On January 11th in NYC, Christie's will be featuring a selection of contemporary art from Dennis Hopper's personal collection, for their Interiors auction. Hopper was not only an awesome actor, but an inspired artist himself, utilizing the mediums of painting, photography and sculpture. He was an important figure in the California art scene of the 1960s, and a regular contributor to Semina, a cultural postwar journal edited by his friend Wallace Berman, and written in a beat tempo, from 1955-1964.
Above: R.C. Gorman's Grey Rug Model c.1973, P. Jahan super-imposed photo c.mid-20th cent., Expert Bobbing signed Keinholz c.1965
Being that he was a key member of this highly creative circle, he naturally became a collector and supporter of other artists work, and his home was filled with treasures of both a conceptual and aesthetic nature. Above and below are some of my favorite pieces in this epic auction of his possessions.
Above: For Dennis by Robert Dean Stockwell (from Married to the Mob!) c.1971, photo with stamped message about their notorious 8 day marriage by Michelle Phillips c.1970, Ace collage by R.D. Stockwell c.2005, drawing by Beatrice Wood c.1974, earthenware Female Torso plaque by Beatrice Wood c.1970s, collage by R.D. Stockwell c.1980s?
Mr. Taylor and I were jazzed to view a collection of Hopper's own art, in an exhibit at MOCA last August. During the visit, we were especially blown-away by his photo-realistic 1961 painting of an L.A. intersection, entitled; Double Standard (which was also the name of the retrospective), as well as his humorous pop sensibility . . .
Above: Nic entering the exhibit at MOCA (photo: J.B.T.), Hopper's Double Standard c.1961 (Tony Shafrazi Gallery), Hopper's giant moving Plexiglas sculpture Bomb Drop c.1967-68 (J.B.T.), Hopper's 30 ft. tall La Salsa Man c.2000 (J.B.T.)
Comments