AstaGuru’s contemporary Indian art auction fetches ₹12.13 crore
Premium- India’s art market is estimated to have been valued at around ₹14.6 billion, or around ₹1,460 crore, in 2017, as per a FICCI-KPMG report.
NEW DELHI: Auction house AstaGuru concluded its ‘Present Future’ online contemporary art auction this week, achieving total sales worth ₹12.13 crore. The auction featured a works by contemporary Indian artists Bharti Kher, Atul Dodiya, Anju Dodiya, Jitish Kallat, Sudhir Patwardhan, Sudarshan Shetty, L N Tallur, Thukral & Tagra, Raqib Shaw, among others. About 115 works on India by 83 artists went under the hammer.
Ankita Talreja, contemporary Indian art - senior specialist, AstaGuru, said, “The auction included the largest selection of contemporary artworks by some of the most celebrated names in India. Many of these artists have achieved great acclaim for their practice and have exhibited their works at esteemed galleries, museums, and institutions across the globe. The results of this contemporary auction only demonstrate the demand for such auctions among serious as well as budding collectors."
Leading the auction were two works by artist Bharti Kher. Both works are executed in her style with the use of ‘Bindi’ for which she is renowned. Bindi as a motif first started appearing in her work in 1995 and since then, has become a recurrent theme, through which she speaks to the world.
An untitled work, lot 23, which also appeared on the cover of the auction catalogue was acquired at ₹1 crore. Lot 103 titled ‘A Letter To My Love’ was acquired at ₹1 crore.
Lot 115, ‘Henry VIII’ by Raqib Shaw was acquired for ₹88,74,458. It is the artist’s reinterpretation of a masterpiece by Hans Holbein the Younger, who is considered to be a great portraitist of the 16th century. The work was executed in 2006 in his signature style that includes application of various mediums such as acrylic, glitter, enamel, rhinestones, among others. The work was a part of the artist’s solo exhibition titled ‘Art Now: Raqib Shaw’ held at Tate Britain, London, in 2006.
Three works by Anju Dodiya were also offered for bidding. Lot 14, ‘Cloud Hunter’ is executed in acrylic on a mattress, which has come to be the artist's preferred medium. Showcased in several exhibitions previously, it was acquired for ₹39,44,204 at the auction. Another important large-scale creation by the artist, lot 100 titled ‘Surge’, was acquired for ₹30,25,383.
A large-scale diptych work titled ‘Air Show’ by artist Nataraj Sharma also generated an impressive sale value. Created in the year 2004, the oil on canvas work spans across 10 feet. The first inspiration for the artist’s revisited theme of aerial exploration came after witnessing the Indian Air Force Surya Kiran Team show in his hometown Baroda in 2001. The canvas dotted with imagery of para gliders, planes, helicopters, as well as sorties of jet planes across the sky makes it extremely attractive and pulsating. It was acquired at ₹37,57,050.
Lot 80, a work by senior artist Jitish Kallat was acquired at ₹32,53,968. Titled ‘Aircraft Waiting In Wings’ the acrylic on canvas work was executed in 1998. A multimedia artist, his practice spans disciplines such as painting, photography, collages, sculpture, and installation occupy equal importance in his oeuvre.
The auction also presented a sculpture by L N Tallur. Titled ‘“?(Graphite Black)" (Ed : Unique)’, the work is executed with industrial paint on bronze. It was acquired for ₹25,25,572.
Another large-scale diptych by dynamic contemporary artist duo Thukral & Tagra titled ‘Phantom II (Diptych)’ was acquired for ₹25,04,700. Executed with oil & acrylic on canvas, this creation stands out for its sheer size spanning 12 feet.
India’s art market is estimated to have been valued at around ₹14.6 billion, or around ₹1,460 crore, in 2017, as per a FICCI-KPMG report.
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