Pharrell Teamed Up With French Tastemaker Sarah Andelman for His Next Big Auction
Joopiter’s next auction is a testament to the power of friendship and collaboration.
The auction platform, founded by multihyphenate Pharrell Williams, announced on Wednesday that its forthcoming sale will be curated in partnership with Sarah Andelman. The French tastemaker helmed iconic Parisian boutique Collette before it closed in 2017 and now spotlights independent talents via Just An Idea. She also happens to be good friends with Williams. The upcoming sale, fittingly titled Just Phriends, will comprise more than 50 lots that range from blue-chip art to exclusive collaborations.
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“For this unique auction, I immediately thought of bringing together the artists and designers who have a history of working with Pharrell, but also a new generation of talents I love and find relevant in today’s culture, that’s why it’s called Just Phriends,” Andelman said in a statement.
Leading the sale is an artwork by Takashi Murakami and Williams called The Simple Things (2008-2009). The technicolor sculpture sees Murakami’s character Mr. DOB with seven bejeweled consumer objects in his mouth. Hand-picked by Williams, these “simple things” include a Pepsi can, a cupcake, Johnson’s Baby Lotion, Heinz Tomato Ketchup, a bag of Doritos, a Trojan Magnum condom and a Billionaire Boys Club trainer.
Specially commissioned pieces on offer include a Kaws riff on the MTV Video Music Awards Moonman and a custom teddy bear jacket by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, as reported by Vogue. There will also be works by an eclectic mix of artists and houses, such as Chanel, Daniel Arsham, Futura, Paola Pivi, Invader, MSCHF, Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, and Richard Mille.
Joopiter only launched last fall but is already exceeding expectations. The platform’s inaugural sale, Son of a Pharaoh, shattered the pre-sale high estimate of $3.2 million with a total of $5.25 million in sales. Considering the collectibles on offer, Just Phriends could well follow suit.
“I’m very honored by Pharrell’s invitation to write a new chapter on Joopiter’s platform,” Andelman adds. “We have known each other for such a long time now, we have so many great souvenirs of collaborations at Colette.”
Just Phriends will be held online from June 19 to 27. The collection will also be on display at Galerie Perrotin in Paris from June 20 to 24, with a pop-up gift shop selling limited-edition items.
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