Christie's London: record awards for Italian artists such as Burri, Fabro, Kounellis, Merz

Great success in London for the artists who belonged to the "arte povera" movement, with several world records and great attention from collectors who are increasingly attentive to investments in modern and contemporary art, better if informal - A doubling of the initial estimate for a movement that enters also in the Fondi per l'Arte portfolio.

On February 11 at Christie's auction Eyes Wide Open: An Italian Vision made a total of €46.074.453. The highest price of the evening was paid for Alberto Burri's work “Combustione Plastica”, which sold for €5.604.726, a world record price for the artist at auction.

As Francesco Outred, International Director and Head of Post-War & Contemporary Art, Europa Christie said: “Tonight's auction was a landmark moment for Arte Povera, a movement which has long held a profound academic and artistic and which has welcomed the international increase in demand in the last 5 years. The rarest and most important works by both featured and well-known artists attracted fierce international competition, seeing 8 of the top 10 lots sell in excess of their high esteem while fetching record prices for 13 artists, including Burri, Fabro, Kounellis, Merz and Pistoletto. Having showcased the collection on a global platform, it has been particularly refreshing to see so many artists rise to the top of their true market potential, especially those whose work is not often seen at international evening auctions, including Giulio Paolini, Fausto Melotti and Francesco Lo Savio, whose work has quadrupled his estimate”.

Top Lots (values in USD)

ALBERTO BURRI (1915-1995)- PLASTIC COMBUSTION – sold at 7,666,180
MICHELANGELO PISTOLETTO (B. 1933) – SHE AND HIM- MARIA AND MICHELANGELO – sold at 3,257,860
ALIGHIERO BOETTI (1940-1994) – ADDITION ADDITION – Sold at 2,798,660
ALIGHIERO BOETTI (1940-1994) – GILERA RED 60 1232 – GUZZI RED 60 1305 – Sold at 2,798,660
ALIGHIERO BOETTI (1940-1994) – SUBTRACTION SUBTRACTION – Sold at 2,523,140
PINO PASCALI (1935-1968) – TORSO DI NEGRA AT THE BATH (BIRTH OF VENUS) – Sold at 2,523,140
ALBERTO BURRI (1915-1995) – LARGE WHITE PLASTIC – Sold at 2,339,460
CY TWOMBLY (1928-2011) – UNTITLED Sold for 2,155,780
ALIGHIERO BOETTI (1940-1994) – I SIX SENSI THE SIX SENSES – Sold at 2,155,780
LUCIO FONTANA (1899-1968) – SPACE CONCEPT, NATURE – Sold at 2,063,940
JANNIS KOUNELLIS (B. 1936) – UNTITLED – Sold for 2,063,940
PIERO MANZONI (1933-1963) – ACHROME – Sold at 1,972,100
FRANCESCO LO SAVIO (1935-1963) – SPAZIO LUCE SPACE LIGHT – Sold at 1,873,700
MARIO MERZ (1924-2003) – UNTITLED – Sold for 1,735,940
THOMAS SCHUTTE (B. 1954) – UNITED ENEMIES – Sold at 1,617,860
LUCIANO FABRO (1936-2007) – FOOT – Sold at 1,578,500
ALIGHIERO BOETTI (1940-1994) – MAP – Sold at 1,421,060
LUCIO FONTANA (1899-1968) – SPACE CONCEPT, NATURE – Sold at 1,322,660
LUCIO FONTANA (1899-1968) – SPACE CONCEPT – Sold at 1,204,580
ROSEMARIE TROCKEL (B. 1952) – OT (MADE IN WESTERN GERMANY'- Sold at 1,184,900