When we take a look at the auction results of the first half of 2019, there is an interesting and significant shift within the market itself: Millennial Chinese contemporary artists performed unspectacularly as those who had a solid performance in previous auctions did not make it to the list, but still, a few relatively senior artists maintained their position and snatched top spots in the newly released list.
TOP 1
LIU YE
b. 1964
Beijing, China
As the first Chinese artist represented by David Zwirner, the Beijing-based painter not only had his successful exhibition “Storytelling" in Prada Rong Zhai, Shanghai, but also achieved outstanding results in both the primary and secondary art markets this year.
▲Liu Ye’s exhibition “Storytelling” in Prada Rong Zhai
In this year’s Art Basel Hong Kong, Liu’s painting, Book Painting No. 6, sold for $350,000, making it one of the top 10 most expensive artworks in the most influential art fair in Asia. Among all Chinese contemporary artists, Liu made the most profits in this spring’s art auction as 20 of the artist’s works fetched over a total of 1 hundred million yuan.
▲Liu Ye, Book Painting No. 6, acrylic on canvas, 2014 - 2015, 25 x 40 cm. Courtesy of David Zwirner.
TOP 2
ZHOU CHUNYA
b. 1955
Chongqing, China
As a painter who currently lives and works in Chengdu and Shanghai, Zhou Chunya’s modern and contemporary paintings has attracted attentions from China and abroad. In terms of auction sales figure, Zhou slipped from ranking 1st in 2018 to 2nd in the first half of 2019. One of the major reasons is that Zhou’s highest-priced artworks such as the Stone Series and the Tree Series did not appear in this year’s market.
▲Zhou Chunya, Stone Series, oils and canvas, 1993, 195×130cm. Courtesy of Christie’s.
TOP 3
LIU XIAODONG
b. 1963
Jincheng, China
Liu Xiaodong has only been an average performer in Chinese art auction market for the last eight years. However, as several Liu’s most important pieces appeared in this season’s auctions, the artist achieved respectable results. His painting, Computer Leader, garnered 4.6 million yuan at Beijing Poly, making it the most expensive contemporary work sold in the 2019 spring Chinese art auction.
▲Liu Xiaodong, Computer Leader, oil and canvas, 1996, 230×180cm. Courtesy of Beijing Poly.
It is also worth mentioning that Liu’s latest exhibition, Weight of Insomnia, a technologically radical project, was successfully presented in Lisson Gallery London this year. Its conceptual premise is that artificial intelligence and autonomic computing could replace traditional physical labour forces.
▲Liu Xiaodong, Weight of Insomnia, Installation view, Lisson Gallery, Hong Kong
TOP 4
ZENG FANZHI
b. 1964
Wuhan, China
Zeng Fanzhi, one of the most widely known contemporary artists in China, continued to play an important role in the global art scene this year. LA County Museum of Art bought Zeng’s painting, Untitled, to promote cross-cultural exchange between the East and the West. Zeng also presented a solo exhibition at 166 Art Space, Shanghai, with the aim to explore the use of painterly texture as a visual language.
▲Zeng Fanzhi, solo exhibition, Installation View, 166 Art Space, Shanghai
A few months ago, Zeng also curated an exhibition, Cézanne, Morandi, and Sanyu, at Gagosian Hong Kong to trace the visual logic between these three artists’ works through an artist’s perspective instead of that of a traditional curator.
▲Zeng Fanzhi, Cézanne, Morandi, and Sanyu, Installation View, Gagosian, Hong Kong
Zeng achieved relatively stable results in the latest spring auction, partly because he is backed by the influential Gagosian Gallery and powerful art collectors. His painting, Mask, garnered HK$2.35 million at Christie’s Hong Kong, and Dusk 1989 garnered 1.38 million yuan at Poly Beijing.
▲Zeng Fanzhi, Mask, oil and canvas, 1996, 198.7×149.4cm. Courtesy of Christie’s.
TOP 5
ZHANG XIAOGANG
b. 1958
Kunming, China
Zhang Xiaogang received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Philadelphia’s University of the Arts this May for his contributions to the Chinese contemporary art field.
▲Zhang Xiaogang received Honorary Doctorate Degree from Philadelphia’s University of the Arts on May 16, 2019
Zhang’s total auction sales presented a solid performance this season, though there were relatively fewer of Zhang’s works available in recent auctions compared to that of other artists on the list. Zhang’s most representative and high-priced artworks in the 90s also did not show up in recent auctions, affecting his total sales volume as a result.
▲Zhang Xiaogang, Bloodlines, The Big Family, oil and canvas, 1999, 149.6x189.2cm. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
