Hirst 'Spot' Painting, Art Owned by Tech Titan Peter Norton at Christie's Inaugural 'Open Sale'
- February 08, 2012 11:53
American software entrepreneur and pioneering art collector Peter Norton is planning to auction off additional works from his prized contemporary art collection.
The Silicon Valley technology guru already sold off a significant portion of his collection at Christie’s last November, raking in over $30 million. In 2000, over 1,000 works from his collection were gifted to a total of 32 institutions, large and small, in the single largest donation made of contemporary art.
Another part of Norton’s collection, comprising 45 lots, is set to go up on the auction block as part of Christie’s, New York, “Open Sale,” featuring Post-War and Contemporary works with a focus on emerging artists, as well as lesser-known works by famous artists, such as seminal Pop artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.
According to Christie’s, "Many of the works represent the leading artists of the contemporary art world that Mr. Norton has supported since the inception of their careers."
A star performer in the sale is expected to be Damien Hirst’s spot painting “Rubidium Chloride,” dated 2006, which is estimated to go for up to $800,000.
Another highlight is British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare’s “Victorian Philanthropist’s Parlor,” featuring his signature batik fabrics and expected to go for between $120,000-180,000.
The sale will also include five lots donated by artists, of which the proceeds will go towards the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization geared towards LGBT youth.
The artwork will be on display from March 3 to the 7 at Christie’s Rockefeller Center Galleries, with the auction taking place from 10am-2pm on March 7.
Norton is perhaps best known for his development of anti-virus software.