Galleries - July 2018

BOMBERG 22 June to 16 September 2018 First London museum survey and extensive monograph for over 30 years Admission £5/£4 concessions – refundable against purchase of new Bomberg monograph Ben Uri Gallery & Museum C $QWPFCT[ 4QCF Qʘ #DDG[ 4QCF 5V ,QJPoU 9QQF .QPFQP 09 4* 1RGP UGXGP FC[U CYGGM /QP (TK CO RO5CV 5WP CO RO Easy parking and many cafés nearby – free parking on weekends. Easy to find, only two miles from Marble Arch and with easy access by Bus or Tube – check tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey www.benuri.org – follow BenUri JULY 2018 GALLERIES 33 This collection also superbly demonstrates the working relationship between artist and master printer with both Jack Shirreff and Andrew Smith involved with much of the hand colouring during the process of printing and publication. With a packed saleroom the results were predictable. All but two lots sold, most achieving prices well over top estimates. ‘Acquainted with the Night’ at £4,000 to £6,000 sold for £14,000, but for those who missed out, Hodgkin prints are readily on the market – but condition is everything. William Jackson The policy of the Howard Hodgkin estate to sell spare prints, theatre and book designs is a brave decision; but placing over 100 works on the market at one time could be very risky, if not foolhardy. The rationale though is to provide funding for purchasing gaps in the collection of graphic works enriching the right public collection; and the production of an enlarged and more complete Catalogue Raisonne to include all 189 prints. But there were others who benefited from this sale reflecting the artist’s passion and interests. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, the Royal Opera House and the Elton John Aids Foundation. Sotheby’s cleverly put this in their Modern and Post-War British Art sale and that of a Scottish Colourist collection to optimize interest. The Hodgkin sale had a range of prices and sizes to suit the modest first time buyer as well as the serious wealthy collector for the unique designs. Hodgkin always insisted that he was a figurative artist with content and subjects drawn from his own experiences, and his lifelong love and dialog with India. With estimates for the prints of a few hundreds to low thousands, what a temptation to acquire an original work by one of Britain’s most important turn of the century artists. But will the hundreds turn into thousands and the thousands into tens of thousands? S A L E room Paper works above: H oward Hodgkin ‘Acquainted With The Night’