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Robbie Williams curated an artwork collection with Ed Godrich.
The ‘Angels' hitmaker has been collaborating with the interior designer for five years and is finally ready to display the 14 pieces – including those by artists such as Damien Hirst, Banksy and Jean-Michel Basquiat – in the ‘Black and White Paintings' exhibition celebrating 1990s rave culture, followed by an auction at Sotheby's in London.
Regarding the exhibition, which will run between 13 to 25 May, the 48-year-old singer said: “Art is really whatever you want it to be.
“Just like music it has the ability to soothe and provide company when you're lonely.”
Robbie and Ed are gearing up to sell one of their own creations for the first time – a picture titled ‘Beverly', expected to go for £20,000 at the Contemporary Curated auction – and the star believes in the “power” music and art have in affecting his approach to life.
He added: “Art and music have punctuated my ups and downs but, more importantly, they both have the power to change how I feel in a moment.”
The ‘Let Me Entertain You' hitmaker compared the dynamic he and Ed share to that of a band.
Robbie explained: “Ed's and my outlook on life and sensibilities are eerily similar. In music terms, Ed plays the piano, while I write the melodies and the words.
“To continue the metaphor, we also write songs separately and bring them together. We're in a band.”
Meanwhile, Ed believes the work they make together “take on the rhythm of whatever is playing”.
He added: “I create art and can spend hours discussing art with Robbie because we have similar brains, which are in no way combative, just progressive and full of ideas the whole time.
“Our paintings take on the rhythm of whatever is playing – and that's usually electronic music.
“Everyone will see something different in each picture, whether that's the influence of the music playing at the time, or something else.”
Robbie revealed he started “collecting” when his solo career took off after he left boy band Take That while sharing tips for “burgeoning collectors”.
He said: “I started collecting when I wrote Angels, that gave me the financial capacity to collect.
“For you burgeoning collectors, my advice would be to buy what you like – it hasn't let me down.
“It's important to engage with the art you buy, and you have to have an emotional reaction to the piece.”
