Summer Update, May 2007
Records were smashed at last weeks auctions as the art market continues to soar. Sales from the three auction houses totaled over $870 million, far exceeding the previous high of approximately $536 million in November, 2006. With 140 lots selling for greater than $1 million, of which 10 went for more than $10 million, new records were established for more than 50 artists, including Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol.
Rothko's "White Center (Yellow, Pink, and Lavender on Rose)", 1950, marks a watershed moment in the artist's development. In this piece for the first time Rothko abandoned all reference to the physical world in favor of pure abstraction. He would continue painting variations on this abstraction until his death in 1970. The work sold at Sotheby's for $72.8 million, an auction record for a contemporary painting and over three times Rothko's previous high record.
"Green Car Crash (Green Burning Car I)", 1963, is a highly regarded work from Warhol's Death and Disasters series, which represent some of his best social criticism. The piece depicts a Newsweek photo of a car crash, the ultimate American consumer disaster, repeated over and over at irregular intervals. It is one of the first silk-screens produced via the 'factory' method. The work sold at Christie's for $71.7 million, over four times Warhol's previous high record.
All the excitement bodes well next month for Art 38 Basel, the world's premier modern and contemporary art fair located in Switzerland (see attached map for list and location of all Basel events.). Along with Art Basel three other international art exhibitions - La Biennale di Venezia, documenta 12, and skulptur projekte münster 07 - taking place every two, five and ten years in Venice, Kassel and Münster, respectively, open one after another in June. Dubbed the 'Grand Tour 2007', it is the result of a once-in-ten year convergence.
Venice Biennale June 10 - November 21
Art Basel June 12 - 17
documenta June 16 - September 23
sculpture projects June 17 - September 30
Art 38 Basel
www.art basel.com
Hall 1 and 2
Messe Basel
Tram 1/2/6/14/15: Messeplatz
6/13-17 (vernissage 6/12)
290 Exhibitors
bâlelatina
www.balelatina.com
Brasilea Foundation
Westquaistrasse 39
Tram 8: Kleinhüningen
6/13-17 (reception 6/11-12)
40 Exhibitors
Design Miami/ Basel
www.designmiami.com
Markthalle
Viaduktstrasse 10
Tram 1/2/8/16: Markthalle
6/12-16 (vernissage 6/11)
20 Exhibitors
LISTE 07
www.liste.ch
Warteck pp
Burgweg 15
Tram 1/2/15: Wettsteinplatz
6/12-17 (reception 6/11)
62 Exhibitors
PrintBasel
www.printbasel.ch
Volkshaus Basel
Rebgasse 12
Tram 6/8/14/15: Claraplatz
6/11-17 (opening 6/10)
18 Exhibitors
SCOPE Basel
www.scope-art.com
E-Halle
Erlenstrasse 15
Tram 14: Musical Theatre
6/13-17 (reception 6/12)
50 Exhibitors
VOLTAshow03
www.voltashow.com
ULTRA BRAG
Südquaistrasse 55
Tram 8: Kleinhüningen
6/12-16 (reception 6/11)
67 Exhibitors
(detailed map on next page)