At 19:00 on September 27, 2025, Phillips’ “Modern and Contemporary Art Evening Sale” was held as scheduled in Hong Kong.The total transaction amount of 20 lots in this auction reached HK$159,961,800, with a total transaction rate of 100%.Among them, 25% of the lots were sold above the estimated price, and 50% of the lots were sold within the estimated price.Yoshitomo Nara's "Pink" sold for HK$56.645 million, becoming the top transaction in this session.

Meiling Lee, Head of Modern and Contemporary Art, Asia, Phillips, said: “In today’s cautious market environment, we remain focused and flexible – delivering robust results for our clients through carefully planned auctions, ultimately achieving a 100% sell-through rate tonight.

Nearly two-thirds of the works in this evening auction are being auctioned for the first time, underscoring our commitment to presenting rare and exceptional works of art of the highest quality. Leading the evening sale was Yoshitomo Nara’s Pink, created in 2000, a pivotal year in his artistic career, which sold for over HK$56.64 million.

There is particularly strong demand for works by female artists.Among them, Yayoi Kusama's "Infinity Net (SFOOUY)" sold for over HK$12.7 million. Ruth Asawa, making her Hong Kong auction debut, sold "Untitled S.013 (Suspended Single Petal, Five Continuous Nested Forms)" for over HK$4.12 million, 1.87 times the pre-sale estimate. Works by Miriam Kahn and Lai Ching-yin also attracted fierce bidding, both selling for prices far exceeding their high estimates.

20th-century masterpieces continue to be in high demandAmong them, a major, internationally renowned Zao Wou-Ki painting sold for over HK$29.8 million, while Pablo Picasso's Nude Reclining achieved 1.5 times its high estimate.

New Record:
Jean-Michel Othoniel sets a new record for the artist;
 

A total of 6 auction items worth tens of millions of yuan were producedAmong them, Zao Wou-Ki's "27.01.86" was sold for HK$29,805,000, Tom Weselman's "Smoker #17" was sold for HK$13.945 million, Yayoi Kusama's "Infinity Net (SFOOUY)" was sold for HK$12.725 million, Yoshitomo Nara's "Untitled" was sold for HK$11.505 million, and Zeng Fanzhi's "Mask Series 1999 No. 2" was sold for HK$10.285 million.

A total of 11 million-level auction items were producedAmong them, Ruth Asawa's "Untitled S.013 (Suspended Single Petal, Five Layers of Continuous Nested Forms)" was sold for HK$4.128 million, Lucas Arruda's "Untitled" was sold for HK$3.096 million, and Hao Liang's "Yucheng Butterfly" was sold for HK$2.838 million.

TOP1 transaction in this session:

TOP2 transactions in this session:

TOP3 transactions in this session:

Tom Wilhelm's "Smoker #17" was sold for HK$11 million, plus premium of HK$13,945,000.

Several artists set new auction records

Other lots sold:

In addition to the top three most expensive lots, the auction also included many excellent works by Chinese and Western artists, including Zeng Fanzhi, Ruth Asawa, Lucas Arruda, Hao Liang, Andy Warhol, Izumi Kato, and Pablo Picasso.

Please continue to follow ArtPro for more latest developments in the global art market.

For more details on the auction items, please click on the special session

At 19:00 on September 27, 2025, Phillips’ “Modern and Contemporary Art Evening Sale” was held as scheduled in Hong Kong.The total transaction amount of 20 lots in this auction reached HK$73.5118 million, with a total transaction rate of 90%, of which 25% of the lots were sold above the estimated price and 50% of the lots were sold within the estimated price.Tom Wilhelm's "Smoker #17" was sold for HK$13,945,000, becoming the highest-paid work of the auction.

New Record:
Jean-Michel Othoniel sets a new record for the artist;
 

A total of 4 auction items worth tens of millions of yuan were producedAmong them, Tom Wilhelm's "Smoker #17" was sold for HK$13.945 million, Yayoi Kusama's "SFOOUY" was sold for HK$12.725 million, Yoshitomo Nara's "Untitled" was sold for HK$11.505 million, and Zeng Fanzhi's "Mask Series 1999 No. 2" was sold for HK$10.285 million.

A total of 11 million-level auction items were producedAmong them, Ruth Asawa's "Untitled S.013 (Suspended Single Petal, Five Layers of Continuous Nested Forms)" was sold for HK$4.128 million, Lucas Arruda's "Untitled" was sold for HK$3.096 million, Hao Liang's "Feather City Butterfly" was sold for HK$2.838 million, Andy Warhol's "Pink Heart" was sold for HK$2.193 million, Kato Izumi's "Untitled" was sold for HK$2.193 million, Pablo Picasso's "Reclining Nude" was sold for HK$1.806 million, George Mathieu's "Air France" was sold for HK$1.806 million, Jean-Michel Othoniel's "Black Tornado" was sold for HK$1.677 million, Miriam Kahn's "Refugee, 17/18" was sold for HK$1. 12'02" was sold for HK$1.29 million, David Hockney's "Spring Arrival, Woodgates, East Yorkshire, January 1, 2011" was sold for HK$1.29 million, and Jonathan Gardner's "Desert Wind" was sold for HK$1.032 million.

TOP1 transaction in this session:

Tom Wilhelm's "Smoker #17" was sold for HK$11 million, plus premium of HK$13,945,000.

Tom Wesselman, "Smoker #17," 1975. Oil on shaped canvas. Signed: "SMOKER #17," 1975 (inside frame). 243.8 x 332.7 cm (96 x 131 in). Executed in the United States in 1975.

TOP2 transactions in this session:

Yayoi Kusama's "SFOOUY" was sold for HK$10 million, plus commission of HK$12.725 million.

This work, created in 2017, is by Yayoi Kusama, titled "Infinity Nets (SFOOUY)." Acrylic on canvas, signed: YAYOI KUSAMA 2017 "INFINITY-NETS SFOOUY" (on the reverse). 194 x 194 cm (76 3/8 x 76 3/8 in.), created in Japan in 2017. Includes the artist's studio registration card.

TOP3 transactions in this session:

Yoshitomo Nara's "Untitled" was sold for HK$9 million, plus commission of HK$11.505 million.

This work was created in 1990 by Yoshitomo Nara. "Untitled," acrylic on canvas, signed: 90, JAN. Yoshitomo Nara (on the reverse), 180 x 110 cm (70 7/8 x 43 1/4 in.), created in Germany in 1990. This work is included in the Yoshitomo Nara online collection of his works, registration number YNF613.

Several artists set new auction records

Other lots sold:

In addition to the top three most expensive lots, the auction also included many excellent works by Chinese and Western artists, including Zeng Fanzhi, Ruth Asawa, Lucas Arruda, Hao Liang, Andy Warhol, Izumi Kato, and Pablo Picasso.

Please continue to follow ArtPro for more latest developments in the global art market.

For more details on the auction items, please click on the special session