The art market is booming in New York in May 2022. Auction houses Christie’s and Sotheby’s are hoping for a rain of new records in the coming days. Christie’s even describes this season as a unique moment that only happens once a decade.
Christie’s opens the ball this Monday, May 9 with an iconic work of the twentieth century, one of the portraits of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol. And more specifically the Shot Sage Blue Marilyn on turquoise background. A one-meter square that takes its name – according to legend – from an incident that occurred in the artist’s studio. A woman asked if she could photograph the paintings and shot them with a revolver. Because the term shoot in English can be used in both directions.
$200 million
Almost sixty years later, Christie’s hopes to see him leave for 200 million dollars. This would make it the most expensive 20th century work of art ever sold at auction. Proceeds will fund health and education programs for children. Christie’s will also sell three Monets this week, including a version of the water lilies. Estimate: about $60 million each.
The counters are going crazy
Its main competitor, Sotheby’s, is no exception. From May 16, the house should sell for a billion dollars of contemporary and modern works. In the catalog of these auctions in particular: a second lot from the Macklowe collection. The first had already panicked the counters in November. Sotheby’s had then totaled 676 million dollars in sales in a single evening!
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