NEW YORK – On 17 November, Christie’s will present Kim Whan-Ki’s 1971 painting 19-VI-71 #206 (estimate: US$7,500,000 – 10,000,000), marking the first time a Korean artwork has been offered at the prestigious New York 20th Century Evening Sale. The painting will appear alongside masterpieces by globally renowned artists including Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Joan Mitchell, and David Hockney, reflecting Kim Whan-Ki’s international significance and appeal.
Kim created 19-VI-71 #206 in the same year as 05-IV-71 #200 (Universe) — which achieved the artist’s all-time auction record when it sold at Christie’s Hong Kong in 2019 for over HK$100 million and remains the highest price ever achieved for a work of Korean modern art. The present work from Kim’s New York period represents the culmination of his spiritual and technical mastery. It is exceptionally rare in scale, among just 30 “dot paintings” from the period to exceed 200 cm. Through its radiating pattern of dots, Kim evokes a sense of infinite expansion into the cosmos, while the emerald-toned band at the bottom, rendered in a slightly deeper hue than the upper section, imparts a mysterious and transcendent atmosphere.
Hak Jun Lee, Managing Director, Christie’s Korea, stated: “Kim Whanki gave up his secure position as a professor and pursued his artistic career in New York to reach out to the global art scene. It is deeply moving that, 50 years after his passing, his work is now being presented in Christie’s New York 20th Century Evening Sale at the very heart of the global art market alongside some of the world’s most renowned artists.”
Emily Kaplan, Co-Head of Christie’s 20th Century Evening Sale, remarked: “Each November in New York we have the honor of presenting the market with best-in-class artworks by the most esteemed twentieth-century artists from around the world. This 1971 canvas by Kim Whan-Ki is singular within his oeuvre, dating to the most important year of his career. We are so delighted to showcase 19-VI-71 #206 in the 20th Century Evening Sale—on the inaugural night of Fall Marquee Week—and we look forward to seeing the response from collectors from across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC.”