jeff koons

Five Of The Most Expensive Michael Jackson Pieces

It could definitely be argued that the most expensive item associated with Michael Jackson hasn't sold yet. Plenty of items tied to his career and his life remain off the market as his family continues to sort out the complicated legacy the singer left behind. In the end, it may turn out that the California real estate associated with him including Neverland Ranch or the home he was renting at the time of his death could be the most expensive Michael Jackson collectibles (depending of course on how you stretch that term).

Jackson's role in the collectible world is a complicated one. There are hundreds of Michael Jackson collectibles on the market at any given moment. Items associated with him and his career have value but also to be considered are the pieces that he inspired. Jackson was a muse for some of the world's top selling artists. In my research on the many associated Michael Jackson collectibles on the market I found that the most valuable pieces are mostly the works he inspired. This isn't a comprehensive list but it gives a look at some of the most expensive pieces associated with Jackson.

Tags: jeff koons, kehinde wiley, michael jackson

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Ukranian Billionaire Flys in Ducasse, Cirque du Soleil for $6 Million Birthday Bash

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Wealth

Ukrainian billionaire Viktor Pinchuk (above) is spending more than $6 million on an opulent 50th birthday bash for himself in the posh French ski resort of Courchevel tonight, flying in the Cirque de Soleil and superchef Alain Ducasse for the occasion. The steel magnate and contemporary art collector, whose has an estimated fortune of over $3 billion, is sparing no expense for the 300 guests invited to the event, the London Telegraph reports. It has taken 50 workmen two weeks "under difficult climactic conditions" to set up an enormous marquee to showcase the Cirque du Soleil, the world-renowned Canadian circus troupe, the paper notes.

Ducasse's haute cuisine will be accompanied by oceans of the finest champagne, vodka and top grand cru vintage wines. The evening will end with a spectacular fireworks display before guests retire to the resort's 11 five-star hotels, all booked out for the occasion. Pinchuk, who owns one of London's most expensive houses, has his own private museum in Kiev housing major works by Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons and Louis Vuitton collaborator Takashi Murakami. He has a number of philanthropic projects and arts sponsorships in the works with the likes of Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Steven Spielberg, George Soros and Bill Clinton, all of whom could turn up at the birthday blowout.

Tags: Alain Ducasse, billionaire, Cirque de Soleil, contemporary art, Courchevel, Damien Hirst, events, france, Jeff Koons, museum, oligarch, parties, Paul McCartney, Russian billionaires, Takashi Murakami, Ukraine, wealth

Jeff Koons Designs Bottles For Kiehls

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance, Charity

A Jeff Koons sculpture recently sold for over $16 million but you can get your hands on Koons for a lot less. The pop artist has partnered with Kiehls for a limited edition collection, available at Kiehls.com. The Limited Edition Creme de Corps Holiday Collection features Koons' colorful Tulips artwork. All of Kiehls worldwide net profits from the product (up to $200,000) will benefit The Koons Family Institute, an initiative of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC).

The collection includes the Jeff Koons Limited Edition Creme de Corps in sizes from 8.4 fluid ounces to one liter (priced from $27 to $70). The collection also introduces the new Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter, $35 for an eight-ounce jar.

Tags: body lotion, jeff koons, kiehls, lotion, moisturizer

GOAT: A Tribute to Muhammad Ali

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports, Books

If you're looking for an interesting and unique gift for the Muhammad Ali fan or sports memorabilia collector on your holiday list you should find out if they have a copy of GOAT (Greatest of All Time): A Tribute to Muhammad Ali. The massive tribute collection created by Taschen is not brand new to the market but remains a great holiday gift (or personal splurge?) nevertheless considering it's an exclusive collector's piece and numbered editions are still available. With a $15,000 price tag it's only for the most serious of collectors but this unique book includes over 3,000 photographs, art, and memorabilia and includes several gallery quality prints and the sculpture "Radial Champs" by Jeff Koons. Packaged in a white and pink (the color of Ali's first Cadillac) silk-covered clamshell box and signed by both Jeff Koons and Muhammad Ali, The "Champ's Edition" is limited to just 1,000 individually numbered copies.

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Tags: art books, coffee table books, holiday gifts, jeff koons, muhammad ali

$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

Inside Luxury King Francois Pinault's Private Palazzo Museums

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Wealth, Architecture & Design

Francois Pinault is a man justifiably envied by many. With a fortune of $8.7 billion the high-school dropout-turned luxury goods titan is the majority shareholder of PPR, whose brands include Gucci, Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta. He also owns famed auction house Christie's and the renowned Chateau Latour winery. His amazing contemporary art collection, worth an estimated $1.4 billion, encompasses 2,000-plus works by over 80 artists including Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Takashi Murakami and Damien Hirst. Much of it is now housed as his two incredible private museums in Venice, the Palazzo Grassi and the Punta della Dogana. Both historic buildings were transformed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando and are the subject of a smashing new book from Skira Rizzoli.

Tadao Ando: Venice - The Pinault Collection at the Palazzo Grassi and the Punta della Dogana shows how Ando's designs seamlessly blend history and innovation while adhering to the strict laws governing the preservation of historic buildings in Venice. At the Palazzo Grassi, prominently located on the Grand Canal, Ando's quiet but expert renovation of the eighteenth-century rooms makes a perfect backdrop for Jeff Koons' eye-popping balloon sculptures. At the Punta della Dogana (shown on the cover above), the Venetian Republic's original customs warehouse, the large-scale space was subtly subdivided into refined rooms for installation art. The "dialogue – that is collision and friction – between the new and the old," Ando states, "is the driving force in creating a city's future."

Tags: architect, architecture, art, art collection, Balenciaga, billionaire, Bottega Veneta, Chateau Latour, contemporary art, Damien Hirst, France, Francois Pinault, Gucci, Italy, Jeff Koons, luxury goods, museum, PPR, Richard Prince, Tadao Ando, Takashi Murakami, Venice, Yves Saint Laurent

Aston Martin DBS Carbon Black by Jeff Koons

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Art

Earlier this summer my colleague Noah Joseph reported on the BMW M3 GT2 painted by famed artist Jeff Koons as part of BMW's renowned Art Car program. Now it seems Koons has adapted the design to the new limited edition Aston Martin Carbon Black DBS. Based on the top-of-the-line GT that serves as James Bond's ride of choice, the Carbon Black edition features a unique black paint process designed to deflect the light at different angles, plus lightweight carbon-Kevlar seats upholstered in black leather with silver stitching, piano black trim, special wheels and more. We're not sure why Koons' design would be applied over the special black finish, but there you have it. Koons' colorful pattern is meant to evoke "power, motion and bursting energy." The Aston was spotted in the Netherlands and is slated to participate in The Challenge 2010 race at the end of this month.

[via LuxuryLaunches]

Tags: art car, artist, Aston Martin, Aston Martin Carbon Black DBS, Aston Martin DBS, BMW, BMW art car, contemporary art, Jeff Koons, supercar

$11 Million Warhol & More in Christie's Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

An important Andy Warhol portrait of Liz Taylor painted in 1963 is expected to fetch up to $11 million at Christie's' landmark Post-War & Contemporary Art sale in London on June 30. The iconic Silver Liz (above), painted for Warhol's now famous show at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles in October 1963, could easily go for much more considering last month's world record sale of a Warhol self portrait and the eye-popping results of the Michael Crichton collection. Also on offer in the stunning sale: Jeff Koons' 1999 oil on canvas Loopy, estimated at about $3.5 million - $5 million; Jean-Michel Basquiat's Untitled, painted in in 1982, estimated at about $2.5 million - $3.5 million; Roy Lichtenstein's Woman Reading, painted in 1980, estimated at about $3 million - $4.5 million; Cy Twombly's Untitled (Gaeta), painted in 2004, estimated at $3 million - $4 million; and Gerhard Richter's Abstraktes Bild, painted in 1986, estimated at $2.2 million - $3.5 million.

Gallery: Christie's Contemporary Art June 2010

Tags: Andy Warhol, art market, Contemporary Art, Cy Twombly, Gerhard Richter, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jeff Koons, Liz Taylor, London, Los Angeles, Roy Lichtenstein

BMW M3 GT2 Art Car by Jeff Koons

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Art, Sports

There's a great history to BMW's art cars. Over the past 35 years, sixteen such collaborations have been undertaken between the German automaker and famous artists. Among them were none other than Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. And now BMW has unveiled its latest.

The work of American artist Jeff Koons, this M3 GT2 race car was unveiled in Paris before heading to the 24 Hours of Le Mans next week where it will actually compete as one of the two cars BMW is fielding during this year's iconic race.

This isn't the first time, however, that a BMW art car has been used in an actual race: other notable examples included Alexander Calder's 1975 3.0 CSL and Jenny Holzer's 1999 V12 LMR. In fact many of the original art cars competed at Le Mans. Let's just hope that, like it predecessors, this one doesn't crash during the race.

Tags: 24 heures du mans, 24 hours of le mans, art car, art cars, bmw, bmw art car, bmw art cars, bmw m3 gt2, gt2, jeff koons, le mans, m3, me gt2

Fine Art Fabricator Shuts Down Amid Art Slump

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

After nearly 40 years of engineering and fabricating the dreams of some of the world's most well known artists, Carlson & Co is closing its doors. As with so many of the technical companies that support art and architecture, you've probably never heard of Carlson, but you probably have encountered one of Jeff Koons' balloon dogs, the Grand Staircase at the Sofitel Hotel in Beverly Hills, or the Helios House BP gas station at Robertson and Olympic in Los Angeles. Carlson had a hand in those works and many others. Company head Peter Carlson said the economy has caused the shutdown. He has let go his entire workforce, and expects to "file something 'akin' to bankruptcy" next week.

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Tags: architecture, art, carlson and co, carson co, fine art, jeff koons, peter carlson

Four Reasons Optimism Was Seen at New York's Armory Week Art Fair

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

For the past week, the art community has focused on New York City's annual Armory event, in which artists put their best pieces forward, dealers and galleries are on the prowl and collectors look for new finds that will someday redefine their portfolios. Momentum from the contemporary art auctions at Christie's and Sotheby's was certainly present, as all in attendance seemed focused on opportunity rather than window-shopping. The efforts at the Armory were consistent with a marketplace that's active, not the crushing fear that characterized the art market through the second half of 2008 and most of 2009.

1. Koons went bare
What was expected to be the most controversial event of Armory Week turned out to be subdued, though well attended. Jeff Koons offered a tribute to open sexuality with an exhibition that opened last Tuesday. Protesters weren't in sight, but musicians Cyndi Lauper and The Edge (guitarist for U2) checked out the show.

2. Solo booths were back in style
According to ArtInfo, "Solo artist booths were everywhere you looked." Individuals were ready to put themselves out into the market. Collectors had the opportunity to focus on specific artists as a result, rather than see disparate artwork crammed together by galleries and dealers managing inventory as if they were grocers. The good news, however, is that this shift isn't indicative of an art market slump. Rather, it's a sign of optimism. There's a belief out there that art collectors are ready to buy, especially given what we've seen at auction so far this year.

Tags: armory, art, art collecting, art collection, art collector, art dealer, art fair, art galleries, Art Gallery, art market, art show, artist, Artists, Christies, contemporary art, galleries, gallery, Jeff Koons, manhattan, new york, new york city, sothebys, upper east side

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Lucian Freud at the Pompidou Could Boost Prices

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

Lucian Freud is coming back to the Centre Pompidou for the first time since his first retrospective was held in 1987 – at the same museum. Historically, these exhibitions have been great for collectors of Freud's work, according to Artprice.

A 2002 Freud retrospective at the Tate kicked off a nearly immediate 185 percent increase in the index for this artist, and by 2004, he became a staple at prestigious auctions, and his sales revenue surged 450 percent. In 2005, the Freud price index, according to Artprice, gained 41 percent, and demand for his work was substantial. He debuted on the list of top 10 artists at auction, with an aggregate total of $33.7 million for the year.

Of course, the 2005 results paled in comparison to 2008, in which Roman Abramovich made Freud the most expensive living artist (seizing the title from Jeff Koons) with the $30 million purchase of "Benefits Supervisor Sleeping" – a familiar enough topic for anyone who's looked for some help from the human resources department. Yet, the upside was short-lived.

No piece by Freud crossed the $1 million mark in 2009, and with only $405,000 in auction results, he ranked 1,327th at auction, just above ... someone who is likely irrelevant in the global art community. The auction houses couldn't try to sell the good stuff, though, because nobody would put it on the block. Only prints and drawings were offered.

Did the Sotheby's auction last month signal a turn? Both "Self-Portrait with a Black Eye" and "Guy and Speck" crossed not just he million dollar but the million pound threshold, though the hype around Freud failed to materialize. Maybe Freud will lag the market in recovering, but that's probably because the art market is showing such a robust return.

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Tags: art, art market, ArtMarket, france, Jeff Koons, JeffKoons, lucian freud, LucianFreud, paris, Pompidou, PompidouCenter, roman abramovich, RomanAbramovich, tate modern, TateModern

High Hopes for London Art Auctions

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

The London art auctions are upon us, and a year has made a hell of a difference. The auctions at Christie's, Sotheby's and Phillips de Pury are expected to fetch at least $104 million, which would be an increase of 68 percent over the same season in 2009. If the houses can pull this off, the art market will probably breathe a collective sigh of relief after more than a year of downright awful results.

At this point last year, the art market was in miserable shape. It was already in trouble, as the recession had begun to crystallize over the summer of 2008, a process which was hardened by the financial market meltdown in September. By the end of the year, prices had plummeted, and the practice of guaranteed minimum pricing had generally been abandoned.

By the end of 2009, signs of a recovery began to emerge, though few were willing to commit to it. A few pieces, such as Andy Warhol's "200 One Dollar Bills" turned in strong performances, but nothing was solid enough to call a trend. Nonetheless, hopes are high for the next round of sales, which will include museum-caliber paintings by Peter Doig and Yves Klein. Shown at right is Andy Warhol's Dollar Sign estimated at $1,950,000 - $2,925,000 at Christie's London Post War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction on February 11.

Tags: andy warhol, AndyWarhol, art auction, art auctions, art collecting, art collection, art collector, art market, ArtAuction, ArtAuctions, ArtCollecting, ArtCollection, ArtCollector, Artists, ArtMarket, artwork, auction house, auction houses, AuctionHouse, AuctionHouses, basquiat, Christies, damien hirst, DamienHirst, england, jean-michel basquiat, Jean-michelBasquiat, Jeff Koons, JeffKoons, london, lucian freud, LucianFreud, peter doig, PeterDoig, phillips de pury, PhillipsDePury, sothebys, yves klein, YvesKlein

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Artists to Watch in 2010

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

What does 2010 have in store for the art market? Well, it's starting to look like this is the year the market will finally (begin to) recover, though there could be some trepidation at points. Better pieces are coming under the gavel, and serious collectors are interested in artists with real track records. As things loosen up, emerging artists and those just past that stage (think Ben Krell for the former and Nelson Diaz for the latter) will start to see better conditions, as the logjam in the auction houses, once broken, should ease the pressure on galleries and also lead to some progress in private sales. Basically, the return of liquidity to the art market will be better for everyone.

Almost everyone.

This year, some artists won't enjoy as much of the recovery (if it happens ... just to hedge our bets) as others. Their prices were run up too quickly, making the subsequent fall severe. These artists, auction darlings who don't have the history or potency of a Lucian Freud or even a Richard Prince. Yet, they shot out of the emerging artist category years ago. In 2010, these artists, including Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons, will occupy something of a purgatory, as the art market resets values through upward bidding, now that the decks have been washed clean.

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Tags: art auction, art auctions, art market, ArtAuction, ArtAuctions, ArtMarket, banksy, BanksyGraffiti, basquiat, china, damien hirst, DamienHirst, england, francis bacon, FrancisBacon, jean-michel basquiat, Jean-michelBasquiat, Jeff Koons, JeffKoons, london, lucian freud, LucianFreud, phillips de pury, PhillipsDePury, richard prince, RichardPrince, sothebys

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Hirst and Koons Plunged, Collectors Regrouping

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

Two of the biggest names in the art boom – which ended unceremoniously over the summer of 2008 – have seen their works fall by half this year. Pieces by Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons, the hottest works under the gavel through the beginning of 2008, could take as much as 10 years for prices to recover.

With the art market in turmoil this year, the contemporary segment suffered, and art collectors steered clear of some of the riskier artists on the market, which included Koons and Hirst. Instead, they turned to Art Deco furniture and pieces from the Old Masters and China, which appeared prominently among the top 10 auction performers this year.

Hirst and Koons still outperformed the contemporary art sector, which fell 75percent overall, thanks in large part to the auction houses' abandoning of guaranteed minimum prices.

According to Artprice, the art auction market surged by a factor of 10 from 2003 to 2008, with its price index for works by Hirst up 996 percent for the 10-year period ending in September 2008, with his "Beautiful Inside My Head Forever" event.

So, now may be the time to snatch up Hirst and Koons. It may take a decade for these artists to see their prices recover, but they did pretty well over the past 10 years.

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Tags: art collecting, art collection, art collector, art market, ArtCollecting, ArtCollection, ArtCollector, ArtMarket, collector, collectors, damien hirst, DamienHirst, Jeff Koons, JeffKoons