The 2024 Art Basel fair opened this week with six- and seven-figure sales, led by a $20 million Joan Mitchell painting sunflower (1990–91) David Zwirner. As is customary, Basel’s fair in Switzerland kicked off on Monday afternoon with the opening of the “Unlimited” section, which featured 285 galleries, and the main section opened to VIP previews on Tuesday morning, when a flurry of sales began to be recorded.
The big galleries unsurprisingly led the way: David Zwirner, Pace, Hauser & Wirth, White Cube, and Thaddaeus Ropac all reported 12 or more sales on opening day. Many galleries view the fair as a barometer of the art market’s health, and the depth of early sales bodes well for the future.
“Despite the current rhetoric of ‘doom porn’ in the art press and grapevine, we are extremely confident in the resilience of the art market and the first day of Art Basel confirms our view,” said Iwan Wirth, President of Hauser & Wirth, in a press statement. “The advantage of the market returning to a more human rhythm is that the most discerning international collectors are now engaged in seeking out the very best works. We are pleased to report that we exhibited rare works spanning our program and the intergenerational history of modern art.” He continued, “We sold more works today than on the first day of Art Basel last year. We expect to sell more works today than on the first day of Art Basel last year. [Wednesday] It was also very active – the second day was as busy as the first day of any other trade show. The moral of the story is: real quality and good relationships always prevail. ”
indeed, Hauser & Wirth The gallery reported a slew of sales, with 10 works reaching or exceeding seven figures. The gallery, which also opened a new space in Basel this week, is showing a stellar exhibition of works by Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi, and reported top sales including:
- Arshile Gorky Untitled (Gray Painting (Pastoral Scene)) (c. 1946-47) sold for $16 million.
- Blinky Palermo’s Untitled (1975) sold for about $4 million.
- Louise Bourgeois Woman carrying a package (1987–93) sold for $3.5 million.
- Mark Bradford Pink Pearl (2024) is priced at $3.5 million.
- Jack Whitton Caesar III (1977) sold for $2.2 million.
In addition to the $20 million Mitchell painting mentioned above, David ZwirnerBest-selling items include:
- Gerhard Richter’s Abstract Painting (2016) sold for $6 million.
- Yayoi Kusama Longing for the love of pumpkin, love in the heart (2023) was exhibited in the “Infinity” section and was purchased by a private collection in the United States for $5 million.
- Josef Albers Research on the Square Ode (1966) sold for $1.6 million; on the other hand (1952) sold for $1.1 million.
- Joan Mitchell Untitled (circa 1973) sold for $1.3 million.
White CubeBest-selling items include:
- By Julie Mehretu Untitled 2 (1999) sold for $6.75 million.
- Mark Bradford Clown walking on wires (2013) Sold for $4.5 million.
- Jeff Wall’s storyteller (1986) sold for $2.85 million.
- David Hammons Untitled (2009) sold for $1.95 million.
- Tracey Emin Hell fuck (2001) sold for $1.45 million.
Thaddaeus RopacBest-selling items include:
- Robert Rauschenberg’s Market Altar / ROCKS MEXICO (1985) sold for $3.85 million.
- Multiple versions of Georg Baselitz Dresden Women – Elbe (1990/2023) for €2 million ($2.14 million), in addition to the artist’s Santa Ana Union Field Sold for €1.8 million (US$1.93 million) (2010) With William (2009) for €1.2 million ($1.28 million).
- Antony Gormley here (2021) for £600,000 ($764,250).
Stay tuned for our full sales report on Monday. Until then, check out the other major sales reports for Art Basel 2024 below.
- Xavier Hufkens A Leon Kossoff painting sold for £1.2 million ($1.52 million); a Donald Judd sculpture for $1.45 million; and a Louise Bourgeois sculpture for $1.2 million. “We bring the best of our work to Basel, and I’m pleased to announce that many of our highlights had already been sold by noon on the first day of the preview,” Hufkens said in a press statement. “This is Basel at its best.”
- Armin Reich A Javier Calleja painting was sold for $375,000-400,000; a Tom Wesselmann painting was sold for $350,000-400,000; and a Vivian Springford painting was sold for $150,000-170,000.
- pacecooperate with Lelong Gallerysold three Jean Dubuffet paintings Bench-Living Room (1970-2024), €800,000 ($859,160) per person.
- Spruce Maggs George Condo for sale Rosemary’s Baby (2024) sold for $1.95 million; Barbara Kruger Untitled (Being and Nothingness) (2024) for $450,000; Jenny Holzer Truth: Money creates taste (2013–22) sold for $400,000; Rosemarie Trockel environment (2022) for €380,000 ($408,101).
- Gladstone Gallery Jannis Kounellis for sale Untitled (Wooden Rose) (1966) sold for $2.5 million, and a painting by Elizabeth Peyton sold for $1.35 million.
- grey Sold an Ellsworth Kelly painting for $2 million.
- Alison Jacques Sold a sculpture by Hannah Wilke for $1.25 million.
- Marcy Maud Callow Sales reportedly included a sculpture by Elmgreen & Dragset that sold for between €200,000 and €330,000 ($214,900 and $354,585) and three paintings by Dominique Fung that sold for between $50,000 and $170,000 each.
- Perrotin A painting by Takashi Murakami was sold for 700,000 euros ($751,765) and a painting by Ali Banisadr was sold for 500,000 euros ($536,975).
- Goodman Gallery A 2024 William Kentridge sculpture sold for $600,000, and a Yinka Shonibare work sold for £250,000 ($381,500).
- Annelie Judah Fine Art David Hockney for sale Water lilies and flower pots in the pond (2021) Priced at $600,000 to $800,000.
- Nordenhaack Gallery Selling Stanley Whitney Birdsong (2024), priced at $450,000.
- Mennur Sold were a Lee Ufan painting for $900,000; a Zao Wou-Ki painting for €380,000 ($408,200); two works by Ugo Rondinone for $370,000 and $351,000 each; and two works by Alberto Giacometti for €350,000 ($375,980) each.
- Gallery continued Anish Kapoor’s Prussian Blue (2023) priced at £750,000 ($955,987) and Julio Le Parc Steel Zeppelin (2021), priced at €700,000 ($752,150).
- Lisson Gallery Sold Lee Ufan’s reply (2024) Priced at $850,000, Sean Scully Green Gables of Light (2022), priced at $562,500.
- David Kordansky Gallery A Jonas Wood painting sold for $650,000, a Fred Eversley “Cylindrical Lens” sculpture sold for $550,000, a Shara Hughes painting sold for $400,000 to $450,000, and a Mary Weatherford painting sold for $300,000.
- In the infinite realm, Torkwase Dyson’s Brave (2024), by pace and greysold to the Brazilian private museum Inhotim for $380,000.
- Also in Unlimited, May 36th Gallery Sold Matt Mullican’s Untitled (Computer Project) (1989) sold for $400,000.
- Lehmann Maupin Sold Teresita Fernandez’s Dark Earth (groundwater) (2023), priced at $375,000.
