Left: Michael Craig-Maritn Comissioned Portrait Right: Michael Craig-Maritn Comissioned Portrait Photos courtesy of Christie's
Two years after the death of the legendary pop icon George Michael, more than 170 works from the late singer’s private collection went up for auction this week at Christie’s London to posthumously continue his philanthropic work, raking in over €10,848,145 in the Thursday evening portion of the auction alone. Starting bids for the works began at roughly €460, with top sales for pieces like Incurable Romantic Seeks Dirty Filthy Whore by Harland Miller and Relationships II by James White respectively reaching €278,113 and €26,348. The auction house said in a statement that a quarter of the bidders were new customers, brought in by the appeal of the pop star that transcended music, fashion and Christmas. Here are a few things we learned about the Careless Whispers singer from his taste in art:
He was a muse for the Young British Artists
Left: Tracey Emin, I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW Right: Jim Lambie, Careless Whisper
While many of the works up for grabs featured Michael’s likeness, many of them are also based on his work, such as Tracey Edmon’s neon work, I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW, which features text from his song Freedom 90 or Jim Lambie’s work Careless Whispers, named after the famous George Michael saxophone ballad. The singer was close with his visual arts counterparts in the Young British Artists Movement of the 90s such as: Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucas, Michael Craig-Martin and Marc Quinn — to many of them he was as both a patron and a friend.
“I want your sex” is a fitting soundtrack for many of his pieces
Left: Michael Craig-Martin, Untitled Right: Sarah Lucas, O Nob Photos courtesy of Christie's
Sex was a major topic of Michael’s life. He famously turned getting caught soliciting an undercover police officer for sex in a public toilet into a platform to embrace his sexuality and officially come out as gay to the public, even using the incident as a premise for his music video Outside. It isn’t surprising that sex would be prominent in his art collection.
While “Faith” works better for others
Left: Sarah Lucas, New Religion Right: Damien Hirst, The Immaculate Heart Photos courtesy of Christie's
George Michael was loosely linked to Protestantism as a child, but he wasn’t exactly a bible thumper. Still, religion and religious imagery were part of the pop star’s image, with songs like Father Figure, Angels and Cowboys, and Jesus to a Child (which was about his lover dying of aids and not God’s son), as well as the famous cross earring. When it comes to religious art, Michael’s gravitated to everything from Sarah Lucas’ neon work New Religion to more traditional-looking pieces like Adam Fuss’s Untitled (Stained Glass Series).
He was obsessed with the girl next door, who happened to be Kate Moss
Left: Mary McCartney, Kate in Chair Right: Mary McCartney, Kate Unziping Photos courtesy of Christie's
Kate Moss told BBC Radio 6 Music that she was always a “huge fan,” of the Faith singer. “It was my first tape,” said Moss. “I got it for Christmas, Wham!. My mum brought it for me – that and Blondie.” Years later, Moss was not only able to meet her idol, but they lived next to each other in North London and become good friends. Apparently the admiration was mutual, as the model pops up in a few lots of his collection.
But he still enjoys the classics
Left: Pablo Picasso, Flûtiste et trois Femmes nues, from La Suite Vollard Right: Joan Miro, Plate 5, from Suites for Ubu Roi Photos courtesy of Christie's
Alongside more edgy and contemporary works, George Michael also appreciated the classics, as a number of works by Pablo Picasso, JeanCocteau and Henry Moore appear alongside neon works and fashion photography.