The vast majority of the works are over six decades old. After each exhibition, many would have been taken down and discarded, while a small number found their way into private archives, collectors’ back rooms and personal collections.

Sourcing these works in pristine condition is increasingly rare. We always seek out the finest examples we can find but we also value the subtle traces of their former lives: the occasional fold, a sooty fingerprint or sign of handling that speaks to where they have been and how they were once used.

Rather than detracting from the work, we see these small imperfections as part of its history and a quiet reminder that each piece had a life long before joining the collection at Hommage.