Hong Kong For Immediate Release | Vania Lam/Winnie Tang | +852 2822 5509/8129 | vania.lam/[email protected]

New York | Darrell Rocha | [email protected] | | Matthew Floris | [email protected] GLOBAL CULT ICON ® RETURNS TO SOTHEBY’S

Celebrating the Japanese Entrepreneur’s Visionary ‘GOLDEN EYE’ To be Unveiled at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Spring 2019

NIGO® in front of THE ALBUM, which he commissioned from KAWS © Sotheby’s KAWS, THE KAWS ALBUM 2005, acrylic on canvas, 101.6 by 101.6 cm, Est: HK$ 6,000,000 - 8,000,000

Auction in Hong Kong: 1 April 2019 Public Exhibition: 29 March – 1 April 2019 Hall 5, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Travelling Exhibitions in Asia: : 2 – 3 March : 5 – 6 March : 16 – 17 March Hong Kong, 21 February 2019 This Spring, Japanese designer, music producer and creative entrepreneur NIGO® returns to Sotheby’s with NIGOLDENEYE® Vol. 1 – yet another compelling sale from his personal collection. Coined by American music producer , the collector’s close friend and partner, the tag NIGOLDENEYE® manifests NIGO®’s cutting-edge vision that played a critical role in street culture’s ascent into and high art. The celebratory auction will take place on 1 April 2019 during Sotheby’s Hong Kong Spring Sale series.

Long-time collector NIGO® is renowned for his discerning eye across the realms of design, fashion, pop-culture and art. Throughout his career over the last three decades, the pioneering entrepreneur collaborated with artists such as KAWS, and Stash prior to street culture entering the mainstream, and furthermore engineered game-changing crossovers between street art, pop iconography and fashion Interior of NIGO®’s studio where he houses his archive and collection ©Sotheby’s long before collaboration was a common mode of creation.

In honour of NIGO®’s visionary instincts, NIGOLDENEYE® Vol. 1 presents over 30 artworks and collectibles, including rare prototypes, special limited edition merchandises and collectibles from commissioned and collaborative projects.

“Following two successful white-glove sales in 2014 and 2015, we are thrilled to once again partner with NIGO® in NIGOLDENEYE® Vol. 1. The selection includes some key touchstones in the evolution of street art, honouring NIGO®’s huge influence on contemporary culture.”

Yuki Terase, Sotheby’s Head of Contemporary Art, Asia

“NIGO®’s importance is his innate ability to curate-to-communicate between the worlds of high art, fashion, street culture and everyday life. From the perspective of the street, this collection of artworks is a vital time capsule.” Artistic Director, Author of the NIGOLDENEYE® Vol. 1 catalogue foreword

IMAGE DOWNLOAD DROPBOX: https://bit.ly/2T9HfOc | BAIDU: https://pan.baidu.com/s/1EhNsYzJnbRJkEHXmceOizA

Sale Highlights

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One of the earliest unique prototypes of KAWS’s COMPANION , hand painted by the artist for a show organized by NIGO.

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1 2 3 KAWS, UNTITLED (ASTRO BOY), BAPE x KAWS, BAPESTA FS-029 KAWS KAWS, THE KAWS ALBUM, produced in 2002 by OriginalFake, FRP, Chompers (i. Yellow / Green; ii. Green/ 2005, acrylic on canvas, 47(H) by 32 by 11.5 cm each Black), 2006, leather and rubber, 101.6 by 101.6 cm Each at Est: HK$ 600,000-800,000 size: 9 US each Est: HK$ 6,000,000 - 8,000,000 Est: HK$ 1,000-1,500

4 5 6 Futura, Untitled (Pointman), KAWS, KIMPSONS SERIES (Two Works), Stash, FOUR PACK, marker, ink and spray paint on 2005, acrylic on canvas, 2002, screenprint on canvas, acrylic board, 217 by 96 cm. 20.3 by 20.3 cm each 71 by 119.5 cm Est: HK$ 80,000-120,000 Est: HK$ 500,000 – 700,000 Est: HK$ 50,000 – 70,000

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Sotheby’s and NIGO®

To date, Sotheby’s and NIGO® have together achieved two white glove sales. In 2014 Hong Kong, “NIGO® ONLY LIVES TWICE” offered 250 lots on fashion, street art, design furniture and luxury goods, fetching a total of HK$35 million (US$4.5 million), more than double the pre-sale estimate. The huge success encouraged them to join forces again in 2015 for the first dedicated sale on Star Wars – “Return of the NIGO®”. The 175-lot online sale was 100%- sold, achieving US$502,202.

About NIGO®

NIGO®, born in 1970, is a Japanese designer, music producer and creative entrepreneur. In 1993 he opened a store named “Nowhere” in , , and founded the popular street fashion “” in the same year. He sold “A Bathing Ape” in 2011 and co-launched a new label, “HUMAN MADE®”, with Pharrell Williams, which enjoys huge success. NIGO®’s distinct taste and diverse interest have driven him to embark on various creative ventures. He manages to create much hype in the music world as well, having owned a record label, and is currently the DJ and producer of the Japanese hip hop group “®”. He also serves as Creative Director for ’s T-shirt brand “UT” and other Japanese companies, and is the founder of his restaurant venture, “CURRY UP®”

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NOTES TO EDITORS

I) SOTHEBY'S HONG KONG SPRING SALES 2019 CALENDAR (The schedule is subject to change)

Auctions Category 29-31 Mar Tran-scend-ent Wines 31 Mar Modern Art Evening Sale Modern & Contemporary Southeast Asian Art Evening Sale 1 Apr Finest & Rarest Wines Featuring the Château Mouton Rothschild Versailles Celebration Cases Fine Classical Chinese Modern Asian Art – Day Sale Contemporary Art – Day Sale Modern & Contemporary Southeast Asian Art – Day Sale NIGOLDENEYE® Vol. 1 Contemporary Art Evening Sale 2 Apr Fine Chinese Paintings Curiosity V Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite 3 Apr Important Chinese Works of Art Important Watches

Selling Exhibitions Category

29 Mar – 2 Apr Panorama: A New Perspective Lalan: Endless Dance Sotheby’s Diamonds S.J. Phillips Fine Antique and Period Jewellery

HONG KONG EXHIBITION AND AUCTION VENUE

Hall 5, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (New Wing), 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

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Sotheby’s has been uniting collectors with world-class works of art since 1744. Sotheby’s became the first international auction house when it expanded from London to New York (1955), the first to conduct sales in Hong Kong (1973), India (1992) and France (2001), and the first international auction house in China (2012). Today, Sotheby’s presents auctions in 10 different salesrooms, including New York, London, Hong Kong and , and Sotheby’s BidNow program allows visitors to view all auctions live online and place bids from anywhere in the world. Sotheby’s offers collectors the resources of Sotheby’s Financial Services, the world’s only full-service art financing company, as well as the collection advisory services of its subsidiary, Art Agency, Partners. Sotheby’s presents private sale opportunities in more than 70 categories, including S|2, the gallery arm of Sotheby's Global Fine Art Division, and two retail businesses, Sotheby’s Diamonds and Sotheby’s Wine. Sotheby’s has a global network of 80 offices in 40 countries and is the oldest company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (BID).

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium and are net of any fees paid to the purchaser where the purchaser provided an irrevocable bid.

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