On 25 October, it's time for the Bukowskis to hold two long-awaited auctions – Contemporary Art & Design and Important Timepieces. Major international artists such as Per Kirkeby, Andy Warhol and Terry O'Neill, as well as sought-after Swedish artists such as Gunnel Wåhlstrand, Ola Billgren and Lena Cronqvist, are represented in the catalogue. The design department offers pieces by artists ranging from Ubald Klug and Mats Theselius to Uno & Östen Kristiansson. Later that day, watches from brands including Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Söhne, Breguet and Vacheron & Constantin will pass under the gavel.
Almost a year ago, a new world record was set for the American artist Jim Nutt when his work Tooth was sold at Bukowskis for SEK 13 million (about £976,881). Now, Nutt is back with another portrait of an imaginary woman with a special nose and exaggerated hairdo. Jim Nutt's wife Gladys Nilsson is also represented in the catalogue. Together with Art Green, Suellen Rocca, Jim Falconer and Karl Wirsum, Jim Nutt formed the artist group Hairy Who? in 1965, which was active from 1966-69 and are also counted among the Chicago Imagists movement.
About 20 works by Swedish artists such as Lena Cronqvist, Erland Cullberg, Jockum Nordström and Gittan Jönsson are part of the collection sold by the new foundation Art for the Globe started by Dr Johan Wallin. Dr Wallin has collected contemporary Swedish art throughout his adult life, and now the first part of the Art for the Globe Collection, with the theme Music & Drama, will be auctioned at Bukowskis. One of the highlights is Mamma Andersson's Dramatic Theatre from 1999, which Wallin bought when the artist was exhibiting in Botkyrka Konsthall in Sweden.
Mattias Nordéus is a visual artist best known for his wooden figures that blur the boundaries between painting and sculpture. The figures, which are constructed in pine and then painted with acrylic and oil, represent the artist, his family and friends. Common to Nordéu's figurative world is man's search for refuge through quick stimuli such as gambling and intoxication. An example of this is the auction's wooden figure sitting in an armchair with a game controller in hand.
Czech architect and designer Jan Bočan was only 30 years old when he won the architectural competition for the new Czechoslovak embassy in Stockholm. The concrete brutalist building was completed in 1972 and was used by the Czechoslovak embassy until 1998. The embassy was a work of art in itself with all the interiors, textile art and furniture designed by Bočan. Among other things, he designed the armchairs that are now sold at Bukowskis. In autumn 2019, Acne Studios moved into the building and the new head office was named 'Floragatan 13' after the street name.
Speaking of Acne Studios, the Fold bench is for sale. The series was designed by Olivier Gregoire for Acne Studios as a limited edition and was later mass produced. The auction bench is from the first edition produced for the Swedish clothing brand.
On the evening of 25 October, Bukowskis will host the Important Timepieces auction. The catalogue includes wristwatches and pocket watches from the world's leading watch manufacturers, such as A. Lange & Söhne, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Breguet and Vacheron & Constantin. Highlights include a rare Urban Jürgensen Reference 2 made in platinum, as well as an impressive Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar model reference 3970.
Contemporary Art & Design starts at 10am on 25 October and Important Timepieces at 7pm on the same day at Arsenalsgatan 2 in Stockholm.
