This has been a busy week with tons of paperwork, meetings and one very interesting viewing. Exhausted might partially sum up the current state of being. But balm is round the bend: Am packing my bags for Venice which is the stunning setting for
La Biennale di Venezia, the 53rd chapter of the Venice Biennale, followed by a visit to the biggest annual art event, the 40th edition of
Art Basel. I round up my tour with a visit to a collector friend's estate in France. Will keep you updated on the happenings on my side of the planet.
Auctions are a fascinating turf. One can always expect the unexpected and in most cases, be prepared for the predictable. This auction season is moving in a far more optimistic gear than expected, though the Indian sales are slightly slow off the start. Best to focus on the upcoming sales. The next in line are the Christie's and Saffronart summer sales. I have listed some of the lots from these auctions which are collectable in nature.
Please note, that my company may (or not) have a direct (or indirect) bidding interest in any or all of the discussed works. It is strongly suggested that you conduct an independent analysis and condition study if interested in acquiring any of the following listings. ----
Christie's South Asian Modern and Contemporary ArtJune 10 / South Kensington, London
Lot 15
Syed Haider Raza (b. 1922)
La Terre
Signed and dated 'RAZA '81' (lower right)
Acrylic on canvas
31¼ x 31¼ in
Painted in 1981
Estimate £60,000 - £80,000
La Terre is a strong representation of the shift of Raza's practice during the 80s towards a more structured, geometric representation of his enduring subject: Nature. The upper-most portion of the canvas offers the viewer a glimpse of the direction the master will take over the two decades to follow ('80 - '90s) while the lower half is remains firmly rooted in the pure abstract.
Interestingly, Raza's current
auction record is for an earlier canvas titled La Terre. A stunning abstract from 1973 which was sold by Christie's in 2008 - click
here to read an older post about this work.
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Lot 60
Jagdish Swaminathan (1928-1994)
Untitled
Signed and dated in Hindi
Oil on canvas
43¼ x 29 1/8 in
Painted in 1983
Estimate £40,000 - £50,000
Though there have been stronger representations of the 'Bird and Mountain' subject in the sales before, I would recommend this lot as it remains a prudent selection from series. This lot presents a rich palette, acceptable estimates and an excellent dimension (though this is a popular format which has appeared in auctions on a number of occasions).
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Lot 63Maqbool Fida Husain (b. 1915)
Ragamala Series
Signed and dated 'Husain 1960' (upper right)
Oil on canvas
34 5/8 x 75 in
Painted in 1960
Estimate £400,000 - £600,000
This is the sort of work which should be found in an auction to make the sale exceptional. From amongst Husain's finest early subjects, the Ragamala series is extremely collectable for all the expected reasons - subject, period and dimension. Additionally, this lot suitably showcases Husain's compositional mastery melded with an interestingly unexpected palette.
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Lot 91
Rameshwar Broota (b. 1941)
Untitled
Signed and dated 'R. Broota RAMESHWAR BROOTA 2000 Sep.'
Oil on canvas scraped with blade
60 x 26 in
Executed in 2000
Estimate £30,000 - £50,000
A more recent lot, this work presents an interesting perspective due to its dimension. Broota brilliantly juxtaposes the natural contours of the silhouette of the male torso against the rigid, angular bars: both stark but for different reasons. The lot has an acceptable presale and would make an excellent addition to a contemporary collection.
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Saffronart Modern and Contemporary Indian art
Summer Online Auction / June 10-11, 2009
Lot 46
Bhupen Khakhar
Untitled
1990
Watercolor on paper
37 x 39
Signed and dated in Gujarati
Estimate Rs 8,00,000 - 10,00,000
This is a hard-to-source dimension for a paperwork by Bhupen which combines in detail, a number of recurring motifs from his practice. An excellent lot which deserves bidding action.
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Lot 25
Ashim Purkayashta
Face to Face
Mixed media on canvas
71.5 x 53.5 in
Estimate Rs 14,10,000 - 18,80,000
I have listed my thoughts on Ashim's stance and his usage of elements like the revenue stamp to mock and displace the power of the authorities. A well-represented canvas which would be regarded as an important work in the years to follow.
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In the concluding summer auction post, I will discuss the Sotheby's sale. Stay tuned! Given my current co-ordinates, will sign off à la Mastroianni: Ciao :)
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Images courtesy
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Posted By Arvind Vijaymohan to
Arvind Vijaymohan's Art Blog at 5/25/2009 07:12:00 AM
