FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LONDON – 13 FEBRUARY 2015 – Phillips February Contemporary Art Auctions realised a combined total of £21,144,200 / $32,350,600 / €28,544,600 and established six new artists’ records. The Evening Auction on 12 February totalled £17,689,250 / $26,887,600 / €23,880,400 selling 93% by lot and 96% by value*. The Contemporary Art Day Sale totalled £3,454,900 / $5,286,000 / €4,664,200 selling 84% by lot 88% by value.
Peter Sumner, Director, Head of Contemporary Art, London said about the Evening Sale, “We are delighted to have established artist records for seminal works by Ai Weiwei and Mark Bradford. This is our first evening auction in recent years in London to sell over 90% by lot. Our new London headquarters at Berkeley Square allow us to showcase artworks in their most favourable light, and we are welcoming increasing numbers of international collectors and enthusiasts. Together with the efforts of our global team of specialists, this has encouraged vendors to entrust us with works of the highest quality. We took bids in our Evening Sale from collectors in Europe, America, Asia and Africa, showing that we reach and attract collectors from around the world. We look forward to building on these results as we put together our next major Contemporary auctions which will take place in New York in May and London in June.”
Evening Sale Top Ten
8 AI WEIWEI Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads £2,882,500 / $4,381,400 / €3,891,375
11 MARK BRADFORD Biting the Book £2,546,500 / $3,870,680 / €3,437,775
13 ANDY WARHOL Diamond Dust Shoes £2,322,500 / $3,530,200 / €3,135,375
9 CHRISTOPHER WOOL Untitled £1,426,500 / $2,168,280 / €1,925,775
7 TAUBA AUERBACH Untitled (Fold) X £1,202,500 / $1,827,800 / €1,623,375
21 JULIE MEHRETU Invisible Sun (algorithm 2) £902,500 / $1,371,800 / €1,218,375
19 ANSELM KIEFER Die Argonauten £662,500 / $1,007,000 / €894,375
10 URS FISCHER Bad Timing, Lamb Chop! £506,500 / $769,880 / €683,775
6 ALEX ISRAEL Sky Backdrop £506,500 / $769,880 / €683,775
25 BARRY FLANAGAN Hare on Pyramid £482,500 / $733,400 / €651,375
Evening Sale Auction Records
8 AI WEIWEI Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads £2,882,500 / $4,381,400 / €3,891,375
11 MARK BRADFORD Biting the Book £2,546,500 / $3,870,680 / €3,437,775
Day Sale Top Ten
153 YAYOI KUSAMA Pumpkin £206,500 / $315,945 / €278,775
112 LUCIEN SMITH It Happened One Night £182,500 / $279,225 / €246,375
224 VITALIY AND ELENA VASILIEVA Project 'Apocalypse in Art' £134,500 / $205,785 / €181,575
148 MEL RAMOS Chiquita Banana £134,500 / $205,785 / €181,575
181 MARC QUINN Maquette for Siren £112,900 / $172,737 / €152,415
152 UGO RONDINONE Everything gets lighter everyone is light £110,500 / $169,065 / €149,175
149 GEORGE CONDO Smiling Young Woman £110,500 / $169,065 / €149,175
155 YAN PEÏ-MING Eros Centers, Prostituée de Bruxelles £104,500 / $159,885 / €141,075
180 MARC QUINN Perfluorocarbonation £86,500 / $132,345 / €116,775
154 ZHANG HUAN Callipers £86,500 / $132,345 / €116,775
Day Sale Auction Records
143 GAVIN TURK Robert Morris Untitled 1965-72 (in 4 parts) £86,500 / $132,345 / €116,775
208 ANDRE BUTZER Untitled (Monochromes Bild) £50,000 / $76,500 / €67,500
145 TATIANA TROUVE Untitled (ref: cable 9) £43,750 / $66,938 / €59,063
108 SECUNDINO HERNANDEZ Untitled £37,500 / $57,375 / €50,625
* Lot 12, the Anish Kapoor, sold privately during the sale immediately after it was offered on the rostrum.
PHILLIPS:
As the only international auction house to concentrate exclusively on contemporary culture, Phillips has established a commanding position in the sale of Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions and Jewelry. Through the passionate dedication of its team of global specialists, the company has garnered an unparalleled wealth of knowledge of emerging market trends. Founded in London in 1796, Phillips conducts auctions in New York and London and has representative offices throughout Europe and in the United States. For more information, please visit: phillips.com.
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