Christie’s Pops Up in Silicon Valley with Lichtenstein

Christie’s is also making a showing in Silicon Valley this week. The auction house is sending a group of works—bridging various sales from emerging Contemporary artists to Pop classics—to Los Altos at the invitation of local real estate investment concern Passarrelle Investments.

The goal of the show is the continuing effort to attract tech money to the art market. And the choice of Roy Lichtenstein’s Girl with Mirror, which will be sold in the November 12th New York auctions is interesting. Girl with Mirror is an editioned enamel with 10 examples extant. Christie’s has a $2-3m estimate on the work but that’s remarkably low. Some will remember that Girl with Mirror was the focus of a notorious lawsuit involving Gagosian Gallery that produced the phrase “cruel and offensive offer” as a Gagosian representative tried to motivate a wavering buyer in the depths of the financial crisis.

The offer and sale was for $2m, the low estimate on the work. Before and after that notorious sale, versions of Girl with Mirror have traded hands at auction for prices consistently above the estimate range. The most recent sale was in 2012 for $3.7m down from $4.9m in 2010 and $4m in 2007. This particular version has only had one owner since it was purchased from Leo Castelli.

Here is Christie’s release for the exhibition:

Christie’s is pleased to partner with Passerelle to present an important exhibition in Los Altos of Post-War and Contemporary Art works which will be offered privately and at auction this fall in New York. The exhibition will offer major works by established blue-chip artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns, Richard Diebenkorn and Tracey Emin as well as examples of cutting-edge contemporary art. The exhibition will also be accompanied by an opening reception on Wednesday, September 10th and a panel discussion on Saturday, September 13th.

“While it is well known that the Bay Area is home to some of the most impressive collections in private hands, it has recently become evident that it is also one of the most robust emerging markets for art collecting with a growing group of young and new collectors. Christie’s is pleased to accept Passerelle’s invitation to come to Los Altos at the beginning of September to showcase Post-War and Contemporary Art highlights from the coming auction season as well as works of art to be offered for private sale. We are particularly excited to open a dialogue with the community and new collectors at StART Up: Beginning (and Growing) Your Art Collection, a panel discussion on Saturday September 13th,” declared Charlie Adamski, Christie’s specialist of Post-War and Contemporary Art based in San Francisco.

CHRISTIE’S POP-UP LOS ALTOS