Modern and Contemporary Art in Dubai Oct 30
Published October 3rd, 2008
Christie’s, have announced their fifth auction of International Modern and Contemporary Art in Dubai which will take place on 30 October 2008 and which will offer the strongest and most important selection of works to date in the region. The auction will present 157 exceptional paintings and sculptures from the leading artists of the UAE, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria, Turkey, Europe and the United States. The auction will take place at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel and is expected to realise US$12 million to US$18 million.
A leading highlight of the auction is Triptych (La passion avec croix, ame et bagages, and triangle bigames), a huge and spectacular triptych by the Algerian artist Rachid Koraichi (b.1947) whose work was exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 2001 and at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2006 illustrated above. Painted in 1985 and 1986, this masterpiece represents the most important work by the artist to be offered at auction and is expected to realise US$400,000 to $600,000 / AED 1,500,000 to 2,000,000.
The auction will also offer two of the most important works by Fateh Moudarres (Syrian, 1922-1999) to appear on the open market. Untitled is an extraordinary picture which is offered from the Collection of Adonis, the celebrated Syrian-Lebanese poet and a pioneer of modern Arabic literature in whose house the work was painted (estimate: US$150,000 to $200,000 / UAE 560,000 to 740,000). Executed in 1967, shortly after the end of the Arab-Israeli war, this work dates to a watershed period in the artist’s career during which his work began to take on political themes. Achtar, 1983, represents the Assyrian mother goddess and is painted on a grand scale measuring 180 x 140 cm. It is expected to realise US$120,000 to $160,000 / UAE 450,000 to 590,000.
