From Murakami's 'Doraemon' to Yoo Youngkuk's 'Mountain'... K-Auction's July Auction

Youngkuk Yoo's "Mountain," Chun Kyung Ja's "Woman," and More
A Total of 87 Artworks Valued at Approximately 6.5 Billion Won

Takashi Murakami's 2019 work featuring Doraemon has been selected as the highest-valued lot at K-Auction's July auction.

Takashi Murakami's 2019 work "A Blue Sky! Like We Could Go On Forever!" K-Auction

K-Auction announced on July 10 that it will hold its July auction at 4:00 p.m. on the 22nd at its headquarters in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. A total of 87 artworks, valued at approximately 6.5 billion won, will be up for auction.

The work with the highest estimated value is Murakami's "A Blue Sky! Like We Could Go On Forever!" Created in 2019, this 100×100 cm acrylic painting is estimated at 720 million to 1.1 billion won. The piece depicts Doraemon and friends flying with bamboo-copter propellers against a blue sky, while Murakami's iconic smiling flowers are repeatedly arranged along the bottom of the canvas.

In the Korean modern and contemporary art segment, Youngkuk Yoo's 1991 work "Mountain" is a major highlight, with an estimated value of 370 million to 800 million won. This size 40 canvas is one of Yoo's late-period works, in which he distilled the forms of mountains—a lifelong artistic pursuit—into fields of color and structure.

Two works on paper from Kim Whanki's New York period will also be offered. The 1970 piece "8-1-70," painted with oil on traditional Korean paper (hanji), is estimated at 70 million to 150 million won, while the 1968 oil on newspaper "30-I-68 II" is estimated at 55 million to 150 million won.

Youngkuk Yoo, 1991 work 'Mountain'. K Auction

This auction also stands out for spotlighting works by female artists. Chun Kyung Ja's colored painting "Woman" is estimated at 50 million to 120 million won, and "Oaxaca," which depicts the scenery of Oaxaca, Mexico, is listed at 50 million to 80 million won. Lee Seong Ja's 1959 work "When the Horizon Breathes Fragrance" is expected to find a new owner for 38 million to 160 million won.

Choi Wook Kyung's "Dancing Birds" is estimated at 7 million to 20 million won, while Jung Kang Ja's "Dancing Polynesian (Samoa)" and "Woman with Yellow Flowers" are each valued at 4 million to 12 million won and 3 million to 8 million won, respectively. Lee Sook Ja's "Eve's Barley Field - Golden Rose" will also be auctioned with an estimate of 17 million to 50 million won. Works by other domestic and international female artists, such as Ha Tae Im, Ayako Rokkaku, Mayuka Yamamoto, and Donna Huanca, will also be introduced.

Works by leading artists in the dansaekhwa (Korean monochrome painting) and contemporary Korean art scenes will also be featured. Three pieces by Yun Hyong Keun, Park Seo Bo's "Ecriture No. 950508-H," Chung Chang Sup's "Mukgo No. 99907," and three of Kim Tschang Yeul's "Recurrence" series will be on offer. Four works by Lee Bae will also be auctioned, including the 2016 piece "From Fire A22," which features charcoal fragments on canvas and is estimated at 380 million to 480 million won.

The auction will also include a luxury segment. The Yayoi Kusama and Louis Vuitton collaboration trunk set is estimated at 73 million to 100 million won, while the Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton collaboration handbag is valued at 10 million to 25 million won. The Louis Vuitton high jewelry piece "Acte V: The Escape Majestic Necklace" is estimated at 150 million to 260 million won, and the Hermès limited edition Kelly bag is expected to find a new owner for 44 million to 65 million won.

The preview exhibition will be held at the K-Auction gallery from July 11 through the day of the auction, July 22. Admission is free and does not require a reservation. The gallery will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

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