Auction  November 28, 2018  Megan D Robinson

Phillips' Hong Kong Auctions Led by Yayoi Kusama Achieve $19.7 Million

Courtesy Phillips

Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkin (three works), 2002

Phillips’ recent two-day 20th Century & Contemporary Art and Design Auction event in Hong Kong, with an Evening Sale November 25th, and an inaugural Day Sale the 26th, reached combined sales of $19.7 million. The Evening Sale realized $13,130,939 and the Day Sale realized $6,570,358. Both auctions offered stellar examples of both Western and Asian art.

Courtesy Phillips

Tomoo Gokita, Cheap Sensation, 2007

The Evening Sale spanned nearly nine decades of art history, with sought-after artists from Marc Chagall to Alexander Calder, Wifredo Lam and KAWS. Phillips' first Asian Day Sale offered modern and contemporary art, including up and coming Asian artists such as Tomoo Gokita, as well as the largest selection of Danish and Italian design ever offered in Asia.

Both sales were led by Yayoi Kusama. Her iconic Pumpkin (three works) (2002), estimated at $1.9-$2.5 million, sold for $2,619,900 in the Evening Sale, while her The Thames in the Morning (1988), estimated at $150,000-$230,000, sold for $319,500 at the Day Sale.

Yayoi Kusama, The Thames in the Morning, 1988
Courtesy Phillips

Yayoi Kusama, The Thames in the Morning, 1988

KAWS, Companion (Resting Place), 2013
Courtesy Phillips

KAWS, COMPANION (RESTING PLACE), 2013

Takashi Murakami, Flower collaboration with MADSAKI, 2017
Courtesy Phillips

Takashi Murakami, Flower collaboration with MADSAKI, 2017

The top ten Evening sales included KAWS’ monumental sculpture COMPANION (RESTING PLACE) (2013), which sold for $779,580. The Evening Sale also established a new world auction record for American artist Stanley Whitney, whose Queen of Hearts (2004) sold for $223,650, breaking his previous record price of $200,000. The top ten Day sales included Takashi Murakami’s Flower collaboration with MADSAKI (2017), which sold for $255,600. Sopheap Pich, Maria Taniguchi, Genevieve Chua, and Ma Sibo all broke records with sales of their work.

Courtesy Phillips

Stanley Whitney, Queen of Hearts, 2004

About the Author

Megan D Robinson

Megan D Robinson writes for Art & Object and the Iowa Source.

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