LATEST SOTHEBY’S CAA AUCTION.

By Nii B. Andrews.

The latest Sotheby’s London CAA auction ran from Mar. 27 to Mar. 31.

For the very first time, it was held solely online and recorded a stunning 46% jump in the number of bids from a year ago with sales totalling $2.9 million.

Over 100 works from 58 artists across 21 African countries were included in the sale.

More than 30% of the online bidders were aged less than 40 years thus indicating that CAA is catching on with a younger cohort of collectors.

MARKETSCAPE: Ablade Glover, oil on canvas, 153 x 153 cm, signed and dated 2018, lower left.

Now for some highlights.

An Ablade Glover painting MARKETSCAPE 2018 in yellow, reds and blues, was bought for USD 24.6K

There were 2 paintings by Wiz Kudowor available: BLUESCAPE and FLIGHTS OF DESIRE. Only the latter sold for USD 3.7K

All 3 paintings by the Moroccan master, Hassan El Glaoui on offer sold for USD 29.5K, USD43K and USD73.8K.

Two of the paintings featured his trademark equestrian figures.

The highest bid price was for a lyrical piece featuring blue robed figures on camels entitled DROMEDARIES painted in 1976.

FLIGHTS OF DESIRE: Wiz Kudowor, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 60 cm, 1999, signed and titled verso.

Several artists set new records for their work.

They included Samuel Fosso whose photograph from the TATI series sold for USD 26K and Bertina Lopes, PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN a painting that sold for USD 10K;

Lots 91 – 94 which comprised of photos taken by Pieter Hugo at Accra’s (in)famous Agbogbloshie Market e-waste dump did not sell.

An oil painting by Irma Stern, GRAPE PACKER, 1959 went for USD 535K.

Another early oil on board painting, SEFI, 1953 by the Nigerian master Ben Enwonwu was bought for USD 305K.

About 75% of the lots on offer were sold.

GRAPE PACKER: Irma Stern, oil on canvas, 87 x 69 cm, signed and dated 1959.

DROMEDARIES: Hassan El Glaoui, gouache on board, 74.5 x 106.5 cm, signed and dated 1975.

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