Since American artist Jeff Koons, during the late seventies, started exhibiting his first inflatable works, he has never left the footlights. Having reached very soon world celebrity, Koons has triggered countless debates within the contemporary art world and wherever he goes he is followed by a multitude of reporters, while his exhibitions are invaded by figures of the star system, billionaire collectors, art lovers and curious people attracted by this artist who has transformed his life into art creating an aureole of gossip around him.

translated by Giorgina Arcuri

2008 really seems to be the year dedicated to artist Mario Schifano. Ten years from his death, the Italian art system seems to be setting to work to celebrate this author who is considered by critics the greatest talent of Italian Pop Art, acclaimed as the spiritual heir to Andy Warhol and considered, together with Tano Festa and Franco Angeli, “the damned painter” who founded the Piazza del Popolo School, an essential reference point for Italian and European contemporary art.
Schifano’s figure can be considered a rather singular presence in the art panorama of the late twentieth century, for the variety and eclectic quality of his oeuvre, inclined to delving into the languages of modernity, as well as for his tormented life inspired to the idea of the myth of the artist.
His fame as the damned artist preceded him without him doing anything to elude it, actually Schifano continued stoking it up with the myth of the handsome and damned.

translated by Giorgina Arcuri

On 15th May, “Contemporary Art Part I” was held at Phillips de Pury & Co. New York, a sale that concluded the New York sessions of the three main international auction houses dedicated to contemporary art, confirming once again the excellent condition of contemporary art on the market, which remains vital and continues receiving approvals and international participation. After Christie’s and Sotheby’s, which achieved record takings, even the young Phillips has realized a total of 59,001,000 dollars, with an 84% sale percentage.

The Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale at Christie’s New York  had already been anticipated as one of the most important sales of this period. So it was and even more than expected. The evening totalled 33,641,000 dollars, the second highest total ever realized in auction history for the category with 95% of the lots sold.

During this week, New York contemporary art auctions have surprised has with a number of new records. In this section, Arcadja presents the most important results of the last few days.

Article translated by Amritee Mahabir

The “Prints” exhibition held on 29th and 30th April 2008, at Christie’s auction house New York, totalled 12,392,750 dollars, with 88% of sales. It was an excellent result for a sale dedicated to prints, an artistic sector that is considered to be of less importance in the art market.