June 28, 2024 at 7:31 PMpass Phillips, Christie
As the London summer auction season continues, Phillips’ Modern and Contemporary Art Evening and Day sales achieved a combined £13 million ($16.5 million), led by George Condo’s Green and purple head composition (2018), sold for £1 million (US$1.28 million). The current record for a condo is HK$53.15 million (US$6.85 million), sold by Force Field (2010) will be exhibited at Christie’s Hong Kong in 2020.
Meanwhile, Christie’s post-war sales totaled £10.36 million ($13.1 million), led by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s 5 a.m., Cadiz (2009) was the top lot, selling for £567,000 ($729,420). Yiadom-Boakye’s work was also one of Phillips’ highest-priced lots; From Minotaur to Matador (2022) sold for £952,500 ($1.2 million). The artist’s current record is £2.95 million ($3.6 million), sold by Six Birds in the Forest (2015) will be on display at Sotheby’s in 2023.
These totals reflect a continuing trend of modest results at London’s summer auctions, most notably seen recently at Sotheby’s evening sale on Tuesday, which posted results 55.86% below last year’s comparable sale.
The latest auction totals at Phillips and Christie’s were disappointingly similar to those of the 2023 summer auctions. Overall, results from both last year and this year were within expectations, with many top lots fetching lower prices. However, several new lots at Christie’s this year far exceeded expectations, adding a touch of excitement to an otherwise lackluster sale.
The only new record set by Phillips at the sale was for a work by British artist Wolfe von Lenkiewicz. Paradise on Earth (2012) triptych, which sold for £88,900 ($112,361), exceeding its estimate of £40,000-60,000 ($50,400-75,600).
While Christie’s top lots performed relatively flat, there were notable successes for several ultra-contemporary artists, including some works being offered at auction for the first time.
- Daniel Cruz Chubb, Azekiel and the Beast (2018) sold for £74,340 ($93,670), exceeding its estimate of £20,000-30,000 ($25,200-37,800). This set a new auction record, which previously stood at $88,200, held by coat (2017) will be held at Phillips in June 2021.
- Sophia Loeb, I rest in your peace (2024) sold for £60,480 ($76,200), exceeding its estimate of £4,000-6,000 ($5,040-7,560). The sale marked the artist’s auction debut.
- Alia Ahmed, Pulsatilla (2021) sold for £46,620 ($58,660), exceeding its estimate of £10,000-15,000 ($12,600-18,900). The artist’s current auction record is £101,600 ($124,000), sold by Marga, where we gather (2022) will be exhibited at Phillips auction house in London in March 2024.
- Daisy Paris, Pink at night (2020) sold for £35,280 ($44,460), shattering its estimate of £6,000–8,000 ($7,560–10,080). This was the artist’s auction debut.
- Clementine Keith Roachicon (2019) sold for £28,980 ($36,600), well above its estimate of £8,000 to £12,000 ($10,000 to $15,100).
