A celebration of life

Von Finkenstein’s private art collection goes on auction
    - 2022-11-02 08:50:00
The Von Finckenstein family hosts a celebration of life for the late Dr Björn Graf Finck von Finckenstein – better known as Fincki to his friends and Dr Fincki to his patients – on 7 November by way of a charity auction of works from his private collection.
The auction takes place in collaboration with the StArt Art Gallery.
The collection comprises a wide range of artworks by Namibian and international artists, from historic to contemporary artists. Proceeds from the auction will go to three nominated charities that have a special connection to the family.
Invited guests are welcome to attend the celebration of life, while the exhibition and auction will be open to the public from 8 to 14 November.
Looking back
Von Finckenstein was born on 23 July 1958 in Usakos. He grew up in the Karibib district on the family farm Okongava where his grandparents Anita and Bernhard von Goldammer and his parents Anka and Günther lived.
He spent the first few years of school in Karibib followed by his high school years at the DHPS in Windhoek. His first day of school in Karibib proved to be formative for his becoming a political activist. He could not understand why he had to go to a different school than his friends whom he was growing up with on the farm.
In 1978 whilst still at school, Fincki became a SWAPO member and actively fought for Namibia’s independence. As a result, after studying medicine at Stellenbosch and doing his internship at the Windhoek Central and Katutura hospitals, he had to go into exile as it was too dangerous for him to stay in the country. After his return, he again worked in these hospitals and continued to do so after becoming the mayor of Windhoek in 1995.
Being a doctor was not just his job, he believed in his Hippocratic oath. His daughter Anielle describes him as “a doctor with a love for his practice who was in turn loved by his patients because he genuinely cared deeply for each of them. Many of his patients had been with him for more than 20 years.”
For the love of art
Marrying into the Aschenborn/Kendzia family 30 years ago was the starting point of the art collection. His mother-in-law Hannelise Kendzia, known for running a gallery and frame shop in Windhoek, became an important advisor.
With his marriage to Christine Kendzia on 7 November 1992, he got to know many artists personally, more so when his grandfather-in-law Dieter Aschenborn moved into the family’s granny flat. Fincki shared many drinks with ‘OpaVati’ (Dieter Aschenborn) and ‘Kosie’ (Koos van Ellinckhuizen), philosophising until the early hours of the morning. Archie van der Ploeg played his guitar at a few of Fincki’s birthday parties, where ‘Uncle Uli’ (Aschenborn) could also be found amongst the distinguished guests.
Anielle remembers: “Growing up I was always surrounded by an abundance of art and artists. I only recently realised how special it is to have a Muafangejo in your house and not a gallery. I know this speaks to my privilege and upbringing – but it also speaks to the fact that both my parents and my grandparents were always in support of Namibian artists.”
After his passing, Finki’s family decided to downsize, leaving the question of what to do with all the special artworks, and how to honour his legacy.
“We feel that art needs to be loved and appreciated every single day. It is not meant to be locked away for nobody to see. By creating an auction of these artworks, we can spread them into new homes and simultaneously raise funds for three organisations.
Chosen charities
Given that he grew up on a farm, the family has chosen animal welfare organisations as recipients of funds raised through the action. They are the Save the Rhino Trust, Elephant-Human Relations Aid (EHRA) and the Namibian Animal Welfare Association (NAWA).
The online art auction will be introduced and launched at the celebration of life on 7 November.
Those interested in participating in the online auction can sign up via a digital form to get a bidding number which will be used to place bids on any artwork they wish to acquire. Bidding closes on 14 November at 20:00.
For information on how to participate in the auction, visit www.startartgallery.com/von-finckenstein-auction