Art Auction - Quentin Follies

This week marks the opening of the annual Quentin Follies art auction, which culminates in a night of theatrical entertainments on the 7th July. Artworks by top name artists such as Richard Hamilton, Patti Smith and Isaac Julien will be available for bids and can be viewed at the house. Named after Quentin Bell (son of Vanessa and Clive Bell) the event is managed by Quentin’s daughter, Cressida Bell. “We started the auction six years ago to boost the fundraising for the Charleston collection, she tells me over the phone. “It looks alright now”, she says, “but there are lots of paintings that belong to other people who want to take them away. The Quentin Follies is about raising money to try and buy them back.”

The cause is a personal one to Cressida, who has fond memories of school holidays at Charleston. Recently she was delighted that they were able to save a childhood favourite painting by Duncan Grant. “I kept saying is there any way we can save that one and we did which was fantastic.” Many of the artists, that have donated works, have been connected with the family or the house. “Richard Hamilton was a friend of my father and Patti Smith knew my mother - who’s 91. Patti told her that she wanted to be like her when she was older.” Cressida and brother, Julian, have also entered artworks themselves. “There’s always a bit of competition between my brother and I over the number of bids”. She laughs, “At the moment I think he’s worth slightly more than me but we’ll see.” ER