Park's "Girl Carrying a Baby" Sells for 800 Million Won After Two Bids
Only Works Likely to Sell Are Being Traded
Market Outlook Remains Gloomy Despite Hopes for Recovery
On the afternoon of the 28th, at K Auction auction house in Sinsa-dong, Seoul, the auction began under soft lighting. The most notable work of the day was "Girl Carrying a Baby" by artist Park Sookeun. Two bidders participated: one in person at the venue and the other by phone. Tension filled the auction house. The starting price was 750 million won. Each bidder made one bid, and the final sale was decided at 800 million won.
An auction is taking place at 4 p.m. on the 28th at K Auction auction house in Sinsa-dong, Seoul. K Auction
The successful sale of this major work brought a brief sense of excitement to the venue, which had been subdued due to the art market downturn. However, the overall auction results fell short of expectations. The sound of the gavel announcing a sale was heard almost as often as the announcement of unsold lots.
Of the 112 pieces presented by K Auction, only a little more than half found new owners.
One attendee commented, "It's been quite a while since only works that are truly likely to sell are actually being traded," and sighed, "I hope the market atmosphere improves soon."
"Girl Carrying a Baby" is one of the representative series by Park Sookeun. The piece, which depicts the daily life and figures of ordinary people with simplicity on a rough and textured canvas, is regarded as a reflection on the essence of human life. It is characterized by the artist's unique thick and coarse brushwork, which realistically portrays the humble aspects of life.
The "Girl Carrying a Baby" sold at this auction is one of the series painted by Park Sookeun from the late 1950s until the mid-1960s, just before his death. It has been praised as "a masterpiece that delicately captures the universal emotions of Koreans during difficult times." In May 2002, another work from the same series sold at K Auction for 505 million won, setting a record for the highest price for a modern and contemporary artwork at auction in Korea at that time.
The "Girl Carrying a Baby" sold this time is a separate piece from the one that set a record in 2022 or the one donated to the Park Sookeun Art Museum as part of the Lee Kunhee Collection in 2021. The Lee Kunhee Collection piece shows the girl's face looking forward, while the work auctioned this time features her turned away. A K Auction representative explained, "This entry is particularly high in quality, even among the Girl Carrying a Baby series." Currently, works from this series are held by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, as well as various private museums and collectors.
Although a major work was sold again this time, it once more highlighted the ongoing stagnation of the art market. The total auction sales in the Korean art market have decreased each year from over 300 billion won in 2021, reaching only about 112.7 billion won last year, a drop of approximately 30 billion won from the previous year.
An industry insider said, "We thought last year was the bottom and hoped for a rebound this year, but the outlook remains bleak. It's hard to predict how much longer this downturn will last."
A K Auction representative also commented, "Our company has managed to hold up relatively well, but the entire industry remains under the shadow of recession. Since the art market is heavily influenced by the economy, we hope to see positive changes as soon as possible."
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