“Origins”: Sotheby’s to Host First International Auction in Saudi Arabia’s History
Sotheby’s is set to host “Origins” auction on February 8 marking the first international auction in Saudi Arabia’s history, Arab News reported.
The auction will display the key pieces in the accompanying exhibition at Diriyah’s Bujairi Terrace that is free and open to the public.
“In terms of fine art, I think it was important for us to show the wide breath of the fields we represent at Sotheby’s. In the last three years, every time I have been coming, I have been seeing more international artists and curators, events, integrated with Arab culture,” Ashkan Baghestani, senior vice president and head of contemporary day sale, contemporary art, New York & Middle East, told Arab News.
Baghestani has set a bold goal to bring the “greatest Arab and Saudi artists to an international audience,” while curating the auction and exhibition.
“We don’t only cater toward the local audience and Saudi audience … a lot of our clients are looking at the sale,” he added.
Moreover, Baghestani divided the different types of auctions to be held: Online, day and evening sales.
“The evening sale auction is probably the highest caliber in terms of quality, featuring the most expensive, museum-quality, and rarest works. However, in terms of volume, it is usually the smallest,” he stated.
Mohammed Al-Saleem (1939-1997)
The auction will highlight an extraordinary artwork by Saudi artist Mohammed Al-Saleem (1939-1997), one of the most prominent artists who had a significant role in the evolution of the Kingdom’s art scene.
Titled “O’ God, Honour Them and Do Not Honor an Enemy Over Them,” Al-Saleem’s painting is inspired by the gradating skyline of Riyadh from the desert, combining both skyline and calligraphy.
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