Strauss & co - 2017 Review

Good news from the canary in the coal mine The ascendancy of William Kentridge at auction remains noteworthy. Following on a strong showing in 2016, with 26 lots sold, in 2017 Strauss & Co sold 35 works at its four live sales. Many surpassed theR1millionmark. The three top-selling Kentridge lots in 2017 were: Dancing Couple (1989) and Drawing for ‘Sobriety, Obesity and Growing Old’ (1991), both of which sold for R4 092 480, and Untitled ‘Drawing Towards Responsible Hedonism’ (1988), which achieved R3 978 800. Art specialist Jean le Clus-Theron discusses the consignment of Drawing for ‘Sobriety, Obesity and Growing Old’ on page 71. There was considerable public interest when Strauss & Co announced the sale of two Kentridge charcoal drawings from his 1994 music video ‘Another Country’ by the much- loved pop act Mango Groove. The drawings, respectively depicting a drive-in cinema screen and megaphone on pylon, both familiar motifs in his oeuvre, sold for R2 159 920 each, within their estimates. The Johannesburg office hosted a public talk at which Mango Groove’s lead singer, Claire Johnston, detailed her experiences performing under Kentridge’s direction. William Kentridge Dancing Couple Sold R4 092 480, 5 June 2017 48