Andy Warhol self-portrait and Jean-Michel Basquiat self-portrait to be sold at the New York modern and contemporary art auction in November. [사진:필립스옥션]
Phillips Auction announced the main works of the modern and contemporary art evening and day auction (morning session and afternoon session) to be held at its headquarters in New York on November 19th and 20th (local time). This auction introduces important works from across art history, focusing on representative works by masters of modern, poster war, and contemporary art. Representative works of the evening auction on November 19 include Jackson Pollock’s masterpiece owned by architect Florence Knoll, well-known for the furniture brand Knoll, a double self-portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol created in the early 1980s, as well as works by Cy Twombly, Pablo Picasso, and Joan of Arc. It includes major works such as Maze.
Jackson Pollock Untitled to be sold at Philips Auction’s November New York modern and contemporary art auction. [사진:필립스옥션]
The highlight of Phillips Auction’s modern and contemporary art evening auction in New York in November is Jackson Pollock’s work Untitled, circa 1948. This work serves as an important reference point in the artist’s artistic development, linking his early surrealist-inspired works with the innovative ‘drip paintings’ he pioneered in the late 1940s. Pollock’s amazing and original techniques broke down the boundaries of traditional painting and reorganized the flow of 20th century art. Untitled was purchased directly from the author by Florence Knoll and her husband, Harry Bassett, and kept it until 1987. In particular, it was featured in Vogue in July 1954, hanging on the wall of Florence Knoll’s apartment. This work will be exhibited at Phillips Auction for the first time since the artist’s retrospective exhibition held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate Gallery in England in 1998-1999.
Jean-Michel Basquiat’s self-portrait is one of his most unique and profound works. In this work, painted on a three-hinged wooden panel reminiscent of a religious altar, the artist captured his own image in the iconic silhouette of two empty eyes, shaping them into a modern-day idol.
Andy Warhol’s iconic double self-portrait was first exhibited at the Anthony Daupey Gallery in London, England, and was featured in landmark exhibitions held in several museums between 2004 and 2005. This self-portrait, which illustrates Warhol’s deep exploration of identity as an artistic medium, is related to a series the artist created with photographer Christopher Markos in 1981 featuring Polaroid images of himself dressed as a woman. This work captures the undisguised ‘true self’ and demonstrates the performance and introspection that are the core of his later works, solidifying Warhol’s status as an artist and cultural icon.
The self-portraits of Basquiat and Warhol, the main works of this auction, clearly demonstrate the popularity of the two artists in the art market. Last spring, Phillips Auction sold Basquiat’s Untitled (ELMAR) for 63.9 billion won ($46.5 million), recording the highest price among all auction houses. Additionally, the author’s Native Carrying Some Guns, Bibles, Amorites on Safari attracted a lot of attention as it was sold for 17.5 billion won (HK$98,735,000), the highest price of the Asian season. Andy Warhol’s works are also in constant demand, with two of the top three auctioned works being sold within the past two years. It is rare for impressive works such as the double self-portrait of Basquiat and Warhol to be sold at Phillips Auction’s November New York modern and contemporary art auction, so it is expected to attract great attention this time as well.
The work receiving the most attention at the day auction is Arteries of the Left Arm, painted by Basquiat in 1983. This work, which uses paper collage techniques on a 5-foot-tall canvas, was completed while the artist was staying with art dealer Bruno Bischofberger, who introduced Andy Warhol to St. Moritz, Switzerland, in February 1983. A month after completing Arteries of the Left Arm, Basquiat participated in the Whitney Biennial as the youngest artist ever.
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