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    Sotheby's Contemporary Asian Art Auction In Hong Kong (April 2): Top Classic Lots To Watch

    Coming off a stellar 2011 in the Asian art market, all eyes are on Sotheby's upcoming Contemporary Asian art spring auction in Hong Kong, set to hit the city on April 2.
    Fang Lijun's “1993 No. 4” sold last month in Hong Kong for US$3.67 million
    Jing DailyAuthor
      Published   in Finance

    Part One Of A Three-Part "Lots To Watch" Series#

    Jing Daily

    Coming off a stellar year in the Asian art market, which saw records fall at international auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s and emerging regional powers like China Guardian, all eyes are on Sotheby's upcoming Contemporary Asian art auction in Hong Kong, set to hit the city on April 2. Following up last autumn's Contemporary Asian Art auction series, which pulled in HKD227.8 million (US$29.2 million), the highest-ever various-owner sale in the category at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, the upcoming spring auction in Hong Kong will include historical pieces expected to go for millions as well as lower-priced lots that should prove popular with China's emerging new collector.

    Last October, 92 percent of works by Chinese contemporary artists were sold by value at Sotheby’s Contemporary Asian Art auction in Hong Kong, and though the sale’s overall sell-through rate was dinged by bidder apathy towards contemporary Japanese and Korean works, Chinese collectors displayed their growing discrimination and strong preference for top-quality works by historical artists. Expect this increasing sophistication to be on full display in April, as established collectors look to fill in gaps in their collections regardless of price and newer collectors try to stock up on top artists at more attainable levels.

    Jing Daily's top

    historical#

    or

    classic#

    Chinese contemporary art lots to watch at the upcoming Contemporary Asian Art auction in Hong Kong:

    Wang Guangyi - "Mao Zedong: AO" (1989)#

    Lot: 806
    Oil on canvas
    Size: 87 by 63 cm.; 34 1/4 by 24 3/4 in.
    Estimate: HK$4 million-6 million (US$515,252-772,878)

    Jing Daily

    Wang Guangyi - "Post-Classical Series: After Mona Lisa" (1988)#

    Lot: 807
    Oil on canvas
    Size: 114.2 by 80 cm.; 45 by 31 1/2 in.
    Estimate: HK$2 million-3 million (US$257,626-386,439)

    Jing Daily

    Mao Xuhui - "Parents Series" (1989)#

    Lot: 811
    Oil on canvas
    Size: 120 by 158.5 cm.; 47 1/2 by 62 1/2 in.
    Estimate: HK$1 million-2 million (US$128,813-257,626)

    Jing Daily

    Fang Lijun - "1993.4 " (1993)#

    One of the six works specially created for Venice Biennale, 1993
    Lot: 816
    Acrylic on canvas
    Size: 180 by 230 cm.; 70 7/8 by 90 1/2 in.
    Estimate: HK$18 million-25 million (US$2.3 million-3.2 million)

    Jing Daily

    Yu Youhan - "Chairman Mao" (1995)#

    Lot: 865
    Oil on canvas
    Size: 175 by 137 cm.; 68 7/8 by 53 7/8 in.
    Estimate: HK$1 million-1.5 million (US$128,813-193,220)

    Jing Daily

    Wang Jinsong - "Modern Crowds (Octaptych)" (1996)#

    Lot: 876
    Oil on canvas
    Size: 230.2 by 77.1 cm.; 90 5/8 by 30 3/8 in. (each) / 230.2 by 616.8 cm.; 90 5/8 by 242 7/8 in. (overall)
    Estimate: HK$3 million-4 million (US$386,439-515,252)

    Jing Daily

    Sui Jianguo - "Legacy Mantle" (2005)#

    Number 6 from an edition of 6
    Lot: 877
    Painted aluminium
    Size: 140 (H) by 110 by 90 cm.; 55(H) by 43 1/4 by 35 1/2 in
    Estimate: HK$700,000-1 million (US$90,169-128,813)

    Jing Daily

    Sui Jianguo - "Dying Slave" (1998)#

    Numbered 4/6
    Lot: 878
    Painted bronze
    Size: 240 (H) by 95 by 78.7 cm; 94 1/2 (H) by 37 3/8 by 31 in.
    Estimate: HK$480,000-555,000 (US$61,836-71,497)

    Jing Daily

    Liu Wei - "You Like Me, Why Not? No. 34" (1996)#

    Lot: 887
    Oil on canvas
    Size: 30 by 40 cm.; 11 3/4 by 15 3/4 in.
    Estimate: HK$800,000-1 million (US$103,050-128,813)

    Jing Daily

    Liu Wei - "A Good Dog" (1995)#

    Lot: 888
    Oil on canvas
    Size: 170 by 150 cm.; 66 7/8 by 59 in.
    Estimate: HK$12 million-15 million (US$1.55 million-1.9 million)

    Jing Daily

    Liu Wei - "Swimming" (1994)#

    Lot: 911
    Oil on board and painted wooden frame
    Size: 38 by 31 cm.; 15 by 12 1/4 in. (with frame) / 29.5 by 23.8 cm.; 11 5/8 by 9 3/8 in. (without frame)
    Estimate: HK$1.8 million-2.5 million (US$231,863-322,033)

    Jing Daily

    Wenda Gu - "Drama of Two Culture Formats Merge C1-C3" (Three Works) (1986)#

    Lot: 912
    Ink on Paper
    Size: (i) 500 by 95 cm.; 196 7/8 by 37 3/8 in. / (ii) 496 by 95 cm.; 195 1/4 by 37 3/8 in. / (iii) 525 by 95 cm.; 206 5/8 by 37 3/8 in.
    Estimate: HK$1.9 million - 2.5 million (US$244,745-322,033)

    Jing Daily
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