Jeff Koons artwork sells for US$91.1 mln

NEW YORK: A sculpture by American artist Jeff Koons sold for US$91.1 million at an auction organised by Christie’s in New York – a record price for a living artist.

‘Rabbit’, a stainless steel casting of an inflatable rabbit, was the star of the auction house’s spring sale and overtook the previous record set by British painter David Hockney’s ‘ Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)’, which sold last November at Christie’s for US$90.3 million.

It was a return to the top for Koons, 64, whose ‘ Balloon Dog (Orange)’ for five years held the record for highest price reached at auction for a living artist a er its 2013 sale for US$58.4 million.

The selling price of ‘Rabbit’ was only US$80 million, but once commissions and fees were added, the final total rose to US$91.075 million.

In an unusual turn for an art auction at this price range, the buyer of ‘ Rabbit’ was actually in the room during the sale. At 1.04 metres in height, ‘Rabbit’ was auctioned from the collection of deceased publishing mogul S I Newhouse.

Alexander Ro er, chairman of post-war and contemporary art at Christie’s, told AFP a er the auction ‘Rabbit’ is “the most important piece by Jeff Koons and I want to go even a step further and say the most important sculpture of second half of the 20th century.”

‘Rabbit’ is the most important piece by Jeff Koons and I want to go even a step further and say the most important sculpture of second half of the 20th century. Alexander Ro er

— AFP file photo A security guard stands next to Koons’ ‘Rabbit’ from the Masterpieces from The Collection of S I Newhouse at Christie’s New York press preview, as part of Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art evening sale.