The 14th edition of Frieze London was held on 6th-9th October, and along with Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Phillips’ Post War & Contemporary auctions, it has been the most important event after Brexit. The turbulence generated by the outcome of the referendum created some concerns on the results of this edition, but there have been important sales since the first day, including a new painting by Yayoi Kusama sold for over $ 1 million.
Christies’ sales performance
Other important sales to be reported: a work on paper by Francis Picabia; a bronze maquette by Henry Moore sold for 48,000 CHF; Phyllida Barlow’s sculptures, a De Bruyckere and a Thomas Houseago sold for £ 50,000, € 130,000, and $ 75,000, respectively; and two neon Richard Jackson for $ 20,000 each.
Excellent results for Post War and Contemporary Art auctions, as Christie’s sold 90% of the lots, with only one withdrawal (Frank Auerbach) and four unsold (Cy Twombly, David Smith, Mel Ramos and Günther Förg), and total sales accounting for more than 34 million pounds. The auction also had a record: Nickelodeon by Adrian Ghenie (2008), sold for £ 7,109,000, is the most expensive work by the young Romanian painter ever sold.
An October record for Sotheby’s
Richest session ever in October for Sotheby’s: sales amounted for 91.2% of the total and 48 million pounds. The auction came alive with three Gehrard Richter sold for £ 2,800,000 (Abstraktes Bild), £ 3,000,000 (Säulen 1968) and £ 10,200,000 (Garten 1982, for thirty years in the same collection). Record figures for Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Hannibal (10.6 million pounds) and the Grasshopper painted in 1990 by Peter Doig: sold at auction in 2011 for less than 900,000 pounds, it now sold for £5,900,000.
Lower results for Phillips: £22 million in total, with many lots sold under estimates. Like the Twenty Pink Maos (1979) by Andy Warhol, whose estimated value was £6 million but it was sold only for 4,700,000.
FIAC in Paris
After London it’s time for Paris and the other important Autumn event: FIAC – Foire Internationale d’Art Contemporain (October 20th to 23rd). Besides economic uncertainty, concerns on the outcome of the fair were due to the recent attacks that have plagued the city in the past two years. Despite some difficulties (especially for medium to small galleries) there is a positive sentiment and the fair remains an important and stimulating occasion: there have been some important sales, such as Iron Tree Trunk (2015) by Ai Weiwei and Rock (2009) by Albert Oehlen, both sold by Max Hetzler to French private collectors, while other important galleries, such as Andrea Rosen, went sold out already on the Opening. Encouraging results in terms of sales from Italian artists and from some international ones such as Baselitz, Condo, Wool, Thurman.