Chef Massimo Bottura to Curate Sotheby's Contemporary Curated Auction in New York

On September 26, Sotheby's Contemporary Curated auction in New York will feature Massimo Bottura, a Michelin-starred chef and art enthusiast, as the guest curator. The owner of the renowned Osteria Francescana in Modena, Bottura has handpicked his preferred selections from a pool of over 300 lots. Among the featured artists are Alighiero Boetti, Cecily Brown, Francesco Clemente, and Damien Hirst. Last year, Bottura launched a new Osteria at Gucci Garden in Florence and opened Torno Subito at W Dubai – The Palm in February. Together with his wife Lara Gilmore, he established Maria Luigia, a boutique hotel near Modena showcasing works by Ai Weiwei and Cindy Sherman. Bottura's collection also includes pieces by Vik Muniz and Andy Warhol. He remarked on how art shapes his culinary creations, specifically referencing Simon Starling's 2003 bicycle piece as a muse for 'The Crunchy Part of Lasagna.' Art critic Achille Bonito Oliva has described Bottura as the 'sixth artist of the Transavanguardia,' although Bottura prefers to identify as an artisan, or 'artiere.'