NEW YORK, NY.- Christie’s auction of Latin American Art realized $25,499,750 (£16,574,838 / €23,459,770) and selling 83% by value. The sale was led by the Surrealist masterpiece, Vegetarian Vampires (Vampiros vegetarianos) by Remedios Varo which achieved $3,301,000 to become the highest performing work of Latin American Art at auction this Spring 2015 season. Never before offered at auction, Vampiros vegetarianos was executed at the height of Varo’s career in 1962.

Works by artists from thirteen countries were offered in the auction, with Brazilian, Cuban, and Mexican artists representing the lion’s share of the property offered. Important private collections performed exceedingly well with the Collection of Roy and Mary Collection which realized $1.7 million and established a new world auction record for Bridget Tichenor’s “Líderes” at $106,250. Moreover, property from the collection of Bayou Lair was 100% sold and achieved $1.3 million. Spirited bidding both in the room and on the phone was seen for excellent examples by influential artists such as Fernando Botero, Claudio Bravo, Rufino Tamayo, Joaquín Torres-García, Diego Rivera, and Matta, reflecting the strength and demand for works across all mediums of Latin American Art.

Virgilio Garza, Head of Latin American Art, commented: “We were very pleased with the Evening Sale results for Mexican Modern paintings, with strong results achieved across the board for Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Brazilian contemporary art performed well with Judith Lauand and a record breaking sale was executed for Venezuelan master, Gego. Strong results continued in today’s afternoon’s session with impressive prices achieved such as Fernando Botero’s, “Don Niño Bufón” at $311,000 against a pre-sale estimate of $100,000. This has been an extraordinary season of great demand and interest in the Latin American Art and we are thrilled to have executed a sale that exemplified the best examples across all mediums of the category.”

WORLD AUCTION RECORDS
• Judith Lauand (Brazilian b. 1922) Composition on Red Background, oil and fabric collage on canvas, 1966 Estimate: $50,000 - $70,000 Price Realized: $87,500 WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST

• Gego (German/Venezuelan 1912-1994) Dibujo sin papel 85/13, steel wire and metal joints, 1985 Estimate: $600,000 - $800,000 Price Realized: $701,000 WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST

• Cildo Meireles (Brazilian b. 1948) Rodos, wood and rubber, 1978-1981 Estimate: $250,000 - $350,000 Price Realized: $641,000 WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST

• Federico Herrero (Costa Rican b. 1978) Paisaje, oil on canvas, 2006 Estimate: $35,000 - $45,000 Price Realized: $52,500 WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST

• Bridget Tichenor (French/ Mexican 1917 -1990) Líderes, oil on Masonite, 1967 Estimate: $20,000 - $25,000 Price Realized: $106,250 WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST

• Martha Boto (Argentinian 1925-2004) and Gregorio Vardanega (Argentinian 1923-2007) Relief, acrylic on wood relief, 1978 Estimate: $60,000 - $80,000 Price Realized: $102,500 WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR GREGORIO VARDANEGA

• Adrián Gutiérrez (Mexican b. 1973) Untitled, oil on canvas Estimate: $20,000 - $25,000 Price Realized: $50,000 WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST

• Roberto Fabelo (Cuban b. 1950) Pequeño teatro, oil on canvas, 1996. Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000 Price Realized: $106,250 WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST

• Manuel Mendive (Cuban b. 1944) Untitled (from the series Hacha de doble filo), painted metal, acrylic, cowrie shells and thread on canvas in metal frame, 2010. Estimate: $25,000 - $30,000 Price Realized: $68,750 WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST

• Liliana Porter (Argentinian b. 1941) Untitled, oil, string, and nail on canvas, 1978. Estimate: $18,000 - $22,000 Price Realized: $27,500 WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST