The Musicalism of Zenderoudi

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The contemporary art sales organized by Christie's at Dubai are exciting. The market is new, which finds its resources in Iran, Arabia and the Middle East. Artists who have been confirmed here are good candidates to extend their influence into the international arena. The buyers' network and their sensitivity are different from other places of sales, and big surprises are always possible in the results.

On April 30, four works exceeded one million dollars, increasing at once the credibility of this place of the art market. The press highlighted on this occasion the important bid at 2.8 MUS$ including fees that was recorded on a bronze by Parviz Tanavoli that paid tribute to Persepolis and had been estimated 400 KUS$.

This outstanding result had a little bit hidden the second result of the sale, obtained on a work of another Iranian artist, born the same year as Tanavoli (1937): Hossein Zenderoudi. His painting in oil and acrylic on canvas from 1981, 210x195 cm, was sold 1.6 MUS$ costs included from an estimate of 200 KUS$. It consists of thick sinuous lines on both sides of a middle horizontal area populated with a repetitive pattern of small masks of different colors. In the same sale, a 1972 acrylic representing a very tight coloured spiral was sold 600 KUS$ fees included.

On October 30, there are four works by Zenderoudi in the catalog. Christie's, based on its previous successes, appears to have pushed a little further its estimates.

The lot 57 is a monochrome red on a white background based on similar features and masks (but differently distributed) as the star lot of the April sale. This is an oil on canvas from 1972, 195x130cm. This painting is much appreciated by Christie's, which presents it at the best place in its press release. The estimated 400 KUS$ will certainly be greatly exceeded. The catalog indicates the clear influence of calligraphy and musicalism in this work.

The other three paintings are estimated 400 KUS$ (Lot 98, 150x301 cm, 1986), 400 KUS$ (Lot 100, 215x180 cm, 1983) and 300 KUS$ (Lot 58, 130x97 cm, 1969).

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Compared to the sale of April 28, the results are disappointing. The highest figure, 480 KUS$ including fees, is recorded successively on a very large abstract oil on canvas (300 x 185 cm) by the Iranian Mohammed Ehsai and on a triptych (200 x 450 cm overall) of the Algerian Rachid Koraichi. We observe also in this market the trend for gigantism.

Regarding Zenderoudi, it is a disaster! None of the four paintings have been sold. This decrease is curiosity is also confirmed on a lot that I did not mention: a work on paper sold 230 KUS$ costs included on a low estimate of 300 KUS$.