David Bowie is best known as a music icon, his career spanning many decades. In addition not only a prolific singer, songwriter, a showman, and an actor. However, he was also a passionate and astute art collector.

His stunning art collection has been showcased in Hong Kong, and will always be intrinsically linked to Asia. Furthermore, there will be an exhibition of memorabilia in January 2017 in Toyko. Before we look at Bowie’s connection to Asia, we will take a look at his art curation and some of the artworks that inspired his unique talent.

David Bowie’s Art Collection

While in school, Bowie studied art, music, and design, where developed a fundamental education on which to build his ability to spot artistic talent and exquisite pieces. He once confessed to buying art “obsessively and addictively” but few people knew how much he truly loved his collection. When he died in January of 2016, his love of art was fully revealed.

Over the years, David Bowie added to his art collection one wondrous piece at a time. He would buy directly from the artists – including over 100 pieces of furniture. In addition to the “Carlton” room divider designed in 1981 by Ettore Sottsass, Bowie’s collection also includes the “Casablanca” sideboard (1981). Sottsass and the Milan-based Memphis group broke new ground with a cutting-edge design, never seen before and Bowie noted its value immediately.

The “Casablanca” sideboard introduced humor, fun, and strikingly bold color combinations into functional pieces. People considered “Casablanca” as a defining work in postmodern design. And there are many variations on this theme found in major museum pieces around the world. If you have visited the V&A in London, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, or the Museo dei Mobile e delle Sculture Lignee in Milan, you may have seen Sottsass’s influence in many other works.

The unique painting “Witness” (1961) is one of the most notable in Bowie’s collection. He lent it to Tate St. Ives in 2011 for a retrospective of the late British artist Peter Lanyon, because the artist had a special connection to Bowie. As Bowie always walked on the edge with his artistic and creative endeavors, Lanyon physically put himself at risk.

After inspiring by the artist’s experience flying in a super-light glider, he finished that painting. Flying over land, Lanyon was able to achieve a new perspective on the Cornish landscape. Tragically, Lanyon died in a gliding accident in 1964, just a few years after his remarkable painting.

Damien Hirst was also among the handful of artists who Bowie publicly admired. Renowned for his ‘spin’ paintings, his “Beautiful, shattering, slashing, violent, pinky, hacking, sphincter painting” (1995) is a magnificent kaleidoscope of colors.

Bowie collected many pieces of 20th-century British art. And these include works by Frank Auerbach, Peter Lanyon, Stanley Spencer, Patrick Caulfield, and Graham Sutherland. Just as these artists inspired him, Bowie also painted and held a growing fascination with art and design throughout his life. His emphasis was on visual presentation, which comes through in his costumes, videos, and album covers over the years. According to Oliver Barker, the chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, Bowie was as great a creator as any artist in his collection.

Luxify has a selection of exclusive Bowie memorabilia from around the world. And his artistic genius also inspires these artworks. Consult our Bowie listings to enjoy ownership of work that resonates with Bowie’s artistic power.

What is the connection between Asia and David Bowie’s art collection?

Bowie loved to travel all over the globe, but Asia held a special place in his heart. He always maintained close ties to Hong Kong. His performances there in 1983 and 2004 are well-remembered and he has been a defining influence on many Asian musicians.

After a long-running retrospective of his art collection and his artistic legacy, the Victoria & Albert Museum’s touring exhibition “DAVID BOWIE is” will make its way to Asia. On January 8, 2017, David Bowie’s 70th birthday, his collection will be at the Warehouse TERRADA in Tokyo. Enthusiasts will relish over 300 objects which will be on display. From the rare footage, music, costumes and collectibles from the David Bowie archive, Bowie’s life and work will once again take center stage.

Bowie’s own art collection will be auction off in November. His family has said that they are selling his collection because they simply don’t have the space to keep it.

Hundreds of works from his private collection will go up for sale by Sotheby’s in London. Sotheby’s displayed 35 out of the 350 artworks in Hong Kong. And people estimated that these pieces worth £9.8 million to £14.3 million ($12 million to $17.5 million).

Thus, Bowie’s art collection has always come from inspiration of his life and his passions. Hence, his art collection offers, as Oliver Barker says, a rare glimpse into “the personal world of one of the 20th century’s greatest creative spirits.”