MELBOURNE.- Mossgreen announces the auction A Contemporary Vision: An Important British Collection of International Contemporary Art. Featuring paintings, sculpture, photography and installation pieces by some of the world’s most celebrated contemporary artists, the auction will take place in Melbourne on Sunday 17 September following an exhibition in London, 28-30 April.

Assembled by Frank Cohen, a leading private British collector who has, in his own words ‘an instinctive eye’, the collection spans Asia, Europe and America and includes works by artists such as Zeng Fanzhi, Subodh Gupta, Jitish Kallat, Fang Lijun, Farhad Moshiri, Jagannath Panda, Lee Ufan, Sun Yuan & Peng Yu, Li Hui, Sergej Jensen, Mat Collishaw and John M Armleder.

Frank Cohen has worked closely with Mossgreen to handpick 80 pieces from his collection for auction.

The auction is led by internationally acclaimed Chinese artist, Zeng Fanzhi’s haunting Sky No. 7, 2005 (above, lot 10, estimate US$700,000-900,000). Fanzhi is best known for his powerful and emotive portraits which, like Sky No. 7, capture and reflect upon the vulnerability and isolation of the individual in today’s society.

Paul Sumner, Mossgreen CEO said, ‘We are very excited to bring this important collection of international contemporary art to Australia. We have known the vendor for several years, and having been impressed with Mossgreen’s vision, dynamic marketing and high quality exhibitions, we are delighted that he has chosen to offer his collection at auction with us, here in Australia.’

And, ‘While we expect many of the pieces to sell to an international audience, we hope to invigorate the Australian market with a collection of truly sensational contemporary art, of a quality never before seen at auction in this country.’

HIGHLIGHTS

ASIA
A Contemporary Vision features some of the most prominent and exciting names in Asian contemporary art. Alongside Zeng Fanzhi’s Sky No. 7, highlights include two significant works by Fang Lijun, a leading artist in the Cynical Realist movement. The monumental paintings, 2007.6.7, 2007 (Lot 13, US$500,000-700,000) and 15th June 2006 (lot 14, estimate $US400,000-600,000) combine his signature illustrative style and his recurring themes of cynicism, disenchantment and rebellion in response to the politics of his homeland.

Other key artist whose works feature in this section are Zang Huan, Li Hui, Sun Yuan & Peng Yu, leading Indian artists Subodh Gupta, Jitish Kallat and Jagannath Panda and Korean artists Lee Ufan, Hyungkoo Lee and Hyung-Koo Kang.

EUROPE
Danish born, Berlin based artist Sergej Jensen leads this section with Untitled (Money Bags), 2007 (lot 67, estimate: US$100,000-150,000) and Untitled, 2007 (lot 68, estimate: US$70,000-100,000).

Both are typical of Jensen’s minimalist compositions, constructed from textile and mixed media that recall elements of modernist abstraction.

Other highlights include paintings and an installation piece by renowned Swiss performance artist, sculptor and painter John M. Armleder (lots 70, 71 & 72) whose works reference Suprematism, Minimalism and Dadaism, yet defy clear definition. He is considered one of the most important and influential artists of his generation.

Another highlight is a dramatic, gothic piece, Auto-Immolation (AP), 2010 (lot 69, estimate: US$50,000-70,000) by British artist, Mat Collishaw. One of the key figures of the Young British Art movement (YBA), Collishaw emerged from Goldsmiths College in the late 80s alongside Damien Hirst and Tracy Emin.

AMERICA
The Bruce High Quality Foundation (BHQF) lead the American section of the auction with Bachelors of Avignon (Black on White) 2011 (lot 46, estimate: US$80,000-120,000). As a group of anonymous artists, BHQF aim ‘to resurrect art history from the bowels of despair and to impregnate the institutions of art with the joy of man’s desiring.’

This section also features works by Banks Violette, Ryan Sullivan, Oscar Tuazon and Tom Friedman.