5th June, 2007

Online auction to hot up art market
Watch Video Mumbai: It's hot this summer, no doubt, but its about to get hotter with millions worth of Indian art going under the hammer!

So if you're one of those who've been waiting eagerly for some action in the art world this summer, well you've got a whole auction coming your way.

Saffronart is back with its Modern Indian Art Auction and the work that's topping the chart is this 1989 painting called 'Kali' by artist Tyeb Mehta. 

The work is estimated to sell between a whopping Rs 3.5 crore and Rs 4.5 crore, which is hardly surprising given Mehta still happens to be the only Indian artist who's work has gone for a record Rs 7 crore at an earlier auction

"Tayeb has done only a few Kalis in his painting years. And I think Kali of this scale and this kind of drama, this kind of potential is something that's special. I think in about 10 years of auctions, this is only the second Kali that is coming to auction," said Saffronart Director Dinesh Vazirani.

Following close are a couple of Razas, M F Hussain and F N Souza ' all estimated to sell well above Rs 1 crore.

But if you're looking to go beyond the usual suspects, expert opinion will do no harm.

"Someone like Arpita Singh, who I think one of India's foremost woman artists, really come to the auctions, seen quite strong. We have Jogen Chowdhury, Ganesh Pyne, Bikash Bhattacharjee ' all of them have really been those artists, which have started coming into auctions and performing really well," said Vazirani.

The total value of the sale is estimated between Rs 35 crore and Rs 40 crore but if you want to go beyond the number game, then log on to saffronart.com for more details.

The auction will be held online on the 6th and the 7th of June.

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