Christie’s collaborates with Mark-Francis Vandelli
to curate The Collector London Sales
Christie’s will present the autumn edition of The Collector sales on 13 and 14 November in London; an array of decorative arts and furniture ranging across: English Furniture, Clocks & Works of Art; European Furniture, Works of Art & Ceramics, and Silver & 19th Century Furniture, Sculpture & Works of Art.
In celebration of the diverse styles and origins of the pieces within the auctions, Christie’s has partnered with avid collector and aesthete Mark-Francis Vandelli, a television personality known for his eccentric and exacting taste, to curate his selection of the sales within The Collector preview, open to the public from 9 to 12 November at the London King Street Galleries.
Bringing theatricality and flair to Christie’s sale rooms, Mark-Francis has designed a series of film set-style vignettes; a Manhattan penthouse, a Parisian hôtel particulier and a Roman palazzo. Selected not only in recognition of their status as centres of cultural enlightenment, the recreation of interiors from the three iconic cities reflect the formative locations in which Mark-Francis developed his own aesthetic and appreciation for decorative arts.
Orlando Rock, Christie’s UK Chairman and Co-Chairman of Decorative Arts: “Mark-Francis has an eye for the exquisite – and a natural flair that allows him to pick and choose objects across genres, freeing them from their historical shackles of period and place to combine them with panache and style. Mark-Francis’s playfulness and sense of fun dominate in creating very personal, liveable and fresh interiors that are characteristically international. His lifelong love affair with works of art began with auction viewings throughout his childhood – and as a regular visitor to Christie’s and admirer of ‘The Collector’ auctions of decorative arts, we were thrilled when Mark-Francis agreed to work with us to curate three innovative rooms which are representative of the diverse range of styles and periods of objects available in this series of sales. We look forward to welcoming the public to view and enjoy Mark-Francis’s creations in person during the pre-sale exhibition from 9 to 12 November.”
Mark-Francis Vandelli: “This collaboration with Christie’s presented a unique opportunity for me to do something entirely different. By creating a series of imposing film sets based on three different cities, we are able to present typically 18th and 19th century works against diverse and unexpected backdrops. These playful, temporary structures allude to the many chapters in these decorative objects’ lives, which will often see them travelling across cultures and continents to new homes, adopted and interpreted each time in a new fashion.”
