The Sotheby’s guest-curated sale “#TTTOP” by K-pop superstar T.O.P (aka Choi Seung-hyun) was not only a sensation in the auction room, but also on Instagram.

In a bid to lure a younger generation into art and art collecting, Sotheby’s joined forces with singer T.O.P from the South Korean boy band BIGBANG. Sure enough, the saleroom attracted many bidders, including a flock of young girls with backpacks who were permitted to watch the auction minutes before it began, probably hoping for a glimpse of the celebrity. Alas, T.O.P had already left Hong Kong, according to sources.

The success of the sale and its attendance was all thanks to T.O.P’s continuous posting on his Instagram account, which boasts 5.8 million followers – well, that and his good looks. His photographs of the works offered, including one of him in bed with the Murakami pillow on Instagram, attracted many comments from his South Korean fan base.
“Through video, social media, the web, and exhibitions in both Korea and Hong Kong, we introduced millions of young enthusiasts to T.O.P’s passion for art, and to the work of this special group of contemporary artists,” said Yuki Terase, Specialist at Sotheby’s Contemporary Asian Art Department, who worked with the singer on the sale.

Whether or not these young fans participated in the auction, the sale yielded an impressive HK$ 136 million (US$ 17 million), exceeding its presale estimate of HK$ 90 million. A generous portion of the sale’s total will benefit the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) to aid the work of emerging Asian artists.

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s large yellow-graffitied canvas “Infantry” led the auction, selling for HK$ 46.7 million (US$ 5,984,625) to an anonymous buyer. Other lots by Western artists performed well, either selling beyond or within their estimates. However, three pieces surprisingly failed to find buyers, including Andy Warhol’s glittery “Diamond Dust Shoes,” and paintings by George Condo and Sigmar Polke. Despite these, this was “the highest-value sale of Western Contemporary art ever held during a major auction series in Hong Kong,” according to the auction house.

The stars of the show were commissioned pieces created specially for the auction by Japanese artists Takashi Murakami, Nawa Kohei, Tomita Naoki, and Kaneuji Teppei. All the commissioned lots found buyers, surpassing their high estimates; most notably the first lot of the auction, “PixCell – T.O.P (DOOM DADA),” which sold for HK$ 562,500 – more than seven times its high estimate.

Apart from exceeding estimates, the sale also broke new auction records for four artists: He Xiangyu, Kaneuji Teppei, Park Jina, and Gokita Tomoo. New auction records were also set for Lee Ufan’s “With Winds,” which achieved HK$ 10.9 million (US$ 1.4 million), as well as for Keith Haring’s works on paper, consisting of 23 pieces, which sold for HK$ 8.2 million (US$ 1.1 million).

All prices include Buyer’s Premium unless otherwise specified.

Source: Blouinartinfo

BIGBANG singer’s role as co-curator generates unprecedented interest in Sotheby’s #TTTOP sale – even though 28-year-old was only there in spirit, having flown out a day earlier – with schoolgirls queueing to get in

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – AUGUST 25: T.O.P of BigBang poses for photographs during the movie ‘Tazza: The High Rollers 2’ press premiere at Geondae Lotte Cinema on August 25, 2014 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by ilgan Sports/Multi-Bits via Getty Images)

T.O.P of BigBang poses for photographs during the movie ‘Tazza: The High Rollers 2′ press premiere at Geondae Lotte Cinema on August 25, 2014 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by ilgan Sports/Multi-Bits via Getty Images)

BIGBANG member T.O.P. sat down for an interview wwith CNN Style to discuss his upcoming Sotheby’s charity auction #TTTOP in Hong Kong in which he will participate as a curator. The CNN Style article described the idol-actor as “a passionate art collector.”

Allkpop reported that for the interview, T.O.P. introduced the works of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lee Ufan, and more, proving his deep love for art.

The article from CNN Style also mentioned that a contemporary Asian art specialist at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, Yuki Terase, depicts T.O.P.’s tastes as “eclectic” and identifies “Infantry” by the late American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and a commissioned work by the idol’s friend, Japanese artist Kohei Nawa, as auction highlights.

Terase says, “It reflects and represents what young Asian collectors are starting to collect. They do not collect according to categories, culture, or schools of thought, they just collect what appeals to them aesthetically. So, it is very personal. T.O.P. is not bound by any books or series of how the collection should be.”

In the interview, Choi Seung Hyun, T.O.P.’s real name explained, “My life is often very exciting as I live both as the musician T.O.P. from BIGBANG and as multiple characters through my acting. When my mind is tired from such a life, I find healing and consolation through the immense beauty of art and am always newly inspired. When I see designs or paintings that gratify me, and when I see something good or an unimagined kind of beauty in art, I feel a certain envy which stimulates me even more.”

He further said, “The auction combined the works of Asian and Western artists, and though there are many celebrated artists’masterpieces, I wonder what it will be like if they are mixed with the works of up and coming artists’ ‘young’ tastes.”

“I am very proud to see all the pieces that I carefully curated for over a year gathered in one place but I am also nervous at the thought of sharing the happiness and the other whirlwind of emotions I felt with so many people,” he ended.

Source: Koreaportal.com

South Korean pop star T.O.P was in Hong Kong to attend the preview of his collection for auction house Sotheby’s!

Daesung of BigBang giving Malaysian fans a feel of Trot (a genre of pop music in South Korea that sounds like Dangdut) with his solo hit Look At me, Gwisoon. Photos: IME Productions

It has been a year since South Korean supergroup BigBang was last in Malaysia, and fortunately for their adoring fans, K-pop goodbyes are not forever.

And boy does absence make the heart grow fonder!

Malaysian VIPs (as BigBang fans are nicknamed) screamed wildly as soon as the K-pop royalties appeared at its 2016 BigBang Made (VIP) Tour in Kuala Lumpur recently, and that was only their video flashing on the giant screens.

When the four band members actually walked on stage at Stadium Merdeka, it was rapturous. Who can blame them though? This is a bittersweet love reunion for BigBang and the VIPs as the boyband marks their 10th anniversary (a decade is eternity in K-pop) with its two-year military service conscription and nuclear-arm crazy North Korean leader Kim Jong Un looming.

And the VIPs were already feeling the sweet sorrow parting with the absence of the oldest and fifth BigBang member, T.O.P, who is reportedly scheduled to serve his country at the end of the year.

But as one VIP tearfully whispered, they will take it Haru Haru (day by day).

That seminal hit of the group was sadly not on the playlist that night as BigBang rocked out the chart toppers from its Made and Alive albums. You would have thought with it being an anniversary celebration, all the boys would have rolled out a goldie oldie or two…

Not that the fans cared as they lapped up the newer goodies, from Loser, Bad Boy, Bang Bang Bang, Sober, Bae Bae to We Like 2 Party and Fantastic Baby.

The boys sure knew how to put on a fantastic party, so much so that you can’t help but feel sorry for our historical arena as the group’s explosive rhythms kept it banging like a loose cannonball throughout the show.

The electric vibe did not ease even as the band started belting its rare ballad, If You, which supposedly is a love letter from G-Dragon to his secret ex-girlfriend.

This set the stage for the solo performances of the individual BigBang members: Strong Baby by Seungri; Look At Me, Gwisoon! by Daesung; Eyes Nose Lips by Taeyang and Crooked by GD, which was capped with Good Boy, Taeyang’s electro-dance duet with GD.

By this time, the VIPs were giddily shrieking along as they energetically brandished their bright yellow VIP crown lightsticks in the sizzling night air.

The solo performances perhaps show why the eclectically inventive boyband is as hot as ever after 10 years in an exceedingly manufactured music industry where uniformity is highly regarded.

For one, Daesung was one of the first Korean idols, if not the pioneer, to record a Trot song (a Dangdut-like classic pop genre in Korea), and he hilariously proved his versatility with his cool ahjussi (uncle) moves to his latest Trot number Gwisoon!

Seungri performing his solo hit Strong Baby.

As a bon voyage party of sorts, the 2016 BigBang Made (VIP) Tour – supported by Malaysia Major Events, a division of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, Tourism and Culture Ministry – ended way too soon, at least on the music side for me.

With it being a concert-cum-fanmeet, the show was stripped of the flamboyant personas that BigBang had embraced in the last few years to give fans a peek of the “real” side of the K-pop powerhouse.

The boys even put on a “live variety show” where they invited fans to “play” with them in a series of games before their performance.

But due to our strict non-fraternisation rules under PUSPAL (Central Agency for Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes), one assumes, BigBang had refrained from inviting fans to join them in the games onstage as they do in other countries.

Luckily, our K-pop fans are a good-natured lot and had refused to let the blight spoil their fun.

They were resolved to relish whatever fan service they got – despite being made voyeurs at their own party – and return the love and more.

Bring on the next BigBang decade!

Source: Star2