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Fang Lijun's painting of an infant is a departure from the aggressive bald figures he often paints. The large acrylic on canvas painting has a $162,000-$243,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.

Phillips de Pury launches 21st Century art auctions Sept. 26

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf

Fang Lijun's painting of an infant is a departure from the aggressive bald figures he often paints. The large acrylic on canvas painting has a $162,000-$243,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.
Fang Lijun’s painting of an infant is a departure from the aggressive bald figures he often paints. The large acrylic on canvas painting has a $162,000-$243,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.
LONDON – Phillips de Pury & Co. will launch a new series of themed auctions of contemporary art and culture Sept 26 with Now: Art of the 21st Century. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Each sale, alternating between London and New York, will be a considered selection of quality property in a range of values to reflect the chosen theme and will draw upon the expertise of the company’s Contemporary Art, Photographs, Design and Editions departments.

“Phillips de Pury & Co. has consistently been staging the most pioneering sales of contemporary art, design and photography and this new dynamic platform will enable each department to interpret a given theme and express their curatorial strengths. These sales will be ground-breaking and taste-making and be a great complement to our core auction program,” said Simon de Pury, chairman of Phillips de Pury & Co.

Paintings by two of China’s top young artists will be presented at the auction Saturday. One of Zeng Chuanxing’s Paper Bride series paintings, Blue Paper Bride – Dream, is oil on linen and measures 67 by 43 3/8 inches. The painting, which reflects the artist’s roots in classical realism, has a $65,000-$96,000 estimate.

Fang Lijun, founder of Cynical Realist style in China, is represented by an acrylic on canvas painting of an infant held in the palm of a giant hand. The 2002 painting measures 51 1/4 by 35 1/2 inches and carries a $162,000-$243,000 estimate.

Several works by British artist Damien Hirst will be presented. One from his Second Series Biopsy is a 2008 diptych done in UV inks and household gloss on canvas with glass. The work measures 23 3/4 by 64 inches overall and has a $97,000-$130,000 estimate.

Pakistani artist Rashid Rana’s Lambda print flush-mounted to aluminum is an imposing image at 46 3/4 by 110 inches. The print of twin commandos in action has a $65,000-$97,000 estimate. It is from an edition of five.

Even bigger is Napoleon’s Tierchen by German artist Jonathan Meese. He used oil, photo collage and a U.S. $20 bill on the three-part composition measuring 82 1/2 by 165 3/4 inches. The 2006 abstract work has a $97,000-$130,000 estimate.

Saturday’s lineup will start with photographs (lots 1-82) at 2 p.m. followed by design (lots 83-99) at 3:30 p.m. and finally contemporary art (lots 100-291) at 4 p.m.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Click here to view Phillips de Pury & Company’s complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Damien Hirst signed and titled this diptych ‘M865/303, M865/304' and dated it 2008. The painting measures 23 3/4 by 64 inches and carries a $97,000-$130,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.
Damien Hirst signed and titled this diptych ‘M865/303, M865/304′ and dated it 2008. The painting measures 23 3/4 by 64 inches and carries a $97,000-$130,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.

Zeng Chuanxing's ‘Blue Paper Bride - Dreams' is oil on linen. It has a $65,000-$96,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.
Zeng Chuanxing’s ‘Blue Paper Bride – Dreams’ is oil on linen. It has a $65,000-$96,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.

Rashid Rana titled this panoramic print ‘When He Said I Do, He Did Not Say What He Did.' It has a $65,000-$97,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.
Rashid Rana titled this panoramic print ‘When He Said I Do, He Did Not Say What He Did.’ It has a $65,000-$97,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.

German artist Jonathan Meese's ‘Napoleon's Tierchen' is painted on canvas in three parts. It has a $97,000-$130,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.
German artist Jonathan Meese’s ‘Napoleon’s Tierchen’ is painted on canvas in three parts. It has a $97,000-$130,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.