Sotheby's auctions in London are always a source of strong attraction, this time the spotlight is on a series of lots of modern and contemporary art from Africa.
“When it comes to contemporary art, people are always looking for something new, a question that lends itself absolutely to this genre. Spanning over 16 countries, a kaleidoscope of cultures and themes and including the works of both established and emerging artists, our Modern and Contemporary African Art auction is one of the most innovative and relevant sales on the African market. today,” commented Hannah O'Leary, head of the African Art department.
With the new openings of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art and Norval Foundation in Cape Town in South Africa, international fairs in London, New York, Marrakech, Lagos and the state pavilion of ghana which will be inaugurated in May at the Venice Biennial African art appears to be on the rise.
Since the inauguration of the Africa auction series in 2017 - the 2nd April will be the fourth - the auction house Sotheby's has acquired 50 world records, selecting works by African artists and then obtaining a strong sounding board worldwide. “African art has experienced a resurgence in the last decade, signaled by rapidly growing interest from collectors around the world. Indeed, over a quarter of the buyers in last year's sale were from the African continent, but the collector base extends across Asia, Europe, Australia and North America and it is fantastic to see African artists rise to the forefront of international collections, both private than public,” continued Hannah O'Leary.
In 2018, the auction totaled £2.3 million (three million dollars), attracting collectors from 20 different countries: “This is an incredibly exciting time to be dealing with modern and contemporary African art, and tantalizing opportunities continue to exist for collectors. Our auction features some of the biggest names in the industry at prices that are still quite affordable,” concluded O'Leary.
Among the main works up for auction, there are Zebra crossing II by the Ghanaian artist El Anatsui estimated at between 550 and 750 pounds. El Anatsui has explored a diverse range of mediums, including ceramics, tropical hardwoods, aluminum lids and bottle caps, which the artist uses to create the shimmering metallic tapestries for which he is best known.
Another painting is La sortie du roi, a celebration of his homeland by the Moroccan painter Hassan El Glaoui estimated at between £80 and £120. “”My love for my country was the spirit that characterized my painting. I painted the roots, the flowers of the Kasbah Valley and the red palaces of Cherifian, the royal courtiers with their long rows of white cloaks and their horses”, commented the artist explaining the work.
Finally, Preparation of incense – Zar ceremony by the Sudanese artist considered among the first artists to have started the art in his country of origin, a feminist and one of the best-known artists on the African scene. She was one of the first women to graduate from the University of Khartoum. The work is valued at between 70 and 90 pounds.
