Contemporary Art: Spring Auctions 2018 - A Visit @ Sotheby`s, New York

(Drivebycuriosity) - It´s auction season again. This week the global auction houses are performing their huge spring auctions in New York City. My wife and I went to Sotheby´s on New York`s Upper East Side, one of the huge global auction houses (sothebys).

They have on 8 floors exhibitions for the upcoming auctions, including impressionists & modern art. These galleries can easily compete with the collections of big museums like New York´s MoMa - and the entry is free! We focused on the exhibitions for the day & evening auctions of Post War & Contemporary Art (here their gorgeous online catalogue sothebys.com/pdf). I spotted there many of my favorites, but also discovered some new & fascinating artists. I display here just my favorites from the shows, a very subjective selection as usual (No guarantee for mentioned price estimates).

I was glad to discover some paintings by Gerhard Richter. The German painter belongs still to the superstars of the art market. These paintings show why. Above "Abstraktes Bild" (Estimate   4,000,000 — 6,000,000 USD) followed by another "Abstraktes Bild" & detail (Estimate   15,000,000 — 20,000,000 USD).

I am also a fan of Mark Tansey because he blends photorealistic images with surrealist humor . Above his "Study for Push and Pull" (Estimate   1,500,000 — 2,000,000 USD)

and another Tansey: "Source of the Loue" (Estimate  2,500,000 — 3,500,000
USD).

I admire also Peter Doig´s paintings. Above his "Daytime Astronomy (Grashopper)" which is earmarked for the evening auction in London June 26.

I really love Alex Katz`s portraits. He has an unique style which I easily can recognize. Above "The Light I" plus detail (Estimate   300,000 — 500,000 USD) followed by "Tweed Sweater" (Estimate   250,000 — 350,000 USD).
   

Pop art is still en vogue. Above "Still Life with head in Landscape" by Roy Lichtenstein ( Estimate 7,000,000 — 10,000,000 USD) and "Pat Nude (Blue) by Tom Wesselman (Estimate   500,000 — 700,000 USD)

Jean Michael Basquiat also sits on the Olympus of the art world. Above his "Flesh and Spirit" - maybe the highlight of these auctions (Estimate on request) followed by "Untitled", also earmarked for the evening auction in London June 26.

The funny George Condo seems also to belong to every auction. Above his "Day of the Idol" plus detail (Estimate  1,500,000 — 2,000,000 USD) followed by "Little Joe" (Estimate   150,000 — 250,000 USD).

Above another one of my favorite artists: "Wir sind durch" by Sigmar Polke  (Estimate   900,000 — 1,200,000 USD).

They also had some Andy Warhols of course. Above his "Vesuvius" (London June 26).

No auction without Richard Prince, above his "Cowboy"  followed by James Rosenquist`s "Wild West World" (Estimate   300,000 — 400,000 USD).

There are not many females in this business. But there is at least one woman who`s star is rising:  Cecily Brown. Last year I reported about her show @ Paula Cooper Gallery New York  ( driveby). Above her "Where they are now" (another work for London June 26)  followed by "Suddenly Last Summer" (Estimate   1,800,000 — 2,500,000 USD).




                                               Super Stars Of The Abstract World

Above Willem de Kooning`s "Untitled" (Estimate   250,000 — 350,000 USD) followed by his "Untitled VI" (Estimate 8,000,000 — 12,000,000 USD).

There were more super stars of the abstract world: Lucio Fontana`s "Concetto Spaziale, Attese (London) followed by Helen Frankenthaler`s "Blue Reach" (Estimate   1,000,000 — 1,500,000 USD)

The fabulous Rudolf Stingel is also represented. Here you can see his "Untitled" (Estimate   1,500,000 — 2,000,000 USD)

Wolfgang Tillmans is a German photographer who`s work is recently getting a lot of attention. Above his "Freischwimmer 187" (Estimate   150,000 — 250,000 USD).



                                                             Isn`t She Funny?

There were also some interesting discoveries. Above the powerful "Dancer" by Barkley L. Hendricks  Estimate   400,000 — 600,000 USD) followed by "Untitled" by Roberto Matta (  Estimate 70,000 — 90,000 USD) & Avery Singer`s "Fellow Travelers, Flaming Creatures (Estimate   80,000 — 120,000 USD).

I have never heard of Aya Takano, a Japanese Superflat artist, manga artist, and science fiction essayist (wikipedia   aya-takano.tumblr).  The painting is called "The sound of the Shamisen" (Estimate   40,000 — 60,000 USD). Isn`t she funny?

To be continued