April 18th, 4 PM, Sinsa-dong K Auction
101 Works Including Park Seo-bo, Kim Chang-yeol, and Cheon Kyung-ja Exhibited
Bright yellow background with black polka dots. Kusama Yayoi, who engraved her name with the yellow pumpkin that instantly captures attention, will find a new owner for the original painting of her representative work 'Pumpkin' at the K Auction December auction held on the 18th in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. A total of 101 works worth about 6.3 billion KRW, including Kusama's works, will be exhibited in this auction.
Yayoi Kusama's No. 1 (15.8×22.7 cm), 1990 painting "Pumpkin" (estimated price 760 million to 900 million KRW). [Photo by K Auction]
The original 'Pumpkin' created in 1990 is a size 1 (15.8×22.7 cm), about the size of a palm, characterized by the strong contrast of black and yellow. The pumpkin, drawn with dots symbolizing self-immersion and infinity based on the patterns Kusama saw in hallucinations during her childhood, has attracted attention in the global art market for years, and Kusama has also asserted her presence through various pumpkins. Earlier in September during the KIAF Rees period, Seoul Auction drew attention by selling Kusama's size 100 'Pumpkin' (130.3x160 cm) for 10 million USD.
Various works representing Korean art history are exhibited in this auction. Cheon Kyung-ja's 1987 work 'Flowers and Women' is estimated between 180 million KRW and 600 million KRW, and her 1980 work 'Hibiscus' is exhibited with an estimate of 55 million KRW to 150 million KRW. Cheon Kyung-ja's works, notable for their unique colors and delicate touches, mainly focus on the beauty of women and nature. 'Flowers and Women' reflects this theme well, conveying elegance and vitality through the images of splendid flowers and women.
Kim Chang-yeol's 2017 work 'Water Drop SDR201704' is expected to be priced between 180 million KRW and 240 million KRW. Park Seo-bo's 2007 work 'Myobeop No. 070422' is estimated between 470 million KRW and 750 million KRW.
Maurizio Cattelan's work is also attracting great interest. He is an Italian installation artist who recently made headlines with his banana artwork 'Comedian,' which was traded for 8.7 billion KRW. In this auction, his 1990 work 'Strategies' is exhibited with an estimated price of 75 million KRW to 120 million KRW. The installation piece shaped like a house made from cards using the contemporary art magazine 'Flash Art' sharply probes the fiction and unstable structure of contemporary art while posing profound questions about the essence and system of art to the audience in a pleasant and interesting way.
Cheon Kyung-ja's 1987 work "Flowers and Women" (180 million to 600 million KRW). [Photo provided by K-Auction]
Additionally, works by domestic and international contemporary artists such as Olafur Eliasson, Yuichi Hirako, and Kohei Nawa are also showcased. Olafur Eliasson recently attracted domestic audiences by presenting a large-scale installation work on Dochodo Island, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do.
The auction works can currently be viewed for free at the K Auction exhibition hall, with the exhibition running until the auction day on the 18th. Those wishing to participate in the auction can register as K Auction members and bid via written, telephone, on-site, or online live methods. Auction attendance is open to everyone free of charge.
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