andy warhol

Andy Warhol Self-portrait Sells For $17 Million As London Art Boom Continues

An important rediscovered Andy Warhol self-portrait crowned a big art week in London, selling for £10.8 million pounds ($17.4 million) at Christie's. The piece which dates from 1967 is a red square six-foot acrylic and silkscreen piece showing Warhol staring thoughtfully at the viewer, two fingers covering his mouth. Christies had estimated the work to sell for £3 to £5 million as part of its 64-lot auction of contemporary works. Legendary art dealer Larry Gagosian snapped it up, bidding in the room and wresting it away from another client on the telephone.

Tags: andy warhol, christies, larry gagosian

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Ai Weiwei's Sunflower Seeds Sell Above Estimate

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

This week's Sotheby's Contemporary Art Evening sale in London started off with a bang when the first lot, Ai Weiwei's sunflower seeds, came up for sale. The Chinese artist generated headlines around the world when he installed 100 million ceramic sunflowers seeds in the Tate Modern in London and art watchers were curious to see how the art would sell. The first 100-kilogram pile of seeds was estimated to bring in £80,000 to £120,000 but sold for sold for £349,250 ($559,394) or around £3.50 per seed.

Each porcelain sunflower seed was individually hand made and painted by specialists working in small-scale workshops in the Chinese city of Jingdezhen. The Sotheby's listing suggests that the piece can be installed either in a mound as shown above or smoothed out into a carpet-like experience. There will be a total of ten lots sold from this work.

Tags: ai weiwei, andy warhol, Gerhard Richter

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Andy Warhol's Rolls-Royce Up For Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Art

Andy Warhol's self-portrait goes up for auction this month but you can buy a perhaps even more personal artifact, his chocolate brown 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. Auto aficionado Tamara Warren spotted the listing on Art Brokerage recently. She corresponded with the current owner who told her that he had originally bid on the car at Sotheby's when his estate was auctioned about a year after his death. Later he was contacted by the winner of the auction and bought the car several years later. As the 25th anniversary of Warhol's death (he died in 1987) approaches he decided to test the waters. The car had sold at auction for $77,000 and the owner is now accepting offers.

In a post on Forbes, Warren questions whether or not the car is "just another vintage Rolls-Royce" or something more, a window into an era, a moment in cultural history and "an extra 15 minutes." Given that even Warhol's turtleneck is listed for over $14,000, it will be interesting to see if the market is as interested in the artist as it is in his art.

Tags: andy warhol, rolls-royce, vintage cars

Mercedes-Benz Celebrates 125 Years of Automotive Excellence

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, Art

Mercedes-Benz Celebrates 125 Years of Automotive Excellence

January 29 marks an important milestone in the history of Mercedes-Benz, inventor of the motor car and the world's most famous marque – on that day back in 1886 Carl Benz filed an application in Berlin for a patent on his three-wheeled "horseless carriage". Early critics claimed the contraption had no future; 125 years and over 80,000 patent applications later they couldn't be more wrong. Tomorrow night the company will mark the historic occasion with a gala at Mercedes-Benz World in Stuttgart featuring German Chancellor Angela Merkel as the guest of honor. "The invention of Daimler and Benz changed the world for the better - and it will continue to do so," states Dr. Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. "As the inventor we also have the claim to shape the future of mobility: with fascinating brands, green technologies and new business opportunities."

The central anchor point for the celebrations is the Mercedes-Benz Museum, which in 2011 celebrates its 5th anniversary at its new home in the Mercedes-Strasse in Stuttgart. In addition to the museum's incredible collection of classics, an exhibition from the company's collection of modern and contemporary art will be on display from May through September. Many of the works feature the history, models or design of Mercedes-Benz motor cars, such as Andy Warhol's legendary series of paintings CARS, created by the artist 25 years ago on the occasion of the marque's 100th anniversary, along with new work commissioned for this latest milestone. Along with various other events and commemorations meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz is donating and planting 125 trees in New Orleans City Park to aid in the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort.

Gallery: 125 Years of Mercedes-Benz

Tags: Andy Warhol, Berlin, cars, classic cars, events, Germany, luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz Museum, museum, Stuttgart

Warhol's Charles and Diana Up For Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

The Opera Gallery in London is hoping to cash in on royal wedding fever, putting two portraits by artist Andy Warhol up for sale that were created to celebrate the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. The AFP reports that the gallery acquired the original synthetic polymer and silkscreen ink on canvas pieces from a private collection. These pieces were initially sold to a private collector in 1982 and haven't been for sale since. The large portraits show Diana in a formal gown against a pink background while Charles is in a uniform against a blue background. The gallery will be selling them as a set for 2 million pounds ($3.15 million).

Tags: andy warhol, prince charles, princess diana

Warhol Screenprints Sell High At Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

I was surprised that the screenprint portrait of Mao Zedong by Andy Warhol, with two bullet holes put there by "Easy Rider" star Dennis Hopper was only estimated at $20,000 to $30,000. To myself I speculated that it might eke out a price over $100,000. I was not even close. The work with two bullet holes sold for $302,500 at Christie's on Tuesday, more than 10 times its high estimate. The 1972 screenprint from Hopper's art collection is done in hues of mostly blues and greens. Hopper shot the artwork when startled one night. He showed Warhol the bullet holes, and the pair agreed to consider the work a collaboration. Warhol drew circles around the holes, labeling the one over Mao's right shoulder "warning shot" and the one at his upper left eyelid "bullet hole." Another famous Warhol screenprint from 1967 of Marilyn Monroe fetched $206,500, or about four times the pre-sale estimate.

Tags: andy warhol, christies, dennis hopper, mao zedong

Dennis Hopper's Furniture On Offer at Christie's

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Auctions, Celebrity Shopping, Art, Architecture & Design

Last summer my colleague Deirdre Woollard covered the sale of Dennis Hopper's house and major works from his impressive collection of contemporary art. Now Christie's is offering a number of prized pieces of furniture that belonged the late actor, artist and aesthete. Tops among Hopper's design classics in Christie's Interiors sale in New York on Jan. 11 – 12 is a chrome and black leather chaise by Le Corbusier, estimated at $1,000 – $1,500; a cardboard "bubble chair" designed by architect Frank Gehry, estimated at $3,000 – $5,000; and an oak and black leather Eames chair with ottoman, estimated at $1,000 – $1,500. Also included are various photographs and works of art, including an Andy Warhol silkscreen of Marilyn Monroe estimated at $40,000 – $60,000, and even the actor's set of Tiffany & Co. teacups and desert plates, estimated at $200 – $300. A number of the items are being offered without reserve, so it's a good chance for Hopper fans to score a memento.

Tags: actor, Andy Warhol, art, auction, celebrity, Christies, contemporary art, Dennis Hopper, Eames, Frank Gehry, furniture, Le Corbusier, Tiffany Co.

World Auction Price for Lichtenstein At $42.6 Million

by Bobbie Leigh (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

The Roy Lichtenstein 1964 painting "Ohhh...Alright..." was sold at Christie's auction of postwar and contemporary art on November 10 for a whopping $38 million or $42.6 million including Christie's fees (watch video of the moment here). The painting topped even a Warhol soup can and opener which fetched $23.9 million, considerably less than the $30-$50 million estimate. Las Vegas casino owner Steve Wynn was the seller. The buyer was an anonymous bidder on the phone. There was only this single bidder who had made a contractual agreement with the auction house before the sale.

The comic-book inspired image of a flaming redhead clutching a phone to her ear with a puzzling speech bubble is one of a group of dream-girls painted between 1961-1965 in Lichtenstein's signature Ben-Day dots. Some pundits claim collectors want instantly recognizable images. Another view is that the painter's iconic images are "safe" and rare, while Warhols seem to pop up on a regular basis. In any case, unlike the US economy, the contemporary art market appears to have regained its health.

Tags: andy warhol, Ben-Day dots, Christies, roy lichenstein, Steve Wynn, Warhol

The Stunning Photographs of Stan Shaffer

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Books

If you've never heard of photographer Stan Shaffer, who captured the cream of cultural bohemia in the golden age of the '60s and '70s, now's the time to rectify that courtesy of über-luxe German publisher teNeues. You Should Have Been With Me is a massive scrapbook culled from Shaffer's stunning archive, with intimate portraits of celebs of the day including Gloria Vanderbilt, Angelica Huston, Andy Warhol, Halston, Calvin Klein, Peter Beard, Cheryl Tiegs, Grace Jones, Jerry Hall, Brooke Shields and Mariel Hemingway. These are interspersed with sexy fashion snaps and outtakes of sessions with supermodels on yachts and in Porsches once the "work" was done. In diary form Shaffer shares extracts from his extraordinary life at the nexus of New York's art, fashion and cinema worlds, at glitzy parties "where everyone is somebody and they're all dressed to kill!" Shaffer's journey was that of a "voyeur, participant, invited guest and documentarian" wrapped into one; sadly he died during the final stages of production on this book, which now serves as a fitting legacy for an artist who deserves more recognition.

Tags: 1960s, 1970s, Andy Warhol, art, books, Calvin Klein, celebrity, coffee table books, fashion, Jerry Hall, New York, Peter Beard, photographer, photography, Stan Shaffer, style, teNeues

Big Warhol Sales Start Contemporary Auction Week In New York

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

It's looking like the week of Warhol. This week's contemporary art auctions in New York City started off with a bang on Monday night as Phillips de Pury & Company inaugurated its Park Avenue salesroom in grand style. The NY Times reports that the auction house was trying out a new program called "Carte Blanche" in which someone outside the auction house curates a sale. The first auction was done by Philippe Ségalot, a private dealer who once ran Christie's postwar and contemporary art department in New York. The 33 lots orchestrated by Ségalot brought in a total of $117 million, above its high estimate of $104.8 million. Over half of that went to Andy Warhol's "Men in Her Life," shown above, a 1962 painting featuring Elizabeth Taylor. The $63.3 million price easily topped the $50 million high end estimate and was the second highest ever paid for a Warhol (the first was the $71.7 million paid at Christie's in 2007 for "Green Car Crash (Green Burning Car I)." But Andy Warhol's work wasn't through dazzling New York yet.

Tags: andy warhol, art market, auction house, phillips de pury, sothebys

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Art Auction Raises Money For Maine Museum

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

From now through November 29th, Adelson Galleries in New York City is hosting an online auction of museum quality art works in support of the Farnsworth Art Museum's campaign for the Andrew Wyeth Memorial Endowment. The works to be sold have been donated by artists, collectors, and philanthropists dedicated to sustaining the mission of the Farnsworth. The campaign hopes to raise a total of $12 million to fund the maintenance and operation of four of the Maine museum's properties: the Olson House in Cushing, Maine, and the Wyeth Center, Wyeth Study Center, and Wyeth Research Center in Rockland. The Wyeth center focuses on the work of Andrew Wyeth, as well as that of his father, N.C., and son Jamie.

The live auction preview to be held in the gallery culminates in an event celebrating the life and artistic legacy of Andrew Wyeth on November 29th. The auction includes Jamie Wyeth's 1969 portrait of his father, Andrew Wyeth; Andy Warhol's 1977 self-portrait, Self Portrait with Skull; an Andrew Wyeth 1984 watercolor, Helga, From the Back; a Leon Kroll oil painting; a John Marin watercolor; and other important works by American artists.

Tags: andrew wyeth, andy warhol, farnsworth art museum, jamie wyeth, n.c. wyeth, Wyeth

Avedon Nude of Stephanie Seymour Expected to Fetch $210,000

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

A racy nude portrait of supermodel Stephanie Seymour (detail above) taken by the late, great Richard Avedon in 1992 is expected to fetch up to $210,000 at Sotheby's' Photographies sale in Paris on November 19. Part of a private European collection, the image will bolster the strength of the photography market if it achieves its price. Though most of the lots date from the early 1900s, the stunning sale also includes an Albert Watson portrait of Naomi Campbell from 1989 and a David LaChapelle portait of Andy Warhol from 1987 taken shortly before the artist's death, both estimated at up to $21,000; and a Herb Ritts portrait of Madonna from 1986, expected to fetch up to $10,000. Notable works by Irving Penn, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston and more round out the offerings.

Tags: Albert Watson, Andy Warhol, auction, David LaChapelle, Irving Penn, Madonna, Naomi Campbell, nude, Paris, Phtography, Richard Avedon, Sothebys, Stephanie Seymour, supermodel

$50 Million Warhol Stars in Christie's Contemporary Art Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

A rare early Andy Warhol painting expected to fetch up to $50 million, the first picture by Warhol ever to be shown in a museum, headlines Christie's incredible Contemporary Art sale in New York on Nov. 10. The artist's Big Campbell's Soup Can with Can Opener (Vegetable), dated 1962 (above), is one of several multimillion-dollar Warhols on offer in the eye-popping sale. The next most expensive artwork is Roy Lichtenstein's Ohhh...Alright..., dated 1964, expected to fetch in the region of $40 million and one of a number of Lichtensteins on offer, again with several carrying multimillion-dollar estimates. Both seminal paintings "literally changed the course of art history," Christie's notes. In third place price-wise is Gerhard Richter's 1982 oil on canvas Zwei Kerzen, estimated at $12 million – $16 million, followed by Jeff Koons' steel sculpture Balloon Flower (Blue), 1995 - 2000, also estimated at $12 million – $16 million. Following that in the $9 million – $15 million range are two works by Mark Rothko, Untitled (Black on Gray) and No 18 (Brown and Black on Plum). Oligarchs and oil sheikhs, prepare your paddles.

Gallery: Christie's Contemporary Art 11/10

Tags: Andy Warhol, art, auction, Contemporary Art, Gerhard Richter, Jeff Koons, Mark Rothko, museum, New York, painting, Roy Lichtenstein

Megabucks Rothko, Warhol & Bacon Head Sotheby's Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

A $30 million Mark Rothko, $25 million Andy Warhol, $18 million Roy Lichtenstein and $10 million Francis Bacon will headline Sotheby's stunning Contemporary Art sale in New York on Nov. 9. Though the least expensive of the top four lots the Bacon, 1985's Figure in Movement (above), is our favorite among the offerings. Bacon gave the painting to his personal physician, Dr. Paul Brass, and the sale marks it's historic first appearance to market. It featured prominently in the 2008 landmark exhibition Francis Bacon: A Centenary Retrospective at Tate Britain which traveled to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The Rothko, 1955's Untitled, is one of the artist's most monumental works measuring over 7.5 ft. high. Warhol's contribution is 1962's Coca-Cola, not particularly compelling but guaranteed to ride the wave of high prices realized for his work. The Lichtenstein, Ice Cream Soda, is also dated 1962 and has been in a private collection since it was originally purchased that same year.

Tags: Andy Warhol, art, auction, Contemporary Art, exhibition, Francis Bacon, Mark Rothko, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Roy Lichtenstein

Jerry Hall's Paintings Sell Above Estimate

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

Artwork owned by the model Jerry Hall brought in a total of £2,489,775 ($3,988,619) at Sotheby's in London this weekend far above a pre-sale estimate of £1.5 million. Hall was selling 14 works, by artists including Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst and Frank Auerbach, Lucien Freud and Francisco Clemente. Hall told the press that the sale was about letting go of the past. Freud's nude portrait of Hall eight months pregnant, sold for £601,250, twice its estimate. Warhol's Dollar Sign given to Hall as a thank you for her work with his television project brought £217,250. Hall's 1965 Frank Auerbach canvas, Head of Helen Gillespie IV sold for £1.1 million pounds.

Tags: andy warhol, art, jerry hall, lucien freud, sothebys