Sotheby’s Institute of Art | New Opportunities for Latin American Art at Auction

Sotheby’s has unexpectedly become the most promising possibility for Latin American art in the auction rooms. In a long-awaited decision, the auction house announced it will integrate Latin American art into its contemporary auction sales in New York – starting this Autumn.

Offering lots of Latin American artists in the mainstream auction sales is not unprecedented, though. Most recently, at the May Contemporary Art Evening sales, Mira Schendel’s Untitled from the series Droguinhas (Little Nothings) (1966), and Sergio Camargo’s Untitled (Relief No. 19/46) were sold for $1.5 million. And, these are just two examples of many others that have sold in previous seasons.

Wifredo Lam, Les oiseaux voiles, 1945

This announcement sets a new strategy for the auction house – one of many taken by the company over the past two years, under the leadership of Tad Smith. It is a shift from an established practice dating back to the foundation of their Latin American Art Department in 1979. However, it does not represent a complete break. The Latin American team will continue to source the lots that will be on offer at the Contemporary auction sales; and we could also assume that lots benefitting from this “upgrade” will be those from blue-chip artists in the race for the million-and-above price tags.

Read more about the Sotheby’s Auction House and Latin American Art

About Sotheby’s Institute of Art

Sotheby’s Institute of Art is The Graduate School of Art and its Markets. Evolving from a small connoisseurship program started by Sotheby’s Auction House in 1969, Sotheby’s Institute is now the foremost leader in art business education and object-based learning. Its global faculty represent the best of almost every facet of the art world, helping students decipher and master the unique forces at play at the intersection of art and commerce.

With campuses in the cultural capitals of London, New York and Los Angeles, Sotheby’s Institute offers graduate level programs that have become more relevant than ever in an art world that is constantly seeking individuals with art historical scholarship and business acumen. Besides Master’s degrees, Sotheby’s Institute offers programs of study such as summer classes, 15-week semester courses, online learning and executive education. Sotheby’s Institute of Art’s programs provide the knowledge and credentials needed to achieve success in today’s worldwide art markets and cultural institutions.

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