The sale of what was actually a polyglot lot of artworks set off at a cracking pace. Apart from the failure of Lot 3, a rather rigid white on black grid-like yam painting by Utopia master Emily Kngwarreye, every single item sold to lot 30. By lot 100, more than 30% of the audience had departed yet the clearance rate was still an incredibly impressive 96%.
Early star performers were the two large Yawk Yawk spirit sculptures by Maningrida artist Owen Yalantja that smashed the artist’s previous record of $19,200. Sotheby’s had established this in 2009 for a set of four spirit figures. With Ian Rogers in the room pushing the eventual winner on the phones, the first sold for $34,800 and the second for $31,200.
The star performer on the night was the cover lot by Kimberley artist Paddy Bedford, whose career and estate have been represented by Mora. Measuring just 80 x 100 cm the highly desirable painting entitled simply Gum Hole (and wrongly catalogued as having been created in 1990, when the artist only began painting in 1998) achieved $132,000 now his 3rd highest result. Bedford’s works in gouache on paper followed and all achieved healthy results.
Other results worthy of note were the $15,600 achieved for the fine Parrying Shield (Lot 10 ); the $16,800 paid for the untitled bark by Ivan Namirrkki (Namariki) (Lot 32 ) which more than doubled its high estimate; and the $13,200 paid for the delightful Winpurrurla, 2007 by up and coming Balgo Hills artist, Christine Yukenbarri. Another work by George Tjapanangka (Lot 67 ) was withdrawn prior to the sale, presumably due to its purchase by a prominent institution.
Overall works by market leader Emily Kame Kngwarreye faired rather badly despite two of the three on offer selling on the night. This would not have pleased Janet Holt, who attended the sale having recently relocated from Delmore Downs to a home closer to her children in Melbourne.
While there were few highly desirable paintings in this sale, the fiercely loyal Melbourne art crowd supported one of their favourite sons and pushed more than 25% of lots above their high estimates on the hammer.
The eventual turnover of $1,142,856 (including buyers premium) represented 117% by value - quite a remarkable result in the current climate. Not too much should be read in to this however. The real test of the market will be on the 26th and 27th of July when Sotheby’s put up more than 340 works worth $4.3 to $6.2 million.
