The British Airways collection is one of the most notable in England when it comes to corporate art collections. Designed to promote modern art, especially British art, internationally, the collection demonstrated the airline’s dedication to supporting visual art. Leading the charge was the London-based curator collective Artwise. Over the course of the cooperation, which took place between 1995 and 2012, they purchased or commissioned more than 1,500 pieces of art by well-known artists, including Bridget Riley, Damien Hirst, Peter Doig, Patrick Heron, Marc Quinn, and David Nash.
Early in the 1990s, the airline made the strategic choice to rebrand and raise brand awareness, which included associating the airline with art and artists. The aim was to develop a contemporary image for British Airways. The collection, which was worth millions, was created with the intention of assisting up-and-coming British artists in addition to being an investment in art.
In addition to advancing British art abroad, the collection had two functions. The airline’s lounge development manager, Angeline Mayhead, says the lounge was intended to emphasize the airline’s dedication to providing premium clients with a cozy and welcoming environment in airport lounges.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic’s unanticipated difficulties compelled British Airways to reevaluate its resources. To offset losses of £1.5 billion over the first three months of the year, the airline decided to put some of its highly valued art collection up for auction.
British Airways and Sotheby’s collaborated to arrange the “Rembrandt to Richter” and “Modern & Post-War British Art” auctions. Renowned artists including Chris Ofili, Gary Hume, Fiona Rae, Anish Kapoor, and Tracey Emin were among those whose pieces were up for auction. Notably, selling for an astounding £1,875,000, Bridget Riley’s “Cool Edge” (1982), which had been a member of the collection for more than three decades, exceeded expectations.
A Few Artworks Auctioned by British Airways in Sotheby’s
The artists up for auction at Sotheby’s “Rembrandt to Richter” and “Modern & Post-War British Art” auctions include March Quinn, Julian Opie, Julian Opie, George Shaw, Patrick Heron, Bridget Riley, and Sir Terry Frost. Some of their auctioned artworks are given below:
Bridget Riley
The British Airways Collection’s “Cool Edge,” a masterwork by Bridget Riley, is a prime example of her groundbreaking investigation of color and optical illusions. Completed in 1982, it is part of a series whose vivid colors were influenced by her trip to Egypt. Riley’s last auctioned piece, which fetched an astounding £1,875,000, demonstrates her skill in Op art and her sophisticated fusion of color, composition, and sensory surprise. Riley’s work mixes a revolutionary artistic language with geometric accuracy, drawing inspiration from art history and her early recollections.
Sir Terry Frost
Using Cornish light, color, and shape, Sir Terence Ernest Manitou Frost RA (1915–2003) was a well-known British abstract artist who helped establish a new art style in England. After fighting in the military during World War II, Frost began his creative career in his 30s and went on to become a prominent abstract painter. He held numerous exhibitions, spoke at different universities, and was knighted in 1998. In 2000, a retrospective honored his noteworthy accomplishments, and in 1992, he was named a Royal Academician. His piece, “Colour Down the Slide,” was put up for auction at Sotheby’s.
Patrick Heron
Based in Zennor, Cornwall, Patrick Heron CBE (1920–1999) was a well-known British writer, critic, and artist. His work, which is known for having influenced modernist painting, concentrated on color, light, and equating every part of a painting. Widely shown, he made contributions to art and critical writing as well. “Scarlet and Bordeaux in Cobalt: September 16th: 1975,” one of his pieces, was put up for auction at Sotheby’s.
George Shaw
Coventry-born English modern artist George Thomas Shaw is well-known for his intricate paintings with suburban themes. Humbrol enamel paints are Shaw’s preferred medium; he was nominated for the 2011 Turner Prize. based in Devon’s Ilfracombe. At Sotheby’s, his piece “Scenes From the Passion: Ash Wednesday” was put up for auction.
Julian Opie
Michael Craig-Martin, an artist, had an impact on Julian Opie, who was born in London in 1958 and graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London in 1982. His pop-art style consists of black line drawings of moving figures and portraits. Criticised for what is seen as commercialism, Opie’s work has been commissioned for major projects all across the world, including the album cover for Blur. His solo exhibitions are held at the National Gallery of Victoria, the Sakshi Gallery in Mumbai, and City Hall Park in New York, among other venues throughout the world. His piece, “Eight Landscapes”, was put up for auction at Sotheby’s.”
Peter Doig
Peter Doig, a well-known artist, finds inspiration for his varied pieces in childhood recollections, images, and other artists. Interestingly, he uses found photos but stays away from photorealism, viewing them as paintings “by proxy.” In addition, Doig founded the monthly StudioFilmClub in 2003, where he chooses movies and creates posters. His “Grasshopper Portfolio” piece of art was put up for auction at Sotheby’s.
Marc Quinn
Born in London on January 8, 1964, Marc Quinn is a well-known contemporary visual artist from Britain who specializes in painting, sculpture, and installations. His work explores topics like identity, the environment, media, genetics, the body, and genetics as it digs into the complexity of human existence. In the 1990s, Quinn became well-known as a pivotal figure in the Young British Artists movement. His piece “Garden2” was put up for auction at Sotheby’s.
References:
- Art Rights-The art collection of the British Airways
- Sotheby’s- Art from the British Airways Collection
Wikipedia- Peter Doig, Julian Opie, George Shaw, Patrick Heron, Terry Frost, Marc Quinn.
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