The Irishman Who Made Damien Hirst A Star

SOTHEBY’S SALE OF FRANK AND LORNA DUNPHY’S COLLECTION

“Smashed Yellow Ball at Peace”, Damien Hirst

This September Sotheby’s London organised one of its most remarkable auctions of 2018: the sale of “Yellow Ball: The Frank and Lorna Dunphy collection”. Frank and Lorna have been involved in the art scene for over 30 years, during which they bought and collected artworks; this latest collection included over 200 artworks by famous contemporary artists, and totaled 10,088,125 GBP. The result was extraordinary, as the expected total was between £6m and £8.4m: most artworks had several bidders competing for it, resulting in prices exceeding the estimates. The beating heart of this collection is a series of works that Damien Hirst, one of the most famous contemporary artists in the whole world, had made specifically for the Dunphys during the 1990s. However, the exhibition included remarkable works by Tracey Emin and Rachel Whiteread, other famous members of British Contemporary art scene, but also by worldwide recognized artists such as Andy Warhol and Lucio Fontana. The latter’s work, a 1961 cut piece, was sold for £1,174,00 (est. £600,000-800,000), ranking at the top of the entire sale.

Lucio Fontana's cut piece, 1961

Despite hosting works by several renowned artists, Damien Hirst is the name that stands out the most, as his relationship with Dunphy lasted 15 years and it was thanks to that encounter that Hirst started building up his extraordinary career. It is not by chance that the title of the collection is, in fact, taken from “Smashed Yellow Ball at Peace”, a butterfly painting on a yellow background that Hirst gave to Dunphy as a present.  The duo met in the early 90s after Hirst’s mother had heard about Dunphy’s practice; they started working together in 1995 and Frank Dunphy was definitely pivotal in his rise to stardom in the art world. Born in Ireland, Dunphy moved to England in the 50s, and ended up representing many artists and actors from the very beginning: his experience and entrepreneurial skills allowed him to grasp Hirst’s talent, and he decided to invest in him.

Artist Damien Hirst with his business manager Frank Dunphy pictured with some of his artworks.

The bond between Dunphy and Hirst was extremely tight, as the two could even be considered “partners in crime” (Sotheby’s). “Behind every great creative genius is a Svengali-type character who helps unleash and channel their brilliance. For Damien Hirst this was Frank Dunphy, whose Midas touch is now legendary”. What Oliver Baker, chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, says in the previous quote explains extremely clearly the type of relationship that was built during those 15 years of partnership. Dunphy saw Hirst’s potential, and he can now be considered a full-fledged artistic celebrity. He played a crucial role in his dynamic and vibrant career path: for instance, by being involved in the 1999 sale where he broke the £1 million barrier. He also participated to the Pharmacy Auction in 2004 and the Beautiful Inside My Head Forever in 2008, which totaled £11.1m and £111m respectively. Their business relationship ended in 2010 when Dunphy decided to retire; however, their bond goes beyond business. Many of the works in the collection were presents Hirst had made specifically for Dunphy: the title of the collection ‘Yellow Ball’, for instance, recalls the circular butterfly painting on a yellow background named “Smashed Yellow Ball at Peace”, which Hirst had given to Dunphy as a present. This is not the only artwork Hirst had made specifically for his long-time friend: the paint-splattered bust (tot.) had been created to celebrate Dunphy’s 70th birthday, while the 1997 pill cabinet was given to him while being sick.

Dollar Sign, Andy Warhol

Regarding the actual collection, it includes also some less conventional pieces like a sketch Hirst had drawn on the back of a restaurant menu and the Marlboro Light pack by Tracey Emin. She, like Hirst, was part of the Young British Artists , a group of artists who started exhibiting together in London between the eighties and the nineties. All of the works he collected in his life, including the ones on sale, were “collected with a very assiduous eye”, as Oliver Baker pointed out. At the age of 80 and after 30 years as pivotal figure in the art world, he ended up with a “joyful group of objects”. It is clear that timing is everything: Dunphy knew the right people in the right moments. It was also thanks to his unorthodox approach to the art business that he became such an important figure in the art scene and pushed many artists to the current stardom. Dunphy entered the art world in a perfect moment, the nineties, when contemporary art was booming, and the audience was demanding more and more works by the Young British Artists. Rachel Whiteread, a member of the YBA and one of Dunphy’s protégées, said “people were starting to make money and he gave good advice”. He was a fundamental figure in the career of many artists and they would respond trusting him and at times gifting him with an artwork. Whiteread herself gave him a sculpture: “Untitled (For Frank), 1999”. He was clearly the mastermind behind several strategic moves by some of the most famous contemporary artists. It is clear that the relationship between Dunphy and Hirst impacted remarkably the art world; while Hirst was producing his most famous works, the Dunphys were enlarging their collection through auction purchases and gifts. But as the Dunphy’s said: “The time has come to say goodbye to some of the art, though not the memories nor the friendships”.