5 Items To Bid On At The Nature Conservancy Gala

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is bringing its exclusive gala dinner back to Hong Kong this March, complete with an auction featuring works by internationally-acclaimed artists and some of the finest wines in the world. TNC's last gala dinner in Hong Kong, which was hosted in 2013, raised over HK$47 million to support its environmental conservation work in Asia-Pacific. This year, TNC has partnered with Morgan Stanley and Sotheby's to raise not only funds but awareness of its crucial conservation work around the region. The by-invitation event features a silent auction of 35 lots, among them striking artworks, fine wines, covetable collectables and once-in-a-lifetime experiences—and all proceeds raised will go straight to TNC. Here are our top picks of the items on the block

Lot 5: Château Lafite (1982)

Above Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's

Château Lafite Rothschild is undeniably one of the most respected wine properties in Medoc and the Château Lafite 1982 is easily one of their most renowned creations—an exceptionally elegant wine, rich in scent and ever-developing with age.

This classic wine is known for its intensely powerful taste and complexity, and is so revered it’s often listed among the most famous wines in the world.

Upon purchase it’s recommended to decant the Lafite well in advance of drinking, so the taste can fully develop upon contact with the air. The Chateau itself is known to double decant the Lafite to allow the wine to unveil its stunning depth and flavour.

Lot 14: Niepoort—150 year old port in Lalique (1863)

Above Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's

Nestled in a Lalique bespoke Macassar ebony wood cabinet, this 150-year-old port is packaged with two Lalique Niepoort Port glasses. The decanter is signed Lalique, and the design of the decanter itself uses the oldest method of glass production: cire perdue or lost-wax casting, which makes this a truly unique port experience.

A collaboration between Niepoort and Lalique in the 19th century led to the creation of just five 1.5 litre demijohn decanters, all engraved with a name of the first five van de Niepoort generations. This decanter at the TNC gala features the name of Eduard Karel Jacob van de Niepoort.

Lot 16: La Bleu J’Adoré No 2 (2018) by Zhou Li

Above Zhou Li, La Bleu J’Adoré No 2 (2018). (Courtesy of Sotheby's)

A graduate from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Zhou Li has held a number of solo exhibitions in Mainland China, including at the Yuz Museum in Shanghai and the Hive Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing.

Zhou is renowned for her expressive work and often favours abstract patterns in her work. La Bleu J’Adoré No 2 has a particular figurative feel, while her soft colour and composition strungcreate an elegant finish.

Zhou's striking works are currently sought after by both private collectors and museums. When Zhou is not making her own work, she's a guest lecturer at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and the director of the Institute of Abstraction and Contemporary Arts at Sun Yat-sen University.

Lot 20: Issu du Feu 45A (2001) by Lee Bae

Above Lee Bae, Issu du Feu 45A (2001). (Courtesy of Sotheby's)

South Korean artist Lee Bae famously went through his 'charcoal period' in the late '90s to the early 2000s, when he used the one medium obsessively to create a now-iconic series of works.

Issu du Feu 45A is from that series and features Lee's trademark layers of charcoal, which shimmer with a variety of grey and black tones. Lee, who is based in Paris, has previously said that working with charcoal reminds him of his homeland of South Korea, where a stick of charcoal is traditionally tied on the front door of a house after a child is born.

From sculptures to paintings and illustrations, Lee's work blurs the distinction between different art forms, and the texture itself entices viewers to look at the work from a multitude of angles and lights, each creating a unique take on the piece.

Lot 21: Afftatus #1 (2018) by Fernando Prats

Above Fernando Prats, Afftatus #1 (2018). (Courtesy of the artist and Puerta Roja)

At first glance, Prats’ work appears to be a mix of pale brush strokes painted on a stark cement-coloured canvas, but the piece was actually created with the help of living birds. Prats used the movement of the birds to record their natural action in his art: with each flap of the wings an imprint was etched onto a smokescreen, over time creating a masterpiece of white strokes of varying sizes.

Prats' unique method of painting has earned him international acclaim and he represented Chile at the 54th Venice Biennale in 2011.

Find out more about The Nature Conservancy Gala at 2019tncgala.org

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The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy Gala TNC Auction Artists Wine Sotheby's Morgan Stanley Environmental Conservation