Andy Warhol sells at Christie’s, via Art Observed
The contemporary art auctions this week were set off on a bounding start last night, as Christie’s opened its new auction event “If I Live I’ll See You Tuesday” to thunderous results, capping a 35 lot auction that sold all but one work, and achieved a final sales tally of $134 million, as well as a number of world auction records for the artists on sale.
Martin Kippenberger, Untitled (1988), via Christie’s
Peter Doig, Road House (1991), via Christie’s
Loic Gouzer’s penchant for high-paying auction events continued last night, as 16 works set world auction records. Martin Kippenberger’s Untitled portrait lead the way, bounding to a $18.6 million final price, as did Peter Doig’s Road House, a 1991 work that edged over its high estimate to bring in $11.9 million and notch the artist a new sales high. Richard Prince also saw a new record for his work, as his Nurse painting pulled in a $8.65 final tally.
Richard Prince sells at Christie’s, via Art Observed
Alex Israel, Sky Backdrop (2012), via Christie’s
Other auction records were also achieved by Thomas Schütte ($5.3 million), Alex Israel ($1.02 million), On Kawara ($4,197,000), and Dan Colen ($3,077,000). Even Louis Eisner, the young Still House affiliate, who had previously been untested at auction, notched a new world record, selling Marshall Head for twice its estimate ($137,000). Sales highlights also included the $10.4 million sale of Andy Warhol’s Little Electric Chair, and Jeff Koons’s Aqualung, which pulled in $11.5 million.
Christie’s will look to continue this success tonight with the rest of its contemporary evening auction offering. The sale kicks off at 7PM.
Dan Colen, Boo Fuck’n Hoo (2006), via Christie’s
—D. Creahan
Read more:
“If I Live I’ll See You Tuesday” [Christie's]
“Underwear, Electric Chair Fuel Christie’s New York Sale” [Bloomberg]
“Kelly Crow at the Christie’s Contemporary Auction” [WSJ]
“Auction Report: “If I Live I’ll See You Tuesday” at Christie’s” [Art Info]
