DriveByCuriosity: Contemporary Art: Spring Auctions 2019

Monday, May 13, 2019

Contemporary Art: Spring Auctions 2019 - A Visit @ Sotheby`s, New York

(Drivebycuriosity) - It´s auction season again. This week the global auction houses will perform 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! I focuse in this post on Post War & Contemporary Art (). I spotted there many of my favorites, but also discovered some new & fascinating artists. I display just my favorites from the shows here, a very subjective selection as usual (No guarantee for mentioned price estimates).

The couple on the top of this post is admiring Mark Rothko`s “Untitled” (1960, oil on canvas, Estimate ). Can they afford it? Above this paragraph you can see Jenny Saville`s “Reflective Flesh” (2002-03, oil on canvas, Estimate $2,000,000 - 3,000,000)

Francis Bacon belongs to the superstars of today´s art business. Above his “Study for a Head” (1952, oil and sand on canvas, $20,000,000 - 30,000,000) followed by “Study for Portrait” (1981, oil and dry transfer lettering on canvas, Estimate $12,000,000 - 18,000,000).

I love Mark Tansey`s surrealist paintings. They are full of mysteries and beautifully crafted. Above his “Transition Team” (1997, oil on canvas, Estimate $3,500,000 - 5,000,000).

Above Mark Tansey`s “Portage” (1999, oil on canvas, Estimate $1,800,000 - 2,500,000)

I spotted more works by artists I am a fan of, including Adrian Ghenie`s ”Graceland” (2009, oil on canvas, Estimate $250,000 - 350,000) Peter Doig`s “OLIN MKIV” (1995, oil on canvas, $450,000 - 650,000).

I consider Gerhard Richter as the most important living painter and I am always happy when I spot some of his works. Above his “Mondlandschaft I” (1968, oil on canvas, Estimate $4,500,000 - 6,000,000) & “Abstraktes Bild” (196, oil on canvas, Estimate $1.500,000 - 2,500,000).

Above David Salle`s “Melody Bubble and the Critique of Pure Reason” (1988, acrylic and oil on canvas, Estimate $300,000 -400,000)

Alex Katz is a wonderful artist with an unique style. Above his “Ascension” (2002, oil on linen, Estimate $300,000 - 400,000) followed by “Dark Glasses” (1989, oil on linen, Estimate $500,000 - 700,000) & “Study for Connie” (1988, oil on board, Estimate $25,000 -35,000).

There were more nudes of course: George Condo`s “Mary” (2004, oil on canvas, $300,000 -400,000) followed by John Currin´s “Tolbrook” (2006, oil on canvas, Estimate $3,000,000 - 5,000,000); Philip Pearlstein`s “Two Female Models on a Navajo Rug” (1971, oil on canvas, Estimate $40,000 - 60,000) & Mel-Ramos` “Peek-A-Boo, Raven #2” (1964, oil on canvas, Estimate $350,000 - 450,000).

Above Damien Hirst `s “Beautiful Sneeky Cheeky Pink bit of the Edge Painting” (household gloss on canvas, $400,000 -600,000). Cute!

Eric Fischl always catches my eyes. Above his “Untitled” (1984, oil on paper mounted to canvas, Estimate $50,000 -70,000)

Cecily Brown belongs to the small club of female star artists. Above her fabulous “Sirens and Shipwrecks” (2018-19, pastel, watercolor and ink on paper, Estimate $70,000 - 90,000) & “Confessions of a window cleaner” (2000-01, oil on canvas, Estimate $3,000,000 - 4,000,000 )

There were some amazing abstracts including Hans Hartung`s “T1970-H4” (1970, acrylic on canvas, Estimate $80,000 -120,000); Mark Grotjahn`s “Untitled “Poppy Red & Yellowed Orange Butterfly” (2018, color pencil on paper, Estimate $600,000 - 800,000) & Anish Kapoor`s “Kubi Series” (2006, gouache on paper, Estimate $50,000 - 70,000)

Ed Ruscha`s "Man walking away from it all" (1986, oil on canvas, Estimate $400,000 - 600,000) followed by Wilhelm Sasnal`s ”Untitled” (2012, oil on canvas, Estimate $50,000 - 70,000) & Jim Dine`s “The 2 Winton Robes” (1981, oil and charcoal on two joined canvases, Estimate $120,000 - 160,000)

There also were some amazing discoveries, including Andy Denzler`s fascinating “Golden Hands on Black II” (2017, oil on canvas, Estimate $40,000 -60,000 ). I admire the expressionist style of this work - a kind of magic.

Jonas Wood`s “The Speller” (2007, oil on canvas, Estimate $500,000 - 700,000); Michael Borreman`s “Thunder” (2006, oil on canvas, Estimate 180,000 -250,000) & Jennifer Bartlett`s “Four A.M” (1991-92, acrylic on canvas, Estimate $30,000 - 40,000).