Beloved Berlin artist-run exhibition space Autocenter held their second- ever benefit auction on Saturday. With a final tally of €144,000 (US$200,000), the sale nearly doubled the result of their previous benefit, held on the occasion of the space’s ten year anniversary in the fall of 2011.
Topping the results was current hot commodity David Ostrowski’s F (Musik ist Scheiße) (2013). The rather minute (51x41cm) painting made more than triple its presale high estimate, going to a telephone bidder for €30,000 (US$41,700). The record for the young German’s work was set this past January at Phillips London when a painting went for US$142,206 (est. US$16,000-25,000).
Eberhard Havekost had the second-best performance of the afternoon, with Natur 2, B12 (2012), which went for €19,000 (US$26,400). The result was relatively poor against its €25,000-35,000 presale estimate, however.
Timur Si-Qin’s Melted Yoga Mat (Black 3) (2013) grabbed €11,000 (US$15,300).
Only perennial Berlin favorite Jorinde Voigt’s The Day Before Yesterday – The Day After Tomorrow (Emotional Spectrum) (Berlin, 2012) came near Ostrowski’s estimate-tripling performance (if not sky-high final price), making €3,000 on a €1,000-1,500 estimate on the edition of 12.