Wednesday 5 November 2014

MEMORIES MORE IMPORTANT THAN THINGS

David Collins, architect and designer is a friend I truly miss. He meant so much more to me than his talents.  I had fun with him, I met him through Simon Lee who has a contemporary art Gallery off Berkeley Square.  Despite having so many offers on my house, three to be exact, they have all fallen through and I am beginning to think the house loves me. In any case if I do not get a bigger house I cannot collect any more art, with masses in storage there is literally no space left.
DAVID COLLINS DRAWING ROOM
Last week I went to Christies and saw the end of the late  David Collin's life, beautifully set out in two rooms, well decorated, with oodles of style in different shades of blue, he achieved nearly a million pounds more than the estimate. I loved a chandelier by Paco Rabanne, circa 1970.  He believed that there were dozens of colours, infinite number of shades , these were the keys to harmony. He believed you could create a sense of love with a scented candle, the sound of the sea, touching linen, and food. He played cards well and could be a lover of life. He came to stay with me in my house, that once belonged to the record producer Eddie Barclay. Maison du Cap, was my house in Rammatoille over a period of about 5 years. I asked him to also to design my flat at 7 Rue Mechain, the house by Architect Mallet Stevens, which was once owned by Tamara de Lempicka. I was nervous though, I believe that friendship is tricky to mix with work. In any case I only owned the house for a few years, I sold it when a Parisian love story ended, and the necessity to live there had left through open windows.

Mixing business with pleasure has always proved to be a balance I do not easily achieve. I never saw him gossip. I remember he told my friends off once, they were telling me stories about the new wife of my ex husband, and he turned on them saying "Careful all you girls, it will be you next, and you would not like this type of gossip" He could be tough.

STALIN's WAR ROOM BY DEXTER DALWOOD
As I said earlier he introduced me to  Simon Lee who in two weeks has an exhibition of one my favourite artists Dexter Dalwood. I met him when I photographed artists and their studios, for the book "British Artists at Work"  I made with Assouline, who have since opened their first incredible space next to BAFTA, (they  opened the space with a book signing with Valentino himself). Franca Sozzani commissioned it. Dexter was a good looking Frankenstein look alike, attractive and sexy. I love his paintings, and he was totally charming.  I bought my Dexter painting from The Gagosian Gallery called "Stalin's War room" with the housekeeping whilst married.  I lost it in my divorce. His show now is about London, It is well worth seeing if you are a collector. Simon's advice is very good, I once wanted to buy some drawings of Andy Warhol, but he saw the white elephant at Mark Shand's ball, by Marc Quinn, go for too little in the sale and nodded for me to buy it whispering "Buy the elephant not the Warhols" Time will tell if he is right.
Friendship is more more than things, so I will keep my memories.

MARQ QUINN's WHITE ELEPHANT


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