Jean-Michel Basquiat’s El Gran Espectaculo (The Nile) was the top lot at Christie’s 21st Century evening sale in New York last night. It made $67,110,000 in an auction of 26 lots which brought in $98,802,500, selling 96% by lot and 123% hammer against low estimate. More than one third of lots set artist records; five were set for female artists – Robin F. Williams, Simone Leigh, Danielle McKinney, Rebecca Ackroyd, and Diane Arbus – as well as records for Vojt?ch Kova?ík, El Anatsui, Peter Saul, and William Eggleston (for a single work).
Combined with the successful sale of the S.I. Newhouse Collection and the 20th Century Evening Sale on May 11 and the series of Day Sales May 12 – 13, this auction brought Christie’s running total for its 20th and 21st Century Spring Marquee Week auctions to $725,013,196.