Christie’s Will Replace Its Marquee June Sales in New York With a Streaming ‘Relay’ Auction to Unfold Across Four Cities Worldwide

Forced to delay sales during one of its most high-profile
seasons, Christie’s has unveiled a radical solution to holding the
star-studded auctions of Impressionist, modern, postwar, and
contemporary art it had planned for New York during the week of
June 22: a four-part “relay” sale that will take place across four
international art-market hubs.

The streaming event, dubbed “One: A Global Sale of the 20th
Century,” kicks off at 8 p.m. in Hong Kong on July 10 and will move
in real time to showrooms in Paris, London, and New York. A
different auctioneer in each region will lead each part of the
sale.

The auction house says the entire event should unfold across
roughly two hours, ending at 10 p.m. in Hong Kong, or 10 a.m. in
New York.

Bidders will be able to participate online and—in cities where
lockdown measures have been eased enough to allow for live
audiences—will have the option to attend in person.

Christie’s says it hopes to “capture the excitement and drama of
the gala evening sale, while offering access regionally and the
accessibility of the online platform.”

Giovanna Bertazzoni, Christie’s co-chairman of Impressionist and
modern art, described the auction as “a hybrid-format concept
sale,” and said it’s “a way to adapt and innovate.”

The auction house has rolled out an impressive lineup of works
priced in the eight figures to inaugurate the new model.

Artworks for sale will include Picasso’s Les
femmes d’Alger (version ‘F’) (1955), estimated at around
$25 million; Roy Lichtenstein’s Nude with Joyous
Painting (1994), estimated at around $30 million; Ed Ruscha’s
Annie (1962), estimated at $20 million to $30 million; and
Zao Wou-Ki’s 21.10.63 (1963), estimated to sell for above
$10 million.

Each city will host a pre-sale public exhibition, staged in
accordance with local health guidelines, along with a virtual
exhibition. Christie’s says auctioneers in each region will
solicit bids in the local currency.

“We felt that it was vital that we meet this new reality
with an innovative platform,” Alex Rotter, chairman of postwar and
contemporary art, said in a statement.

The post Christie’s Will Replace Its Marquee June Sales in New York
With a Streaming ‘Relay’ Auction to Unfold Across Four Cities
Worldwide appeared first on artnet News.