via ARTFIXdaily:
Photographer Andreas Gursky Unseats Cindy Sherman in Record Setting Sale
Rhein II © Andreas Gursky
A digital photograph entitled “Rhein II” by German photographer Andreas Gursky sold for $4.3 million last week at Christie’s New York, setting a new record for the artist and the category.
The realized price far exceeded expectations, which had been between $2.5 to $3.5 million, but competition at the auction was fierce.
“Rhein II” was taken in the artist’s hometown of Dusseldorf, which lies at the center of the lower Rhine. The large format photograph depicts a spartan stretch of the river that has had all extraneous factors edited out, leaving behind bands of grey and green. It is part of a set of six abstract landscapes that the artist produced centered on the Rhine river.
While some feel the price paid was exorbitant, Francis Outred, head of the postwar and contemporary art at Christie’s European office says, “In my opinion, this price will come to be seen as extremely reasonable.”
Economic collapse? What economic collapse? Besides, I wouldn’t have paid a penny more than $3 million…
Dang – where’s my camera….
3 comments
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November 15, 2011 at 1:14 pm
Holly Gordon
It’s minimalist and serendipitously clever with the repetitive bands of gray and green. Look upon this as an investment like purchasing stock. Purchasing art that will most probably increase in value is a surer bet than playing the stock market nowadays….and the few people who have the excessive scads of money need to put it someplace to make more….gee…I’d love them to buy some of my art
November 15, 2011 at 2:55 pm
lazarusdodge
I would love for them to buy some of your art – frankly I enjoy your work more than Gursky’s!
Therein lies the definitive rub – what I, or any buyer, assigns to a piece of art determines its price. Other than that, there really is no inherent value.
I would much rather that the amount of money that bought this photograph was spent on several artists rather than just one Gursky.
And if we go with the metaphor of stocks and investments, I’d have to say this is closer to the tulip mania of the 17th century. I guess then some lessons are never learned…
- J.
January 3, 2012 at 4:05 pm
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