Sotheby’s has revealed the lineup for Saudi Arabia’s first-ever international auction on February 8.
Around 100 lots including works by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Wassily Kandinsky will go under the hammer. Rare watches, jewelry, sports memorabilia—and even a light installation by James Turrell—will also be up for grabs.
Titled “Origins,” the two-part evening auction will take place somewhere in the historic town of Diriyah on the outskirts of the capital of Riyadh. Diriyah is the original home of the Saudi royal family and has a UNESCO heritage site.
The sale will coincide with Sotheby’s opening an office in the Al Faisaliah Tower in Riyadh, which is the first skyscraper in the country and designed by Norman Foster.
Before the auction, the lots will be shown in a free public exhibition from February 1 to February 8 in the town’s Bujairi Terrace, a spot known for its high-end restaurants. Several of the artworks will be exhibited outside in “Diriyah’s oasis-like spaces,” Sotheby’s said in a statement. They include Antony Gormley’s Sidle (estimate: $700,000-$900,000), Turrell’s light installation ($120,000-$180,000), the late sculptor Alexander Calder’s Haute-couture ($700,000-900,000), and AMOR by Robert Indiana ($220,000-$280,000).
Surrealism is having a moment as the movement marked its centenary last year; after selling René Magritte’s L’empire des lumières for a record $121 million in New York in November, Sotheby’s is now offering his dreamlike gouache, L’État de veille ($1 million-$1.5 million), in Saudi Arabia. Margritte’s Belgian surrealist compatriot, Paul Delvaux, will also feature. His La Légende égyptienne has a high estimate of $700,000.
“The auction will span the timeline of Western art history from important works of Impressionism, Surrealism and Modern art by René Magritte, Pablo Picasso, Henri Martin, Paul Delvaux, Wassily Kandinsky through to some of the best-known names in contemporary art worldwide, including Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, Damien Hirst, George Condo and Nicholas Party,” the house said.
Work by local artists, such as the kingdom’s Ahmed Mater, will also be offered. His Illumination Diptych (Ottoman Waqf) is expected to go for up to $70,000.
“The auction offers one of the most iconic images in the world of modern Arab art: Louay Kayyali’s ultimate masterpiece, Then What?? (estimate: $500,000-700,000), which is anticipated to achieve an auction record,” Sotheby’s said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia has a fast-growing luxury goods market, so it’s no surprise to see the auction house selling handbags, watches, and jewelry. “Among the luxury treasures is a curated selection of the most sought-after Hermès handbags sourced from all corners of the world, in a celebration of unparalleled craftsmanship,” the house said.
The pick of the watches is the Olympics-worn prototype Richard Mille (high estimate $1.5 million), made as a unique piece for World Champion sprinter Yohan Blake.
Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Playoffs “The Last Dance” game-worn jersey is the top lot among the sale’s sports memorabilia, with a high estimate of $1.2 million.
Edward Gibbs, Sotheby’s Middle East & India chairman, told ARTnews in November that “creativity is at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s future, and it would be fair to say that the country is in the middle of a cultural renaissance.”
“Everything we have witnessed there so far has been incredibly impressive, whether this has been the overwhelmingly enthusiastic uptake to our educational offerings during the biennales, or when we have exhibited material in Saudi as part of travelling exhibitions over the years,” he said. “Having a permanent base on the ground will be transformative in amplifying what we will be able to offer to our existing clients in Saudi, as well as introducing us to the vast and dynamic population who may not yet have come across what we do. Taking into consideration Vision 2030 [a government program aiming for economic, social, and cultural diversity], the museum building projects across the region, as well as the expanding art community, there is a lot for us to explore and build on. We also hope that with this auction, a lot of clients will travel to Saudi, and we are sure they will also be impressed by what they experience.”
Ashkan Baghestani, Sotheby’s head of sale and contemporary art specialist, said in a statement in November that the evening sale will “serve as an introduction to our offering and to embody the cross-category spirit we pride ourselves on curating.”
Sotheby’s move to the Gulf state comes after Christie’s announced in September that it had been granted a license to operate in Saudi Arabia. The house has not said when it will launch its first sale there.
In 2013, Sotheby’s hosted the first ever highlights exhibition in Saudi Arabia by any international auction house, and in 2017 held the first ever charity auction in the Kingdom.
The house’s tilt to the Middle East comes after it opened its long-awaited Maison space in Hong Kong with two non-selling exhibitions in the summer. The 24,000-squar-foot space covers two floors of the Landmark Chater building located in the city’s central business district.
In October, Sotheby’s also unveiled its new Paris HQ in the French capital’s Matignon Saint-Honoré district, where a growing contingent of major galleries have set up shop. Sotheby’s France president, Mario Tavella, said the move reflects Paris’ status as a growing art market hub, with major galleries including Gagosian and White Cube opening new spaces there since 2019.
