Auction Veteran Simon de Pury Is Quietly Returning to the Art Market as Artistic Director of a Gallery in the English Countryside

After a long hiatus from the art
world, Simon de Pury is making a comeback.

Next month, the former
auctioneer and advisor is joining the new UK gallery Newlands House, set in an
18th-century townhouse in West Sussex, as artistic
director.

It’s a surprisingly sleepy
destination for a man once known as “the Mick Jagger of auctions,”
and who made appearances on reality TV and as a
DJ. Petworth, a
picturesque historic town, is located about an hour from
London. 

The former chairman and chief
auctioneer of Phillips (then called Phillips, De Pury and Company)
is overseeing the gallery’s programming, which is dedicated to
modern and contemporary art, photography, and design. The
7,500-square-foot gallery space is spread across 12 rooms of a
listed Georgian townhouse.

“Newlands House is a cultural center that will
stage top quality exhibitions in the fields of art, design,
photography, and architecture,” de Pury says in a statement. “The
opening of the gallery marks a significant moment for the residents
of Petworth, as well as for visitors from around the country and
beyond, who we expect will be blown away by the beauty of the town
and its surroundings.”

The gallery’s inaugural show
will be a tribute to the late photographer Helmut Newton to
commemorate his 100th birthday. One hundred original works will be
included in the solo exhibition, including a rarely seen 1980 print
that will be on view in the UK for the first time,
Big Nude III
(Henrietta variant). The unique
print polaroid is going on view alongside other marquee works such
as Shoe, Monte
Carlo (1983) and
Elsa Peretti, Bunny, New
York (1975).

“We’re excited the opening show
will be dedicated to the crowning figure of 20th-century
photography, Helmut Newton, and look forward to seeing the artist’s
works displayed within the historic backdrop of the gallery,” de
Pury says.

The gallery’s exhibition program will focus on the great artists
of the 20th century. It will also include events, educational
activities, and talks with artists and curators in an effort to
bring in the surrounding community. An arts cafe is also slated to
open in the building within the year.

Petworth is already something of
an art lover’s getaway. The historic town prides itself on the
National Trust property, Petworth House, a vast mansion inspired by
the Baroque palaces of Europe. The stately home displays one of the
UK’s largest art collections including works by Titian, Bosch, and
Gainsborough, as well as a large collection of landscapes by
Turner. And thelandscape architect Capability Brown designed the
surrounding parkland.

“HELMUT NEWTON 100” opens
March 6 through May 31 at Newlands House, Petworth, West
Sussex.

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to the Art Market as Artistic Director of a Gallery in the English
Countryside appeared first on artnet News.