LARS SOLD HIS ART
On Tuesday, Lars Ulrich auctioned five paintings from his collection, acquired over a decade between Metallica tours and recording sessions. Fourteen more will be sold in London in June.
Basquiat's monumental 1982 painting easily eclipsed the old mark for a work by the late artist of $3,302,500 set in November 1998 by "Self-portrait," as well as its high pre-sale estimate of $5 million. Along with four other works, it added over $13 million to the bank account of drummer Lars Ulrich who sold the paintings from his impressive collection.
Last week there was an interview with Ulrich in New York Times where he told why he sold his collection. "This journey I've been on for the last 10, 15 years, started many, many years before I met my wife, and I feel it's time to close a chapter of my life and move on to another one. I have a very obsessive personality. I have two kids, and I just want to focus my obsessiveness on other areas."
Q. What relation does the art have with your playing in Metallica?
A. I'm fascinated by a creative moment, trying to guard the moment from contrived infiltration. So most of what we've been trying to do musically has been to be faithful to what comes to you in the moment. Those are the same basics I find myself connecting to in specific painters, or in outsider art by guys that are institutionalized. The same thread runs through it.
Q. Have you ever scheduled Metallica stuff around your collecting? Like if there's an Asger Jorn exhibition in Copenhagen, do you start thinking about studios around there?
A. I can't think that I have. On days off I've jumped on a plane to look at a painting. I can tell you that in the last few years it has made the European tours a little easier. I can walk you through every gallery or museum in every major city.
Q. Are there other musicians out there that you talk art with?
A. Adam Clayton from U2 has a Basquiat hanging in the studio in Dublin. Lenny Kravitz has been purchasing some Basquiat stuff. A lot of musicians have a connection to Basquiat because they consider his whole story to be rebellious. They find that fairly easy to embrace. Once you start talking Asger Jorn or Karel Appel, the company gets a little more selective. Basquiat's story is fascinating, but to me it's secondary to the paintings
