89 Works Worth 6.2 Billion Won to Be Auctioned at Seoul Auction
May 27, 4 p.m.
A total of 89 works, including Dosangbong's "Lilac," with a combined estimated value of 6.2 billion won, will be featured at the Seoul Auction on May 27.
"Lilac" is a painting by Dosangbong that depicts lilac flowers?a favorite subject of the artist?overflowing from a white porcelain jar and radiantly glowing in a dark setting. The starting bid for this piece is set at 220 million won.
In addition, this auction will present a variety of works that capture beauty and vitality on canvas. Among them is "Rose," size 8, by Hwang Yeomsoo, who was known as the "Painter of Roses" for his four-decade-long focus on the subject since the late 1960s. This work features a dramatic contrast of red, white, and pink roses against a deep blue background. Also included is Ayako Rokkaku's 2011 piece "Untitled," which holds significance as the artist's first work on a large round canvas. Created using her distinctive technique of applying paint directly with her fingers instead of a brush, the piece is filled with vibrant textures and brilliant colors.
The auction will also showcase a diverse selection of works by major modern and contemporary artists from Korea and abroad. "Dialogue" by Lee Ufan, a leading figure in Korean contemporary art, is a large-scale work (size 300) featuring a single bold dot on a wide canvas. The interplay between the gradually fading blue dot from right to left and the surrounding empty space reveals the tension and harmony characteristic of the artist's oeuvre. Other works by Lee Ufan will also be featured, including a 1977 piece where dots repeatedly appear and disappear across a horizontally elongated canvas, as well as a large ceramic work, offering a broader perspective on the artist's philosophy.
"Untitled (Bombing)" by Yoshitomo Nara encapsulates the artist's signature themes of violence, anxiety, and resistance to authority beneath a cute and innocent exterior. The piece depicts a flower-shaped object reminiscent of a bomb raining from the sky, while a figure in a yellow hat emerges from the ground, gazing intently with large eyes. The stark contrast between innocence and destruction delivers a powerful visual impact.
The auction will also feature three-dimensional works utilizing a variety of materials and colors. Robert Indiana's "The American LOVE (White Blue Red)," composed of white, blue, and red reminiscent of the American flag, will be offered to new collectors. Other highlights include Yayoi Kusama's "Pumpkin," which creates a striking visual effect with its bold contrast of white and red, and Zhang Xiaogang's "Golden Memories," a notable piece crafted in 24K pure gold that evokes nostalgia and longing for a vanished past.
In the luxury section, Tiffany & Co.'s signature high jewelry piece, the "Amethyst 'Bird on a Rock' Brooch," will be up for auction. This work features a bird adorned with pink sapphires, diamonds, and gold perched atop an approximately 60-carat amethyst. Originally created by Tiffany's renowned designer Jean Schlumberger in the 1960s, the motif has since been reinterpreted in various forms. Other key luxury offerings include the "Koro Koro Clutch," commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami collaboration, and the "Mini Lady Dior 'Kaleidoscope' Bag," which combines traditional Dior design with a kaleidoscopic pattern inspired by contemporary dance.
The Seoul Auction's May offline curated auction will be held on Tuesday, May 27, at 4 p.m. on the 6th floor of the Seoul Auction Gangnam Center. The preview exhibition, which precedes the auction, will be open to the public free of charge at the Seoul Auction Gangnam Center from May 16 through the day of the auction on May 27.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
