What’s your favourite Happy Birthday chorus? A bit of Stevie Wonder, or the old 1893 favourite from the Hill sisters? Whichever your preference, clear the throat and send out a rousing burst in the direction of Stewarts Law RCA Secret as the collaboration turns 21!
For those careless enough to have missed the previous 20 events, it’s a partnership between the litigation firm Stewarts Law and London’s Royal College of Art whereby a host of artists contribute a piece of original work to be sold to the public for a song — it’s £55 for a postcard this year. The list of past names is a greatest hits of contemporary designers and creatives including Paul Smith, Jarvis Cocker, and Zaha Hadid, as well as superstar artists with Turner prizes on the mantelpiece. The wheeze is, of course, that the items are anonymous — they are sealed and signed only on the back — and as well as established names, young up-and-comers are involved too. This means you might walk away with an instant classic, or an early work by a star of the future, but either way the next generation of talent is being supported.
A team of 23 top international curators have been asked to commission three artists each, meaning there are plenty of lots to buy and good odds of striking it lucky. Browse the pieces on the RCA Secret 2015 website, register as a collector and decide which ones you like, and then head to the sale on 21 March. Rules on admission and how the sale will be conducted are explained on the website too. The clock is ticking…
