'Yoshitomo Nara's 14.7 Billion Won Masterpiece Up for Auction... Seoul Auction to Hold March Sale Worth Up to 75 Billion Won'

To Be Held at Gangnam Center on the 31st
104 Pieces to Be Auctioned, Total Estimates Reach 75 Billion Won
International Masters Including Kusama and Lichtenstein Gathered in One Place
Local Preview in Hong Kong to Coincide with Art Basel Hong Kong

Seoul Auction announced on March 12 that it will hold its March special auction, "CONTEMPORARY ART SALE," at the Seoul Auction Gangnam Center at 4 PM on the 31st. A total of 104 pieces will be up for auction, with the total estimated value based on the higher estimates reaching approximately 75 billion won.

Yoshitomo Nara, Nothing about it, 2016. Acrylic on canvas, Photo by Seoul Auction

This auction will feature numerous works by internationally acclaimed modern and contemporary artists, including Yoshitomo Nara, Yayoi Kusama, and Roy Lichtenstein. Following the preview in Seoul, Seoul Auction also plans to hold a local preview and an artist talk in Hong Kong to coincide with Art Basel Hong Kong.

The most anticipated piece is Yoshitomo Nara's 2016 work, "Nothing about it." With a lower estimate of 14.7 billion won, it has the potential to set a new record for the highest auction price in Korea if sold. The artwork is lauded for expressing resistance, innocence, and the fundamental loneliness of modern people through a child with Nara's signature wide-open eyes.

Another major lot is Yayoi Kusama's "Pumpkin (MBOK)." Created in 2015, this work has a lower estimate of 9.5 billion won, which, according to Seoul Auction, is on par with Kusama's highest auction prices in Korea. The striking contrast between the pumpkin form that fills the canvas and the yellow dots on the black background leaves a strong visual impression.

Roy Lichtenstein's "Still Life with Attaché Case" will also be seeking a new owner. Created in 1976, this still life reconstructs everyday objects like a briefcase using clear lines and flat planes of color. The estimated price for this piece ranges from 6 billion to 8 billion won.

Roy Lichtenstein, Still Life with Attach Case, 1976. Acrylic, oil and graphite pencil on canvas. Photo by Seoul Auction

The preview exhibition will be held at the Seoul Auction Gangnam Center from the 11th until auction day on the 31st. Some major pieces will be moved for the Hong Kong preview, and will be on display in Seoul only until the 17th. On the 13th and 16th, the exhibition will have extended hours until 9 PM.

The Hong Kong preview will take place from the 25th to the 28th at the Salon in the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. During the preview, on the 26th, there will also be an artist talk featuring Eddie Kang.

A Seoul Auction representative stated, "Through this event in Hong Kong, we aim to expand our reach to international collectors and strengthen the presence of the Korean art market amid the global art market's recovery."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.