PARIS.- The second edition of the Paris#Marrakech auction, organised by Artcurial in duplex with Marrakesh on 30th December 2017, reached a total amount of €3,518,580 /$4,222,296, beyond its overall estimate, with nearly 70% of lots sold and 6 world records recorded achieved for contemporary African art.

« With 7 new world records including 6 for contemporary African art and a 50 % sales increase compared to 2016, this second edition of the Paris#Marrakech auction was lauded by the ever-increasing number of international collectors. I would like to express our gratitude to Cécilia Attias who was kind enough to assist us in the creation of the catalogue and who shared her favourite creative pieces.» --Olivier Berman, Director Orientalisme, Artcurial

The chapter « Majorelle et ses contemporains » which brought together 43 orientalist pieces, was dominated by the sale of the exceptional canvas by José Cruz Herrera Au Harem, which largely surpassed its estimate price, reaching €467,800 / $561,360 (lot 12). Marchands de dattes dans le souk, Marrakech (lot 5), a 1940-1945 piece by Jacques Majorelle, dates from the period when the artist mainly used black backgrounds in his work, doubled its estimate reaching €393,400 / $472,080. A 1916 Alexandre Roubtzoff oil on canvas, Conversation, delighted a European collector who purchased the piece for €294,200 / $353,040 (lot 33) while La fiancée du Nil, the Mahmoud Mokhtar bronze bust from the Christian Sapet collection (lot 7), tripled its estimate and was acquired for €156,000 / $187,200. The pieces created paper by Moroccan artist Jilali Gharbaoui were the subject of a heated battle. A 1960 Indian ink Composition (lot 40) was purchased for €22,800 / $27,360, a world record in this category.

The second chapter, "African spirit" was dedicated to contemporary African creation. During this event, Artcurial established no less than 6 new world records. Bodys Isek Kingelez, who had exhibited models during the exhibitions Bauté Congo at the Cartier Foundation and Art/Afrique, le nouvel atelier at the Louis Vuitton foundation, obtained a world record with a cardboard model Radio TV sold €19,500 / $23,400 (lot 44). Another world record was registered for Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, whose work Costumes, 2010 reached €58,500 / $70,200 (lot 60). Senegalese artist Omar Victor Diop, known for his photographs reflecting his flair for design and love for aesthetic and modern pop, clocked a world record at €20,800 / $24,960 (lot 59). Malian Malick Sidibé, who transcends the simplicity and truth of a carefree and festive life in his images reached €24,700 / $29,640 for a argentic proof "Christmas Night (Happy Club)" (lot 49), a world record for a photo by of the artist. Finally, Steve Bandoma and Pierre Bodo also established a world record with respectively a final price of €12,400 / $14,880 (lot 48) and €16,300 / $19,560 (lot 51).