Public School presents exhibit at Sotheby's

Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, the designers behind the hip contemporary label Public School and the new creative directors for DKNY, have more than just a great sense of style and fashion. The design duo is currently the force behind the fourth floor of Sotheby's print collection. The exhibition, which was open to the public from Thursday, November 19, to Sunday, November 22, preceded the auction taking placing today November 23, and Tuesday, November 24.

Their selections, which include prints from artists like Pablo Picasso and Keith Haring, might seem like they were selected based on the designers’ good tastes, but, there was a method to their creative genius. "We grew up in New York City, so we had a lot of exposure to art," Chow said. "So, when going through the exhibit you see it arranged from how we were exposed to art throughout our time in school, starting with Keith Haring and going to Picasso, it's very linear."

"I saw a lot of Keith Haring when I was growing up, everywhere you go there was something Keith Haring in the city," Osborne said. "So, I chose Keith Haring, and though about a lot of the different ways I saw street art when I was growing up.”

In a statement, Mary Bartow, head of Sotheby's prints department, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Public School on our exhibition this season. The CFDA has recognized emerging designers Dao-Yi Chow & Maxwell Osborne for their remarkable innovation and creativity in the fashion world, and we are excited to see their unique vision through the lens of our Prints exhibition." Bartow went on to add that, "Public School is celebrated for their ability to mix high and low references from fashion and art, and this dialogue with our auction will bring a unique perspective to the wide variety of works in the sale.”

The price for one of the pieces at Sotheby's auction can range anywhere from 6000 dollars to 80,000 dollars. Keep in mind, that is just the starting price, and there is no telling how much a final bid will be for a Picasso. It's not unheard of that one of those Picasso prints will go for around 3 million dollars.

The total auction will offer around 390 works from other artists including Andy Warhol and Edvard Munch. Offerings from Warhol include the full portfolios of Mao and Marilyn Monroe. Estimates for the total collection of Marilyn prints is up to 2 million dollars.

Fashion and art forever exist in a symbiotic relationship, and this exhibit done in collaboration with Public School is a great representation for that. Between taking over Donna Karan's label DKNY, and now dipping their toes in the art pool, it's a wonder what the dynamic duo known as Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne will do next.