Man most synonymous with Studio 54, however, is probably Andy Warhol. The artist practically took up residence there in its heydey, chronicling the decade and its glamorous inhabitants in photographs and prints that have become almost as infamous as their subjects today. As he himself once put it, ”Studio 54 is a way of life. People live there. They dance there. They drink there. They make friends there. They make love there. They break up there. They become stars there. They do business there. They sleep there…We’ve never had an earthquake in New York, but if we did, it would be at Studio 54.”

In homage of that time, Christies are running the second of their online only auctions in conjunction with the Andy Warhol foundation. Up for sale is a glittering selection of Studio 54-themed photographs, drawings and prints. Timed to coincide with the 36th anniversary of the nightclub’s opening (April 26, 1977,) they are available to view and bid on, online now, until this coming Friday. For a slice of glamour from a time when they really knew how, it is essential to take a look.

View the auction here:

https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/andy-warhol-at-christies-studio-54/lots/5

All pictures from Andy Warhol @ Christies, Studio 54 Sale

With items being sold in aid of the Foundation and ranging from those with estimates from $600 to $70,000 (and online bidding set to close next Tuesday 5th March,) there’s only one question to ask: how quickly are you going to click HERE to acess the the auction.

All pictures from www.christies.com

Here in Hong Kong, where my family and I live, Ben Brown has a branch of his great London gallery, the Ben Brown Gallery, at the Pedder Building. One of Ben’s goals is for the people of Hong Kong to meet famous artists from around the world so they can appreciate why they are so influential in the West. Recently he exhibited work by Ron Arad, one of the most inspiring designers of our time. (Work by Ron has been exhibited at museums such as the Victoria and Albert in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.) He called his gallery show at Ben Brown ‘Ron Arad in a China Shop.’ Ron’s work is beautiful, thought provoking, humorous,for instance, the ping-pong table exhibited here, made of mirror-polished stainless steel and bronze. Amazing. Ben’s wife, Louisa Guinness, exhibits Ron’s wonderful jewelry in London.

Ron’s work resonates with me. In fact, one of my biggest regrets was the chair that got away! Ten years ago, when I was first married, I bid at Christie’s on a Ron Arad chair that I loved,a big abstract chair made from metal sheets that creaked and moved when you sat in it. I bid and bid but lost out and was very disappointed. I thought of that chair practically daily. Then one day I saw it in the window of Donna Karan’s shop in SoHo in Manhattan and knew who had bought it.

I told this to Ron when I saw him recently. Obviously, Donna, more power to her, had outbid me. Ron well remembered the chair, and continued the story. Several years later he was with his dealer at the Armory Show in New York, the chair was on consignment from its owner. Donna Karan was there, fell in love with the chair, and enthusiastically offered to buy it. The dealer sheepishly reminded her that she already owned it! Everyone had a good laugh over that. Except, well, for me? It is still the chair that got away.