BLUE SPONGE SELLS FOR 22,005,000 DOLLARS!

The monumental Sculpture éponge bleue sans titre, SE 168 by Yves Klein, set a new record for a sculpture by the artist, at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening sale. It sold for 22,005,000 dollars, and the sale  totaled $293,587,000, (82.8% sold-by-lot)!

 Sotheby’s directors observed that the global nature of today’s international art market was underlined with collectors from 35 countries registering to bid in the sale, 20% of whom were new to either Sotheby’s or the category.

BROKER’S AGENDA:

Sculpture éponge bleue sans titre, SE 168 by Yves Klein

Executed in 1959.

Dry blue pigment in synthetic resin on natural sponges, metal stem and stone base (height 44 3/8 in.112.7cm)

Provenance:

The Artist
Galerie Iris Clert, Paris
Mr. and Mrs. Burton Tremaine, Meriden, Connecticut (acquired from the above in 1959)
Collection of Sidney Janis, New York (acquired from the above in 1986)                
Thence by descent to the present owner

WHAT COLLECTORS NEED TO KNOW:

Yves Klein's artistic contribution to contemporary culture is most frequently described as visionary, and the scope of his artistic innovations was utterly without precedent. The works he left behind are testament to a genius that perceived things others could not. SE 168 expedites the artist's career-long investigation into how to communicate these concepts through artistic means, and because his language is so utterly unlike any other and precipitates a unique response in each individual spectator, this profoundly engaging and immensely beautiful work will always transcend and surpass our expectations of what art can achieve.