Blue-chip artists headline Christie’s Hong Kong Modern and Contemporary art sales

Christie’s is set to present a notable selection of Modern and contemporary art at its 20th- and 21st-century marquee auctions in Hong Kong on 29 and 30 September. The sales will feature major works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Yayoi Kusama, and Zao Wou-Ki, each representing significant moments in their respective careers.

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work included in the auction is a mixed-media piece that combines acrylic, oilstick, and Xerox paper collage on canvas. This artwork features one of Basquiat’s enduring motifs, a human skull, which is a recurring element in his body of work. The use of mixed media and the skull motif highlight Basquiat’s distinctive approach to contemporary art.

Yayoi Kusama’s contribution to the sale is a large-scale canvas depicting one of her signature pumpkins. The pumpkin is rendered in yellow with black polka dots, set against a prismatic Infinity Net backdrop. Kusama, who passed away in August at the age of 97, created pumpkins throughout her career, both on canvas and as large-scale sculptures. She praised pumpkins for their “generous unpretentiousness.”

Zao Wou-Ki’s painting in the auction comes from his celebrated ‘Oracle Bone’ period. During this time, Zao was inspired to transform ancient Chinese scripts into abstract compositions. The painting’s title refers to the Milky Way, and its abstract forms meld elements of calligraphy and astronomy, reflecting Zao’s interest in blending cultural and artistic traditions.

Another notable work by Zao Wou-Ki is the only snow scene from his Snow Landscape series to use an autumnal colour palette. The painting’s flowing configuration of aqueous yellows, saturated reds, and faded greens makes it seasonally appropriate for a late-September auction. This unique use of colour distinguishes it within the series.

The large-scale canvases presented in the auction include expansive, deep-blue areas that evoke the work of abstract masters such as Yves Klein and Mark Rothko. Despite their abstract qualities, these works are also framed by figurative details, demonstrating the artists’ ability to merge abstraction with representational elements.

The upcoming auctions at Christie’s in Hong Kong will provide collectors with the opportunity to acquire works that reflect significant movements and periods in Modern and contemporary art. The inclusion of pieces by Basquiat, Kusama, and Zao Wou-Ki underscores the breadth and depth of the selection on offer at these sales.