Ethiopian artist Julie Mehretu sets new world record for highest sale of African artwork
By Amina Wako |
Her 2008 piece, "Walkers With the Dawn and Morning," was auctioned at Sotheby's in New York for an impressive $10.7 million (Sh1.62 billion), surpassing her own record set just last month.
Julie Mehretu, an Ethiopian artist, on Wednesday set a new world record for the highest sale of an African artwork.
Her 2008 piece, "Walkers With the Dawn and Morning," was auctioned at Sotheby's in New York for an impressive $10.7 million (Sh1.62 billion), surpassing her own record set just last month.
The final cost, including fees, amounted to $9.5 million (Sh1.44 billion).
This achievement follows Mehretu's success at Sotheby's Hong Kong sale in October, where her 2001 diptych fetched $9.32 million, surpassing the previous record held by South African artist Marlene Dumas in 2008.
Image of Julie Mehretu’s “Walkers With the Dawn and Morning". (Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby’s)
The record-breaking painting was created in response to the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans, showcasing Mehretu's distinctive mark-making style, incorporating architectural drawing, vibrant vectors, and calligraphic sweeps.
Mehretu was born in Addis Ababa in 1970 and has become a prominent figure in the contemporary African art scene, emphasizing the growing interest in abstract works within this genre.
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