While the Sotheby’s 14 November sale seemed to send out a gloomy message to the market, BLAST covers the subsequent action at Christie’s and Bonhams in which the danger signs were averted. 

The autumn season produced a flurry of Modern British and Irish art sales which BLAST is covering in two issues. In the first, #20, the Sotheby’s sale on 14 November seemed to send out an ominous message to the market. 

In this issue BLAST gets the microscope out to review sales at the British Art Fair in September and at Christie’s Modern British and Irish Art sales in October.

In this issue, BLAST spotlights the energy hot spots at auction this summer, the British contemporaries starring in international art fairs and an impending sell out of Terry Frost ceramics – plus a new section on the latest books and catalogues.

A Modern British and Irish Art sale at Bonhams on June 19 provided a positive backdrop to the market as it wound down for the summer before reopening with the British Art Fair in September.

Colin Gleadell’s June report reviews a pair of Modern British art sales at Sotheby’s that saw triumphs, tribulations, and a below estimate result.

In his latest auction report, Colin Gleadell gives a Spring review of seasonal highlights in the Modern British art market away from London’s West End.

In this auction report, Colin Gleadell gets the microscope out to reveal exclusively who bid and bought, and which works made profits or losses for the owners.

Mod Brits multiply at The Decorative Fair; London Art Fair: a Bloomsbury Blast in Islington; Courtauld choice reflects the market and British art on the international stage

Contemporary British artists spearheaded the $2 billion dollar modern and contemporary art sales in New York this November.

The two key events for the Modern British art market this autumn have been: The British Art Fair at the end of September which reported a 10% increase in visitor numbers to almost 12,000 over 4 days, and numerous sales. And a Modern British and Irish Art sale at Christie’s which made £16.6 million.

Crossing Borders: Internationalism in Modern British Art was devised to highlight the significant contribution that artists who came to Britain to work from overseas during the 20th century had on Modern British art and the broad definition of ‘British’ art throughout the fair. The diversity of Britain’s cultural scene today owes much to them.

London’s International Modern and Contemporary art sales at the end of June told a number of different stories. Although there was jubilation over a Gustav Klimt going for a record £85.3 million, sale totals were down by over 20%. That of course doesn’t necessarily mean prices were down – just the supply of major works. British artists, for instance, performed well...Frank Auerbach in particular.

The Hambro sale at Christie’s, two lithographs by King Charles III at Bonham’s and British connections at the Taipei Dangdai art fair.

New records for ‘degenerate’ Neuschul, Mel Gooding Tribute at Jonathan Clark Fine Art, Mark Rothko paired with British artists and a fascinating glimpse into a brief attempt to democratise the latest contemporary art in the mid-1960s is currently on view at the Assembly Rooms in Bath. Not to miss the Tate re-hang.

Christie’s Modern British sale - including final hammer prices, underbidders and sale records.

At auction, day-glo paintings dazzle and British CoBrA artist catches up with European counterparts. In exhibitions, Washington embraces British photography, undervalued British female abstract artists exposed, British Rose blooms in Paris, British female surrealists included in major Paris show and an artist spotlight on Richard Smith. Included are some Fair favourites to follow.

A breadth of Modern British highlights in this edition of BLAST, from the RA’s Summer Exhibition, features from the collection of Andrew Wilson, BLAST X BAERFAXT, a cricket match with Lowry, a new Head of Modern British Art at Sotheby’s, Winston Branch and what is ‘on trend’.

BLAST’s from the past, British Contemporaries stand out at Art Fairs abroad and auctions buoyed by estate sales.

A busy summer for the Modern British Art Market, both in the sale rooms and at the Art Fairs.