Women Artists Top Nordic Auction - Bukowskis Contemporary on 23 May, 2012

STOCKHOLM, May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

- With photo

Women artists are now getting the recognition they deserve, after centuries of male dominance on the art scene. Yayoi Kusama and Cindy Sherman are two recent examples.  But now this change has also impacted on the more conservative commercial arena, and on Bukowskis, the foremost Nordic auction house. The recent contemporary auctions have had items by women artists among their top sales.

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"The gender of the artist doesn't matter to me. But looking at our auctions in recent years, I can make the following conclusion: Fantastic women artists sell," says Michael Storåkers, CEO.

Maria Friberg (born in Sweden in 1966), became famous overnight, when her film "No time to fall" was shown at TEAM Gallery, New York, in 2001. The film features footage of George W. Bush, where she has cut out everything except his breathing spaces. Her "Still Lives # 3" caused a stir at the 2004 Armory Show and was on everybody's lips. Now it is being sold at Bukowskis Contemporary on 23 May.

Who loves birches, forest clearings and Nordic gloom? Everybody, it seems. Mamma Andersson (born in Sweden in 1962) is currently Sweden's most highly-priced living artist. Her work is in the Swedish narrative expressionist tradition, but her exhibitions at the Stephen Friedman Gallery and Zwirner in London and New York sell out at record speed. Bukowskis rarely has the pleasure of selling a painting by Mamma Andersson, since owners are highly reluctant to part with her works.

Cecilia Edefalk (born in Sweden in 1954) is represented by the Gladstone Gallery in New York. When her painting 'Baby' was sold at the Bukowskis autumn auction in 2010, it ended up on the top-ten list of the most expensive works by contemporary women artists that year. Hammer price: SEK 6 million. Mystery, spirituality and existential issues are characteristic of this artist's work.

Another popular Nordic artist in recent auctions is Linn Fernström (born in 1974). Strong colours, exotic birds in beautiful landscapes are contrasted with provocations relating to women's issues: children, caring - and their opposites: death and violence. Three Women (2001) portrays her alter egos in yet another surrealist scene.

The Contemporary Sale boasts works by Yayoi Kusama and Diane Arbus. The top-selling dead artists are still predominantly male, however:  Sam Francis (1923-1994), Willem de Kooning (1904-1997), Öyvind Fahlström (1928-1976) and Ola Billgren (1940 - 2001).

Bukowskis Contemporary starts on 23 May at 10 am.

Monitor the auction live and bid: http://www.bukowskis.com

To bid, sign up for an account: http://www.bukowskis.com/signup

About Bukowskis

Bukowskis is the leading Nordic art business. We offer international hammer auctions, online auctions and Private Sales. The Bukowski headquarters is located in Stockholm, with branches in Helsinki, Gothenburg and Malmo and representatives all around Europe, USA and Asia.

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Contact: Paulina Sokolow, paulina.sokolow@bukowskis.com, +46-702670923

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SOURCE Bukowskis Auction House