Subodh Gupta pushes his cart on the art market

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

A good sign for the value of an artist is when we find him suddenly everywhere at the top. The perpetual renewal that characterizes contemporary art enables to continuously make new discoveries. I present to you today an artist in his forties: Subodh Gupta, from India, born in 1964.

An oil on canvas is estimated 20 MRs ($ 500 K) in SaffronArt, lot 53 of the online sale of 2 to 4 September. SaffronArt runs a gallery and an auction house in Mumbai. Their business is very dynamic.

At Christie's in New York on September 16 four works by Subodh Gupta are included, amon them an accumulation of steel utensils ($ 600 K, lot 123) and a painting ($ 800 K, lot 112).

The program on September 18 in New York at Sotheby'sincludes "One cow" by Subodh Gupta ($ 600 K, lot 121).

In a modern inspiration and large size, close to the ready made, Gupta produces in several copies some trivial subjects of contemporary life. One of those most often seen is an airport carrier supporting baggage.

He also creates paintings of large dimensions around the same themes. The One cow to sell at Sotheby's represents a bicycle equipped with milk utensils, 168 x 228 cm, the format commonly used by Gupta. The painting for sale at SaffronArt represents baggage on the gallery of a car, with dimensions nearly identical to the previous one.

Prices achieved by Gupta show a sharp growth for both types of works, with perhaps a preference for paintings: already three of them exceeded $ 1.2 million. These results are divided between the three same auction houses as above, but in different locations, a sign that Gupta is a new star of international art.

For $ 1.2 million (£ 600 K), we also had an accumulation of steel utensils, sold at Christie's London on June 11.

The 11 highest Gupta results have been recorded since April this year. It was in Paris that he reached his full dimension of international artist, on April 3, when Artcurial sold 500 K € costs included a steel showing an airport carrier with removable baggage, 55% above the previous top price of the artist.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The results of the lots that I had spotted start well for Gupta. Saffronart has sold its painting around the high estimate.

It was paid 30 MRs costs included. The auction house has translated this figure in dollars: 750 K $.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

At Christie's, Gupta continues to increase its rating: $ 1.1 million including fees for Lot 112, and $ 1 million including fees for lot 123. The two other works have also sold well, at 960 K $ inclusive for an oil on canvas showing an airport carrier surrounded by people, 168 x 228 cm, and at 200 K $ for an aluminum baggage, 45 x 45 x 64 cm.

At Saffronart on September 4, another oil on canvas doubled its estimate, reaching 43 MRs costs included. It shows utensils, 168 x 256 cm. This painting got a higher result than the work I had described, which had the highest estimate of the sale.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Perhaps a little too atypical, 'One Cow' has been sold without much discussion: 660 K$ fees included.

We have not finished with tracking of paintings by Gupta: at Sotheby's in Hong Kong on October 4, an oil on canvas showing an airport taxi (2 x 4.2 m) is estimated 12 MHK$. This lot has some good characteristics (its subject, its large size) to achieve a higher price.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

This is surprising. Our taxi at airport, which should please the fans of Gupta, has not been sold. Other unsold "of size", the sculpture "Matango Flower" by Murakami (4 x 3 x 2.5 m), which had been presented prominently in the ads by Sotheby's, and was estimated 24 MHK.

I had voluntarily grouped these two artworks in my weekly preview on September 7. Should I adjust my comments on the priority given by buyers to gigantism in contemporary art?

Or, simply, are buyers less affected by the Hindu and Japanese artists when they are sold in Hong Kong, compared with London and New York?