Artnet’s Locked-Down Auction Specialists Recreated Their Favorite Artworks as Part of the Getty Challenge—See the Hilarious Results Here

Sylvie Sturtevant, specialist in prints and multiples posing as Alex Katz's Pas de Deux V (1995).

Who would have thought that art history would inspire one of the biggest social media trends of 2020?

Trying to make the most of everyone’s newfound at-home time, a few months back the Getty Museum issued the now famous #gettychallenge, calling on anyone bored at home to recreate a famous artwork using whatever household objects they had on hand. To date, thousands of people have posted their recreations on social media—and the results have been dazzling (toilet paper, it turns out, is much more versatile than we could have dreamed).

Now—and much to our delight—a few of Artnet’s very own auction specialists have joined in on the fun. Our prints and multiples experts recently put their art-historical knowledge to the test to reenact a few of their favorite works from our current “100 Under 10” Prints & Multiples sale—from a Katherine Bernhardt Pink Panther like you’ve never seen it before to a Yoshimoto Nara so sweet it earned a share from the artist himself

“We’ve always made an effort to engage in the larger art world, whether going to prints previews at the auction houses, visiting gallery or museum exhibitions, or attending talks at non-profit arts organizations,” said Conner Williams, Artnet’s head of prints and multiples. “These are all important facets to learning and participating in a growing marketplace and the Getty #museumchallenge was just a different and, I think, very authentic way of doing the same in these uncertain times. Keeping it light, fun, and creative benefits us all—directly or indirectly.”

See their #gettychallenge recreations below.

 

Meret Oppenheim
L’écureuil
Estimate $3,000–5,000
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Meret Oppenheim L'écureuil (1969). Courtesy $3,000–5,000.

Samantha Janazzo performed hair-magic to recreate Meret Oppenheim’s L’écureuil (1969). Estimate $3,000–5,000.

 

Yoshimoto Nara
Cosmic Girls: Eyes Open / Eyes Closed
Estimate $4,000–6,0000
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Yoshimoto Nara, Cosmic Girls: Eyes Open / Eyes Closed (2008). Estimate $4,000–6,0000.

Specialist Lauren Whitton’s lovely model (and niece) posed as Yoshimoto Nara’s Cosmic Girls: Eyes Open / Eyes Closed (2008). Estimate $4,000–6,000.

 

Chuck Close
Self-Portrait
Estimate $5,000–7,000
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Conner Williams, Head of Prints & Multiples as Chuck Close's Self-Portrait (2012). Estimate $5,000–7,000.

Conner Williams, Head of Prints & Multiples, recreated Chuck Close’s Self-Portrait (2012). Estimate $5,000–7,000.

 

Katherine Bernhardt
African Violet
Estimate $2,000–3,000
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Katherine Bernhardt, African Violet (2019). Estimate $2,000—3,000.

Diego Arellano recreated Katherine Bernhardt’s African Violet (2019). Estimate $2,000–3,000.

 

Tom Wesselmann
Embossed Smoker
Estimate $10,000–15,000
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Tom Wesselman, Embossed Smoker (1979). Estimate $10,000–15,000.

Jannah Greenblatt, senior specialist, was pitch-perfect as Tom Wesselmann’s Embossed Smoker (1979). Estimate $10,000–15,000.

Artnet Auctions’ “100 Under 10” prints and multiples sale is live through May 27, 2020.