On April Fool's day, KAWS' The KAWS Album was sold for HK$115.96m (US$14.78m) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, setting a new auction record for the American artist. It was sold in a dedicated sale featuring the personal collection from NIGO, A Bathing Ape (BAPE) founder and streetwear entrepreneur. This autumn auction, another KAWS painting that formerly owned by NIGO is going to lead the auction house’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale and it is expected to fetch HK$48m-68m (US$6m-8.7m).
KAWS’ Untitled (Kimpsons #1) ｜Estimate: HK$48m-68m
NIGOLDENEYE® Vol. 1 sale at Sotheby’s this April
NIGO has collaborated with many artists, including KAWS
THE KAWS ALBUM that sold for record-setting HK$115.96m (US$14.78m)
The Kimpsons is a series of artworks featuring various characters from the show The Simpsons by replacing their eyes with KAWS' signature XX eyes. Created in 2004, the present artwork Untitled (Kimpsons #1) measures 274.5 x 244cm. It is the largest Kimpsons work commissioned and formerly owned by NIGO.
Untitled (Kimpsons #1) features the whole Simpsons family including Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie, Santa's Little Helper and Snowball II.
KAWS’ Untitled (Kimpsons) was sold for HK$21,175,000
KAWS’ Untitled (Kimpsons #3) was sold for HK$20,575,000
A number of KAWS painting were sold for whopping prices at Sotheby’s NIGOLDENEYE® Vol. 1 sale which took place on 1 April, including two paintings from the Kimpsons series. Measuring 101.6cm x 101.6cm, they were sold for HK$21.1m and HK$20.5m. The present lot is of much larger scale. Measuring 274.5 x 244cm, Untitled (Kimpsons #1) is estimated at HK$48m-68m.
In addition to Untitled (Kimpsons #1), here are other highlights unveiled by the auction house. Please stay tuned as there are many other paintings yet to be announced.
Knife Behind Back by Yoshitomo Nara｜Estimate upon request
Looking At You by Yoshitomo Nara｜Estimate: HK$14m-22m
Point Black by Ed Ruscha｜Estimate: HK$25m-45m
Untitled by Rudolf Stingel｜Estimate: HK$11m-18m
Gesshi by Kazuo Shiraga｜Estimate: HK$6m-8m
Solid State Survivor by Tomoo Gokita｜Estimate: HK$2.5m-3.5m
Portrait by Nicolas Party｜Estimate:2m-3m
Under the leadership of Yuki Terase (in white shirt), Sotheby’s has pulled off several remarkable contemporary art sales in recent years. Let’s see if the momentum will be brought to Sotheby’s autumn sales this year.
Sotheby’s Hong Kong｜Contemporary Art Evening Sale
Taipei preview: 21-22 September 2019｜Hua Nan Bank International Convention Center
Hong Kong preview: 3-5 October｜Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong auction: 5 October｜Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre