La Collection of the Renault Group it has always been at the forefront; today she embodies a radically avant-garde vision at the crossroads of art, design and innovation. The 6nd June, rare works will be offered through a live sale, while An online auction entirely dedicated to Henri Michaux will take place from 30 to 7 May. June 2024. Intended to benefit a new endowment fund for art, culture and heritage, these auctions also represent an opportunity to celebrate the exceptional and unique cultural commitments that lie at the heart of France's most iconic automotive company.
Renault and art: the story
It was the 1967 when Renault began a journey extraordinary, taking advantage of the special ties of Claude Renard, an executive with a deep passion for art and culture. Renard had close ties with André Malraux and various artists, who played a crucial role in this undertaking. Renault has developed a pioneering sponsorship model that fostered direct dialogue with artists. This partnership, ranging from financial support to privileged access to workshops, leads to unprecedented collaborations. Renault has empowered talent to create new and often monumental pieces, displaying completed works in its industrial buildings. Over the years, Renault has built an art collection which reflects his involvement in society, carefully bearing witness to and actively engaging with the art of his time. This collection now spans a wide range of disciplines and comprises 550 pieces (including 200 photographs, mostly by Robert Doisneau) of important French and international artists.
A new chapter Faithful to its history and its commitments, Renault will allocate the profits of these auctions to its new endowment fund dedicated to art, culture and heritage. The fund aims to bring together the most iconic works of the collection and a historical collection of photographs. As a symbol of a new chapter in Renault's relationship with art, the fund will also focus on contemporary creation, with the aim of building a unique and ambitious collection of street art. This highly accessible and expressive movement emerged in France in the 60s and 70s and is therefore still considered an emerging field.
Some of the works at auction
The works for sale Famous for having created the iconic diamond that adorned the Renault logo until 1992, Victor Vasarely occupies a special position in the company's history. The live auction on 6 June showcases three paintings by the artist: Tonk (€100.000 – 150.000), Re.Na (€60.000 – 80.000) and CTA 102 (€50.000 – 70.000), presented alongside works by names prominent figures of kinetic art, such as Gran amarillo by Jesús-Rafael Soto (€180.000 – 250.000), Volume virtuall by Julio Le Parc (€50.000 – 70.000).
Other highlights of the auction include three pieces from J's L'Hourloupe seriesIan Dubuffet: Lice tapisse (€1.000.000 – 1.500.000), Le Moment critique (site avec deux personnages) (€600.000 – 800.000) and Fiston la Filoche (€400.000 – 600.000).
Also on display are the works of Sam francis (Without title, €200.000 – 300.000) e Robert Rauschenberg (Untitled, €180.000 – 250.000), which illustrate the symbolic role played by the discovery of contemporary American art in the genesis of the collection.
Finally, the auction includes a series of works by individual artists, such as an abstract painting, Brisures (€180.000 – 250.000), and two bronzes by Jean Fautrier (€15.000 – 20.000 each), and a painting, Quand? (€40.000 – 60.000), and four works on paper by Robert Matta (€4.000 – 6.000 each).
To complement this live event, Christie's will also offer an online auction from 30 May to 7 June featuring an exceptional series of thirty works on paper Henri michaux, with convenient estimates (€3.000 – 8.000) and without reserve price.
Cover image: Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985), Lice tapisse, 1972. Acrylic on Klegecell, 288 x 386 cm. Estimate: €1.000.000 – 1.500.000. © Christie's Ltd Images 2024
