Mixed Results at Christie’s Tuesday Sale

Our daily round-up of news from the art world

Mixed Results at Christie’s Tuesday Sale | Yesterday’s postwar and contemporary sale at Christie’s made $331.8 million, against expectations of about $320 million. While the sale broke seven records for the work of artists including Louise Bourgeois and Lucio Fontana, other lots failed to live up to expectations. Most notably, Warhol’s Four Marilyns (1962) sold for $36 million, less than it made at Phillips two years ago ($38.2 million). The results seem to reflect a general trend this week, leading to suggestions that buyers have become more cautious and ‘discerning’ at the high end of the market.

Marina Abramović Sued by Former Lover & Collaborator | German artist Ulay is suing his former lover and artistic collaborator Marina Abramović for allegedly violating a contract that the pair had signed over jointly created works, reports The Guardian. Ulay has claimed that Abramović has asked galleries to credit her as the sole author of works they had devised together, and has given him a smaller share of royalties from art sales than the 20% the contract stipulates he is due. The case will be heard in Amsterdam later this month.

Houston Gallery ‘Braced for Backlash’ Over New Show | The Houston Museum of African-American Culture is preparing for strong reactions to its new show, which will explore racial injustice from the perspective of white artists, reports the Independent. Despite featuring the work of artists whose work condemns racial intolerance and inequality, the contentious nature of this exhibition is likely to attract criticism for actively excluding black artists. It is an intriguing and troubling quandary.

Memorial Planned for Sinai Plane Crash | Russian Academy of Arts president Zurab Tsereteli has been approached to create a memorial to the victims of the Sinai plane crash, reports The Art Newspaper. The memorial, which is to be erected in St Petersburg, will apparently hark back to Tsereteli’s Tear of Grief monument in New Jersey, which commemorates the victims of the 9/11 disaster.

Cengiz Çekil (1945–2015) | Turkish artist Cengiz Çekil has died in Istanbul aged 70. Çekil, described by Artforum as the ‘founding father of Turkish contemporary art’, staged his first solo show in 1975 and went on to exhibit at major fairs and exhibitions around the world. His work is included in MoMA’s permanent collection.