French auction house, the Paris-based PIASA, has combined with South Africa’s Aspire Art Auctions for a major auction, titled Modern & Contemporary African Art, in Cape Town on February 14 at 3pm at OROAFRICA House at 170 Buitengracht Street.
The collection comprises 198 lots, featuring 139 artists from 27 African countries and includes acclaimed art in the 20th-century modernism, contemporary and artistic photography idioms.
Among the major attractions will be works by SA artists, including Pierneef’s Baobabs with Soutpansberg in the Distance, expected to fetch the top price with a presale estimate of R9million.
Also on offer will be Oktober 1973 by Marlene Dumas - only the third work by the acclaimed artist to be offered on auction in SA - for up to R5m; a variety of drawings and sculpture by William Kentridge, including Whilst Reaching Down (up to R5m) and Hugo Naudé’s Namaqualand Flowers and Quiver Tree, one of the largest oil-on-canvas paintings by this artist to come to auction (up to R1m). Works by established local artists, including Alexis Preller, Cecil Skotnes, Walter Battiss and John Koenakeefe Mohl - one of the first local black artists to explore figures in landscape - will also be on offer.
Previews for the auction will be on February 12 from noon to 5pm, February 13 from 10am to 5pm and February 14 from 10am until the start of the sale at 3pm. For more details, call 0214180765 or email [email protected].