CHRISTIE’S
This month Christie’s is holding a sale of historic Japanese woodblock prints depicting striking natural landscapes, historic events and mythological stories. Next up, the auction house is launching
Virtue, an auction of post-war and contemporary art that follows its vice-themed auction in May; one of the highlights is this painting of American tennis player Chris Evert by Andy Warhol, estimated to sell for US$300,000-500,000.
Carol Murray featured in in 2000. Opposite page: Murray today in her Mid-levels home
a stereotypically unforgiving and male-dominated industry, Murray ascended as a stockbroker in the Seventies thanks to a steely-minded work ethic that stemmed from her parents, who encouraged trust in gut feelings and self-reliance but also fairness in their daughters.
“I’ve always enjoyed total freedom of expression in my marriage and my husband and I controlled our own personal bank accounts, never needing to discuss purchases of stocks, art, clothing or accessories— only later when we purchased property together did we both jointly agree on it,” Murray says.
The sudden passing of her beloved husband, Allan Murray, in 2016 due to a cerebral haemorrhage was a turning point. “It happened so quickly—within just a few hours. I think for a while I lived in a dream where I was just focused on organising donations of all his memorabilia to his good friends and the clubs he so loved.”
Although born out of tragic circumstances, the challenge of navigating life on her own has been embraced by Murray. “I’m learning new things like Putonghua, and reviving my bridge skills, becoming more open to socialising again and even just reading in peace and quiet and not having to clean up after my shopaholic husband,” she says.
In her early career, Murray looked up to business-oriented role models like Margaret Thatcher; now, she surrounds herself with other tough and passionate women, including her sisters. “We’re great friends. We often meet for Saturday lunches at the Hong Kong Country Club, talking shares, current affairs and any gossip around. We have similar interests, including finance, card games and tennis.”
Frequently described as the “queen of rings” by Carol counts her jewellery collection as a major source of joy. “I love jewellery; my mother Helen has always been a collector and I have followed in her footsteps. Today, I often see new young Hong Kong designers and love to encourage them with my purchases. My hobby is buying rings and earrings in multicoloured designs that are quirky and unique.” Much like their owner.
“I love jewellery; my mother Helen has always been a collector and I have followed in her footsteps”
If Lena Dunham’s TV series was a warts-and-all dissection of what it means to be a female millennial in America, Luo Yang’s 2018 photography series of the same name holds up a mirror to young women in China, breaking away from stereotypes and presumptions of femininity with unpolished images of subjects. Striking, raw and undeniably cool, Yang’s way with a lens has earned her praise from the likes of Ai Weiwei and attention far from her Shanghai studio.
For Yang shot Asian women, mostly born in the
Eighties, over the course of a decade in settings where they felt most at ease, lending a sense of authenticity in an increasingly filtered and airbrushed world.
“The idea mostly came from my personal life,” she says. “I aimed for it to be a record of people I knew and what I saw on a daily basis. Their stories touched me and I thought it would’ve been such a pity to let those precious moments be forgotten in time.”
Her latest work, resulted from Yang travelling across Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan while