ARTICLE 1031 - Million For 2 Guptas at Christie's

New York, Sept. 18 (PTI): Two of Indian artist Subodh Gupta’s works crossed the million-dollar mark at Christie’s sale of South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art.

Gupta’s Steal 2, an oil on canvas and estimated at $800,000-1m, was picked up by a private US collector for $1.16m.

Two of the multimedia artist’s other works — Miter — a canvas of stainless steel utensils, and an untitled oil on canvas sold for $1.02m and $962,500.

In Steal 2, Gupta displays his virtuosity as a painter by combining pop and photo-realist aesthetics into a uniquely Indian style.

The sale on September 16 also offered major works from modern masters like Tyeb Mehta, M.F. Husain, Ram Kumar and Jagdish Swaminathan. Husain’s canvas, Ritual, and an untitled work in acrylic raked in $1.02 and $482,500. Mehta’s Untitled (Yellow Heads) sold for $902,500.

“The auction confirmed the strength of the growing Indian art market because several prices exceeded pre-sale estimates,” said Hugo Weihe, international director and head of the South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art.