12/11/2001
by Christopher Chambers

Once more the New York art world waits with baited breath for the biannual auctions of current and contemporary art. Sales last spring fared quite well despite a floundering international economy, but this season the World Trade Center disaster and ongoing global hostilities are casting an especially uneasy mood over proceedings. That said, most of the works on offer were confirmed at all of the big three New York auction houses before the attack on September the 11^th and none of the lots published in the catalogues have been withdrawn, indicating a general sense of confidence among the sellers. It is also notable that many of the works on sale come from prestigious collections such as the Tom Patchett collection and the Ulla and Heiner Pietzsch collection.

Several of the same artists that did well last spring are being proffered again, though for the most part the offerings are not as numerous or as important. For example Bruce Nauman, the star at Christie’s in the spring with several works going for substantial prices including the week’s high of $ 10,000,000 (€ 11,192,528) for a wax cast of the artist’s back, has only one piece up for sale on the 12^th of November at Phillips, de Pury & Luxembourg, entitled Small Butt to Butt, a 1989 cast aluminum sculpture of rearranged animal parts that hangs suspended by wires estimated between $ 400,000-600,000 (€ 447,701-671,551). Jeff Koons also sold exceptionally well with his portrait of Michael Jackson with his pet monkey going for $ 5,000,000 (€ 5,596,456) at Sotheby’s in May. This autumn his most significant pieces are: a porcelain, 49.5 x 160 x 80 cm rendition of a pig, two penguins, and a bare-chested young woman estimated for $ 1,500,000-2,500,000 (€ 1,678,936-2,798,228) at Phillips, and a polychromed wooden pig piece for $ 1,500,000-2,000,000 (€ 1,678,936-2,238,593) at Sotheby’s on the 14^th of November.

Jean Michel Basquiat and his mentor Andy Warhol are both present in force. Works on paper by Basquiat start at a low estimate of $ 25,000 (€ 27,982) for lot 450, Untitled (Gold Head) at Christie’s on the 16^th . There are numerous similarly valued pieces, and several paintings on canvas that range from a few hundred thousand dollars to lot 37 at Phillips, Untitled (Angel) which is projected to go for $ 900,000-1,200,000 (€ 1,007,367-1,343,101). With a bit of luck one might pick up a Warhol screenprint on paper for as little as $ 10,000-15,000 (€ 11,192-16,788) at Phillips, but a 56 x 71.1 cm silkscreen Colored Liz, from 1963, will set you back at least $ 4,000,000-5,000,000 (€ 4,477,005-5,596,074) at Sotheby’s.

Another top price is reserved for Gerhard Richter. His 1966 photo-derived oil painting Volker Bradke, a figurative street scene, carries an estimate of $ 3,000,000-4,000,000 (€ 3,357,644-4,477,005) at Sotheby’s. In comparison, several of the 1980s stars are not so highly coveted: Two reasonably large paintings by Julian Schnabel at Christie’s hover in the $ 100,000 (€ 111,921) range while one of his early, celebrated "plate" paintings, Some Bullfighters get Closer to the Horns is also expected to raise a similar amount, estimated by Phillip’s at $ 120,000-180,000 (€ 134,300-201,438). Brice Marden’s signature piece Diagrammed Couplet II, lot 9 at Sotheby’s, should bring $ 1,000,000-1,500,000 (€ 1,119,103-1,678,655) while a relative newcomer, Elizabeth Peyton’s Kurt Smoking, a 30.5 x 23 cm oil on masonite portrait of dead-by-his-own-hand rock star Kurt Cobain, is commanding a respectable $ 30,000-40,000 (€ 33,573-44,762). A few lovely paintings by Alex Katz are also for sale, including Black Brook V from 1989, 230 x 168.3 cm, which at $ 120,000-180,000 (€ 134,288-201,432) is a bargain.

There are several choice offerings available this autumn, and a shrewd buyer might just be able to take advantage of the pensive climate to walk away with a few real prizes. Then again, there are other collectors with the same idea.