Contemporary Art: Fall Auctions 2018 - A Visit @ Christie`s, New York

(Drivebycuriosity) - It´s auction season again. This week the global auction houses are performing their huge fall auctions in New York City. My wife and I went to Christie`s, one of the global mega art traders  (christies).  The place looks like a huge museum and could easily compete with New York´s Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) and other prestigious art institutions. As usual they display the art work to be auctioned on several floors (galleries @ 20 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan) - and the admission is free!

Their catalogues have about 400 items, a very impressive survey of contemporary art. I spotted many of my favorites, but also discovered some new & fascinating artists. I display here just my favorites from the exhibitions of  Post War & Contemporary Art, a very subjective selection as usual.

On top of this post you can see a painting by the always funny George Condo: "Hemazoids" (Estimate USD 1,000,000 - USD 1,500,000). Before that lied another strange item: "Arena #8 (Leopard)" (found stuffed animals and knit blanket, in two parts overall: 12 x 46 x 72 ½ in. (30.5 x 116.8 x 184.1 cm.) by Mike Kelley.

Above on of the top lots: David Hockney´s famous "Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)"(acrylic on canvas, 84 x 120 in. (213.5 x 305 cm., Painted in 1972) followed by his more intimate drawing: "Robert, New York" (Estimate USD 100,000 - USD 150,000).




                                                            American Expressionism

The American  Richard Diebenkorn also belongs to the stars of this week`s auctions. The expressionist painter was part of the Bay Area Figurative Movement created by a group of artists working in the San Francisco Bay Area (wikipedia). Above his "Ocean Park #137"  (Estimate USD 18,000,000 - USD 22,000,000)  followed by "Interior with Figures" (Estimate USD 4,000,000 - USD 6,000,000 & "Untitled #6" (Estimate USD 300,000 - USD 500,000).

No contemporary art auction without Andy Warhol. Above his  "Jackie" (Estimate USD 800,000 - USD 1,200,000);  "Hammer and Sickle" (Estimate USD 300,000 - USD 500,000) & "Birth of Venus (After Botticelli)" signed 'Andy Warhol' (on the overlap), acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas 48 x 72 in. (122 x 183 cm. Painted in 1984).

Above Francis Bacon`s "Study of Henrietta Moraes Laughing" (Estimate USD 14,000,000 - USD 18,000,000)



                                                        Woman As Landscape

I discovered more top stars. Above Willem de Kooning with "Woman as Landscape" (Estimate USD 60,000,000 - USD 80,000,000) followed by Jackson Pollock`s "Composition with Red Strokes" (Est. USD 50,000,000 - USD 70,000,000) & Helen Frankenthaler`s  "Red Square" (Estimate USD 3,000,000 - USD 5,000,000).

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 "Can Can" (Estimate USD 1,200,000 - USD 1,800,000) and a detail shot.

I am a fan of the German artist Albert Oehlen as well. Here my report about his show @ Gagosian 2017 (driveby). Above his  "Untitled" (Estimate USD 1,500,000 - USD 2,000,000)

Above two mesmerizing paintings by Wojciech Fangor:  "M 25 1970" (Estimate USD 150,000 - USD 200,000) & "M 29 1970" (Estimate USD 80,000 - USD 120,000) Both oil on canvas.











                                                           Horizontal Progression

Above Jeff Elrod`s  "Studio - Life" (Estimate USD 120,000 - USD 180,000)
followed by Victor Vasarely`s  "Lang" (Estimate USD 250,000 - USD 350,000). The third image combines Lee Ufan`s painting "From Line" (Estimate USD 800,000 - USD 1,200,000) with Sol Lewitt`s sculpture "Horizontal Progression #1" ( Est. USD 200,000 - USD 300,000).

Above another image by George Condo: "Carol's Head" (Estimate USD 80,000 - USD 120,000).







                                                        Great American Nude

Above a typical painting by Tom Wesselmann: "Great American Nude #34" (Estimate USD 3,000,000 - USD 4,000,000) followed by Richard Prince´s "Island Nurse" Estimate USD 5,000,000 - USD 7,000,000 &  Sigmar Polke`s "B-Mode" (Estimate USD 9,000,000 - USD 12,000,000).

I really enjoy David Salle`s work. If you are in New York you might see two huge murals by him on a construction side ( here my report ). Above are his paintings  "Sestina" (Estimate USD 60,000 - USD 80,000) followed by "Half-Opened Windows" (Est. USD 280,000 - USD 350,000).

To be continued