Inside the Beckhams’ love for art as family pose for pic in London home next to £3m artwork to mark Victoria’s birthday
THEY posed in their finery for the perfect family portrait last weekend.
Victoria Beckham was turning 50 and, in true Posh Spice style, lit up Instagram by posting a snap of her with husband David and their children Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper in the hallway of their £30million West London home.
But despite splashing out an estimated £250,000 on the party at swanky private members’ club Oswald’s, in London’s Mayfair, it seems Posh likes her money where she can see it — hanging on her walls.
David is stood proudly in the family portrait next to a huge painting which depicts a nurse dripping in blood.
It is understood that this work is by one of the Beckhams’ favourite artists, American painter and photographer Richard Prince.
The canvas, reckoned to have a £3million price tag, is said to be from Prince’s series of artworks Nurses, which show white-uniformed figures based on 20th-century pulp novels.
Elsewhere, a drawing believed to be by Salvador Dali and worth an estimated £100,000 hangs beneath their stairs.
The provocative piece shows two bodies merging together when the Spanish artist began experimenting with erotica themes.
Our art insider told us: “The pencil drawing appears to be from Dali and shows the body parts entwined in a provocative manner.
‘Taken seriously’
“It is a statement that the Beckhams want to be taken seriously as collectors — especially given where it is placed.
“People hang their favourite art in two places — above the fire-place and near a staircase — so everyone will see it.”
They added: “David and Victoria clearly enjoy surrealism, and provocative pieces, and are interested in street art, pop art and American culture.
“But the Beckhams are also keen to support up-and-coming artists.”
They now frequent some of the major international galleries.
Our source added: “Their taste is evolving from commercial Mayfair galleries to the likes of Gagosian and White Cube, which is considered a step up in the art world.”
Speaking last year about her growing interest in art, Victoria told Harper’s Bazaar magazine: “It’s not football, it’s not fashion, it’s not music — it’s something totally different that David and I are enjoying learning about together.
“I’m not pretending to be the greatest expert but I’m really enjoying learning.”
The Beckhams are clearly huge fans of Richard Prince’s work, after they commissioned a piece by him which showed Posh in the Spice Girls video for the band’s 1996 hit, Say You’ll Be There.
David was in a hotel room with his then Manchester United and England teammate Gary Neville when the video was showing on TV at the time and it was at this moment that he pointed at Victoria on the screen and said: “I’m going to marry that one.”
She added: “We have a few of Richard’s pieces but this one is especially cool because it’s of me as Posh Spice.”
I have no doubt Victoria will be picking up her own paintbrush very soon.
MICK JAGGER looked out of this world in this Instagram of his visit to Nasa HQ.
The Rolling Stones frontman dropped by at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas before the band kicked off their Hackney Diamonds tour of North America in the city.
He captioned his snap: “Thanks @nasa for being so welcoming to us and great to be shown around by astronauts Josh Cassada, Bob Hines and Jessica Meir.”
BLUE IS NEW JADE
JADE THIRLWALL was feeling far from blue, although wearing a whole load of it, as she appeared on set to film the video for her debut solo single.
The Little Mix star looked unrecognisable in a huge faux fur coat and blonde beehive wig for the shoot in London.
She was joined by her Rizzle Kicks singer boyfriend Jordan Stephens.
It comes after I revealed the name of her upcoming single, Angel Of My Dreams, which also includes a dig at her former boss, X Factor king Simon Cowell.
It features the telling line: “Sold my soul to a SyCo” – a reference to Simon’s now- defunct record label, which the pop band quit in 2018.
I expect lots of Easter eggs in the video.
SHE had a Top 10 hit with her debut solo single Forget About Us two weeks ago, but Perrie Edwards is now plotting her next big offering.
The Little Mix singer, who is engaged to former Liverpool footie ace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, is planning a video for follow-up single Tears.
A source reveals: “It’s an upbeat ballad, emotive and personal.
“She had a great reception to Forget About Us and wants to keep the momentum.”
Let it all out, Pez.
BEY UP TO NAUGHTY BUSINESS
NAUGHTY BOY had a hit with 2015’s Runnin’ (Lose It All) featuring superstar Beyonce – and now has pulled off the collab AGAIN.
The I’m A Celeb star, real name Shahid Khan, has a track with her on his second album, out later this year.
An industry insider tells me: “The collab has been under wraps but the label are excited.
“Shahid has a special relationship with Beyonce, they respect each other musically. Runnin’ was huge, they hope to recreate that.”
When producer Naughty was in the I’m A Celeb castle in Wales in 2021, he opened up about Bey.
He said: “I’d met her in Beverly Hills and (her husband) Jay-Z. They were playing Backgammon.
“Fast-forward six months, she got my number from the label and called.
“I didn’t believe it. But this is why she’s a queen – she wanted to speak to me directly.
“My friend was driving, we stopped at a service station because I had the call. It was Queen B.
“After, I was like, ‘Store this number!’. I stored it as ‘Queen B’. She’s so caring, no diva-ness.”
STARVING TIME AT THE ZUU
TELLY chef and rapper Big Zuu is the latest celebrity to sign up to upcoming Netflix reality show Bear Hunt.
He will get £150,000 to fly to Costa Rica to film the series, hosted by Bear Grylls and Holly Willoughby.
It will see celebs, also including Jesy Nelson and Danny Cipriani, pitted against survival expert Bear as they try to live in the wild.
A source tells me: “Netflix were keen to land Big Zuu, he is larger than life. He has never done anything like this and loves his comforts.”
Hopefully he will rustle up some tasty jungle grub.
CAUGHT LIVE
Take That, London O2
WITH an arena packed full of screaming women for Take That’s This Life On Tour show, you could have been forgiven for thinking a new boy band was in town.
But more than three decades after they first hit the charts in the early Nineties, Take That proved they can still cast a magical spell over their adoring fans.
During a show designed to resemble a TV special about their glittering career, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen went back to their roots with anthems Back For Good, Relight My Fire and a stunning solo piano performance of A Million Love Songs.
The trio did not hold back when it came to putting on a spectacle – pyrotechnics lit up the stage, while there was flawless dance choreography. The show even had a cheesy moment with blushing fans during a kiss-cam style segment.
Instead of performing an encore, the band wrapped things up with their 2007 hit Rule The World – as their die-hard fans worshipped the three gods before them.
★★★★☆
YOUR TIME, DUA
DUA LIPA showcased her talent after she was named in the top 100 influential people of 2024 by Time magazine.
The Training Season singer wore a plunging printed dress as she performed at the Time 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Guests in the audience included her actor boyfriend Callum Turner.
Time’s sparkling bio on Dua reads: “She left home at 15 to propel her music dreams into action. She is driven, independent, and possesses a desire for knowledge.
“She appeals to future artists to be mindful of the world around them.”
I couldn’t agree more with those sentiments.
PARTY OF THE WEEK
DIVA AWARDS: Celebrating 30 years of the magazine run by LINDA RILEY at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London
WHAT WE ATE: Salmon mousse, chicken and sweet potato with a panna cotta dessert
WHAT WE DRANK: Pink champagne
WHO WAS THERE: Dannii Minogue, Sandi Toksvig, Anna Richardson and Sophie Ward.
CAUGHT LIVE
Blue, London Palladium
JUST One Love was felt in the crowd at The London Palladium as four Noughties hunks in the shape of Blue took to the stage for their Greatest Hits tour.
Beforehand, Duncan James, Simon Webbe, Lee Ryan and Antony Costa were supported by American singer Max Rae who oozed glamour with both her sequinned catsuit and her intoxicating vocal.
The lads, are still just as fresh as in their boy band heyday, albeit with huskier vocals.
They serenaded the sold-out venue which housed more than 2,000 of their die-hard fans as well as celeb pals such as Denise Van Outen and Gok Wan.
The group’s anthem All Rise didn’t need the crowd to stand and dance – fans were already on their feet following Blue’s rendition of a nostalgic setlist including Fly By, Breathe Easy and Guilty – and among the old favourites was new single My City.