PARIS.- The second edition of the Paris#Marrakech auction, organised by
Artcurial in duplex with Marrakesh on 30th December 2017, reached a total amount of €3,518,580 /$4,222,296, beyond its overall estimate, with nearly 70% of lots sold and 6 world records recorded achieved for contemporary African art.
With 7 new world records including 6 for contemporary African art and a 50 % sales increase compared to 2016, this second edition of the Paris#Marrakech auction was lauded by the ever-increasing number of international collectors. I would like to express our gratitude to Ccilia Attias who was kind enough to assist us in the creation of the catalogue and who shared her favourite creative pieces. --Olivier Berman, Director Orientalisme, Artcurial
The chapter Majorelle et ses contemporains which brought together 43 orientalist pieces, was dominated by the sale of the exceptional canvas by Jos Cruz Herrera Au Harem, which largely surpassed its estimate price, reaching €467,800 / $561,360 (lot 12). Marchands de dattes dans le souk, Marrakech (lot 5), a 1940-1945 piece by Jacques Majorelle, dates from the period when the artist mainly used black backgrounds in his work, doubled its estimate reaching €393,400 / $472,080. A 1916 Alexandre Roubtzoff oil on canvas, Conversation, delighted a European collector who purchased the piece for €294,200 / $353,040 (lot 33) while La fiance du Nil, the Mahmoud Mokhtar bronze bust from the Christian Sapet collection (lot 7), tripled its estimate and was acquired for €156,000 / $187,200. The pieces created paper by Moroccan artist Jilali Gharbaoui were the subject of a heated battle. A 1960 Indian ink Composition (lot 40) was purchased for €22,800 / $27,360, a world record in this category.
The second chapter, "African spirit" was dedicated to contemporary African creation. During this event, Artcurial established no less than 6 new world records. Bodys Isek Kingelez, who had exhibited models during the exhibitions Baut Congo at the Cartier Foundation and Art/Afrique, le nouvel atelier at the Louis Vuitton foundation, obtained a world record with a cardboard model Radio TV sold €19,500 / $23,400 (lot 44). Another world record was registered for Frdric Bruly Bouabr, whose work Costumes, 2010 reached €58,500 / $70,200 (lot 60). Senegalese artist Omar Victor Diop, known for his photographs reflecting his flair for design and love for aesthetic and modern pop, clocked a world record at €20,800 / $24,960 (lot 59). Malian Malick Sidib, who transcends the simplicity and truth of a carefree and festive life in his images reached €24,700 / $29,640 for a argentic proof "Christmas Night (Happy Club)" (lot 49), a world record for a photo by of the artist. Finally, Steve Bandoma and Pierre Bodo also established a world record with respectively a final price of €12,400 / $14,880 (lot 48) and €16,300 / $19,560 (lot 51).
