Kim Whanki's Works from Japanese Study Period to Appear in Domestic Auction for the First Time... Estimated Price 200 Million to 300 Million KRW

Kim Whanki's 'Untitled' (1936). (Photo by K Auction)

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] The work "Untitled" by Korean abstract art master Kim Whanki (1913?1974), created during his study period in Japan, will be exhibited in a domestic auction for the first time.

K Auction announced on the 13th that it will hold its August auction on the 25th at its headquarters in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The auction will feature 153 works, valued at approximately 9.7 billion KRW.

The most notable piece in this auction is Kim Whanki's "Untitled," created during his study period in Japan, which is being publicly shown for the first time since the 1999 "Kim Whanki 25th Anniversary Memorial Exhibition." Completed in 1936, "Untitled" holds art historical significance as a rare geometric abstract work in the Korean modern art scene. It also has high historical value for demonstrating artistic merit and new formal experiments of the modern era. Another work from a similar period, "Rondo" (1938), is recognized as one of Korea's first abstract works and is registered as National Cultural Heritage No. 535.

This is the first time Kim Whanki's 1930s works have appeared in a domestic auction, attracting significant interest from collectors. The estimated price is between 200 million and 300 million KRW. A total of five Kim Whanki works are being offered, including the 1966 New York period piece "8-VIII-66," featured on the catalog cover, with an estimated price of 320 million to 450 million KRW, and another 1960s "Untitled" work estimated between 250 million and 400 million KRW, awaiting new owners.

Park Seo-bo's large-scale late-period "Myobeop No. 050314" (size 200) is estimated at 550 million to 800 million KRW, and Lee Ufan's size 100 "Dialogue" is estimated at 500 million to 650 million KRW for auction.

Jesus Rafael Soto's 'Trois Carr?s Avec Rouge'. (Photo by K Auction)

Works by Jes?s Rafael Soto, a master of abstract art known for creating optical illusions that express new images to the human eye, include "Untitled" and "Trois Carr?s Avec Rouge." Their estimated prices are 250 million to 302 million KRW and 200 million to 320 million KRW, respectively.

Takashi Murakami's work "An Homage to Yves Klein," featuring an image very familiar to the public, will be auctioned at an estimated 450 million to 650 million KRW. Yayoi Kusama's "My Heart-THOQ" is seeking a new owner with an estimated price of 350 million to 500 million KRW.

Myobeop by Park Seo-bo. (Photo by K Auction)

Eight works by Kim Chang-yeul, nine by Lee Ufan, and five by Park Seo-bo will be offered. Additionally, works by blue-chip masters such as Kim Jong-hak, Jung Sang-hwa, Yoon Hyung-keun, and Ha Chong-hyun will be showcased evenly. Representative Korean abstract artists like Lee Geon-yong (4 works), Lee Bae (4 works), Lee Kang-so (2 works), and Kim Tae-ho (3 works) will also have diverse works up for auction.

Furthermore, works by internationally active artists such as Yang Hye-kyu, Ugo Rondinone, and Erwin Beurm, as well as artists who have recently gained great popularity and sparked fierce competition in every auction?such as David Hockney, Javier Calleja, Maki Hosokawa, Ha Tae-im, Jung Young-joo, Moon Hyung-tae, Woo Guk-won, and Kim Sun-woo?will be richly presented.

The auction items can be viewed at the K Auction exhibition hall from the 14th until the auction day on the 25th. Preview viewing is free, but due to COVID-19 prevention measures, it operates by reservation only, so advance booking is essential. Participation in the auction is possible via written bids, on-site, telephone, and online live bidding.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.