Christie’s inaugural auctions at its new Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong’s brand new architectural icon, the Zaha Hadid-designed Henderson, will present major European and Asian masterpieces, led by Monet, Van Gogh and Zhao Wuji in coming week.
The art world is abuzz for Christie’s inaugural auctions at its new Hong Kong headquarters, The Henderson, the Zaha Hadid-designed architectural icon. From September 22-26, Christie’s will host previews of works that will be up for sale at the highly anticipated debut auction on September 26, marking a new era for the auction house, with single-painting estimates reaching as high as 380 million HKD (~$50 million USD).
How much do you know about the “headliners”?
1. Which artistic movement was Claude Monet a founder of?
- Impressionism
- Expressionism
- Cubism
- Surrealism
2. What city was Vincent van Gogh living in when he painted “Les canots amarrés“?
- Paris
- Arles
- London
- Amsterdam
3. What country was Zhao Wuji from?
- Japan
- China
- Korea
- India
(Read till the end to find out the answer!)
Leading the European offerings is Claude Monet’s luminous and large-scale “Nymphéas” from his acclaimed Water Lilies series, a radiant Impressionist standout that many have eyes on to potentially break the artist’s auction record of $110.7 million set back in 2019.
Monet’s dreamlike “Nymphéas” represents the Impressionist pursuit of capturing ephemeral light and atmosphere, breaking free from realism through loose, broken brushwork. This work from Monet’s famed Water Lilies series at his garden in Giverny comes directly from the artist’s son Michel Monet and reflects the radiant, meditative factors that defined his groundbreaking depictions of nature.
And when I painted landscape in Asnières this summer I saw more color in it than ever before — Vincent van Gogh on Les canots amarrés
Alongside it, Vincent van Gogh’s richly detailed “Les canots amarrés,” depicting boats moored by the Seine, will make a momentous appearance as it has been off the market for over 30 years, unseen by the public since its acquisition by the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies in the early 1990s.
This emotionally-evocative painting “Les canots amarrés” exemplifies his Post-Impressionist style, with its dramatic colors and thickly tactile brushwork. This textured scene captures boats moored along the shimmering Seine near Paris, painted during Van Gogh’s pivotal two-year stay in the city. Despite financial hardship and mental health illness, he forged ahead innovatively, pioneering his own unique and deeply expressive visual language.
Representing Asia is Zhao Wuji’s commanding abstract triptych 05.06.80 – Triptyque represents a rare market offering, as one of only 12 such works created by Zhao Wuji in the 1980s.
Notably, a 10-meter triptych from 1985 holds the artist’s auction record to date. In total, just four triptychs have ever come to auction, making 05.06.80 – Triptyque a scarce masterwork. Painted in 1980 during Zhao’s acclaimed “Infinity Period,” the work marked the apex of his international career. With its grand scale and expressive aesthetic, 05.06.80 – Triptyque stands as a crowning achievement of the artist’s maturing style that blended Eastern and Western artistic traditions.
Just as Zhao Wuji broke new ground by fusing artistic cultures in 05.06.80 – Triptyque, The Henderson is also pushing boundaries and establishing itself as an architectural icon, pushes Hong Kong’s architectural language in a new direction.
Beyond the visual impact, it holds cultural significance as a Zaha Hadid project completed after the architect’s passing. Hadid’s major works include the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympics and the MAXXI museum in Rome, known for fluid forms. The Henderson’s curved exterior and organic shape draws inspiration from both Hong Kong’s symbolic Bauhinia flower and the city’s dynamic energy.
Upcoming Events
This distinctive new landmark stands out within Hong Kong’s skyline and continues Hadid’s legacy of imaginative building designs, now home to Christie’s Hong Kong, provides a contemporary backdrop for these masterpieces.
The preview exhibition, leading up to the inaugural sale, will display these works before they go under the hammer on September 26.
Preview exhibition:
🗓️22 – 26 Sep 2024
Inaugural Sales Series Live Auction:
🗓️26 Sep 2024: Prestigious Collection Sale ; 20th and 21st Century Evening Sale
🗓️27 Sep 2024: 20th and 21st Century Day Sale
📍Venue: Christie’s New Asia Pacific Headquarters – 6th Floor, The Henderson, 2 Murray Road, Central
All eyes are on Christie’s as the art world awaits the results of this first auction at The Henderson, hoping for record-breaking results and a new era of sales within the striking metal and glass walls of Hadid’s inimitable design.
(Answers to the quiz: Impressionlism; Paris; China)
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