Jewelry from Man Ray, Alexander Calder, Jeff Koons Goes to the Hamptons
“Sculpture to Wear” opens at Sotheby’s East Hampton this week.
Opening this week is “Sculpture to Wear,” a collaboration with London’s Louisa Guinness Gallery.
Guinness is a pioneer in the contemporary artist jewelry category, collecting and selling jewels created by her favorite 20th century and current artists for her eponymous art gallery, and even authoring a book on the subject called “Art as Jewellery: Calder to Kapoor.”
She explained, “Some people would like a Picasso on their walls, others prefer to wear one. Works by artists are scarce. The majority of pieces that exist are owned by just a few people and are buried deep in their private possessions.”
Guinness collaborated with Sotheby’s Senior Business Development Executive Tiffany Dubin, an advisor to Sotheby’s top 500 clients with expertise spanning art, fashion, and jewelry, to curate the “Sculpture to Wear” exhibition sale.
It features 80-plus works from more than two dozen artists, including Surrealist and Dadaist icons like Alexander Calder, Max Ernst and Man Ray, modern and contemporary artists like Ed Ruscha, Lucio Fontana, and Niki de Saint Phalle, and current culture drivers such as Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons, and Yinka Shonibare.
Art lovers will undoubtedly flock to the sale in hopes of acquiring something to wear from their favorite artists, but jewelry connoisseurs also will be delighted to see works from the likes of Cora Sheibana and Christopher Thompson Royds, designers who count jewelry as their medium of choice but muddy the distinction between jewelry and art.
It’s exactly that sweet spot where Guinness’ passion resides.
“They can be worn and exhibited as a piece of art,” she said.
Each featured piece is signed and either one-of-a-kind or limited edition.
Dubin opined, “The discerning collector understands that they can own a masterpiece created at a human scale.”
She counts works from Claude Lalanne, Jesús Rafael Soto, Christopher Thompson Roys, and Rob Wynne as favorites, and calls rings by Anish Kapoor, “…any woman’s dream. I’ll take mine in 18-karat white gold with a pink enameled interior.”
Her ultimate preference is the 18-karat gold “Les Amoureux” necklace from Man Ray, circa 1970, which converts into a brooch.
“Sculpture to Wear” opens Aug. 3 and will be on view at Sotheby’s East Hampton, located at 66 Newtown Lane, through Aug. 28. The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment.
The Latest
The necklace is featured in the brand’s “Rebel Heart” campaign starring Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo.
Big changes appear to be on the horizon for the diamond miner and its parent company, Anglo American.
Jesse Cole, founder of Fans First Entertainment, shared the “five Es” of building a fan base during his AGS Conclave keynote.
With Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar "John Mayer" was celebrated at a star-studded party in LA last week.
The announcement came as the company reported a 23 percent drop in production in Q1.
The three-time Pro Bowler continues to partner with the retailer, donating to a Detroit nonprofit and giving watches to fans.
For over 30 years, JA has advocated for the industry, fought against harmful legislation and backed measures that help jewelry businesses.
A double-digit drop in the number of in-store crimes was offset by a jump in off-premises attacks, JSA’s 2023 crime report shows.
Inspired by the Roman goddess of love, the designer looked to the sea for her new collection.
The luxury titan posted declining sales, weighed down by Gucci’s poor performance.
The selected nine organizations have outlined their plans for the funds.
The mining company’s Diavik Diamond Mine lost four employees in a plane crash in January.
The crown introduced a dozen timepieces in Geneva, including a heavy metal version of its deep-sea divers’ watch.
Emmanuel Raheb recommends digging into demographic data, customizing your store’s communications, and retargeting ahead of May 12.
Located in the town of Queensbury, it features a dedicated bridal section and a Gabriel & Co. store-in-store.
A 203-carat diamond from the alluvial mine in Angola achieved the highest price.
Ruser was known for his figural jewelry with freshwater pearls and for his celebrity clientele.
The “Rebel Heart” campaign embodies rebellion, romance, and sensuality, the brand said.
Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff shares the standout moments from the education sessions she attended in Austin last week.
The overhaul includes a new logo and enhanced digital marketplace.
The money will go toward supporting ongoing research and aftercare programs for childhood cancer survivors.
A new addition to the “Heirloom” collection, this one-of-a-kind piece features 32 custom-cut gemstones.
Last month in Dallas, David Walton pushed another jeweler, David Ettinger, who later died.
The move will allow the manufacturing company to offer a more “diverse and comprehensive” range of products.
From now through mid-May, GIA will be offering the reports at a 50 percent discount.
De Beers’ rough diamond sales were down 18 percent year-over-year in its latest round of sales.