Only one of two paintings by Romanian Adrian Ghenie sells at Sotheby’s auction

Two paintings by Adrian Ghenie were on sale at the Contemporary Art Evening Auction organized by Sotheby’s in London on March 8, but only one of them was sold. Self-Portrait as Charles Darwin, a painting created in 2011, was auctioned for GBP 3.25 million (some EUR 3.75 million), not much over the estimated price of GBP 2 million – 3 million. Meanwhile, the second Ghenie painting included in the March 8 auction was not sold. The artwork, named Memories, was estimated at GBP 350,000 – 550,000. The total sales of the Contemporary Art Evening Auction amounted to over GBP 118 million, with the Eisberg painting by Gerhard Richter being sold for a record of GBP 17.7 million (over EUR 20 million). On Tuesday, March 7,two paintings signed Adrian Ghenie were sold at Christie’s Post War & Contemporary Art Evening Auction in London, for a total of USD 2.7 million. The two artworks were The Hunter (Study for Kaiser Wilhelm Institute) and Pie Fight Study. Ghenie was born in Baia Mare, a city in northern Romania, and has grown to become one of the most appreciated young artists in the world. Last year, he set a new personal record after his painting Nickelodeon sold for USD 9 million at the Post-War & Contemporary Art Evening Auction organized by Christie’s in London. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com