Sotheby’s has announced that it will be holding its inaugural auction of Asian and Western contemporary art in its Hong Kong gallery on December 3rd. Entitled Boundless: Contemporary Art, the auction will now form part of the existing roster for this category, which usually takes place twice a year.
Although the auction has been conducting business in the city-state since 1973, it has increased activity exponentially over the last decade. This year has been an especially busy one, demonstrated by the construction of the gallery in which the sale is being held.
Sotheby’s has explained that this is largely a response to the growing demand from investors, collectors and institutions for there to be a space showcasing quality works of art all year around, as well as establishing a suitable base for events and exhibitions.
“Curated by Sotheby’s worldwide team of specialists, Boundless: Contemporary Art will offer a selection of works sourced from around the globe,” said Patti Wong, chairman of Sotheby’s Asia.
“It will be an excellent opportunity for collectors in the region to acquire the original, eclectic, cutting-edge and timeless in contemporary art that complement a modern lifestyle and transcend the boundaries of culture.”
Highlights of the show include Roy Lichtenstein’s Modern Room (Study), which was worked on between 1990 and 1996. The brilliantly unfinished aesthetic of this caricature – a dig at the excessive interior concepts of the 1980s – is a profound work of art that successfully manages to pack in so much thought in a minimalist style.
Another highlight is Andy Warhol’s $(1) Sign, a classic effort from the pop art master, derives its strength from its own self-awareness. The statement it makes is that this is a work of art that is both a celebration and critique of capitalism, like an ouroboros (a snake eating itself).
Warhol himself knew all too well the irony of the work he did and relished flirting between high culture and celebrity life. And why not? Why adhere to any sort of expectation?
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