As we had reported last June on the passing of the artist Christo at age 84, it was not unexpected that an auction sale might ensue offering art and other belongings from his estate. And sure enough such a sale took place this month at Sotheby’s with the alluring title “Unwrapped: The Hidden World of Christo and Jeanne-Claude.” As the auction houses love to brand them, here was truly an iconic collection.
Thinking about the many novel ways in which the art market is rebuilding and reinventing itself these days, I am reminded of the 1948 RKO comedy “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House,” starring Myrna Loy and Cary Grant. It’s a whimsical, hilarious tale of resilience in the face of never-ending challenges and setbacks.
Settled into a new reality, one in which cocktail receptions, crowds and people waving paddles in a packed saleroom all seem a thing of the past, the art market has shown surprising resilience and ingenuity. As we expected in developments over the summer, big changes were coming.