Press | Phillips

Phillips To Offer A Unique Upcycled Suite of Furniture –

A Collaboration Between Giancarlo Valle, Marc Jacobs, and Rob Wilson,

To Raise Funds for The LGBT Community Center

Project Curated by Dung Ngo to be Offered in Phillips’ New York

Design Auction on 9 June 2021

Unique bench

Estimate: $4,000-6,000

Photography by Martien Mulder

NEW YORK – 20 MAY 2021 – A unique set of upcycled furniture, a design collaboration between architect/designer Giancarlo Valle, fashion designer Marc Jacobs, and artist/illustrator Rob Wilson, will be offered by Phillips in its New York Design auction on 9 June. The project began in June 2020 when New Yorkers joined in nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice. As a sign of solidarity, design curator Dung Ngo commissioned Rob Wilson to paint a mural on the boarded storefront of Marc Jacobs’ shop Bookmarc, based on the poignant theme of “Unity Through Books.” As New York City begins to open again, the mural has been transformed—in order to make a contribution toward the advancement of equity for and inclusion of transgender and gender nonconforming people of color.

Two unique side tables

Estimate: $4,000-6,000

Photography by Martien Mulder

In May 2021, as New York City reopens, Ngo commissioned the architect/designer Giancarlo Valle to create unique furniture pieces from Rob Wilson’s mural plywood boards used in the Bookmarc windows. Composed of two benches and a pair of end tables, the suite of furniture pieces plays off Wilson’s graphic elements and continue the “upcycling” of the plywood boards.

The furniture pieces will be auctioned by Phillips in the New York Design sale on 9 June, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting RiseOut: the statewide LGBTQ advocacy initiative of New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. Alongside 50+ coalition partners, The Center advocates for and amplifies the voices of LGBTQ New Yorkers, aiming to center the needs of those most impacted by oppression and discrimination, particularly BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) and TGNCNB (Transgender, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary) people. The initiative works to dismantle barriers to social and restorative justice, economic opportunity, affirming health care and more. (gaycenter.org/advocacy)

This project is a collaboration between Rob Wilson (artist/illustrator), Giancarlo Valle (architect/designer), and CainCain Studio (fabricator), organized by Dung Ngo, along with the participation of the teams at Bookmarc, Marc Jacobs and Phillips, all of whom have donated their time and talent to bring this extraordinary and joyful collaboration to fruition.

Says Marc Jacobs about the project, “We’re excited to introduce these amazing pieces by Giancarlo Valle, who took the impactful artwork by Rob Wilson and reimagined them in a way that allows the message of equality to live on.”

About Bookmarc

In 2010, as bricks and mortar bookstores were disappearing from the global landscape Marc Jacobs opened its first Bookmarc store on Bleecker Street in New York's West Village. Shortly thereafter the concept expanded to Paris, London, and Tokyo, stocking photography, fine art, fiction, music, pop culture and rare titles. Artists, authors, and icons including Carine Roitfeld, Nan Goldin, Richard Hell, Grace Coddington, and Anjelica Huston have sought out Bookmarc as a first-choice venue for book launches with friends and fans, who line the block to greet and celebrate new releases.

About Giancarlo Valle Studio

Giancarlo Valle is an International award-winning New York-based design company encompassing the worlds of architecture, interiors, and the decorative arts. With a holistic approach, the studio imagines projects that are refined, playful, studied, and unexpected, working with passionate clients to create indelible experiences.

In 2019, Giancarlo made his debut into Architectural Digest's prestigious AD100 list, celebrating the industry's top global talents. The studio has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Vogue, W Magazine, and Christies Magazine. Giancarlo has also been recognized in AD100 France.

The Giancarlo Valle furniture collection has been presented with Collective Design Fair, Design Miami in 2018 with Atelier Courbet, and at Salone de Mobile 2019 with Rossana Orlandi and is currently on view in their Tribeca showroom.

About Rob Wilson

Rob Wilson is an illustrator and graphic designer. Originally from West Texas, he founded the firm Silas Tom in 2011. Wilson brings his wit and distinctive style to projects that include work for Design Within Reach, Neiman Marcus, AT&T, Dell, HarperCollins, Nasher Sculpture Center, Departures, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. He is also the creator of the icon for Welcome to Night Vale, one of the most downloaded podcasts in the world. His work has been honored by Communication Arts, AIGA, Print, Type Director’s Club and Graphis. He was part of First Things First during NYCxDesign Week, and groups shows at Erin Cluley Gallery and ArtSpace 14 Exhibition at Pan McMillan London. In 2018 Rob was nominated for the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award.

About Dung Ngo

Dung Ngo is a New York-based independent creative director and design curator, and the editor-in-chief of AUGUST Journal. Previously he was the creative director and senior editor at Rizzoli Publications, where he worked with a diverse list of authors including Valentino, Paul Smith, Marc Jacobs, Atelier AM, and Francois Halard. His current clients include Apple, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Stanford University.

About The Center

Established in 1983 because of the AIDS crisis, New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center has grown and evolved over the last four decades, creating and delivering services that empower people to lead healthy, successful lives. The Center continues to serve the LGBTQ community through virtual support services, launched almost immediately after their building closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center offers a wide range of services including virtual one-on-one counseling; substance use treatment and support groups; virtual youth drop-in space; online arts and culture programming; health insurance navigation and a virtual “front desk” open weekdays to respond to community inquiries. To learn more about how The Center is serving the community during this time, please visit gaycenter.org.

Design

New York Auction 9 June 2021

Highlights Preview

450 Park Avenue, New York, NY, United States, 10022 (map)

Park Avenue

22 - 25 May

Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm

Sunday, 12pm-6pm

Sale Exhibition

Southampton

5 - 8 June

Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm

Sunday, 12pm-6pm

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ABOUT PHILLIPS

Phillips is a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century art and design. With dedicated expertise in the areas of 20th Century and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewelry, Phillips offers professional services and advice on all aspects of collecting. Auctions and exhibitions are held at salerooms in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, while clients are further served through representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Phillips also offers an online auction platform accessible anywhere in the world. In addition to providing selling and buying opportunities through auction, Phillips brokers private sales and offers assistance with appraisals, valuations, and other financial services.

Visit www.phillips.com for further information.

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium; prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium.

PRESS CONTACTS:

NEW YORK – Magda Grigorian, Chief Communications Officer mgrigorian@phillips.com +1 212 940 1384

NEW YORK – Jaime Israni, Public Relations Director, Americas jisrani@phillips.com +1 212 940 1398

PHILLIPS NEW YORK - 450 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022

PHILLIPS LONDON - 30 Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6EX

PHILLIPS HONG KONG - 14/F St. George’s Building, 2 Ice House Street, Central Hong Kong

PHILLIPS GENEVA - Rue de la Confédération, 7 Geneva 1204

VISIT US AT: www.phillips.com

20 May 2021

Phillips To Offer A Unique Upcycled Suite of Furniture – A Collaboration Between Giancarlo Valle, Marc Jacobs, and Rob Wilson, To Raise Funds for The LGBT Community Center