A set of 14 paintings made with gunpowder and ink by Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang sold for US$9.5 million (€6.42 million) in Hong Kong — a record for both the artist and Chinese contemporary art, Christie’s auction house said Monday.

The abstract works by Cai were sold to an anonymous bidder on Sunday as part of a mammoth auction of contemporary Chinese, South Asian and Southeast Asian art in Hong Kong, Christie’s said in a statement.

On the first day of the five-day auction, Christie’s said it took in 842 million Hong Kong dollars (US$107 million; €72.25 million), more than four times its estimate, with buyers from India, mainland China, Europe and the United States all competing for the works.

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Posted: 11|26|07 at 9:41 am. Filed under: Auction News.