Jeff Koons’s Blue Diamond to Fetch $12M at Christie’s
While the Christie’s auction started 16th of October embracing Magnificent Jewels from all around the world, a dazzling, magnificent, gigantically grotesque and staggeringly beautiful, 8ft sculpture of a blue diamond by US artist Jeff Koons is anticipated to fetch around $12m and promises to be the spectacular centerpiece at Christie’s sale of Post-War and Contemporary Art on November 13 in New York.
If Blue Diamond manages to reach its estimate, it would double the previous record price paid at auction for Koons’ work.Part of the famed Celebration series, Jeff Koons’s Blue Diamond, 2005, is said to represent an egg, which is being fertilized by the four gold-colored prongs that hold it in place. a sculpture that occupies not only a seminal place in Koons’s body of work but also in his personal life – will present collectors with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire an oeuvre clef by one of the most important artists of our time.Its vast, oversized, gleaming stainless steel format takes ‘bling-bling’ to ecstatic new levels but the sparkle is only skin deep. The highly polished chromium surface of this steel object reflects light, but does not refract it in the same way as a real diamond. Instead, this is what an imaginary blue diamond should be—it is an almost comic-strip archetype, a stereotype, a cliché that has burst into monumental existence in our world, speaking of wealth and luxury and awe in an open, sincere and deliberately uncritical manner.Blue Diamond – as the above-cited Koons quote makes clear in no uncertain terms – is also about sex, a theme which has been glorified throughout his work. Sex for Koons, is not a ‘by-the-way,’ sex is what ultimately assures procreation, hence life and thus primordial. In Koons’s own words: “Sexuality is the principal object of art. It’s about the preservation of the species. Procreation is a priority. But this also has a spiritual aspect for me. It’s about the way that we have children.”Blue Diamond is part of a group of five works – the red, pink and green versions are in private collections. A yellow version is being produced and will round off the series. Other than the Blue Diamond, up for auction will be an Andy Warhol portrait of Elizabeth Taylor, which is expected to fetch $25m .Damien Hirst whose stainless steel cabinet containing 6136 handcrafted pills the “Spring Lullaby” and reached last June the living artist highest record of 19.3m should watch out for competition this season.And you, for that special holiday gift , between Jeff Koons Blue Diamond and its Magenta Gold “Hanging Heart” to fetch 20.000.000 us at Sotherby’s s sale November 14 have certainly a lot to think about.Joelle’s Picks The Auction: Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale November 13 at 7 p.m.The other Auction : Sotherby’s Contemporary Art Evening November 14 The The Video : Jeff Koons Hanging HeartThe Beach Towel: Artist Fashion Towels 2008 Fashionweekdayly
