Sotheby's Hong Kong set at record for a single-owner sale of contemporary Chinese art at auction this Sunday. The 105 pieces from the Ullens Collection – The Nascence of Avant-garde China – sold for $54.7 million (against an estimate of $12.7-16.7 million) with all 100% lots sold! Twelve lots sold for over HK$10 million.
The quality and rarity of the pieces sparked strong international interest which led to extended bidding
battles among prospective buyers in the room and over the phones. Buying was from all corners of the world. A few of the top lots went to private American buyers.
The quality and rarity of the pieces sparked strong international interest which led to extended bidding
battles among prospective buyers in the room and over the phones. Buying was from all corners of the world. A few of the top lots went to private American buyers.
period of the Chinese avant-garde, set an auction record for Contemporary Chinese Art and for the
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| Bloodline Series: Chen Weimin |
artist, breaking the $9.5 million paid for a Zeng Fanzhi canvas in 2008 at Christies. The second highest lots was another Zhang Xiaogang (Bloodline Series: Chen Weimin) which went for $2.95 million.
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| Liu Wei’s No Smoking |
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| Geng Jianyi |
Amongst the other top 10 lots were Zhang Peili’s Series "X?" No.3, (2.95 million); Wang Guangyi, Mao Zedong: P2, ($2.45 million), Geng Jianyi’s Two People Under a Light, ($2.3 million); Ding Yi’s Appearance of Crosses 90-6 ($2.23 million); Zeng Fanzhi’s Mask Series No.19 ($2.23 million); Zeng Fanzhi’s Mask Series No. 4, ($2.16 million); Yu Youhan, 1985-4, ($1.8 milllion) and Liu Wei’s No Smoking ($1.8 million).
Throughout the sale numerous works sold for many multiples of the high estimate and records were set for Zhang Peili, Wang Guangyi, Geng Jianyi, Yu Youhan, Ding Yi, Guan Wei, Liu Wei and many others.
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| Wang Guangyi, Mao Zedong: P2 |
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| Zeng Fanzhi’s Mask Series No. 4 |