“contemporary” About 92
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Art WorldChampioning Contemporary African & Diaspora Art With Freda Isingoma (Part 2)
The distance between what we have and what we want by Titus Kaphar. Image from the artist. Freda Isingoma is the founder and CEO of KIISA, an art advisory and investment company with a focus on Contemporary African & Diaspora art. In part one of Auction Daily’s interview with Isingoma, she described how KIISA builds long-lasting connections between collectors and African and Diaspora artists. In part two, Isingoma discusses her personal art collection and the state of repatriating the Benin Bronzes and other artworks looted from the African continent. Auction Daily: You've been an avid art collector for about two decades. Tell us a bit about your personal collection and how it influences your professional life. Freda Isingoma: My love affair with art started as a young child, as I wanted to be an artist. I couldn’t pursue that avenue, so I decided to start collecting in my 20s. In the earlier days, I collected anything I loved aesthetically, but over time, I developed more of an eye for different types of works that I related to in distinct ways, whether it be emotionally, culturally, aesthetically, or a combination of them all. I have mostly paintings (both abstract and figurative), but I also have installation pieces, sculptures, prints, and photography. It’s through collecting that I learned more about the art industry, which then led me to mentoring artists, as well as introducing friends to the world of collecting. I lived in South Africa for 10 years, which is one of the largest art markets in Africa. It is through being immersed in the South African art world that I was able to really understand the gap in the Contemporary African & Diaspora art market. With the huge discrepancy in the way African & Diaspora art was narrated, acknowledged, and collected, it made sense for me to create a business that focused on art investments and infrastructure, using my background in investment banking, economics, and collecting. Many artists still see the art world in a very pure way, despite all the commercial distractions. There are many African & Diaspora artists that…
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Art WorldChampioning Contemporary African & Diaspora Art With Freda Isingoma (Part 1)
Self Portrait by Amoako Boafo. Image from MutualArt. In 2020, the lack of diversity in auction houses and the art market was under increased scrutiny. Although many in the art world made changes over the last year, experts worry these organizations embraced tokenism over more robust, systemic changes. Freda Isingoma is a category expert on Contemporary African & Diaspora art. Her organization, KIISA, helps build long-term connections between art patrons and African and Diasporic artists. In the first segment of a two-part interview, Isingoma discusses how she makes these meaningful connections and the current state of the Contemporary African art market. Auction Daily: You're the founder and CEO of KIISA, an art advisory and investment company. Could you tell our readers a bit about your organization? Freda Isingoma: KIISA is an art investment and advisory company focused on developing transformative investment solutions for the Modern and Contemporary African & Diaspora art market. The immense influence of the African & Diaspora art market globally has always been evident, and it has received growing attention. However, there is still much work to be done as modern and contemporary artists still fall under the radar in terms of global recognition. Although dynamics are changing, African & Diaspora artists are still largely underrepresented in the global art world. This is where KIISA comes in, as we are positioned to strengthen the category through our art investment funds. We are lucky to have a really strong investment team, which includes Alistair Hicks, who is a titan in the sector and managed the Deutsche Bank collection for over 20 years. We believe art investment funds can be used as powerful tools for change, particularly within emerging markets, where the widespread visibility, recognition, and validation of artists is still in its infancy. The importance of investing in artists (mainly living artists), supporting the advancement of their careers and ability to participate in milestone projects should not be underestimated. Additionally, we are also working on projects that directly support the advancement of art infrastructure and ecosystem development that will lead to the kind of much-needed change that is…
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Auction Industry, Press ReleaseChic And Antique: Nye & Company’s Online Auction, April 21st-22nd, Offers A Scintillating Blend Of Chic Contemporary Furnishings And Stellar Fine Art From The 17th Through The 21st Century – Around 600 Lots In All
The Wednesday-Thursday auction starts at 10 am Eastern both days. Included is a large selection of modern furniture, rugs and lighting from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island. Oil on canvas maritime scene by Emile A. Gruppe, titled The Yankee (est. $5,000-$7,000). BLOOMFIELD, N.J. – Nye & Company Auctioneers’ two-day, online Chic and Antique Estate Treasures auction, April 21st and 22nd, caters to its international audience, be they interested in contemporary design or more traditional collecting categories. Included is a large selection of modern furniture, rugs and lighting from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island, while simultaneously bringing a strong selection of noted, blue chip artists’ names to market. Start times both days are 10 am Eastern time. Of the roughly 600 lots, included will be Part II of the refined collection of Cornelia and Simon Michael Bessie of Lyme, Conn. Both are well-known and respected in the literary publishing world. Mr. Bessie was one of the co-founders of Atheneum Books (N.Y.) in 1959. A year later, Cornelia joined the firm in an editorial capacity. Cornelia was introduced to fine art as a child by her parents, Hanns and Kate Schaeffer, owners of the Schaeffer Gallery in New York City. Her passion was Old Master works on paper. The auction features works by artists such as Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, Claude Joseph Vernet, Jacques Philippe De Loutherbourg, Jean-Louise-Andre-Theodore Gericault and Dominico Valeriani. Further headlining the auction are works from the Steve and Stephanie Alpert collection. Steve Alpert has unbridled enthusiasm for all types of fine and decorative art. He and Stephanie are known in collecting circles, and their passion for collecting shines through in each object they collected. Also, their support and patronage of contemporary artists is nothing short of amazing. From the Alpert holdings, one will find numerous examples of Leonard Baskin’s lithographic portraits of Native American Indian Chiefs. The Jack Beal pastel titled Chincoteague Refuge captures the ambiance of the beach, while Frank Stella’s abstract circular wool wall tapestry, titled Sinjerli Variations II, and a similarly abstract burst of color and geometry in Victor Vasarely’s aluminum…
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ExhibitionsThiebaud, Ruscha, & Dumas: Major Works Available at Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated Sale
Works by Wayne Thiebaud, Ed Ruscha, and Marlene Dumas will go under the hammer this month. These influential artists who shaped the postwar art scene will take the lead in Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated auction. Contemporary art collectors will find 176 lots associated with Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Modernism, and more. The live auction will be held on March 12th, 2021 beginning at 10:00 AM EST (lots 1 - 59) and 1:00 PM EST (lots 101 - 176). Wayne Thiebaud, Dark Heart Cake. Image from Sotheby’s. Among the featured artists is Wayne Thiebaud, an American printmaker and painter known for his recurring still lifes of edible treats and everyday objects. Wayne Thiebaud’s oil on board piece titled Dark Heart Cake is offered in Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated auction (USD 1,800,000 - $2,500,000). Executed in 2014, this still life painting was created in the artist’s later career. It shows a cake shaped like a heart— a recurring subject in Thiebaud’s paintings. In this work, the cake’s pink frosting stands out against the rich magenta background. Thiebaud often turns to food as an artistic subject because it holds emotional resonance from his childhood. “Most of the objects are fragments of actual experience. For instance, I would really think of the bakery counter; of the way the counter was lit, where the pies were placed but I wanted just a piece of the experience,” he says about his subjects. “Those little vedute in fragmented circumstances were always poetic to me.” Marlene Dumas, Handy. Image from Sotheby’s. Another established artist featured in the upcoming Sotheby’s event is Marlene Dumas. The South African artist’s works often refer to current affairs and pop culture. Dumas uses themes of love, shame, sexuality, and death to address social oppression. Titled Handy, Dumas’ offered 1999 painting can be characterized by gestural brushstrokes and thin washes of paint. The painting’s estimate ranges from $600,000 to $800,000. A text painting from Ed Ruscha will be available as well. Associated with West Coast Pop art, Ruscha offers a new perspective on postwar American culture. He frequently employs unusual typography to set the mood of…
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Auction IndustryChristie’s Private Sale Explores the Human Figure in Contemporary Art
"Framing the Figure" by Christie’s is an attempt to commemorate contemporary arts and boost its private sales platform. The sale highlights the prominence of human figures in contemporary work. The online sale will be live until 12th March, with auction lots on view at Christie’s headquarters in New York. Image source: Christie’s Christie’s private sale will showcase 35 artworks from contemporary masters to 20th-century icons, including Willem de Kooning, Kehinde Wiley, Alex Katz, Pablo Picasso, and Salman Toor. The lots carry estimates from USD85,000 to $7 million. Christie’s private sales channel aims towards buying and selling artworks apart from their regular auctions. To source collectibles and find the right buyers, the auction house makes use of its global network. The upcoming sale is Christie’s third private auction since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to offer continuous momentum to Christie’s private sales held in 2020. Revue Girl by (1963) by Wayne ThiebaudImage Source: Christie’s One highlight from “Framing the Figure” is the 1937 painting Moving Day by the African American artist Jacob Lawrence. Lawrence made this painting at the young age of 20. The artwork last appeared for sale in the 1950s. It was a part of the private collection of Leah Salisbury- a NY literary agent and wife of famous publisher Philip Salisbury. The auction will also offer Revue Girl (1963) by Wayne Thiebaud depicting a full-length image of a girl in costume. It has been a part of Claudia Stone’s collection since 2012. Lucien Freud’s Man and Town (1940–1941) is another piece available here from a private collection. Le Rappel (1968–71) by Marc ChagallImage source: Christie’s The online saleroom also showcases high-valued artworks that have recently emerged in auctions. Tête de femme (1940) by Pablo Picasso was acquired just in Christie’s May 2015 sale for $3.7 million. The portrait of Dora Maar was earlier a part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. It was also acquired by German collectors Marianne and Victor Langen. Marc Chagall’s Le Rappel (1968–71), the dreamy artwork of a circus scene, had garnered the price of $4.4 million at an auction in November 2013. Rooftop Party With Ghosts 2 (2015)…
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Auction IndustryHindman Auctions to present Springborn Collection of Contemporary Craft sale this March
Important Entrance Doors, 2004. Albert Paley. Estimate: $30,000-50,000. CHICAGO, IL.-Hindman Auctions will present the Springborn Collection of Contemporary Craft sale on March 23, 2021. The auction will feature furniture from respected collectors Robert and Carolyn Springborn, with works by renowned designers known for their contributions to the American studio craft movement, including Wendell Castle, Albert Paley, Wendy Maruyama, Sam Maloof, Toots Zynsky, Judy Kensley McKie, and others. Based on the rejection of mass production, the studio craft movement was rooted in one-of-a-kind, expressive design made by hand and built on the ideas of experimentation and creativity. Independent curator and design scholar Glenn Adamson describes the Springborns as “lucky enough to be there when the studio furniture field crested to its height. And smart enough to catch the wave.” Known as the leader of the studio furniture movement, the Wendell Castle works included in the auction illustrate his outstanding craftsmanship and the innovative techniques he developed. Wendell Castle’s Too Soon chair (lot 59; estimate: $30,000-50,000) is an exceptional work in which he utilized stack lamination, a construction technique that he pioneered during the 1960s. The chair demonstrates how Castle created extraordinary works by merging his expertise in carving, finishes, and metal casting with digital technologies such as 3D scanning and CNC milling. While the work features a base similar to what Castle featured in past tables and chairs, Too Soon is the first example in which he uses branch-like elements to form independent supports for a surface and seat. Castle’s Seven Days of the Week dining suite (lot 46; estimate: $60,000-80,000) is another seminal work, which he created in 1997 at a pivotal point in his career. The table has an organic shape with legs that are reminiscent of an arthropod’s. In describing the work Glenn Adamson writes that "the legs stage a vivid contrast with the smooth asymmetrical top, recalling midcentury biomorphic designs by Isamu Noguchi." Influential metal sculptor Albert Paley’s works will also be up for auction. Paley’s entrance doors (lot 37; estimate: $30,000-50,000) were commissioned for the Springborns' Naples home in 2004. With delicate tendrils, the doors feature a…
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Art WorldArtprice global indices show the strength of contemporary art and drawing in 2020
Artprice Global Indices (in USD) PARIS.- As at 1 January 2021, the Artprice Global Indices are stronger actually stronger than twelve months earlier when the health crisis was still (almost) unthinkable. Six months ago no-one would have predicted such an outcome! In reality, the art market reacted quickly to the lockdown measures with auction houses slowing their high-end activities; but the overall intensity of trading remained extremely high and the unsold rate remained perfectly stable. The Contemporary Art price index even shows an extraordinary 48% increase. Thierry Ehrmann, President and Founder of Artmarket.com and its Artprice department: "the works that were resold at auction in 2020 generally fetched better prices. Two segments in particular stood out: works on paper (+55%) and Contemporary Art (+48%). However, you have to take into account the method used to calculate our indices and anticipate the fact that they tend to flatten naturally over time". Auctions and repeat salesAuction sales correspond to the visible segment of the Art Market and it's probably the segment that has best adapted to the consequences of the pandemic by accelerating its switch to an online modus operandi. Artprice's 2020 of the Art Market Report will soon reveal all the details of this transformation (the publication of our free report is expected in March 2021). Artprice's Global Indices are calculated on the basis of a very specific pool of works: lots which have already been sold at public auction. This method of calculation (the repeat-sales method) is considered particularly robust, but it excludes all lots that appear in an auction sale for the first time. Extraordinary resalesAmong the highest value increases recorded in 2020, Artprice was particularly interested in Banksy's the performance. His acrylic on canvas Weston Super Mare (1999) was acquired for $16,700 in 2006 at Sotheby's in London and was resold for $978,000 in October 2020 at Bonhams in London. The gain corresponds to an annual return on investment of 34% over 14 years. Inversely, a small canvas by Raqib Shaw – Untitled (2004) – was acquired for $91,000 in 2008 at Sotheby's New York, but sold for just $8,750 in…
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Auction ResultPhillips’ Contemporary Art Evening Sale Captures $134.6 Million, Breaks House Records
Several Emerging Artists Set New Benchmarks, Including Amy Sherald, Titus Kaphar, and Matthew Wong Phillips' 20th Century and Contemporary Art evening sale came to a magnificent end on December 7th, 2020, raising a record USD 134.6 million. The figure showed a nearly 25% increase from the same auction last winter with an 89% sell-through rate. The auction house estimated a sale total of $110 million to $160 million. "We are thrilled to be ending an unprecedented year so strongly; nine months after the initial shut down that threw the live auction world into uncertainty we have just had one of the strongest sales in Phillips' history," Phillips' Worldwide Co-Heads of 20th Century & Contemporary Art, Jean-Paul Engelen and Robert Manley, said in a joint statement. David Hockney, Nichols Canyon (1980). Sold for $41,067,500. Image from Phillips. David Hockney's Los Angeles landscape titled Nichols Canyon (1980) highlighted the evening sale. Starting at an unpublished estimate of around $35,000,000, the painting achieved $41,067,500, setting the world record for the artist's landscape. The monumental seven-by-five-foot canvas was executed in 1980 following Hockney’s move to Los Angeles two years prior. The work depicts a scene glimpsed along Hockney's drive from his home in the Hollywood Hills to his studio on Santa Monica Boulevard. Nichols Canyon is considered his first mature landscape that depicts modern Los Angeles. Describing the process of painting, Hockney stated: "…..I began Nichols Canyon. I took a large canvas and drew a wiggly line down the middle which is what the roads seem to be. I was living up the hills and painting in my studio down the hills, so I was traveling back and forth every day, often two, three, four times a day. I actually felt those wiggly lines." Clyfford Still, PH-407 (1964). Sold for $18,442,500. Image from Phillips. A rare painting by Clyfford Still, a pioneer in abstract art, was also among the highlights of the evening. PH-407 (1964) previously belonged to the German collector Frieder Burda and was bought shortly after Burda's death. Carrying an unpublished estimate, the work was hammered down for $18,442,500. Known as one…
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ExhibitionsLucy Lacoste Gallery opens “Danish Women in Contemporary Ceramics”
Barbro Aberg, Black Bodhi Tree. CONCORD, MASS.- Lucy Lacoste Gallery will close the 2020 season with an all-female exhibition: Danish Women in Contemporary Ceramics, December 12th – January 5th, highlighting the leading role women have played in the development of ceramics there. This exhibition features the work of Beate Andersen, Anne Floche, Mette Maya Gregersen, Bente Skjøttgaard, Charlotte Thorup, Barbro Åberg, and Gunhild Aaberg, artists in varying stages of their careers, aa of whom have received international recognition through exhibition. Why have women taken such a leading role in Danish Ceramics, in contrast to other societies? Denmark, a country with an abundance of clay, has a long history of ceramics going back to the Vikings. Ceramic creativity has been fostered by the manufactories such as Royal Copenhagen which hired female artists as designers and gave them studio space to freely create their own work. The country’s affinity for the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th century was conducive to female artists setting up independent studios. In addition, there were teachers who encouraged individual expression in ceramics. Creative art pottery began to develop at the end of the 19th century. Today, the most recognized ceramic artists in Denmark are women. The two leading Danish ceramicists of the 20th century were Gertrude Vasegaard and Gutte Eriksen. Vasegaard’s abstraction of the cylinder and minimal decoration became a touchstone for a whole stream of Danish ceramics. Gutte Eriiksen’s approach was free, organic, and often inspired by Japan. She taught so many women throughout her career, they became known as “Gutte’s Girls.” These two renowned artists have been followed by legendary female artists such as Bodil Manz, the most recognized ceramic artist from Denmark, known for paper thin cylinders with handmade decal decoration; Alev Ebuzziya Siesbye, celebrated for vessels of pure color with an unglazed line; and Nina Hole, the creator of burning fire sculptures, founder of the Clay Today collective, the CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art and the International Ceramics Research Center at Guldagergaard. Lacoste Gallery has a long history with Danish ceramics beginning with our 2007 exhibition of the collection of William…
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Auction Result, Press ReleaseHelen Frankenthaler’s Hermes Earns Record in Contemporary Art at Swann
Works from collection of Chiron Press founder bring top prices Helen Frankenthaler, Hermes, color Mixografía, 1989. Sold for $47,500, a record for the print. CONTEMPORARY ART Sale 2552; November 19, 2020 Sale total: $1,699,312 We offered 399 lots; 307 sold (77% sell-through rate by lot) All prices include Buyer’s Premium. New York—Swann Galleries’ Thursday, November 19 sale of Contemporary Art boasted exceptional prices for works on paper, prints and editions. The auction delivered three records, with Abstract Expressionist artists drawing significant bidding activity, in addition to works from the Chiron Press, Pop Art and more bringing top prices. Helen Frankenthaler’s 1989 color Mixografía Hermes led the sale at $47,000, a record for the print. Further records were set for Dorothea Rockburne’s Locus, a 1972 portfolio with a complete set of six aquatints, at $42,500, and Lee Krasner’s 1969 color lithograph, Special Blue, at $17,500. Lee Krasner, Special Blue, color lithograph, 1969. Sold for $17,500, a record for the print. Additional abstract works featured Robert Motherwell’s 1975 monotype in purple and black acrylic on paper ($37,500); Elaine de Kooning’s 1982 acrylic-on-plywood Bacchus #27-P ($32,500); Willem de Kooning’s 1975 charcoal drawing Two Figures ($25,000); and a 1951 screenprint by Jackson Pollock ($15,000). Swann offered several works from the Collection of Stephen Poleskie, founder of Chiron Press, New York’s first fine art screenprinting studio. Highlights from the offering included Robert Indiana’s Numbers, a set of four 1966 color screenprints on wood panels ($27,500); Alex Katz’s 1965 oil-on-wood panel Maine Landscape ($22,500); and Roy Lichtenstein’s Cow Triptych (Cow Going Abstract), a set of three 1982 color screenprints ($22,500), Paris Review Poster, the 1966 drawing for the blue screen of the four color screenprints ($20,000), and Brushstroke, a 1965 color screenprint ($18,750). Robert Indiana, Numbers, set of four color screenprints on wood panels, 1966. Sold for $27,500. Pop Art luminary Andy Warhol was present with a 1964 color offset lithograph portrait of Liz Taylor ($37,500), and a 1968 color screenprint of the iconic Campbell’s soup can Consommé (Beef) ($30,000). Contemporary pieces included Joyce Pensato’s Homer, acrylic on canvas, 2009 ($32,500), Howard Hodgkin’s Flower Palm, a…
