NEW YORK.- Christie’s two-day sales of Latin American Art totaled $14,150,963/ £9,433,975/ €11,230,923, and was 70% sold by lot. Combined with the $33.8 million fetched in the Spring auctions, Christie’s grand total for Latin American Art in 2008 is $48,012,313, representing the second highest annual total for Christie’s.

Virgilio Garza, Head of Latin American Art, states: “We had a very successful Day Session of Latin American Art, proving the strength of the middle market across all categories of sculpture, Mexican School, Cuban Modernism, geometric abstraction and Contemporary Art. Despite the current financial situation, six artist records were achieved in the Day Session for José Maria Mijares, Jorge Camacho, Tomás Sánchez, Mario Carreño, Juan Manuel Hernández and Arturo Montoto, adding to the seven records established in the Evening Sale. The two-day sales witnessed active international bidding, proving freshness to the market, excellent quality and superb artistic merit are qualities that continue to be recognized by astute collectors.”

The two-day sales set new world auction records for 13 artists, including Emilio Pettoruti, César Paternosto, Manuel Rodríguez Lozano, Manuel Pailós, Roberto Aizenberg, Julio Galán, Adriana Varejão, José Maria Mijares, Jorge Camacho, Tomas Sanchez, Mario Carreño, Juan Manuel Hernández and Arturo Montoto.