Download the HENI News app

Week in Review: A Bargain Priced Rothko, David Rockefeller's Joan Mitchell and Why Donald Judd Loved Pollock

3 min read  ·  08 Nov 2024

The week the US Presidential election saw an emphatic victory for Donald Trump, Wall Street hit a new high. The boost to billionaire collectors’ net worth will be welcome news to auction houses ahead of their marquee sales in New York. It may be a silver lining (or cold comfort) to some of the leading artists who backed the Harris-Walz campaign with works due to be sold.

Joan Mitchell, Untitled (1954). Copyright the artist's estate, courtesy of Christie's

1

New York: A work by Alberto Giacometti has the highest estimate in '20th Century Evening Sale' at Christie's on November 19. The total pre-sale estimate is $233m. For the top-ten lots, see the HENI News preview.

2

New York: A work by Jean-Michel Basquiat has the highest estimate in 'Modern & Contemporary Art Evening Sale' at Phillips New York on November 19. The total pre-sale estimate is $51m. HENI News

3

Hong Kong: Rothko’s 1954 yellow-and-blue abstract could deliver a 37% negative return at Sotheby’s Hong despite its $29m estimate and blue-chip provenance. For more see HENI News.

4

Hong Kong: The $29m Rothko has the highest estimate in 'Modern & Contemporary Evening Auction' at Sotheby's Hong Kong on November 11. For the top ten lots, see the HENI News preview.

5

New York: A Joan Mitchell abstract with a $9m estimate is due to be sold at Christie's in its marquee sale. It was snapped up by David Rockefeller directly from the Stable Gallery in 1958. HENI News

6

Vancouver/Los Angeles: Firelei Báez, who has a solo museum show in Canada, and a gallery show at Hauser & Wirth, LA, talks to W Magazine about Dominican folklore and pulling all-nighters.

7

Museums: Rachel Whiteread will launch Goodwood Art Foundation with a solo show featuring the sculptor's photographs. The new gallery on a British aristocrat’s estate is backed by a US billionaire. HENI News

In other news

Washington DC: The week Donald Trump was elected the 47th US President, billionaire collectors Jeff Bezos made $7.1bn and Larry Ellison saw his net worth jump by $9.9bn, according to Bloomberg, reports ARTnews.

New York: The Breuer Building will be renovated by architects Herzog & de Meuron.

Abu Dhabi: Art Basel is negotiating to take over Abu Dhabi Art according to numerous sources of ARTnews

" 'I think Pollock’s a greater artist than anyone working at the time or since.’ Donald Judd’s declaration in 1967 as Pollock’s early works go on show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris. "

- Kasmin Review

Installation view, "Jackson Pollock", The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1967. Copyright the artist estate/MoMA, via Kasmin Gallery