Sotheby's is set to unveil a remarkable collection worth over €11 million from the Hydra residence of British art collector and patron, Pauline Karpidas.
Each July, from 1996 to 2017, Karpidas welcomed art world luminaries to her Greek Island Hydra retreat, where guests were invited to engage with art, bask in the sun, gossip, and swim. These meetings were affectionately referred to as "workshops" and were a unique blend of art, relaxation, and camaraderie.
Sotheby's European chairman, Oliver Barker, described these gatherings as a "who's who of the contemporary art world at any given time." Tate's Gregoir Muir likened them to an "Annual General Meeting" for the art world, highlighting their significance.
Throughout the years, these meetings witnessed the presence of prominent curators and museum directors, including Maria Balshaw, Nicholas Cullinan, Beatrix Ruff, and Tim Marlow. However, the true heart of these gatherings lay in the artists whose works adorned Karpidas' Hydra haven. The list of artists included Jeff Koons, John Currin, Chris Ofili, Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucas, Richard Prince, Urs Fischer, Nate Lowman, and many more.
Hydra served as a serene backdrop for fostering creative conversations and connections. Barker, who attended the last gathering in 2017, reminisced, "It felt very edgy at the time. And I think the fact that it was not happening in a cultural hotspot, like London or New York, also added frisson to it." The island was a hub not only for artistic exploration but also for mingling with established collectors and the emerging avant-garde.
Other notable figures from the art world who owned homes on Hydra included American artist Brice Marden and Austrian dealer Thaddaeus Ropac.
Now, Sotheby's is preparing to auction around 300 pieces from Karpidas' Hydra collection, with an estimated total value exceeding €11 million. The entire collection is speculated to be worth several hundred million euros, attesting to Karpidas' astute eye for art.
Image: Pauline and Constantinos Karpidas. Private family archive
Karpidas, who grew up in a working-class family in Manchester, followed an unconventional path to becoming a prominent art patron. Her journey began when she opened a small clothing shop in Athens in the 1970s. It was there that she met her late husband, Greek construction magnate Constantinos Karpidas, whose collection featured traditional art, including a small group of Renoirs. With guidance from the late Greek-American dealer Alexander Iolas, known for discovering Andy Warhol, Karpidas transitioned to collecting contemporary art in the early 1990s, following her earlier interests in Impressionist, Modern, and Surrealist artists.
Sotheby's decision to sell the collection in Paris, rather than London, is partly influenced by the strong presence of the LeLannes, artists introduced to Karpidas by Iolas. This move accommodates the LeLannes' market location in the French capital, providing logistical advantages for the auction.
Sotheby's evening sale will feature remarkable works, including Damien Hirst's "Wretched War" (2004; estimated at €100,000-€150,000), while the day sale will offer a work on paper by Tracey Emin (with an estimated value of approximately €4,000-€6,000) and four photographic works by Sarah Lucas (with approximate estimates ranging from €5,000 to €9,000). These treasures bear witness to Pauline Karpidas' enduring legacy in the contemporary art world.
Main Image: Photograph: Johnnie Shand Kydd/Adagp, Paris, 2023