Our new Chancellor
Has got it covered
An exhibition has opened at the York Art Gallery for one of Britain’s bestselling contemporary artists, Harland Miller.
Miller, who hails from Yorkshire, is known for his paintings that mimic old Penguin paperback covers. He got the idea from his father, who bought old paperbacks by the box, hoping he might find a valuable first edition. He never did.
His son, though, is represented by the fashionable White Cube gallery, where his works sell for up to £250,000. Auction prices are catching up, too. Two works in the York exhibition were owned by the pop singer George Michael
and were sold at Christie’s last year, soaring above estimates to £212,500 (Death, What’s In It for Me?) and £237,500 (Incurable Romantic Seeks Dirty Filthy Whore).
Many of Miller’s collectors are in the fashion and entertainment business. They include Elton John, Ed Sheeran and Angus Young, the AC/DC guitarist. A spokesman for the Maddox Gallery, which also sells Miller’s work, says it sells “even faster than Banksy”.
Lenders to the York exhibition include the theatrical producer Adam Kenwright and former Tesco
boss Terry Leahy and his wife, Dr Alison Leahy. Of particular interest is Rags to
Polyester – My Story, loaned by a Mr and Mrs Sunak.
The evidence suggested that this is none other than our new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, and his wife, Akshata. First, Sunak’s seat is in Richmond, less than 50 miles from York. The title of the painting refers to the fashion industry, in which Akshata, the daughter of an Indian billionaire, is involved, and the date the painting was last sold – 2012 – is the year after she launched her first
collection. Added to this is the fact that her mother is an author published by Penguin. Yesterday all became clear as Rishi Sunak confirmed to the Telegraph that the painting was his.
Collectors of contemporary African art appear to be in selling mode. At Bonhams next month, there are works for sale from the collections of Richard Branson, Charles Saatchi and the Manchester businessman Frank Cohen. Saatchi has submitted eight works, valued at more than £38,000 and Cohen five,
valued at a minimum of £48,000. The largest consignment, though, comes from Branson – 17 works valued in excess of £100,000 that he bought between 2007 and 2010.
At the time Branson said: “It’s been a wonderful experience building a collection that reflects the energy, diversity and hope for the future of all the people of this great continent.”
Proceeds will be split between Branson’s charity, Virgin Unite, and his former brother-in-law Robert Devereux’s African Arts Trust.