Sotheby’s Teams Up With Fai Khadra For Contemporary Curated Auction

The influencer-content creator guest curated the ninth edition of Contemporary Curated. The virtual art auction will take place until the end of today..

Born in Los Angeles and raised between London and Dubai, Palestinian model Fai Khadra has been announced as guest curator for the current Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated auction. 

His father was an art collector, leading to Fai’s early exposure to art at a young age. He graduated with a degree in architecture and turned his passion for art, design, music and fashion into a career.

As a multidisciplinary artist, creative director, model, and art collector, Fai draws on his artistic experience to bring a fresh perspective to Contemporary Curated London.

Portrait of Fai Khadra by Sotheby’s

His aim for this collaboration was to expose and attract a younger audience to the art world. “Art shouldn’t feel unattainable or impenetrable, but it does to so many,” he says. “This is something I hope to change through this project.” The artist recently acquired a Sterling Ruby Stalagmite sculpture from Sotheby’s, so this collaboration felt like fate.

This season’s auction includes pieces that appeal to everyone, art novices and collectors alike. The online sale features artworks by established and emerging artists of this generation. Various works are available for purchase, including some understated pieces made by famous contemporary artists.

Works by Ed Ruscha, Sam Francis, Bill Viola, Louise Bourgeois, Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol, Wolfgang Tillmans and Gerhard Richter are some presented in this sale. “These free-spirited, playful and provocative artists have helped sculpt the way we view and think about art across history,” says Fai.

Describing himself as a “minimalist at heart”, Fai says artists like Donald Judd and Dan Flavin have taught him to be clear and concise both in his own work and life more broadly. 

Gerhard Richter, Ohne Titel, 1995, est. £80,000-120,000

When speaking about this project and his passion for arts, he remarks, “My love for art is something that came into my life at an early age. Having travelled and lived in  different countries, I’ve been exposed to a multitude of artists, genres, mediums, you name it: from Islamic art to traditional Western art and finally contemporary art, which, for me, encompasses  all the universes into one.

I have always admired artworks and artists that challenge boundaries or provoke strong feelings. Artists that push me to reconsider the world it reflects or engages with, and I hope these pieces will similarly speak to all those who stand in front of them.

Great collections reflect the personality and life of great collectors and that is something I will always aspire to. I don’t believe an esteemed collection necessarily has to only comprise works by the giants of art history, but by artists who offer a different perspective. With this sale, I tried to include established, emerging and even new artists in hopes that it will give established and new collectors the opportunity to acquire pieces they might not have considered before.”

Sam Francis, Untitled (SF 90-183), est. £15,000-20,000

Fai offers some suggestions to help people develop an appreciation for art. Firstly, it is important to expose oneself to different kinds of art from every century, genre, and country. The artist also urges audiences to take advantage of virtual art exhibitions to learn more about art from the convenience of their home.

Reading, watching documentaries and listening to podcasts is another great way to increase your knowledge of art. The aritst recommends watching the Marcel Duchamp documentary, The Art of the Possible. “I also spent a lot of time during lockdown going back into the archives and re-digesting old shows, re-reading catalogue raisonnés and researching ideas and artists, that I’d missed previously.” 

‘Contemporary Curated’ features over 145 works. Certain pieces are open for bidding at £2,000, providing art lovers the opportunity to acquire reasonably priced works by leading and rising contemporary artists. 

The online auction ends on November 24; to view the artworks on sale click here.

Lead Image: Damien Hirst, Beautiful Mis-shapen purity clashing £250,000-350,000.