Dorotheum's 'Contemporary Art I' evening auction featured an exceptional collection, showcasing many top works by internationally renowned artists. Two of them achieved new record prices.
The first artist is Gottfried Helnwein, whose work often features a child existing in a world marked by pain and violence. Since the late 1970s, Helnwein has incorporated comic figures, describing them as a "counter-reality" in his works. However, his diabolically grinning piece, Burgundy Mouse 2, is not reassuring. Instead, it acts as a harbinger of the inevitable horrors that follow childhood. Helnwein's canvas, measuring 172 x 260 cm, entered the auction with an estimated value of €90,000-150,000 and established a new auction record for the Austrian-Irish artist, reaching €182,000 (£156,000, including fees).
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The second record price was achieved by a piece by Piero Gilardi, a co-founder of Arte Povera, who passed away in March of this year. Sassi (da rotolo di 'Tappeto Natura') was estimated at €70,000-100,000 and was ultimately sold for €136,500 (£117,000, including fees). Crafted from synthetic resin, foam, and pigment, the artwork was initially part of a larger art carpet designed to encourage viewer interaction with the piece.
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Other remarkable prices were achieved for artworks by Emilio Vedova, Enrico Castellani, Salvo, and an early piece by Heinz Mack. Additionally, an untitled work by Martha Jungwirth from 2012 fetched €202,800 (£173,870, including fees), surpassing the estimated price of €30,000-50,000.
