowl, 1989, not sold] and
Stanislav Libensky [Libensky and Brychtova, Lot 73, large cast glass sculpture 'Queen', sold $17,217], amongst others.
From America there will be works by
Dale Chihuly [Lot 22 (above), soft cylinder, 1992, sold $13,391. Lot 23, sea form, date ?, sold $5,739. Lot 24, sea form 3 piece, 1987, sold $4,975],
Toots Zynsky [Lot 137, "More Tropical Chaos" vessel form, 1999, sold $17,217.],
William Morris [Lot 81, "Stonehenge" sculptural vase, 1984, sold $21,999], Steven Newell [Lot 94, glass charger 'King's Counsel', 1985, not sold. Lot 95, 'King's Counsel" series vessel, 1985, sold $2,582],
Sam Herman [Lot 52, vase, 1971, sold $1,052. Lot 53, bowl, 1975, sold $1,913. Lot 54, form, 1979, not sold],
Steve Klein [Lot 63, kiln-formed sculpture, 1979, not sold] and
Danny Lane [Lot 69, irregular spun glasses 'Bass n Flute', 1990, not sold].
Alongside Australian glass by
Giles Bettison [Lot 9, murrine vessel, 1996, sold $3,061], Gerry King [Lot 65, large steel/glass sculpture "Toledo Blade 65/06", date ?, not sold],
Nick Mount [Lot 89, 'Female Nude', 1992, not sold],
Brian Hirst [Lot 61, 'Cycladic Series-Guardian II' blown and cast vessel, 1990, not sold. Lot 62, votive vessel, 1990, not sold] and
Ann Robinson from New Zealand [Lot 106, cast vessel, 1990, not sold].
As well as pieces by Japanese artists
Etsuko Nishi [Lot 96, pate-de-verre vessel, 1996, sold $8,608],
Kyohei Fujita [Lot 43, square mold blown box and cover, 1985, sold $5,739], Naoko Sato [Lot 112, 'Transisiton' cast and kiln form glass, 1999, sold $1,913] and
Keiko Mukaide [Lot 75, vessel form, 1997, not sold].
From the UK there will be amongst others works by
Tessa Clegg [Lot 25, lost wax cast glass vessel form, 1998, sold $4,782. Lot 26 (shown above), lost wax cast glass 'Play box III', sold $5,739. Lot 27, lost wax cast glass form, sold $4,209], Matthew Curtis [Lot 29, glass sculpture, 2005, not sold],
David Reekie [Lot 102, 'Unimpressed' sculpture, 1991, not sold. Lot 103, 'Mindless Technology, figural glass group, 2003, not sold],
Anna Dickinson [Lot 34, vessel, 1999, sold $8,608. Lot 35, vessel, 1992, sold $$8,608 as well],
Patrick Reyntiens O.B.E [Lot 107, 2 commissioned leaded glass panels, 1989, sold $3,443] and
Richard Morrell [Lot 93, kiln cast sculpture, 1990, sold $8,608].
The sale will culminate with a section of 26 new or recent works by 15 British based artists asked to consign works for the sale by Dan Klein.
They are
Karen Akester [Lot 138, 'Bug Boy' sculptural figure, 2009, sold $1,434. Lot 139, 'Rocket Boy' sculptural figure, 2009, sold $1,148],
Heike Brachlow [Lot 140, cast glass sculpture, 2009, not sold. Lot 141, double cast glass sculpture, 2009, sold $5,356],
Sabrina Cant [Lot 142, kiln cast sculpture, 2009, sold $11,478. Lot 143, kiln cast and concrete sculpture, 2009, not sold],
Suresh Dutt [Lot 144, cast glass and panels, 2006, sold $7,652. Lot 145, cast glass form, 2009, not sold], Fiaz Elson [Lot 146, 2 part sculpture, 2008, sold $9,182. Lot 147, 2 part sculpture, 2006, not sold],
Peter Furlonger [Lot 148, vessel, 2009, sold $2,009. Lot 149, cast charger, 2009, sold $1,626], Stephen Gilles and Kate Jones [Lot 150, sculptural bowl, 2009, not sold],
Joseph Harrington, [Lot 151, cast glass sculpture, 2009, not sold. Lot 152, cast glass sculpture, 2009, sold $1,339],
Jonathan Harris [Lot 153, cameo vase, 2009, not sold. Lot 154, cameo vase, 2009, not sold],
Alison Kinnaird M.B.E [Lot 158, lit glass panel, 2009, not sold. Lot 159 (with Dante Marioni), engraved glass flask, 2007, sold $1,243],
Karl Harron [Lot 155, glass sculpture, 2009, sold $4,782. Lot 156, glass sculpture, 2009, sold $4,974], Clare Henshaw [Lot 157, vessel, 2007, sold $2,678],
Carl Nordbruch [Lot 160, blown glass sculpture, 2009, sold $3,826. Lot 161, blown glass sculptrue, 2009, sold $3,826],
Annica Sandström and David Kaplan [Lot 162, blown glass on metal stand, 2006, not sold. Lot 163, blown glass on metal stand, 2006, not sold] and
Anthony Scala [Lot 164, 3 part sculpture, 2009, sold $13,773]. "Bonhams. "Modern and Contemporary Glass May 19 New Bond Street". website accessed May 26, 2009. http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=EUR&screen=Design1860GlassSale
Photos: http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r
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