Latifa Echakhch Breaks Out in Paris and London

Colin Gleadell is paying close attention to the emerging artist market. He points out that there’s a new name that’s emerged in recent weeks:

Moroccan born, Swiss based artist Latifa Echakhch is the flavour-of-the- month young artist at auction, with two auction records set in consecutive days last week. Known for using unusual materials associated with her native country, Echakhch’s market took off this summer. Then at Christie’s in Paris last Tuesday a painting which looked like a blue silhouette of treetops against a white sky, and with a title referring to “a nasty trail of smelly mud” tripled estimates to sell for €157,000 (£114,317). The following afternoon at Phillips in London, a similar work made with synthetic food dye and saliva on canvas and estimated at £20,000 sold for £134,500 pounds. Echakhch has rarely exhibited in this country but next year she is due to take part in an exhibition at Lismore Castle in Ireland.

Market News: the rise of private sales  (Telegraph)