The red-hot hype behind millennial artist Mr Doodle is impossible to overlook. He made his auction debut less than a year ago and this season, his works were put under the hammer at Christie’s dedicated sale in Hong Kong. The recognition given to such a young artist by a leading auction house is truly remarkable.
Mr Doodle: Caravan Chaos, which took place yesterday, offered panels culled from a camper van covered in the artist’s iconic doodle clusters. It turned out to be a white-glove sale, with all 27 lots sold - majority smashing their presale estimates. The sale brought in for the house a total of HK$5.7m (US$730,264). While the sale took place in Hong Kong with avid collectors in the room, it was notably fueled by online bidders particularly from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, which speaks to the artist’s appeal in Asia.
Auctioneer Jacky Ho fielding bids in a Puma x Mr Doodle hoodie
A caravan covered in Mr Doodle’s scribbles was segmented into various sized and unique panels
The eccentric artwork with iconic scribbles - or “graffiti spaghetti,” as Mr Doodle puts it - first hit the auction block in April last year and became an instant hit.
Both limited edition works and one-and-only paintings by the British artist are selling for many times their estimates at auction, with the current record being JPY 190m (US$1.02m) set in August 2020. His works were showcased in this year’s edition of Art Basel Hong Kong, at the booth of Pearl Lam Galleries, which announced its worldwide representation of the artist last month.
Sam Cox, better known as Mr Doodle in front of his four-meter painting Spring, sold for JPY 190m (US$1.02m) last year, also the artist’s current record
One of Mr Doodle’s artwork at this year’s Art Basel Hong Kong
Two months ago, Mr Doodle opened up on his social media that he was suffering from psychosis last year, though he assured his 2.8 million followers that he was feeling better and that he was able to doodle better than before.
Outside of Instagram, his fun scribbles and signature doodles are seen in collaborations with such prominent labels as Adidas, FENDI, Samsung, and of course, on what the auctioneer was wearing yesterday, Puma.
Peekaboo bag in collaboration with FENDI, launched in 2019
Different from his 2019 selling exhibition at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, where 52 prints and paintings, priced between HK$50,000 to HK$200,000 (US$6,400 - US$25,646) were offered, this time around at Christie’s Hong Kong, a caravan covered in Mr Doodle’s scribbles was segmented into various sized and unique panels.
Among the 27 lots sold, the 160 by 166.5 cm “Side 3 Panel 6” fetched the highest price in the sale when the hammer was down at HK$580,000 (US$74,718), nearly four times its presale estimate of HK$150,000 to HK$250,000 The final price was HK$725,000 (US$93,404) with premium.
A camper van covered in the artist's doodle clusters
All 27 lots offered in the sale were culled from a caravan as art pieces created in 2015
Lot 514 | Mr Doodle, Caravan Chaos: Side 3 Panel 6
Spray paint and nail on aluminium panel mounted on plywood
Executed in 2015
Dimensions: 160 x 166.5 cm
Provenance:
- Private collection, Europe (Acquired directly from the artist)
- Private collection, Europe (Acquired from the above by the present owner)
Estimate: HK$150,000 - $250,000
Hammer price: HK$580,000
Price realized: HK$725,000
Highlights from the sale:
Lot 510 | Mr Doodle, Caravan Chaos: Side 2 Panel 2
Spray paint, nail, plastic hook and sticker on aluminium panel mounted on plywood
Executed in 2015
Dimensions: 211 x 154 cm
Provenance:
- Private collection, Europe (Acquired directly from the artist)
- Private collection, Europe (Acquired from the above by the present owner)
Estimate: HK$150,000 - 250,000
Hammer price: HK$550,000
Price realized: HK$687,500
Lot 513 | Mr Doodle, Caravan Chaos: Side 3 Panel 7
Spray paint and nail on aluminium panel mounted on plywood
Executed in 2015
Dimensions: 62 x 57 cm
Provenance:
- Private collection, Europe (Acquired directly from the artist)
- Private collection, Europe (Acquired from the above by the present owner)
Estimate: HK$20,000 - 40,000
Hammer price: HK$190,000
Price realized: HK$237,500
Lot 502 | Mr Doodle, Caravan Chaos: Side 2 Panel 11
Spray paint on aluminium panel mounted on plywood
Executed in 2015
Dimensions: 80 x 97 cm
Provenance:
- Private collection, Europe (Acquired directly from the artist)
- Private collection, Europe (Acquired from the above by the present owner)
Estimate: HK$30,000 - 50,000
Hammer price: HK$180,000
Price realized: HK$225,000
Lot 520 | Mr Doodle, Caravan Chaos: Side 3 Panel 8
Spray paint on aluminium panel mounted on plywood
Executed in 2015
Dimensions: 71.3 x 57.8 cm
Provenance:
- Private collection, Europe (Acquired directly from the artist)
- Private collection, Europe (Acquired from the above by the present owner)
Estimate: HK$15,000 - 25,000
Hammer price: HK$180,000
Price realized: HK$225,000
Auction Summary
Auction house: Christie’s Hong Kong
Sale: Mr Doodle: Caravan Chaos
Date: May 25, 2021
Lots offered: 27
Sold: 27
Sale rate: 100%
Sale total: HK$5,668,750 (US$730,264)