Press | Phillips

Phillips’ Inaugural 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale at its New Asia Headquarters Achieves HK$351 Million/ US$45 Million

Marking a 65% Increase Over the Previous Year

New Auction Records Set for Chen Ke and Brett Crawford

Hong Kong, 30 March, 2023

Sale Total: HK$351,701,500/ US$44,806,771

Lots Sold: 36 | Lots Offered: 40

Sold by Lot: 90% | Sold by Value: 96 %

Phillips Asia Chairman and Auctioneer Jonathan Crockett selling lot 13, Yoshitomo Nara’s Lookin' for a Treasure

Jonathan Crockett, Chairman, Asia, Phillips, said: “We are thrilled with tonight’s result of HK$351 million/ US$45 million, which sold 96% by value and 90% by lot, exceeding last year’s Evening Sale total by 65%. The positive energy and enthusiasm we experienced in Hong Kong during art week is testament to the strength of the art market here. We were incredibly happy to welcome nearly 8,000 local and international visitors to our new space over the last two weeks, as well as clients from across 34 countries actively bidding in this evening’s sale in-person, online and by phone. The auction was led by Yoshitomo Nara’s seminal Lookin' for a Treasure which sold for HK$84 million/ US$11 million, demonstrating a robust market for the leading Japanese contemporary master. A highlight of the season has been Yayoi Kusama’s Pumpkin, which sold for HK$56 million/ US$7.1 million, exceeding its pre-sale high estimate, and the proceeds from its sale will benefit the Clarinda Carnegie Art Museum in Clarinda, Iowa, United States. We established world auction records for Chen Ke and Brett Crawford and an exceptional price for Genesis Tramaine, who made her Asia auction debut tonight. We are delighted to inaugurate our brand-new saleroom in Phillips’ new Asia headquarters in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District with such a successful result. We look forward to our day sale tomorrow as well as the numerous auctions and exhibitions scheduled to take place at this state-of-the-art space throughout 2023.”

Top 10 Lots

Lot	Description	Estimate	Price Achieved
13	Yoshitomo Nara, Lookin' for a Treasure, 1995	Estimate On Request	HK$83,850,000 US$10,682,490
10	Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkin, 1995	HK$40,000,000 - 50,000,000 US$5,130,000-6,410,000	HK$56,110,000 US$7,148,414
8	Matthew Wong, The Road, 2018	HK$24,000,000 - 35,000,000 US$3,080,000-4,490,000	HK$36,145,000 US$4,604,873
11	Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Dots (HTI), 2001	HK$25,000,000 - 30,000,000 US$3,210,000-3,850,000	HK$27,675,000 US$3,525,795
18	Roy Lichtenstein, Reflections on Brushstrokes, 1990	HK$14,000,000 - 19,000,000 US$1,790,000-2,440,000	HK$19,810,000 US$2,523,794
14	Takashi Murakami, Flower Parent and Child, 2018-2020	HK$15,500,000 - 23,500,000 US$1,990,000-3,010,000	HK$14,002,000 US$1,783,855
19	Claude Monet, Paysage à Villez, 1883	HK$5,500,000 - 8,500,000 US$705,000-1,090,000	HK$8,890,000 US$1,132,586
9	Hernan Bas, The hillsides must not know it, 2011	HK$6,500,000 - 8,500,000 US$833,000-1,090,000	HK$8,255,000 US$1,051,687
33	Liu Ye, Flagship No. 1, 1997	HK$4,000,000 - 6,000,000 US$513,000-769,000	HK$ 6,985,000 US$889,889
6	Loie Hollowell, A Gentle Meeting of Tips, 2018	HK$5,000,000 - 7,000,000 US$641,000-897,000	HK$ 6,604,000 US$841,350

New Auction Records

Lot	Description	Estimate	Price Achieved
37	Chen Ke, Outside the Window, 2020	HK$2,000,000 - 4,000,000 US$256,000-513,000	HK$5,080,000 US$647,192
	*previous record price: HK$3,605,000, July 2020
42	Brett Crawford, H3RE HE COMES, 2023	HK$600,000 - 800,000 US$76,900-103,000	HK$2,159,000 US$275,057
	*previous record price: HK$2,016,000, December 2022

ABOUT PHILLIPS

Phillips is a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century art and design. With dedicated expertise in the areas of 20th Century and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewelry, Phillips offers professional services and advice on all aspects of collecting. Auctions and exhibitions are held at salerooms in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, while clients are further served through representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Phillips also offers an online auction platform accessible anywhere in the world. In addition to providing selling and buying opportunities through auction, Phillips brokers private sales and offers assistance with appraisals, valuations, and other financial services. Visit www.phillips.com for further information.

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium; prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium.

PRESS CONTACTS:

HONG KONG – Ingrid Hsu, Public Relations & Communications Director, Asia Ingridhsu@phillips.com +852 2318 2043
HONG KONG – Jiayi Zhang, Public Relations Coordinator Jiayizhang@phillips.com +852 2318 2080

PHILLIPS NEW YORK – 432 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022

PHILLIPS LONDON – 30 Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6EX

PHILLIPS HONG KONG – 14/F St. George’s Building, 2 Ice House Street, Central Hong Kong

30 March 2023

Phillips’ Inaugural 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale at its New Asia Headquarters Achieves HK$351 Million/ US$45 Million