Yesterday
at
Sotheby
’
s
in
London, the third dedicated sale
of
Modern and Contemporary African Art
realised £2,274,625 against a pre-sale estimate of £1.8 millio
n. The sale
of
99 lots featured artists from 18
African countries
as
diverse
as
Algeria, Morocco, Ghana, and Uganda.
Ten new auction records were set,
as
well
as
three benchmarks for artists making their first appearance
at
auction.
The star
of
the sale was
El
Anatsui
’
s
Tagomizor
, a hanging sculptural work created with aluminium bottle
caps and copper wire. The work was hammered down
at
£670,000.
The Warrior
, a painting
by
Senegalese artist Papa Ibra Tall that was once owned
by
Duke Ellington proved
magnetic, with a final sale
at
£118,750 much higher than its £8,000 estimate.
Two works by Cameroonian artist Pascale Marthine Tayou, on of
fer from the Guy & Myriam Ullens
Foundation, broke Tayou
’
s previous auction record twice over, selling for £75,000 and £68,
750 respectively.
The auction saw the first appearance
of
works by Congolese artist,
Fr
éderic Trigo Piula, Nigerian Ruby
Onyinyechi Amanze, and Mozambican Bertina Lopes.
Hannah O
’
Leary, Head
of
Modern and Contemporary African Art
at
Sotheby
’
s,
commented:
“
We
saw
international interest for good quality works from acros
s the continent. There was
an
immense amount
of
pre-sale enthusiasm for Papa Ibra Tall
’
s
The Warrior
, and this was reflected
in
the saleroom with
an
intense
bidding battle on
an
extraordinary price. Overall,
it
was satisfying
to
see such a broad range of artists
achieving top prices.
Sotheby’s in London recently presented the third dedicated sale of Modern and Contemporary African Art, realising $2,986,935 million against a pre-sale estimate of $2.3 million.
The sale of 99 lots featured artists from 18 African countries as diverse as Algeria, Morocco, Ghana, and Uganda. Ten new auction records were set, as well as three benchmarks for artists making their first appearance at auction.
The star of the sale was El Anatsui’s Tagomizor, a hanging sculptural work created with aluminium bottlecaps and copper wire. The work was hammered down at £670,000. The Warrior, a painting by Senegalese artist Papa Ibra Tall that was once owned by Duke Ellington proved magnetic, with a final sale at £118,750 much higher than its £8,000 estimate.
Two works by Cameroonian artist Pascale Marthine Tayou, on offer from the Guy & Myriam Ullens Foundation, broke Tayou’s previous auction record twice over, selling for £75,000 and £68,750 respectively. The auction saw the first appearance of works by Congolese artist, Fréderic Trigo Piula, Nigerian Ruby Onyinyechi Amanze, and Mozambican Bertina Lopes.
Hannah O’Leary, Head of Modern and Contemporary African Art at Sotheby’s, commented: “We saw international interest for good quality works from across the continent. There was an immense amount ofpre-sale enthusiasm for Papa Ibra Tall’s The Warrior, and this was reflected in the saleroom with an intense bidding battle on an extraordinary price. Overall, it was satisfying to see such a broad range of artists achieving top prices.
