Takashi Murakami and Pharrell Williams' Sculpture Expected to Fetch $3.8 Million USD at Christie's Auction
‘The Simple Things’ features seven things the musician uses on a daily basis.
Christie’s Hong Kong is bringing Takashi Murakami and Pharrell Williams’ ‘The Simple Things’ sculpture to auction later this month. Estimated to fetch up to $3.8 million USD at the themed evening sale “HI-LITE,” the work explores how the most luxurious, highly-valued things in life are often the simplest.
‘The Simple Things’ features Murakami’s signature character, Mr. DOB, with seven objects inside its mouth. Hand-picked by Pharrell Williams, these items represent what the singer and producer uses on a daily basis: a can of Pepsi, a cupcake, Johnson’s baby lotion, Heinz Tomato Ketchup, a bag of Doritos chips, a Trojan Magnum condom and a Billionaire Boys Club sneaker. Crafted out of 26,000 diamonds, precious gems and gold by Jacob & Co., these everyday objects take on new significance and meaning.
Mr. DOB’s mouth houses 14 spotlights that illuminate the objects below, literally causing viewers to “see everyday objects in a different light.” “A bejewelled can of Pepsi draws our attention in a way that a regular soda can would not, challenging us to reconsider the value of everyday joys and pleasures,” Asia Chiao, Associate Specialist of Asian 20th Century and Contemporary Art at Christie’s Hong Kong, explains. ‘The Simple Things’ is expected to go up for auction on November 23 at Christie’s Hong Kong.
Elsewhere in art, Doug Aitken displays his color-changing sculptures at Victoria Miro’s London gallery as part of an exhibition titled “Return to the Real.”
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