LONDON.- Phillips launches its 8 May Photographs sale. The London Photographs department will offer a diverse and exciting mix of vintage and Contemporary works by leading and notable artists of the 20th and 21st Centuries. The viewing will be open to the public from Thursday 2 May 2013.

“Once again we are delighted to have such a rich and vibrant mix of photography representing desirable names from the 20th and 21st Centuries attractive to all types of Photo collector from new buyer to connoisseur.” Lou Proud, Head of Photographs, London

The auction begins with a rare and beautiful set of 1970s fashion images by Guy Bourdin seen in Lot 1, this group of 5 exquisite works estimated at £10,000 -15,000, depict Guy Bourdin at his most classic displaying the kind of iconic images that he is known for. Other notable works from the fashion genre are, Nude under wet silk, Paris, circa 1937 by Erwin Blumenfeld estimated at £7,000 – 9,000, Helmut Newton, Nude on Seaweed St. Tropez, 1976 from Private Property Suite I estimated at £5,000 – 7,000 and the wonderful and luscious Bee on Lips, New York, September 22, 1995 by Irving Penn estimated at £50,000 – 70,000. This exquisite work by Penn, a sumptuous Dye Transfer Print illustrates his steadfast perfectionist streak and desire to deliver the most immaculate image, it also offers a sharp contrast to the selenium toned silver gelatin print of Rochas Mermaid Dress (B), (Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn), Paris, 1950, estimated at £50,000 – 70,000 seen in Lot 57.

Portraiture features strongly in the sale. The outstanding and compelling self-portrait by Robert Mapplethorpe estimated at £30,000 – 50,000 is Lot 12. Mapplethorpe presents himself as part nineteenth century dandy part rock and roll figurine, delivering the image with his characteristic 60’s formalism and largely unrivalled tonality. Other portraits in the sale include The Kray Brothers, 1965 by David Bailey estimated at £6,000 – 8,000, Bob Dylan, “Musician/Poet”, 1965 by Jerry Schatzberg estimated at £3,000 – 5,000 and David Hockney, Los Angeles, 1983 by Annie Leibovitz estimated at £4,000 – 6,000.

The top lot in the sale, 77 Works by Nobuyoshi Araki estimated at £100,000-120,000 is a group of works put together by one avid collector of Araki’s work. The group includes nudes, skyscapes, still life and outdoor scenes as silver gelatin, colour and Polaroid prints is a fusion of classic composition and a contemporary perspective on Japan’s cultural traditions. Such a collection of works by Araki has never been sold at auction as one Lot before.

The contemporary genre of photography is strongly represented at Phillips London. Two fantastic works by Thomas Ruff are seen in Lots 33 and 34. Lot 33 jpegvs01, 2004 estimated at £35,000 – 40,000 is inspired from the way that we receive images now in today’s media, following on a way from the old tradition of wiring pictures, Ruff noted how low resolution shots are sometimes the first image we have of a life changing instance, they are terrible quality yet we understand them – here he goes about deconstructing what an image has become to some and continuing his usual fascination with how we perceive and receive.

Lot 37 shows 4 works by Ed Ruscha, Vacant Lots, 1970 estimated at £12,000 – 18,000. Ed Ruscha takes his contemporary art practice in to the realms of photography using this particular recording vehicle to carry on his obsession with splinters of time and serialization.

Axel Hütte in Lot 86 delivers a dense paradise in his work Olympic Peninsula I – Washington, USA, 2004 estimated at £10,000- 15,000. Here Hütte, a prominent member of the Düsseldorf school, uses his camera as his brush to paint a romantic landscape, waiting patiently with his large format camera to capture a piece of opulence that is seductively beautiful.

The sale also features Contempory works by Florian Maier-Aichen, Jack Pierson, Elger Esser, Dan Holdsworth, Adam Fuss, Vik Muniz and Valerie Belin among others.