Latin American Art

Christie’s auction of Latin American Art realized $25,499,750 (£16,574,838 / €23,459,770) and selling 83% by value. The sale was led by the Surrealist masterpiece, Vegetarian Vampires (Vampiros vegetarianos) by Remedios Varo which achieved $3,301,000 to become the highest performing work of Latin American Art at auction this Spring 2015 season. Never before offered at auction, Vampiros vegetarianos was executed at the height of Varo’s career in 1962.

Works by artists from thirteen countries were offered in the auction, with Brazilian, Cuban, and Mexican artists representing the lion’s share of the property offered. Important private collections performed exceedingly well with the Collection of Roy and Mary Collection which realized $1.7 million and established a new world auction record for Bridget Tichenor’s “Líderes” at $106,250. Moreover, property from the collection of Bayou Lair was 100% sold and achieved $1.3 million. Spirited bidding both in the room and on the phone was seen for excellent examples by influential artists such as Fernando Botero, Claudio Bravo, Rufino Tamayo, Joaquín Torres-García, Diego Rivera, and Matta, reflecting the strength and demand for works across all mediums of Latin American Art.

Virgilio Garza, Head of Latin American Art, commented: “We were very pleased with the Evening Sale results for Mexican Modern paintings, with strong results achieved across the board for Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Brazilian contemporary art performed well with Judith Lauand and a record breaking sale was executed for Venezuelan master, Gego. Strong results continued in today’s afternoon’s session with impressive prices achieved such as Fernando Botero’s, “Don Niño Bufón” at $311,000 against a pre-sale estimate of $100,000. This has been an extraordinary season of great demand and interest in the Latin American Art and we are thrilled to have executed a sale that exemplified the best examples across all mediums of the category.”

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