AM took a look at Christie’s Summer Post-War and Contemporary Art auctions, taking place tonight, June 30, and tomorrow, July 1, and found a few pieces we would love to put in our collection. Thank goodness more and more auction houses are using the term “Post-War” for what is no longer “Contemporary” art. Let’s hope the galleries and art fairs start to do the same.

Our favorite lots from ths auction include Liu Ye’s “Red I” (Lot #2) seen above, estimated at $246,000 – $328,000. Liu Ye’s last large piece at auction was at the Christie’s “Asian Art Day Sale” in Hong Kong back in May and it sold well above the high estimate. Results from the evening sale the day before were not as strong, but still solid at a time when no one knew what was happening with Asian Contemporary. It’s interesting to see a painter that would fit right into most West Coast group shows at Thinkspace or LeBasse Projects selling for so much money. It makes us wonder why Seonna Hong, Candice Tripp, Yoskay Yamamoto and a lot of other artists we love aren’t worth a lot more.

Read on for some of the other lots we’re keeping a close eye on…


Takashi Murakami’s Flower Ball (3-D) Red Cliff (Lot #3) with an estimate of $360,800 – $459,200 looks really good to us.

His market awareness just keeps growing and growing and it seems like every blue-chip collector needs at least one Murakami in the collection. Most of us will have to be happy with a couple of prints but we can dream, can’t we?

Richard Prince’s “Country Nurse” (Lot #7) will be an interesting piece to watch.

These “Nurses” are some of the only Prince pieces we really connect with and they were some of the hottest pieces during the market bubble in 2007-2008, but the last few have sold well below low estimate or been bought in. This one has a fairly conservative estimate of $2,476,500 – $3,302,000 and it’s a strong piece so will be a good market barometer.

Andy Warhol’s “Self Portrait” (Lot #8) should do well, especially if the Murgrabi’s are buying and not selling.

A similar sized self-portrait from the same year sold at Sotheby’s back in 1994 for $112,500. This one has an estimate of $820,000 – $1,312,000. There’s been a decent bit of growth in the Warhol market over the last fifteen years.

Zeng Fanzhi’s “Untitled (Boy)” (Lot #40) has an estimate of $328,000 – $492,000.

Zeng’s auction results are very inconsistent but it’s probably more the estimates that are inconsistent. This seems very resonable for such a large canvas and it should do well.

On Wednesday, July 1, the fun really gets started with the “Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Auction,” which is jam packed with great pieces.

Liu Ye has two nice small canvases (Lots #101 and #102)

Wang Guangyi’s “Rolex” (Lot # 147) is a classic piece that should get a lot of attention with a $132,080 – $198,120 estimate. There are two other decent Guangyis in the auction (Lots #287 and #289).

Yoshitomo Nara should have a nice outing after the buzz from Sotheby’s on Friday. We wouldn’t mind having any of the pieces on hand here (Lot # 148, #149 and #151).


There is the almost affordable Takashi Murakami “Eye Ball Pink” (Lot #150) with an estimate of $132,080 – $198,120.

Keith Haring’s “Untitled” (Lot #203) portrait of Andy Warhol as Micky Mouse would fit right into our Arrested Motion collection.

Among a number of okay Warhols, the real standout is “Self-Portrait (Fright Wig)” (Lot #213).

Yue Minjun’s Warrior No. 6 (Lot #286) would really improve your vinyl toy collection.

Li Yongbin’s “Face” (Lot #291) is a beautiful Oil on Canvas with a reasonable estimate of $19,812 – $29,71.

Only two “street” artists are represented in this auction.

Banksy’s “Love is in the Air” (Lot #304), which is very similar to the “Untitled (Flower Thrower)” from the edition of five that sold at Sotheby’s on Friday (Lot #174) for $70,641 should have a better result since this piece is not numbered and is a little bigger.

“Heavy Weaponry” (Lot # 305) is from a large edition of 10 but is a nice, clean, early Banksy.

Shepard Fairey has two strong pieces: this classic “Marilyn/Andre the Giant” (Lot #306) screenprint on wood from an edition of two

and an excellent “Che” (Lot # 107) 1/1 on metal, both from 2000. The estimates on these 18 x 24 editions on wood or metal are going up fast and they are getting hard to find on the open market.