DOHA: Sotheby’s is set to launch a Contemporary art exhibition on Tuesday at the Katara Art Centre Building 5, displaying works by Middle Eastern and International artists to be auctioned on October 13.
The auction follows the success of last year’s Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Doha sale which achieved the highest total for a sale of Contemporary art in the Middle East. Record prices were established for nine artists, including the highest price for a work of art by a living Arab artist.
This year’s sale showcases thrilling works by sought-after established artists as well as emerging artists from both the Middle East and internationally. Pre-sale estimates for works span from $10,000 to $1m.
Artworks by artists from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Palestine will be exhibited and then sold alongside works by internationally acclaimed artists from the US and UK.
The carefully curated sale includes eight works by Middle Eastern artists who have never been presented at auction in the region, and five highly sought-after international art stars whose work will be shown and offered for sale for the first time in the Middle East. These artists include Sterling Ruby, Tracey Emin, Lawrence Weiner, Aaron Young, and Lucien Smith alongside major names such as Monir Farmanfarmaian, Nja Mahdaoui, Damien Hirst and Anish Kapoor.
Lina Lazaar, Sotheby’s Director, International Contemporary Art Specialist, said:
“This year’s Contemporary Art Doha sale showcases the diversity of artistic styles that Middle Eastern artists are working in today through a selection of extremely desirable works presented alongside signature pieces by world-renowned international artists. The cohesive pre-sale exhibition exemplifies the fascinating and extremely exciting global dialogue between East and West. Each work featured in the sale is of the highest calibre and corresponds directly to the demand from both our Middle Eastern and International clients, and epitomises the future of the vibrant art scene both in the region and internationally.”
Among the highlights of works by artists in the region is ‘Passage’ (estimated at $200,000 to $300,000), the first video artwork to be auctioned by acclaimed Iranian artist Shirin Nishat.
The sale will also witness works by five of the most influential Saudi artists to be united for the first time at auction. These artists namely Abdulhalim Radwi, Taha Al Sabban, Abdulrahman Al Soliman, Mohammed Resayes and Mohammed Al Saleem questioned and challenged the boundaries and existing framework of art in their homeland.
An important painting by Qatari artist Yousef Ahmad ‘Letter of Love III’( estimated at $10,000-15,000) painted in 2008 and is one of his most representative works will also be among the works to go under the hammer at the auction.
Aileen Agopian, Sotheby’s Senior Vice President, International Contemporary Art Specialist, said: “We have strategically sourced works by the most compelling and cutting-edge international artists whose works, alongside their Middle Eastern contemporaries, will challenge art lovers and collectors and expose them to new art forms.”
The Peninsula
