At the Modern & Contemporary Prints auction at Bloomsbury on March 26th, a rare sole artwork by a rising British artist sat alongside works by some of the greatest artists of the 20th century. With prints on sale from the likes of Henri Matisse, L.S. Lowry, Marc Chagall, Dali and Picasso; the auction read like an art history exam pamphlet.
With a strong presence of Banksy artworks available toward the end, it was left to another phenomenal Brit to carry the baton and lead the bidders into the 21st century where all eyes were focused on lot number 280: A coloured Princess Diana by JJ Adams.
Eventually, once the bidding ceased and the hammer dropped, the Diana sold for £3,500. A hugely respectable figure that outshone the final prices on rival works by Banksy, Picasso and Chagall.
Two days later at midday JJ Adams launched his Spring collection which caused a frenzy in galleries across the country; with collectors and admirers queuing from the early hours for his public appearance in Brighton. By 1pm the entire portfolio was sold out from the studio. The aftermath confirming beyond all doubt to the art establishment that a new star had arrived!