5 Items To Bid On At The Design Trust Charity Auction Hosted By Phillips

Works by leading local and international artists are on the block at a fundraising auction in aid of the Design Trust

Auction house Phillips is giving back to Hong Kong's creative community this summer by hosting a fundraising auction for Design Trust, a grant-funding platform that supports creative projects in the city and around the Greater Bay Area.

The auction is part of Phillips' 20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design Day Sale taking place on July 9 and features 14 works donated to the organisation, including pieces by pioneering Chinese video artist Cao Fei, Hong Kong-based industrial designer Michael Young and local artist Michael Lau. Here are five of the highlights.

redwhiteblue / nowhere, now here (2020) by anothermountainman

Above redwhiteblue / nowhere, now here (2020) by anothermountainman. (Courtesy of the artist)

A legend of Hong Kong's art and design scene, Stanley Wong—who goes by the name anothermountainman—rose to international fame in 2005, when he represented Hong Kong at the Venice Biennale and showcased artworks from his redwhiteblue series, pieces made from the red, white and blue laundry bags that are commonplace in the city.

Wong is currently the subject of a retrospective exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, but took time out to make a brand new work specially for this Design Trust fundraising auction.

Estimated sale price: HK$50,000-60,000

1+1=3 (1969) (2019) by Michael Lau

Above 1+1=3 (1969) (2019) by Michael Lau. (Courtesy of the artist)

Dubbed "the Godfather of designer toys", Hong Kong-based Michael Lau was the first artist to produce collectible vinyl figurines, sparking a trend that has influenced the work of major international artists such as Kaws and Takashi Murakami. Lau first became interested in vinyl toys when he was a child in 1970s Hong Kong, when the city was manufacturing and exporting toys to all corners of the world.

But Lau works in other media, too—as seen here in this acrylic-on-canvas work featuring a Doraemon-like character, which Lau personally donated to the Design Trust auction.

Estimated sale price: HK$120,000-180,000

Hong Kong Is Land (in 8 parts) (2014) by Map Office

Above Hong Kong Is Land (in 8 parts) (2014). (Courtesy of the artist)

Map Office is the working name of Hong Kong-based artist duo Laurent Gutierrez and Valérie Portefaix, who for more than 20 years have made art exploring the city's history, geography and dense urban landscape.

This sprawling drawing is emblematic of much of their practice. It touches on topics such as the pros and cons of creating artificial islands, the rise in sea level due to climate change and the housing of refugees, among many others.

Estimated sale price: HK$100,000-150,000

Home Sweet Home: Rosy Drone (2019) by Mak Ying-tung 2

Above Home Sweet Home: Rosy Drone (2019) by Mak Ying-tung 2. (Courtesy of the artist)

Hong Kong-based conceptual artist Mak Ying-tung 2, who is represented by de Sarthe gallery, makes paintings that blend fantasy and reality, often featuring nonsensical scenes and interiors that she creates on video game The Sims—such as this work that features a drone camera carrying a red rose.

Estimated sale price: HK$80,000-120,000

Above Prison Architect 13 (from Prison Architect Series) (2018) by Cao Fei. (Courtesy of the artist and Vitamin Creative Space)

This photo is from Cao Fei's 2018 solo exhibition at Hong Kong's Tai Kwun arts centre, which featured new works inspired by the heritage site and its history as a prison and police station. This work references the giant mango tree in Tai Kwun's courtyard, which now towers over bars and restaurants. In the past, many police officers believed it was a good omen if the tree bore plenty of fruit.

The print—number 1 from an edition of 6—has been donated by the artist and her gallery, Vitamin Creative Space.

Estimated sale price: HK$120,000-180,000

Highlights from the Phillips' 20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design Day Sale, including works from the Design Trust auction, can be seen from July 4-7 at the JW Marriott Hotel, 88 Queensway, Admiralty.

The auction takes place at the JW Marriott at 1pm on July 9.

Topics

design trust design trust hong kong phillips phillips auction michael lau cao fei anothermountainman stanley wong map office mak ying tung 2 de sarthe vitamin creative space

Tatler Asia

5 Items To Bid On At The Design Trust Charity Auction Hosted By Phillips

redwhiteblue / nowhere, now here (2020) by anothermountainman

1+1=3 (1969) (2019) by Michael Lau

Hong Kong Is Land (in 8 parts) (2014) by Map Office

Home Sweet Home: Rosy Drone (2019) by Mak Ying-tung 2