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Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Doha auction netted a total of about $8,006,625 yesterday evening at the Katara Art Centre and set 13 new auction records.
The total amount was between pre-sale expectations of $6.2mn and $8.5mn, said Aileen Agopian, Sotheby’s senior vice-president, international senior specialist, contemporary art.
She said the auction fetched the highest price for works by Damien Hirst (the UK) and Anish Kapoor (India) at any Middle Eastern auction.
While records were established for 13 artists, 84.6% of the total artworks were sold by lot.
Kapoor’s “Untitled” stainless steel work of 2009 topped last night’s sale. It was sold for $1.595mn (est $700,000-$900,000) after extended bidding – the highest price achieved for a work by the artist in the Middle East.
“That is an extraordinary feat as well,” said Agopian. “What is equally important for us is that we have bidders from around the world aggressively bidding on international and contemporary Middle Eastern artists.”
Iranian artist Ali Banisadr’s “The Chase” (est $180,000-250,000) was sold for $460,000.
Banisadr, who has a strong following from Asia to Latin America, is a sought-after artist and his work is heavily influenced by his childhood experiences as a refugee of the Iran-Iraq war.
Hirst’s “Tranquility” (est $1mn-$1.5mn) from his Kaleidoscope series of butterfly paintings was sold for $700,000, while his “Affliction (flies and resin on canvas) was sold for $475,000.
The last artwork (est $20,000-$30,000) by Abdullah Qandeel from Saudi Arabia was sold for $170,000.
Agopian said bidders from 22 countries participated last evening and drove prices to record levels for 13 artists.
Citing the success of the auction last year with nine auction records, she described their achievement this year as “phenomenal and a tremendous, resounding success”.
Bidders from 21 countries had participated last year, including Americans, who were bidding aggressively on works from the Middle East, according to the Sotheby’s senior official.
Donald Judd’s “Untitled” (Bernstein 90-01) was sold for $3.525mn, considered to be the most expensive item in 2013. He is one of the leading pioneers of new sculptural forms and concepts within America during the latter half of the 20th century.
Of the 47 lots offered, 43 were sold, which was above the expected 70%, according to Lina Lazaar Jameel, Sotheby’s international contemporary art specialist.
A sale is deemed successful if it sells around 70% of the total lots. The Sotheby’s auction in 2013 netted a total of $15.2mn.
“I would say we are building on the successes each year and this is all stepping stones for the foundation that we are laying in Doha of contemporary art, showing our commitment to contemporary art within the Middle East,” noted Agopian.
She said they hoped to achieve even better results for the auction next year.
“It is phenomenal to see all the hard work we have been doing and strategising over a year come into fruition,” stressed Agopian.