HONG KONG.- The 20th Century Chinese Art and Asian Contemporary Art auctions held today at Christie’s Hong Kong realized a total of over HK$609,000,000/ US$79,170,000, the highest combined total of these two categories ever achieved anywhere in the world. In this season, Christie's Hong Kong introduced a real-time multi-media auction service Christie’s LIVE™, becoming the first international auction house in Asia to offer fine art through live online auctions.

Eric Chang, Senior Vice President, International Director of 20th Century Chinese Art & Asian Contemporary Art at Christie’s commented: “This evening, Christie’s, the world’s leading art business created an exceptional moment in time when collectors and consignors from around the world came together in Hong Kong. Our concerted efforts, particularly since 2004, have continued to showcase the diversity and significance of the Asian contemporary art, resulting in unprecedented sales. Prices for Korean, Japanese, Indian, Pakistani and Chinese works of art soared as collectors interacted in the saleroom. From our exceptionally-curated sales, global tours and stunning exhibits, we have delivered on our commitment to our clients and underscored the importance of Hong Kong as a cultural destination. The tremendous success today demonstrates the continuing strength of the market and the power of the pan-Asian composition of Christie’s sales.”

The top-selling lot in the 20th Century Chinese Art sale is Scenery of Northern China by Wu Guanzhong (born in 1919) that sold for HK$31,680,000/ US$4,118,400 after furious bidding. Painted in 1973, it is the most outstanding and only piece by Wu available in private hands that depicts the vast landscape of Northern China. Positioning the view from a high vantage point, Wu captures the vividness and imposing presence of the nature of his mother country. Snowy peaks, pines, roaring waterfalls and the Great Wall are well featured and testify Wu's skill at structuring a complex composition from multiple perspectives.

Taking centre-stage in the Asian Contemporary Art sale is Portrait of the Artist and His Friends by Yue Minjun(born in 1962) which fetched HK$20,480,000/ US$2,662,400, five times above the pre-sale estimate, setting the new world auction record for the artist. It is a large work and of crucial significance in the artist's career. Illustrating himself for the first time on canvas, alongside the faces of his friends, the work demonstrates Yue’s interest in re-exploring the identity of his fellow countrymen, the society and the role of himself as a new artist.