RESULTS | Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Warrior Becomes the Most Valuable Western Artwork Ever Sold at Auction in Asia
Hong Kong – Jean-Michel Basquiat's landmark work, Warrior has sold for HK$323,600,000 / £30,265,619 / €35,077,853 / US$41,857,351, in a live and livestreamed Evening Sale, as a key offering of Christie’s Global Spring Season of 20th Century sales. The masterpiece, which represents the pinnacle of Basquiat’s creative output, has become the most expensive Western artwork ever sold at auction in Asia. The monumental work which exceeded its high estimate was sold to an Asian collector over the phone in the Hong Kong saleroom after an intense 10-minute bidding battle between Hong Kong and New York.
Painted in 1982 at the height of his artistic power, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Warrior is a commanding and authoritative portrait that amply demonstrates why the artist is regarded as one of the most important painters of the last half century. The work was offered in a sale format that highlighted Basquiat’s international appeal, uniting collectors from different geographies and time zones.
The sale is a milestone for the Western art market in Asia, speaking to Christie’s continued success in the region and category, building on the record-breaking season of 20th/21st Century Art sales in Hong Kong last December. It also follows the exceptional results seen at Christie’s on 1 March 2021 when the current season launched in London and New York, realising a total on the evening of £43,702,515 / $61,139,818 / €50,520,107, selling 98% by lot and 100% by value.
