Not only was David Bowie an artist, but he was also a collector of art. His vast and eclectic collection of pieces from around the world is currently on display at Sotheby’s Manhattan headquarters until it is sent to London for sale in November.
Bowie’s art collection is unique to say the least. Not only does it consist of many different art forms, such as paintings and sculptures, but he collected pieces from around the world. If he traveled there, it was likely he partook in the art scene. Art was inspiration for him, and now his art can be inspiration for us.
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“My god, yeah! I want to sound like that looks,” Bowie said during an interview with the New York Times back in 1998, according to Forbes.
Some of the pieces that visitors will find in Bowie’s collection include popular art such as Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Air Power, and Damien Hirst’s Beautiful, hello, space-boy painting. There are also sculptures from British artists, such as Kenneth Armitage and Eduardo Paolozzi, which are much lesser known, but are still shown with care alongside more prestigious pieces – as Bowie would have like it.
About 200 of the 350 pieces of art that will be sold in London in November are considered modern and contemporary British art. However, there are other contemporary artists as well, including South African artist Romauld Hazoume. After purchasing a sculpture from him while Bowie visited Johannesburg, Bowie wrote a five-page review of the artist for Modern Painters magazine.
Everyone knows Bowie as a musician, but he was also a painter. He painted himself frequently. He was also a big part of the art world in that he would write for Modern Painters magazine, interviewing artists. He even started the art book publishing company 21.
Though Bowie might have left us, his music and the art that inspired some of it is still here for us to view, listen, and be inspired by.
[H/T Forbes]
