Christie’s Shanghai & Michael Lau to Host “COLLECT THEM ALL !”

Following its highly successful inaugural launch last year, Christie’s is delighted to announce the “Collect Them All!”private selling exhibition will once again be returning. Taking place in Shanghai from 31^st August to 12^th September, the exhibition will showcase a wide range of dynamic and custom-made artworks by renowned Hong Kong artist Michael Lau.

As the only international auction house with dedicated exhibition spaces in both Beijing and Shanghai, Christie’s continues its activities in promoting art from Asia and around the world and is thrilled to present this first ever pop art exhibition in Shanghai.

Over 50 of Michael’s unconventional, graphic, three-dimensional works will be on display, exploring the artist’s concept of “All Art Are Toys, All Toys Are Art”.

Known as the “Godfather of Designer Toys”, Michael Lau Kin-man is an acclaimed Hong Kong artist born in the 1970s when the city was at the peak of industrialization. The robust toy industry at that time deeply influenced Michael. To him, every toy is a rare treasure that sparks inspiration and shapes his distinguishing artistic style. His figure creations are widely exhibited in places such as London, Paris, Taiwan, and spearheaded the global trend of designer toy collecting.

Marcello Kwan, Senior Specialist, Asian 20^th Century and Contemporary Art Department, Christie’s Asia Pacific,commented, “We are honoured to once again work with Michael to host his private selling exhibition, this time at Christie’s Shanghai. Michael is a one-of-a kind artist whose experience of growing up in Hong Kong affords him a completely unique perspective on art. We are sure Michael’s innovative creations and unique perspective will provide for a thought-provoking exhibition for viewers to enjoy”.

Michael Lau commented, “I am grateful that the “Collect Them All!” exhibition held last year was positively received, with friends, members of the public and organizations from different communities encouraging me to continue presenting popular culture on the international stage. On many occasions, I am asked during interviews questions such as, “What is popular art?” and “What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of Eastern and Western art?”. To these questions, I believe all art is a product and reflection of its time, encompassing the inner workings of the artist who created them. The final comprehension of the viewer is not my primary concern, rather I focus on creating works that truly express my deepest thoughts, while allowing viewers to arrive at their own conclusion - I let my work speak for itself.”

Christie’s, the world’s leading art business, had auction sales in the first half of 2019 that totalled £2.2 billion / $2.8 billion. Christie’s is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, unparalleled service and international expertise. Christie’s offers around 350 auctions annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $100 million. Christie’s also has a long and successful history conducting private sales for its clients in all categories, with emphasis on Post-War & Contemporary, Impressionist & Modern, Old Masters and Jewellery.

Alongside regular sales online, Christie’s has a global presence in 46 countries, with 10 salerooms around the world including in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai, Zürich, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.

*Please note when quoting estimates above that other fees will apply in addition to the hammer price - see Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of the sale catalogue.

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium and are reported net of applicable fees.