November Auctions: Seoul Auction on the 19th, K Auction on the 20th
A turquoise full-surface point painting by Kim Whanki, with a width approximately three times its height, is up for auction, estimated at 2.4 to 4 billion KRW, seeking a new owner.
Seoul Auction announced on the 8th that it will hold a contemporary art sale featuring a total of 91 artworks worth 8.3 billion KRW, including Kim Whanki’s turquoise point paintings, at the Seoul Auction Gangnam Center in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 19th.
This auction will showcase four works by Kim Whanki. Among them, the 1972 full-surface point painting "18-II-72 #221" is listed with an estimated price of 2.4 to 4 billion KRW. This piece was created in 1972, when the artist’s full-surface point paintings had reached maturity. Measuring 48.1 cm in height and 145.3 cm in width, the canvas is about three times wider than it is tall, featuring two large turquoise fan-shaped forms intersecting, creating a unified yet diverse visual impression.
A representative from Seoul Auction stated, "Kim Whanki’s works have occupied all of the top 10 highest prices for Korean paintings sold at auction, and they are traded at high prices in the market. However, the artist’s status and evaluation in Korean art history cannot be fully explained by these records alone. Because Kim Whanki’s works, which have solid art historical value, are receiving great attention in both domestic and international art markets this year, we expect many art enthusiasts to continue showing interest in this auction lot."
Yoshitomo Nara, 1959 - , Japanese, [Duckling, the Tannenbaum Ambassador, acrylic on canvas], 110×120cm, 1996. [Photo by Seoul Auction]
Works by overseas artists also draw attention. Yoshitomo Nara’s "Duckling, the Tannenbaum Ambassador," depicting a duck carrying a fir tree used as a Christmas tree during his time living in Germany, is estimated at 800 million to 1.5 billion KRW. Umehara Ryuzaburo’s "Choi Seunghee Dancing the Shaman Dance," portraying Korea’s first female dancer Choi Seunghee, is listed with a starting price of 200 million KRW.
Eight luxury items, including Cartier watches, will also be auctioned. The auction items can be viewed for free at the Seoul Auction Gangnam Center until the auction day on the 19th.
Following this, on the afternoon of the 20th, K Auction will hold an art auction featuring a total of 133 items worth 9.4 billion KRW at its headquarters in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
Kim Changyeol, known as the "Waterdrop Painter," has his 1976 work "Waterdrop," sized 200 ho, featured on the catalog cover. It is estimated at 1 to 1.5 billion KRW. Seven works by Lee Ufan are included, with two 100 ho-sized pieces from the Dialogue series attracting attention, estimated at 1.2 to 1.4 billion KRW and 1.05 to 1.4 billion KRW respectively.
Lee Bae, who is establishing his status in the global art market with unique works, has a 40 ho-sized piece "From Fire" estimated at 130 to 230 million KRW, and "Untitled" estimated at 90 to 170 million KRW. Jeon Gwangyoung’s "Assembly 21-AP044" is also listed at 15 to 36 million KRW.
In the Korean painting and antique art section, paintings such as Sochi Heo Ryeon’s "Landscape with Figures" and Owon Jang Seung-eop’s "Flower and Bird Painting," as well as modern East Asian paintings favored by the market, including Namjeong Park Nosu’s "Musim," Sojeong Byeon Gwansik’s "Chugyeong Landscape," and Unbo Kim Ki-chang’s "Military Horse Painting," will be auctioned. Calligraphy works by Baekbeom Kim Gu and Chusa Kim Jeong-hui are also scheduled to be auctioned.
K Auction will also auction luxury fashion brand jewelry from Bulgari, Chanel, and Cartier, as well as Herm?s Birkin bags, and bags produced in collaboration with artists by Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior. The auction items can be viewed for free at the K Auction exhibition hall until the 20th.
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