Financial Times Profiles Sir David Adjaye for Sotheby’s (RED) Auction

Architect and designer Sir David Adjaye sat down with Financial Times editor Rachel Spence to discuss the third annual (RED) Auction hosted by Sotheby’s. Financial Times ran the interview in its weekend print edition. Adjaye curated the auction alongside contemporary artist Theaster Gates in collaboration with musician and activist Bono.

For the Sotheby’s (RED) Auction, Adjaye reimagined two pieces from his collection for Knoll – a Washington Corona Coffee Table and a Skeleton Side Chair – in a new chrome and red lacquered finish. The pieces are to be auctioned with proceeds benefitting the (RED) Foundation.

(RED) Washington Skeleton Chairs, designed by Sir David Adjaye for Knoll.

While Adjaye resides in Europe, his heritage lies in Ghana where he grew up until the age of fourteen. His connection to Africa inspired him to be one of the “agents of emotional change” in response to the AIDS epidemic, deeming (RED) a worthy organization to work with. “There’s a huge momentum to go beyond aid. But I don’t think Red is about aid,” Adjaye told Spence, “AIDS is a global virus and not something any continent on its own can deal with. What Red is doing is a planetary thing. The beautiful thing is that if we behave like a planet, we can solve lots of problems really quickly.”

(RED) Washington Corona Coffee Table, designed by Sir David Adjaye for Knoll.

The third annual Sotheby’s (RED) Auction will take place during Art Basel Miami Beach and Design Miami on December 5th. A preview of the auction, presented by Gagosian, is open to the public at the Moore Building on December 1st. Proceeds from the auction support community-based programs in Africa through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, as well as the Rebuild Foundation in Chicago.